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7.3
Overall Rating

This story feels like it's going nowhere. Every single Bendis book feels like a rehash of another Bendis book. I feel like we've seen Young Justice do this like twelve times now, and I know we haven't, but everything blends together into a godawful mess. And on top of that, John Romita Jr's art is abysmal. All those action pages may as well have been 60s Batman onomatopoeia. I couldn't really tell you how panels connected or what was happening. This is an atrocious issue. I hope this series sheds readers fast.

This comic makes me want to hang myself.

This issue is worthless. The Superman family pages are spent mostly regurgitating a plot synopsis at us, or repeatedly telling us the current situation as though we'd forget between pages. And then the stuff at the Daily Planet is genuinely pointless. Nothing is revealed. Ms. Leone just continues saying the same things over and over again, as if she knew she had to cue up the cliffhanger, but couldn't time it correctly. The only reason to read this issue is to find out how Superman and the others defeat that monster, and it's not worth it. You can skip this issue and not miss a thing.
1.0
 America #9 Oct 9, 2018
1.0
 America #10 Oct 9, 2018
1.0
 America #12 Oct 9, 2018

The fact that this book gets any praise at all is astounding. I don't know if this was always intended to be the finale or not, but things are rushed so spectacularly that there is so much I want to complain about but I don't have the drive to do it. I'll just go over what comes to mind. The werewolf plot? Pointless. The Kate/Mara stuff? Annoying. Wolfram & Hart? Ruined and wasted. Lilah just blurting out all the answers at the very end is so fucking bad. Everything is resolved because the character tells you it is. What is up with Fred? The references to the TV show come across as disingenuous. I guess it's fine if Harmony is the receptionist at Wolfram & Hart, and somehow has a history with Spike already. Because see, the show did it. And oh man, the Hyperion! Remember that? It's more of a character than Gunn is in this issue! I don't mean to be so cynical, but this is really, really bad, and I have a genuine attachment to the series and characters this comic is based on. I don't even have that same attachment to Buffy. Angel is and always will be the better show, with the better characters. And to see the potential for a new and exciting version of it squandered so spectacularly... It genuinely pisses me off. I cannot get over how much Zac Thompson wants to push this BDSM/Gay thing with Spike and Angel. I've got nothing against those concepts, in general, but he goes about it in such a ridiculous way. And before you say it, I know the Buffyverse has a very specific brand of dialogue and that they sometimes said weird stuff on the show. But I don't recall a time when a character decided to scream out their safeword to get the monster attacking them to stop. Seems forced and unnecessary to me. And unfunny. And Jesus, there were only a few references in the show to the vague possibility that Angel and Spike were more than frenemies, and the most explicit one makes it clear that it was a one time thing. I wouldn't have such a problem with this if it were written competently and didn't come across like someone's fan fiction for a TV show shoehorned into a series that clearly has a different plot. The characters don't sound right. The story sucks. Even the art is rough in places. Ugh, and that ending! I think I despise Zac Thompson's very short run on this title. Bryan Hill has a very specific voice and style that I can find cumbersome at times, but I was way more invested in his version of this story. I hate to be so negative, and to ramble so much, but I... I hate this issue. I can't even handle it. Thank God this is over. I hope Boom relaunches the title with a more competent creative team.

I don't give out ones lightly. I think ones as a concept are frankly absurd. But... I genuinely hate this book. There aren't many comics that can create such ire within me nowadays, but this one did. I understand that I'm a huge, mega fan of the TV show this comic is based on. I'm going to have a bias towards the version of the characters I know. I try to know that and make up for it with an open mindedness that I work hard to maintain. Same for... MCU movies. In fact, when Boom's first reboot of Buffy happened, my early reviews were full of optimism and ardent defenses of that optimism. As that first reboot has finally fallen flat, and these later attempts have suffered similarly, I can safely say that I was wrong. I was totally, horribly wrong to be optimistic. I should've let myself fall into the trap of cynicism. It would've saved me so much. Instead here I am, having just finished Boom's second Angel series, written by a writer that I actually like, and I feel nothing but despair. I think I hate pretty much every moment in this book, but the one moment I hate the most is the ending. They tried to ape Not Fade Away. The series finale to the television show. The perfect distillation of the show's themes, all encapsulated in one final fleeting moment before the credits roll for the very last time. I love the ending of the show. I think it's powerful, understated and brilliant. And... to just repeat it in a story that constantly relied on you knowing the characters, and never gave you the space to care about their new incarnations... it's just awful. Reading this issue felt like Cantwell had so much he wanted to do, with zero focus, and half of the ideas he had were actually pretty much trash. For instance - and this might be a bit controversial - making Lorne gay. I don't think Lorne should be gay. At least, I don't think it should be an important, essential part of his character. He'd probably be best labeled as bisexual or pansexual, in my mind, being an empath demon. But making him gay is lazy. So fucking obvious and lazy. Oh and to drag out Andrew to do it, a character so coded as gay, but never explicitly such, is just compounding on that laziness. Lorne was never given a significant other. He was never explored in that way. In fact, the actor who played him said that his sexuality was unimportant, and as much as he put himself into the role, he himself was uninterested in relationships. So, as close to canonical as we can get, Lorne is asexual. I just feel like, Cantwell and probably many fanfic writers see a stereotypical flamboyant male character, and they think, "Well, of course he's gay!" It's reductive and I could go on and on about how often, especially in comics, gay characters are stuck into stereotypical boxes that do nothing to humanize them. It's so frustrating, and I'm not okay with it. Oh, and that random Buffy appearance does nothing for the story. Why is she here? Did we need to know that she died? I thought we could figure that one out. Ugh.
1.0
 Batgirl (2016) #18 Oct 10, 2018
1.0
 Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #17 Oct 10, 2018

God, this series sucks the life out of me. It's just so very boring and it never stops. I don't know the names of most of the characters. I had completely forgotten about whoever the boyfriend is. Just please end this.

This is such a chore to get through, that it makes me want to quit comics altogether. It's just so bad, and I keep reading it because I read all the rest like a fool. But man, this is so lame. I don't know what anyone is thinking when it comes to this book. The dialogue is all over the place. If I had to give you a synopsis of the story thus far, it'd be incoherent, because this book is incoherent. The art is so bad compared to Maleev's other work. We get a reveal here that was revealed several months ago over in Justice League. I just don't know why this exists.

I really hate this comic. The story is all over the place. The characters are very, *very* stupid in this one. Bendis needs to learn how to structure a dialogue scene again. Having the through-line of a conversation repeatedly interrupted by non-sequiturs is not good writing. Conversations have flows to them. Bendis gets a lot of praise in his early work for writing realistic dialogue. There is nothing realistic about this dialogue. I'm just so baffled that this series was published. What editor is reading this and thinking, "Yeah, there's nothing off here,"? The most recent sales for this series have it as one of the worst selling comics DC is publishing. I think the latest issue sales data is available for had it selling around 18,000 copies. That is too much for a series of this abysmal caliber. Shout out to the line where the 22 year old offers to dress down. That's just one of many odd throwaway lines that have you questioning what exactly was going on in Bendis' head when he wrote this. I heard somewhere that Bendis actually talks out his scripts into a recording device that transcribes it all. And it reads like a man babbling to himself incoherently, so I'm more inclined to believe it.

Fucking awful. I really, really despise this issue. Nothing about this worked. The art was terrible at points. The dialogue is ungodly. I just... really fucking hate this issue. Why was this published? Who gives a fucking shit? No one, but fools like you and me, one of the 10 thousand that bought this shit.

This is bad.

I can't stress enough how unfunny this issue is. Good Riddance.
1.0
 Deadman (2017) #6 Oct 20, 2018

Fuck this pointless story.

Holy shit was this bad. This series had the benefit of the doubt before. That it wasn't saying all men are bad. But nope, apparently it was. Nothing will ever be solved if you divide people by their gender, race, sexuality, etc. That is one of the biggest faults in progressive thinking like this. All this series, and the ideas presented in it, do is alienate the reasonable from the irrational. Both men and women should find this awful, and I'm sure that's true of the majority. What a shame. As I said in earlier reviews, I thought there was a good message in here somewhere and that's why I gave the series a chance to be better. But this issue just shits all over that idea. It really wasn't an example of good ideas that were poorly executed. I was wrong. These are bad ideas being presented for what they are. Which makes for a bad execution because when your ideas are shit, you shouldn't try to sell them so straight. I really hate this issue. I truly do. And politics aside, this whole series has been poorly paced and the characters don't have any arcs. They just change in an instant to fit this haphazardly constructed story. This series make me question the writer's ability so much. I read the second volume of her Shade run and I thought it was jumbled. This is even worse than that. So I'm terrified that her Batgirl run is going to be just as bad as this. I have no faith in this writer and if Batgirl isn't much better, I'm just going to stay far, far away from Cecil Castellucci.

Ugh. I really hate this book. This whole Force Quest arc has been beyond boring. Just a bunch of new characters not fleshed out enough, with new powers that are also not fleshed out enough, but at the same time there's so much expositing about them that you wonder if you just blocked out the information. And then, Heroes in Crisis hits Flash. In an extreme non-ending meant to sell more copies of the annual. And we still don't know what's going on with Commander Cold. This whole thing just bores me to death.

Oh my god, this was so terrible.

1.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #31 Jul 19, 2019
1.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #33 Jul 19, 2019

This was not good. It was really bad. Sam Humphries would make a mediocre sitcom writer. All this issue is is Harley's family ruining her Christmas. Everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Like a sitcom. And also like a sitcom, it manages to solve all these problems through acute emotional manipulation. Don't worry about the Christmas party being ruined because Harley's mom has cancer! Oh, yeah, that feels like a real genuine moment coming out of a Harley Quinn comic. It's played straight, but you can't do that after mirroring basically any sitcom holiday episode from the 80s and 90s. I think it's repulsive. This issue hit home for me in a way that no one making the comic would expect, but it makes me despise this issue with a passion.

I loathed this issue. I'm so annoyed that it's not a done-in-one.

I know when my mother feels down, stripping always helps.

I only read the Joker War portion of this issue because I dropped this title for a reason. I've got no patience for modern Harley. Unfortunately, the Joker War tie-in is more of the same. I find Harley Quinn and the writing in this so obnoxious. The art is by Riley Rossmo, who can be hit or miss, and this is definitely a miss. It's just all around an unentertaining slog, and it's only 8 pages or something. Felt like an eternity though. It was a headache-inducing read.

This is fucking stupid, you guys.
1.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #29 Jul 20, 2019

I am done with Bendis.

It took so much for me to get through this issue. This was such a bore. I hated it.
1.0
 Legion (2018) #4 Jul 20, 2019
1.0
 Legion (2018) #5 Jul 20, 2019

It took me an hour to read this. It's so boring.

Oh my god, there is so much inane taking in this book. I do not care about any of this. Make me care Bendis. You can't handle 30 characters at once, no one can. Maybe tell smaller stories and build up the cast instead of just shoveling more huge developments into our fat faces. I think I'm close to done with this stupid fucking series. And I feel so bad that the artists are wasted on this series. They could be telling an amazing story, but they're stuck with this shit.

Why did I keep reading this? So fucking trash. I liked "Memexes".

This sucks so hard and knowing how big of a douche Rob Liefeld is when this is the best he can produce just makes me hate it all the more. The art is probably even worse than Liefeld's, which is shocking. Just a terrible, terrible issue.

What a lame book.

God damn, this was awful. One of the most annoying and headache inducing things I've read in a while.
1.0
 New Challengers (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019
1.0
 Nightwing (2016) #34 Jul 20, 2019

This blows.

Oh man, I hated this one. I just hate the way all the characters are written, that's all. Oh and I mentioned in my issue one review that I didn't trust Seeley with his political prescriptions. It seemed like he didn't really know what he was talking about when it came to the Anarchy stuff, and coincidentally and conveniently, right wing groups tend to adopt the rhetoric of the left to disseminate more terribleness, so it still fit somewhat. I had someone comment and show me that no, Tim Seeley is aware and I was overreacting. So in this issue when Spoiler told Anarky to run to his "Ayn Rand cave," I was really annoyed. Anarky is... an Anarchist. Ayn Rand was an Objectivist. Objectivism is like the polar opposite of Anarchism. Like, is this for real? So... that has little to do with my rating of this issue, but I feel like the follow up is worth it just because... Man, I called it so hard.

I can't express how much this one miniseries has plagued me. I just... hate it a ton.

Ugh, I really find this series appalling. Tim Seeley is a horrible writer and none of the emotional impact actually hits the reader. Easily the worst thing Marvel is putting out at the moment, besides maybe Iceman and Domino, both of which are ending too. Bleh.

Ugh, I was not expecting good things from this and yet somehow I'm still offended. It's treading very familiar ground without doing anything particularly new. Peter and MJ having a spider-kid is not new and it's been done better than this is doing so far. Add in some uninspired dialogue and story cliches to that over-done idea, and you get this. The solicitation even hypes up its shock value. But there's nothing particularly shocking here aside from the fact that Nick Lowe tried to make this happen for a decade or something. It's just so tiring to read this. Cadaverous is an uninspired, weak villain who's barely in the issue. There's no mystery here. It's boring, bland and pointless. Oh and it's not 616 Spidey so you don't have to read it to keep up. What a relief. If only it wasn't my favorite character being given this shoddy writing. This reads like a Tom King comic, if you're into that. I'm not.

Why does this comic exist? It is just a rehash of any of the other Spider-Family stories, or even Miles. But with worse writing and, honestly, worse art. I really do hate this comic because it's written by people who don't know what makes Spider-Man a good character. It's written by people who are clearly not in their element. It's bad. And made even worse by how unoriginal it is. I'm astounded that this comic made it to print. But I guess having a big name means you can churn out shit.

Oh my fucking god, first they fuck with my favorite, Spider-Man, now they're fucking with Iron Man. There's so much wrong here. Why are they ripping off the Ultimate comics/the Amazing Spider-Man films? Why would you do that? And the dialogue here is atrocious. Tony's like fucking Yoda in Empire, it's so bad. And ugh, they steal lines from the movies because I guess they think that's a good way to punch up their script. I don't know who is actually writing this, J.J. or his son, but either way, they are simply regurgitating the ideas of other people in an inferior way. Yes, this is worse than the Amazing Spider-Man films. Fuck me, seriously. Every time I read this horseshit comic, I get depressed. It's like seeing the characters and the world you love violated, but not in the typical way. See, comic writers pull their own bullshit all the time, but it's very different than what a screenwriter would do. This is ultimately worse. At least the Bendises of the world still respect the medium. This is just horrendous. Nick Lowe should be fired for trying to make this happen for a decade. What a garbage decision on his part. I don't know how this trashfire is selling, but luckily critic and reader response has been extremely negative. I hope that shuts this shit down before we get a sequel miniseries.

This is fucking dreadful. Every time a new issue comes out, I just become sick in the pit of my stomach. And then when I force myself to read this shit, it depresses me so much. I hate this series, and it'd be with a passion, if not for how much this comic sucks the fucking life out of me.

Let's not do this again, Nick Lowe. I don't know what the sales were on this, but god, I hope it wasn't enough to warrant more. This was terrible. The art was the one thing that deserves any sort of praise. It was the shine on shit. This miniseries depressed me to read, genuinely. It ruined my mood. And if I weren't such a spider-dork, I would have dropped this. I had to know though. But I hope I was the lone fool. Do not support this series in any capacity. Let it be buried in dollar bins for the years to come.
1.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #29 Jul 21, 2019

I don't really know why this miniseries exists. Neither story here is interesting or worth reading about. This series is such an incredible bore. The Katanna story never does anything cool. It's turned into a generic body swap story. Who decided this story needed to be told? Nothing interesting or fun happens in this story and I'm so incredibly fed up with it. The El Diablo story is just the villain's backstory and I swear, I went into this issue without remembering a single thing about this story besides that El Diablo was writing to Killer Frost. I have no clue what's going on in this story and I can't be bothered to try to find out. I don't want to know. This miniseries is so goddamn boring and I legitimately hate it. It makes me angry just thinking about it. Ugh.

I really dislike this series. I just find it so terribly boring! And I wouldn't know how to fix that, given the team is what it is. There's only so much you can make out of a pile of shit (maybe axe Harley though). Especially now that I've been reading Ostrander's Suicide Squad run, this type of dreck pains me in a very visceral way that is unmatched by most everything else coming out these days.

Thank God this is over. I hated this so much.

Repulsive.

Kill me.

All of these people are so annoying. They'd have to set up those suicide safety nets at the Daily Star building. There's so much fucking wrong with this issue. It genuinely annoys the shit out of me. First, Mongul. This is the same fucking run where Superman beats Mongul in, like, a second. And now suddenly no one can stop him? Maybe choose a villain Superman didn't one punch earlier, Bendis. That's forced as fuck. Now... The annoying Daily Star shit. I like how it's okay if Superman is a reporter because he's Superman and also he doesn't report on everything he does. That's sound logic right there. He's the exception because he is. Fuck off with that. And then, that same excuse can't be used for the United Planets shit? Why not? If we're okay with using bullshit fallacies to argue why Superman being Superman absolves him, why is there a limit to that? And what the fuck does the Daily Star know about it anyway?? Oh, and does literally everyone know where Lois Lane is "hiding"? What the fuck is the point in her being in hiding if she's constantly spotted with Superman and anyone can find her? This issue, man. So motherfucking annoying.

I despise this comic. It is the worst. I hate it.

This is trash and everyone should be ashamed of themselves.
1.0
 The Unexpected (2018) #3 Jul 21, 2019
1.0
 The Unexpected (2018) #4 Jul 21, 2019

This is such a mess. This is the worst of Steve Orlando. Nothing lands, none of the stakes matter, and I'm thoroughly annoyed.
1.0
 Titans (2016) #17 Jul 21, 2019
1.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #52 Jul 21, 2019
1.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #53 Jul 21, 2019
1.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #54 Jul 21, 2019

Oh my fucking god, are we going back to fucking Gemworld? I hate this series so much.

Wow, this is the last new comic I'll read this week and it's also the worst. There's just so much talking in this issue, and it's mostly unnecessary. And it's so Bendis. Annoyingly so. This is just a jumbled mess of disinteresting garbage. To add insult to injury, Miguel becomes Spider-Man at the end, like Bendis can't help but go back to his old tricks... literally. He should realize that he fucked up both of the Spider-Men he's known for, and that the past should stay in the past, especially when you work for the other company now. But what am I even saying? I gave this issue, and that moment, more thought than Bendis did.

This was bad. And a drag to read. Whoever decided the lettering for the narration should be half visible to make it look "old" should be fired. That made this issue even more annoying to read on my tablet. I just found this astoundingly boring.

Well, this is still trash, and it ends as it began: pointless.

This issue is poorly paced and if the moments Bendis wanted to land had any chance of doing so at the scripting stage, the ungodly art made certain that they would not.

This is just such a mess. You can have comics with multiple stories running through them. Those stories can be very complicated and nuanced too. You can do it! I've seen it done! But by "you", I don't mean Bendis. I don't remember his other work being quite so convoluted and embarrassing. I think this is a new frontier for Bendis' decline. Sure, he's had runs where plot details are barely explained or referenced, and seemingly slapped together in a haze of smug. But this is just on a whole new level. It'd be impressive if I didn't have to read it. And you know what doesn't help a written mess? Adding messy art to it. John Romita Jr. did some great work back in... 2000. His run with J. Michael Straczynski on Amazing Spider-Man was honestly good. I compared that series with the last issue of this title, and the difference is palpable. It's unfortunate, but JRJr is past his prime, and giving him a book with multiple look alike characters makes it all the more evident that we're in for a convoluted saga that will progressively get worse. There's one page near the end of this issue that made me feel dizzy. It was the page with the Kents and a bunch of headshots of the various Supermen. It gave me a headache. This series makes me feel shitty.

This is a slog. I think the story is just... All over the place. I can't bring myself to care about what's happening. It seems like Bendis has so much that he wants to tell, that he can't figure out how to tell it. The art, as always, is mostly terrible aside from one or two bright spots... An inverse of JRJr in his prime. This is just a terrible comic and DC really needs to let Bendis go to a book that may be marginally more suited to him.

"It's like poetry, it rhymes."

This is the THIRD issue of this type in this run. It was lazy every single time. The way you properly set up a twist like that is that you foreshadow it. You leave connections and clues. You don't just think it up, not bake it into the background of the story, and then at the end go "Aha! I'm so smart!" I don't understand how anyone could read this and think it's good. And, by the way, I called it. This is just I Am Suicide on a larger scale. The plans upon plans are so convoluted and ridiculous and circuitous. They don't make sense without a lot of luck and a lot of people doing things Batman THINKS they will do. Which is something you can't plan around. And even then, the explanation doesn't explain the plot holes that have formed. Docking some points for that added on bit by Mitch Gerards to tie this into Year of the Villain. That's so obvious and stupid.

Man, that was a terrible, jumbled mess. At least we got a few good stories out of this mini-event.

I am so sick of this story, it's unreal.

Oh my god

I remember hearing about this from a friend and writing it off completely. Boy, how I wish I had continued to do so. But I didn't. I noticed it and got it on a whim. Maybe it would be better than Faithless, the only other work I know this creator from. How wrong I was. I think it's worse than Faithless. At least Faithless had a good writer involved, even if it wasn't their A-Game. This comic is not written well at all. Filled to the brim with edgy narration and displays, with none of the characters shining through whatsoever. The story is nearly nonexistent, as this is all set up. There's a major contrivance by the end of the issue just to get the plot moving. And it even ends on a shocking final image, just like Faithless did. I'm starting to wonder if Brian Azzarello's role in Faithless is exaggerated. This was really not good. Just a waste of my time.

Well, I'm just done. The execution here is so bad. I hate it. Kill me.

Oh my god, this is so needlessly convoluted and stupid. Not to mention, the dialogue here is atrocious. Like Bendis on his worst days. You want to tell a story about a hero driven to the brink and lashing out? Maybe don't spend the bulk of it on a mystery that intentionally goes nowhere because that hero, that character we're supposed to feel for, also methodically set up a murder scene, framed two innocent people, and distracted the superhero community for days (or was it longer like "The Price" suggested?) just so he could admit to accidentally killing people? Also, computers don't work the way King thinks they do so that whole part about Flash finding all the data and putting it back together in an instant is shenanigans. I saw an article about this story and it mentioned the methodical nature of a person planning their suicide. But having read this issue, while maybe the intention was to show a superhero's version of that... or something, this is just waaay too much. If that was the intention, it just makes this series all the more shit. There's nothing here to connect with. It's too superhuman. You just get a confused and muddling trip down depression lane with a character doing things that doesn't fit. I think this series highlights most every problem with King as a writer: Decompression - This series that's been running since September, spanning 8 issues, has lasted *five* days. Dialogue - "I'm not saying I didn't do it. I did it. It was me. I'm not blaming others. For I did do it. I didn't not do it." Story Over Characters - The story compels everyone to act like they're not them. Booster and Wally are the biggest examples. "Intellectualism" - Gnarrk. Oh, and this entirely convoluted plan that I'm pretty sure everyone involved was proud of for being so smert. Am I missing anything here?

Oh, so Arno was a crazy nutjob.... I am glad this series is over. This was not a good finale, if you couldn't tell by how quickly everything had to be wrapped up at the end there. I hope the new ongoing is better. Please let it be better.

I am astounded by how this issue is constructed. It seems like Bendis didn't know what he wanted to do here. He wants to make it about Naomi, but no actually, it's about Checkmate and the Daemon Rose, but like no actually, it's about the Symnar being sad and attacking, but no we're actually introducing a new super-team. It feels so disjointed in pacing, the writing is all over the place in terms of styling and tone. It feels like multiple issues of the same event had their pages composited together into one issue. And look, I like Phil Hester's art, but it does not help the feeling that this issue is both rushed and all over the place. I'm genuinely astonished by this one, and in the worst way possible. Oh, and I hate Bendis' John Constantine. He acts and sounds like a cool uncle in a family sitcom. Making bad jokes and waiting for applause from an audience of seagulls. The Justice League Dark backup continues to be a bore. I just think Ram V's writing needs room to breathe, and it's not getting that in these painfully boring backups. I just don't care. This title has nothing to offer me, and I'm sooo close to just dropping it.

Lol, everyone's favorite villain is back!

It's Legion of Super-Heroes. It's messy, poorly written and tiring.

Hahahaha. Are you serious? Is this some sort of gag? Is this a Twilight Zone episode? Okay so like... I'm surprised the DC universe has never heard of the multiverse theory before. Not once. Not ever. What a load of shit. And you know what? Sure, Renee Montoya isn't dating anyone in this universe. Not a Batwoman or something like that. Now she's finally liberated to be with a character everyone else will forget about! Hooray! Show them frenching again! Representation is important to my sex appeal, damn it! If this is one of comics' "finest responses to the Trump administration," as one review said, we all need to hunker down and figure something else out. And quickly too, if the polls are hopefully true! This was a mess of a miniseries and I'm so glad it's over with. This really destroyed any sort of respect I had for Greg Rucka as a writer. Now, shoo away Lois, and never come back.

This is a real bad series, definitely not worth your time.
1.5
 Suicide Squad (2016) #30 Jul 21, 2019

Why does it feel like 50% of every Bendis comic is just recapping previous Bendis comics? I honestly don't know how the man does it. Just peering into the madness every few weeks is enough for me to recognize what I'm seeing as some twisted never-ending looping Hell. I can hardly handle it anymore, to be perfectly frank.

Yeah, no, this is dumb. I don't even particularly care for Carol as a character with the way she's been ruined, especially during the Civil War 2 era, but this is just an attempt at making Carol a "strong, independent woman" like she wasn't already that. No, her powers CAN'T be from anything else except herself. Because that's really something that matters. This just makes the character even more unrelatable than she has been of late, and it sucks too because this should be the time when the character is most accessible. Hopefully, Kelly Thompson rights the ship in January. And I don't know if this is the movie's origin or not. A lot of people are claiming it is, but how would they know? Whatever the case, it does not fit the comic book Carol Danvers. The only reason this doesn't get a straight up 1/10 is because the passable foundation of the previous issues that keeps this issue from rock bottom.

This series really sucked. None of the characters connected with me. This was eight parts of unbelievably boring madness. I hope this is promptly forgotten about.

This is a horrible, awful comic.

Even Trump winning the election wouldn't be as bad as this issue is. I'm glad this series is over. Bendis has no idea how to write these characters, it seems.

This was such a pain to read. Bendis' dialogue simply doesn't make any goddamn sense sometimes. The art isn't great. I'm usually not one to be bothered by lackluster art, but the faces here were troubling. This issue was a boring, wordy """tie-in""" and I regret reading it.

This is a goddamn mess.

This was such a mess. The writing and plot are all over the place. It's like Bendis forgot how structure works. Every new development falls flat and makes me dislike this book more. The art is atrocious. Henry Abrams meet JrJr, and let's have a conversation about nepotism.

Oh, this is just so poorly written. I don't understand. But I also don't care. The resolution of the Daily Planet stuff has already been known for literal months. And I still hate the Multiverse concept from Lois Lane, which I guess must be resolved now even though we get barely any answers? Whose terrible idea was that? Bendis or Rucka? This is just the worst and there's another whole issue after this! Ugh.

I don't want to talk about this anymore.

Wow, what to say... This issue sucks. I don't know which writer to blame, but the dialogue and the narration are so stilted. It feels like they didn't know what else to write, so they wrote the most clichéd and obvious things they could. Like it was a challenge for them. Thankfully, like with Sword Master last week, there are no more backups, so this issue went by quickly. I'm excited for this race towards cancelation.
2.0
 America #11 Oct 9, 2018

Man. I really, really wanted to like this series. I love the TV show. It's like a foundational work for me. It's something I've watched to death, and will probably continue to watch until I keel over at 50. I do my best to approach alternate takes with an open mind, which is something I was punished for with the Buffy reboot. I just can't do it anymore. Nothing about this comic feels justified from a storytelling perspective. Any enjoyment you get out of this cast of characters is when you remember them from the show, and that illusion is shattered by the dialogue of these vaguely familiar people that you thought you knew. It's like your friends have been hijacked by aliens wearing them as skin suits. The cherry on top of this tragic sundae is the cliffhanger to this issue. I really, truly disliked the run before this one. Specifically, Zac Thompson's brief tenure on the title. That run ended on a cliffhanger that I thought would be addressed in the Buffy reboot. But no, it's being addressed here. I hated that cliffhanger then, and I hate it now. I guess it's good to tie these separate continuities within the Boom! era together... for the sake of it, but I just want an Angel comic that captures the spirit of the original show and these characters. Maybe that's an impossible task, but I really find these reinventions lazy. At least do something truly different. Taking Fred and making her Buffy isn't different. It's confusing and basically erases away Winifred Burkle as a character. Making Gunn an agent for Angel and Cordy's TV show gives me the vaguest hints of Season 5 Gunn, but it erases the actual character of Charles Gunn. Spike is nothing more than a snarky bitch, which I will grant you is part of his character but he's supposed to be more than that. I could go on. The story feels empty and lifeless. The comedy, an integral part of the show, comes across like someone missed the point of the humor in the series. It was tongue-in-cheek, not slapstick. Irony has poisoned this comic way too much. I will finish this series up, as it's only eight issues, but I am pretty much done with Boom's attempt at a Buffyverse. I'll just watch the shows. Or maybe even read the official canon comics, because as wacky as some of those got, they were still more in keeping with the spirit of the shows and I had fun reading them.

Ugh, this book sucks. Unearth was uninteresting when Titans did it and it's uninteresting here too. The characters are all sorts of poorly written. This is terrible.

This issue is so stupid. James Gordon Jr. has never exhibited the symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder, as far as I know. That was something created for this issue. Because there needed to be a twist! It's just so out of nowhere, yet James Gordon Jr. was the most obvious choice. And then the ending, I've heard tell is beat-for-beat the same ending as a New 52 Batgirl issue. As if Castellucci's tropey, clichéd writing could get more unoriginal. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and say it's intentional. But that doesn't change that the entire issue is so dumb. And what does this have to do with Joker War? I guess DC needed to squeeze out whatever sales they could get out of this soon-to-be-deceased series. "I blame you for this, Batgirl" lol.

Woof, this issue is not good. The main story is trying its best to be meaningful and to say something important, but like with Female Furies, the message is tarnished and lost by Cecil Castellucci's lack of ability. I don't disagree with a lot of what is being said in regards to social strife, but Babs is an asshole at points for no good reason and Jason Bard continues to get away with what he did. For a refresher, he staged a legitimate bomb threat during a public event. That is the type of thing that leads to riots. There's actual evidence to suggest that in many of the George Floyd riots, the inciting incident was caused by the cops, and also that cops have participated in those riots themselves as a form of disinformation. So when you have a character constantly talking about how bad and dangerous the protests are, when they have that history, and instead of actually making a point with it, use the character to perpetuate a trite romance that I don't think a single person likes, you kinda suck. And then, everything gets wrapped up so easy as though Babs is the voice of God and all it took was enough pleading. Give me a break. And what about those backups? Well the first one doesn't understand how computers work, but that's par for the course in this run. And the second backup is just boring. This issue was a slog to get through and I'm really upset with myself for deciding to read the Joker War tie-ins. And btw, this issue has basically fuck all to do with Joker War.

This issue is weird. In a shocking turn of events, I think this issue of Tom King's Batman is overwritten. We get Batman monologuing the entire issue and it's repetitive, which is a staple of King's writing, but in this case, it's completely intentional and makes sense for the story. But ultimately what kills the issue for me is having almost no context for this and therefore not caring. Why and how is Batman here? That's the question of the week and we don't get any answers when that is the only reason to care. And the ending makes it clear that it's some hallucination or a dream. So I'm guessing Flashpoint Batman knocked him out or something like that? I mean, that's a sensible theory, isn't it? I'm sure it won't be anything that simple, because that wouldn't be as "smart and thought provoking" as King's writing is. Speaking of "smart," there's another myth/legend/story that frames the issue. And this is the most throwaway example of that. Although, I do agree that Catwoman is a stone woman. I just found this issue more annoying than immersive and crazy. Also, I really loved the art in Mister Miracle, but here I think it's bad. There's just way too much blood to the point that it almost washes out the entire page. And makes your eyes bleed, ironically. Maybe my phone was just too bright for the art. I have no idea, I just know that I thought this was an ugly and annoying issue.

What a load of garbage. Maybe I'm too dumb to recognize the genius of this comic, but I don't think I want to be smart if that means reading this load of shit and being satisfied. This is right there with the Professor Pyg issue. Completely pointless. And don't tell me, "wait and see." What am I supposed to do? Get through 40 more issues before I judge this? Ignore how much it sucks? Why does this get a free pass? I'm so tired of this run. What a horrible way to start the day. (Before I get comments, I'm aware it's like a continuation of Batman/Elmer Fudd. It's just that, hey, maybe don't give a whole issue to referencing a Looney Tunes crossover that wasn't actually in the story you're currently trying to tell.)

This issue is supposed to explain Bane's plan, right? It doesn't. It just tells the reader what he did up to the wedding. Which is new information, technically, but all it does is tie events together by just saying "Bane Dun Did It". This plan makes sense if Bane is omniscient. There's understanding your enemy and there's... this. It's too absurd. This is the same trap Heroes in Crisis fell into. Where the grand plan is so absurd and convoluted that it's ridiculous. At least there Wally didn't rely, multiple times, on people acting exactly as he thought they would. Once? That's okay, but this happens so many times. Thanks for a recap that barely explains the how besides a loose string tying stories together. Oh, and we still don't know how Batdad is alive or why he's being such a dick. He just is. EDIT: Forgot to mention The Gift plot hole. That story was seared into my brain by its awfulness. So the fact that Tom King can't even keep it straight is maddening. That story was so trash. #Parents'AnniversaryOrBruce'sBirthday? EDIT 2: I'd also like to point out that the CIA has a history of plotting absurd schemes that fail spectacularly. Just look at the many botched assassination attempts on Fidel Castro during his Cuban presidency. Tom King is ex-CIA indeed.

Ugh, you know I have to get a pesky wisdom tooth extracted today and I think that will be at least 5 times better than this issue. His "explanations" aren't explanations. This is just shitty. "Thomas Wayne is an asshole because... he's always been an asshole." My mind is blown. We knew that Thomas Wayne was an asshole, we didn't need most of this. And again, what happened with Booster? He told Batman a story about a spooky alternate timeline, like Batman hasn't seen countless of those. And Bane is in a coma?? Getting shot in the head isn't something you typically survive, but I guess in the DC universe, brains are stronger than bullets. That's just so fucking typical. Have some balls, go all out. At least then this shit wouldn't feel so goddamn pointless, on top of being bloated and stupid. I don't have it in me anymore... One more issue and then we're mostly free... Here's hoping Batman/Catwoman continues getting pushed back.

The only thing about this issue I really enjoyed was the idea of Joker locking himself in a safe and waiting around for Catwoman. That's an effective idea and an effective image. But dude. The dialogue throughout this issue is abysmal. I don't understand why Tom King persists on writing the Batfamily like he does. Other characters don't always talk this way. Unfortunately, they're not the protagonists. Also, holy shit some of the art is just begging for a Tumblr post decrying it. Selina's back has been broken for decades. But ultimately, while the art took me out of the story at points and distracted me (What else would distract me? The plot?), I really think the biggest problem is the three timelines thing. Last issue worked better because there was a throughline, while this issue was just... More story. It really is a shame.

I am really not liking this. The art, which I think I praised in the last issue, is terrible at points here. You can definitely feel the rush. As for the story, god it seems like still nothing has happened. And I don't mean that literally, of course, but pacing wise I feel like we've been waiting several issues for another shoe to drop that just hasn't. The three timelines thing was a mistake. And I really don't understand where this friendship with Catwoman and Joker comes from. It doesn't make sense, even within the logic of the issue itself. Catwoman admits that she finds the Joker horrific, so then... why is she getting drunk with him on Christmas and gossiping about Batman? These two shouldn't be besties. It's perplexing.

This was terrible and I've wiped it from my mind. I can't believe this same writer puts out great comics too.

Wake me when something interesting happens.

Look here's the thing. I'm almost certain that if I went back and read the last 4 issues in a row, this issue would still barely function as a conclusion to a story. I think the long delay here was not just the art. I have a feeling this one took a long time to write, and then the end result of that wasn't great. This issue is mostly full page splashes. How that real estate could have been used to tell a better... Actual story, we'll never know. But this miniseries is a let down for me as someone who enjoyed Maxx up to a point, then enjoyed the ambition behind its latter half, and wanted to enjoy this. It's just not good and you have to be blind as a bat to come away from this with a positive outlook.

Wow this is fucking bad.

I'm glad this series is over. I was really on board with this reboot when it started. I'm a huge Buffyverse fan, and any new insight into that world is welcome, but honestly, Boom shat the bed on this one. The Buffy series felt like it had a direction up until Hellmouth, where it just sort of floundered. Since then, it's just been issue after issue of this series going in so many directions, never really fleshing things out properly. Even the actual mechanics of comic book storytelling seemed lost at multiple points during this run. I just... don't know what to say. The next series is going to be written by that Eat the Rich writer. I forget their name at the moment, but Eat the Rich was a good miniseries, so I'm hoping that that's better. "Disappointing" is how I'd describe this series. I should've gotten off the ride 20 issues ago.

Oh no, characters I don't remember are in trouble. At least we have a boring heist to help assuage our worry.

I am sick of this series. Go somewhere already.

This... is terrible. I do not understand why this was even put out. I don't think anyone besides the two Mark Shaw fans liked Event Leviathan. And they're just deluding themselves into liking it anyway, let's be real. I just find this abysmally boring. I'm already out, but of course, I can't not read it because Bendis loves to tie all his shit together, so it'll be important to know of for DC comics. Like cancer is important to know of in the human body.

This continues to be a waste of time and money. Who is Daemon Rose? Well, we know who he is in Justice League, but he doesn't show up here.

This is shit.

This issue is just fight scenes. No real story. Just like every other issue. The fact that this is all we get every single issue is making me really start to hate this title with a passion.

Why did I read this? I felt like wasting my time and sanity, that's why. Ugh, this was an insane slog filled with social commentary and all the bullshit that entails. I was getting hints of Legends Darkseid until he became... whatever he became. And then he was taken out like a chump *yet again* by Wunderkind Jon Kent. So, I guess he was Legends Darkseid throughout. I don't know if any of this was set up in DK3, as I opted out of reading that one. I hope so, or else this book is even worse than I am giving it credit for. When is DC going to learn that sometimes dead is better?

Holy shit, what would it take for a little bit of cohesion? This issue is all over the place. So much is glossed over and it's all getting more and more predictable. In the end this is just going to be like every Snyder event ever. Ugh, I can't stand it. So, I'm going to very petty about this. I won't mention how Batman literally resurrects a Batman Who Laughs to fight with him. I won't mention the inconsistent art. But I will mention how the cover for some reason has its title bordered out because I guess the colorist is as sick of this series as the rest of us, and refused to fill in those tiny border gaps. And that's not the only problem with the cover. What is happening with the chainsaw there? Terrible.
2.0
 Deadman (2017) #2 Oct 20, 2018
2.0
 Deadman (2017) #5 Oct 20, 2018

I'm done with these horrible movie cash-in one-shots as long as Ralph Macchio continues to write them.

This comic is such a great example of weird for the sake of weird and why that's bullshit. The plot is scattershot at best. If you take away the weird elements, you get a pitifully dull story. This is offering me nothing. I don't find divorce proceedings or couple's therapy interesting. I'm not just going to start because the couple are planets. And no, I'm not a furry, so I'm not going to get anything out of a cat orgy solving the problem. It's just so fucking stupid and it's such a shame that this is going to be someone's first experience with this team because the Morrison run is so much better. The difference comes down to Morrison's method to the madness and Way's refusal of any method whatsoever. I really legitimately found this comic bad, in a very real and visceral way that I don't often feel.

I'm so glad this series is over, even if, for all intents and purposes, it's been dead since last year. It just does not get what makes Doom Patrol so good. It's not the weird, out there plots or ideas, it's what's said with those ideas. If it means nothing, if there's no point, you lose me. And this issue is the epitome of that. A rush to a conclusion that feels convoluted, unearned and most definitely stupid. I liked one issue in this last run, and it must have been a fluke. I just don't understand the appeal here. The art is pretty good but that's just not enough. Maybe this will make an inevitable re-read of Morrison's run all the better.

I'm just not into this. This series is such a bore. Like most of Orlando's work, the characters don't really have any defining characteristics. I can't bring myself to care.

I don't care about any of this. These characters are poorly developed. I've never found sex as irritating as when reading this trash comic. But then again, when it wasn't all sex and nudity, what was it? Nothing interesting, that's for sure. Look, I don't read comics for sexual arousal. Even if I did, this artist's scribblings wouldn't do it for me. This book is porn, plain and simple, and it comes with all the trappings of porn writing. If you want characters or a story with depth, look elsewhere. All you get here are poorly rendered breasts and pubic hair, with occasional tongue. Nothing you can't find for free somewhere else.

I'm so glad this series is ending here. It is a resounding dud. This is pretentious, poorly paced, haphazardly written and badly drawn. It's just awful.

I think I said all I have to say about this book in last issue's review. This one may be even worse than that. So just read my last review twice, for double the effect.

This book is near parody. I've already said so much about this book previously. These are not characters, they're objects meant to get a message across. And things just happen without being earned now, isn't that great? Maybe should've built up to things instead of ticking the same boxes over and over. I was sympathetic to this title at first because I really do think there is some good here somewhere, but every single fucking issue just makes me regret it. This is terribly written. The action scenes are abysmal. Good job doing more to hurt your cause than help it, Castellucci. You're never going to convince people with this. I don't understand the mentality here. But maybe I need to be more woke. I need to be re-educated. I need to *learn* because these people know best. Anyway, this is a ramble. I'll just end it with a quote of the extraordinary dialogue found in Female Furies #5: "Scott, you have permission to touch me to look for it on my person." Brilliant. Sounds like a fucking pamphlet.

I really loathe this series. I find it so incredibly boring. I find the writing and dialogue to be extremely lacking, and I don't understand why so many like it. The art is good, but please give Flash a new writer sometime soon, so at least it has another chance to be something other than monotonous.

I hate this series. It's so boring and lame. I don't understand why it just keeps on going.

Please. No more Legion by Bendis. Let this be the end.

There's a lot to be said about comics and how to expand this format of storytelling. I don't think this is the way to go, honestly. The medium is ever expanding and there are creators who are breaking the boundaries of comics much better than Grant Morrison is seemingly attempting to do here. It's so unclear. I don't even know if his intention is to do something different with the medium, or if he's just having a laugh, or if his work has just devolved into something this unpleasant now. I don't understand the thought process behind a lot of the storytelling techniques being used in this series. And maybe there is none. Maybe Morrison is just doing drugs and writing scripts, and whatever comes out the other end is what we get. I honestly would not be surprised if that's all this is. If I want an untraditional comic that plays with the format and the medium, I'm going to go read Decorum. I don't want whatever this is and it's really frustrating because there have been issues in this run that are phenomenal. I don't find enjoyment in reading comics filled with annoying, near incomprehensible dialogue tropes. And the story itself is just... Nothing. Oh and the art... What the fuck was up with the art. Unlike the last issue, where the change was obvious and intentional, I can't tell if this was a style choice or if Liam Sharp just did a poor job. This is not a good issue. I don't know what other people are seeing in it, but it just feels like Morrison doesn't care and therefore why should I?
2.0
 Green Lanterns #37 Nov 6, 2018

I hate this series so much. It's so dumb. Just end it, please.

I don't know why I keep reading this title. I'm probably mentally unwell. But at least I have the company of the people who like this series. This series just plainly sucks. I don't like Harley as a character. She's a child. And I felt bad for her mother when Harley wouldn't just leave her alone. Of course, no one would ever call Harley out on how annoying she is. Even if they have cancer and chemo to deal with. Also, I think I'll start pointing out especially bad lines I notice in this series every two weeks. This time it's "An look-- My mom's got cancer, ya can't scare me any more." I just found that particularly atrocious because she hardly ever shows concern for her mother outside of the designated mom-caring scenes. Here we have her accepting to take on these trials and somehow thinking that, despite never discussing this with the weird Not-Starfire character, she can wait until after her mom is better. So when things go poorly for her and she can't be with her mom, it's not because the world's (rightfully) turned against her, it's because she made a classically stupid decision. And this isn't the first time in Sam Humphries' run that this has happened. In Humphries' second arc, Harley has to make money to pay her rent and to do this, she has to kill this seemingly unkillable target for money. To do this, she unleashes her full arsenal on him. So why didn't she just sell stuff like her weapons? Or her plane and its fuel? It's a pretty big hole in the "We don't have enough money to live" plot. Because Sam Humphries and the editor aren't paying attention, Harley becomes an even bigger buffoon than she already was and the trend continues here. Here's to two weeks without Harley.

Man, this series. So bad.

Kill me.

This is such an awful attempt at trying to say something profound. It's extremely clear that Tom King doesn't really understand how things like PTSD and trauma, in general, work. And every time he attempts to comment on it, it just comes across like a college thespian trying to impress everyone and show how smart and deep they are. It's a joke. At least there's a compelling story behind the completely maligned mental illness theme... OH WAIT, no there isn't. We got a half baked murder mystery that barely sees any progress in this issue and I doubt anyone could truly take all the clues, what little there are, and piece together what happened. This event sucks.

Yeah, I'm pretty much done with this series. I mean, I'll read the last three issues, but as far as giving any sort of a shit, it's been eked out by this issue. This is very clearly one of the extra issues they added. I don't know what's worse, that these were going to originally be sold as tie-ins that add nothing or that they're now in the core series, still adding nothing. There's no revelations here. It's a repeat of issue three. Harley was the killer there, Booster is the killer here. None of this will actually matter in the end. Throwaway lines in the previous issues gave us any pertinent information. I'm happy to see King flex his smarty muscles with Gnarrk. My nephew is also learning about philosophy right now. They're both growing up so fast. I'm not sure about the sales of this series, but I'm hopeful that they're not great because this series doesn't deserve success, it deserves mockery. But for me to truly get my way, it'd just have to be forgotten.

This was pretty rough. The day is saved by a literal deus ex machina, in that Iceman just has a new power suddenly. There's some really bad dialogue here, particularly with the public watching the fight at the Mutant Pride Parade. There's also a rather pointless scene at the beginning with Bobby and his boyfriend. It doesn't tie in thematically or anything, it's just there. This miniseries was overall pretty uneven and unfocused. It wasn't constructed into a larger whole well. Like Sina Grace had a few ideas for a few issues, but not enough for a whole arc and wanted to give this miniseries an overarching villain to make it more cohesive, in turn making it feel less cohesive. I can't say I'm excited for the Uncanny X-Men: Winter's End one-shot coming up, which is basically a final issue to cap off story threads introduced right at the end of the issue. I don't know what the reason for this was besides giving this series one last issue. Maybe it'll fill out the trade for this volume. I don't know. But I'll read it... because there's something wrong with me.

The best thing about this issue was Foreverbush Man, and that's a problem. The Kamala Kang story was alright, but still lacking from what I expect from Chris Hastings. The Punisher Pack was atrocious and easily the worst thing coming out of any Infinity Wars related titles. Diamond Patch tried to do things and mostly failed. This was so bad. Who would've guessed an anthology series would be bad? Not me...

Yeah, this issue was all exposition and I was very bored.

I feel very bad for Ram V having his JL Dark comic truncated and packaged with Bendis' slop. I am so close to dropping this comic. It is just too fucking bad. The shit with the Symnar is so uninteresting. It's just more Bendis shit. Also, why the fuck is Aquaman being treated like Willzyx? Is this a thing that, in my years of reading DC comics, has never come up before? Does Aquaman need to remain moist to function on dry land? Where is this coming from?? It's so stupid and I think Bendis thinks it's actually really funny, and that's just dreadful.

I'm really not liking either story.

This is really, really bad. I don't know how you even arrive to this point in your writing. Like... what kind of headspace do you have to be to think this is a satisfying conclusion to... whatever this arc was. To think, this entire Justice League run took place over one week. It's just crazy. I'm glad it's done. Unfortunately, there's the whole LoSH event thing, but man, Bendis should focus on indies, I think.
2.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #20 Jul 20, 2019
2.0
 Justice League of America (2017) Annual #1 Jul 20, 2019

I really don't know what to say here. The writing just isn't good. I... wish I had some deeper analysis to justify such a lackluster rating, but it really is that simple. I don't know who is editing these books and letting some of this shit fly... Bendis must have a lot of sway. I just don't know how else to explain how we can page after page of dialogue that isn't cohesive, with a plot that barely starts, and doesn't even begin to pique anyone's interest.
2.0
 Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes (2021) #5 Nov 25, 2022

This is wack as fuck and if you like it, I seriously question if you were dropped on your head as a baby.

So... to break it down: This is telling a story about characters we barely know or care about, while explaining the intricacies of a story that I don't think has been mentioned since Seeley wrote an arc about it in Nightwing, and it was probably early Nightwing. So like 6 or 7 years ago. This is like when Claremont decides to do another X-Men book, and slides it between two issues of his run from 40 years ago and it is so incredibly drilled into the continuity of the time that it reads like madness for anyone unfamiliar. Only less good because Claremont, for his faults, is a capable writer. Certainly more capable than Tim Seeley. I don't know how an editor read this and thought it's the best possible comic they could make. We have characters explaining their motivations and reasons for their actions outwardly. Character A asks why are you doing this, and character B explains in full detail why they are, in fact, doing this. Characterization has never been more cleverly done! Such a shoddy fucking book, and easily the worst thing to come out of this tome of mediocrity called Knight Terrors.

Oh, this was a mistake.

"Oh man, this battle is real tough! We need back-up, Koi Boi! And we need Furious Lunge too! And Gigantic-Man! And who else but DNA Str(m)an(d)! Don't forget Limb Collector Cortez! And what type of Legion would we be without Legless Girl (no relation to Limb Collector Cortez)? Ooo, and here comes Splat-Man and Tyrannosaurus-Flex! And you, Scarecrow, I'll miss you most of all!!"

I don't understand why they're doing this gimmick. I don't understand why Bendis won't actually spend time developing these characters. I assume these two things are related. I'm sure at the conceptual stage, that was the idea with these next two issues. To develop the cast a bit. But it's like Bendis forgot how to do it and is desperately trying to drown the reader in word balloons instead. No one can complain if they're dead! I was originally reading this while waiting on someone in the parking lot of clinic, and I decided it was better to sit there and stare at the entrance instead of continuing to read this issue. That's not a joke. That's 100% truth. I hope this title gets a much better creative team soon.

Just remember, DC could've had Hickman on this title.

This is incredibly boring, just like Event Leviathan. Even with Leviathan becoming Doctor Doom, I can't stress enough how boring this is.

Oh man, this was really bad. We have things explained probably four times. The same thing, but with maybe little kernals of new information. There's so much cliche here and it goes on and on and on.

Rob Liefeld is an untalented has-been whose only recourse as of late is propagating controversy and riding the waves of nostalgia. And even in that, he fails.

The writing here is terrible. I have nothing to grasp onto here. I don't care about these new characters and this world, and every page of this is filled to the brim with characters, hardly presenting personalities, going on and on about these new things.

Okay, the user reviews are perplexing here. This series is like the worst of 90s X-Men. The writing wants to introduce so much to the reader, and I'm sure it makes perfect sense in Orlando's head, but readers are lost in a sea of uninteresting lore as a result. The art's storytelling is very lackluster, and I can't be sure if its another failure of the script or not. The artist has done work on other comics I've read, and I don't remember feeling like the visual storytelling was failing in those issues. I'm glad this only has two issues left.
2.0
 New Challengers (2018) #5 Jul 20, 2019
2.0
 Nightwing (2016) #33 Jul 20, 2019

Ugh. There's nothing nice to say here so I'll just say... I could never make a Bat-symbol bonfire the way Bea did... Why did she do that? Who was going to see it??? I guess a Barbara Gordon who was there already.... Hmm.

2.0
 Nightwing (2016) Annual #1 Jul 20, 2019
2.0
 Ragman #2 Jul 21, 2019

Nah.

This series sucks.

Sweet, smelly trash.

Oh my god that Tim heel turn is so forced and stupid, oh my god.
2.0
 Robins (2021) #5 Mar 4, 2023

This is really bad. Seeley just simply isn't a good writer.

This is a mess. This series sucks.

This comic bores me so much. The dialogue is off and things just wrap up in a confused and rushed way.
2.0
 Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023

This was terrible. I really feel like this is a step back for Spider-Gwen as a character. Hopefully, it doesn't really change her.
2.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #31 Jul 21, 2019

Ugh. What a messy, boring end to a messy, boring series.

This series is the worst thing a comic can be. Unnecessary and boring. This is astounding in both regards. I don't understand why this exists since it seems like it can't make any real changes (Like how Suicide Squad Black didn't actually die (Was I misremembering or wasn't it clear from last issue that they were alive?)) or add to the Canon in any meaningful way. But it also doesn't really seem to have a point. The story isn't worth it. I really dread this every month. It's too much at once for something so bland.

I really hate this comic. It’s really poorly written, really boring, and I really wish it didn’t exist.

I hate this book.

This is really bad. The whole issue and story depends on us not knowing Jor-El is bad. But he is. We've seen it. Why is it a shock to anyone? Why did Lois leave her son with this clearly evil character after one mission? Even if he wasn't evil, that's some garbage parenting. This is so dumb because it contradicts all that Rebirth Superman/Action Comics strove to do. That whole era can be described as The Kent Family era. Lois would never leave her child with Jor-El. None of this would've even happened if these characters were in character. This is incredibly lame. Just like Man of Steel was.

What a stupid issue.

Why?

I want to drop this so badly, but I can't because it's Superman.

This issue was so annoying. I don't want to talk about this run anymore.

This is really bad. It tries so hard to be funny, yet isn't. The amount of poor sex jokes that is in this one issue is astonishing. I really, really didn't find much of any value in this story. I don't think the writers know how to write these characters compelling, even Lobo. I'm pretty sure this is the same writing team that did that comic about porn called Money Shot. That's gotta be a dreadful read as well, given the caliber of jokes here. It's just a waste.

I hated both of these stories. The first is a rambling, pointless story. And the second is just stupid and, again, pointless.

Holy shit this comic would just not ever fucking end. I hated this.

This is an incredibly boring and forgettable comic. I can't recall what happened in it and I just finished reading it. I thought Donna Troy was the most obvious and best choice for this new Infected Secret Six, but I think this may be the worst issue yet. Wow, this is bad.

Man, this series sucks. Every character is an unlikeable prick and the writer feels the need to restate that again and again. Shout out to Paul who decided to leave an editor's note saying Raven lost her soul-self after it had already been stated maybe four times. This issue is the definition of spinning wheels. This series cannot get a break. You need new talent on this title, DC. Hopefully, someone good.

This is an awful comic.

This is a tragedy.

This is trash.

This entire miniseries is a tired exercise. I just really could not care less about these characters. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This is just so boring.

Oh god, I wish G. Willow Wilson was back.

This title is such a slog. DC needs to learn to care about Wonder Woman. She's part of the Trinity, right?

This is a really poorly thought out story that's just hoping the pandering is enough to sell it. I'm glad everyone's been psychically "touched" to be super accepting, otherwise I don't think they all would've cheered at the end.

This was abysmal. That fourth annual... I may just skip that. I could not give a fuck less.

This was so incredibly boring. I could barely get through it. Thank goddess that Steve Orlando's run is over. It was such a pain. The art couldn't save this awful slog of an annual.

This issue was... bad. From the writing, the art, to even the lettering, this issue felt like a fever dream. I know the characters, I know somewhat the context, but whatever I just read is really not cogent.

This reads like every Bendis book ever. It's uninteresting and trite. I hate it.

This is just a lot and the fact that Bendis has the gall to make Young Justice a giant team like the Legion of Superheroes, when he obviously can't handle writing teams that big, is just astounding.

I almost fell asleep trying to read this. It was a rotational nightmare, honestly. Just like Superman.

This issue is just a recap of what's already been explained in Young Justice, plus the last Action Comics arc... Why? Why is this book being written like this? Why are all of Bendis' current books written like this? Every issue feels like a recap of what came before, and it's driving me crazy.

How do I put this nicely? I don't care. I don't care about the Red Cloud. I don't care about Bendis' Court of Owls. I don't care about Naomi. I don't care about anything Bendis is doing here. He's just as tired as his writing, from the looks of it. Only way I can rationalize the constant repetition in his work. And I don't just mean the dialogue. Characters, plots, all recycled again and again and again. I don't care.

I decided to stop reading this series a while back, and I guess the enthrall of Joker War was "too much" to keep me away. And man, they're still doing that awful Jason Bard romance huh? I still think that's a terrible love interest! This issue is filled to the brim with cringe inducing platitudes. My favorite being when Barbara stabs herself in the back to destroy the device that lets her walk, and says something like, "I decide what to do with my body". That'll show 'em, Babs! I'm sure the writer thought that was very empowering, but I just laughed at it. Also, I so so so hope the Batcomputer encryption is like Kryptos because that means Batman fucked up at least a couple times. Classic Batman, always screwing up his secret messages. It's what got Alfred killed, I think.

The world's greatest detective, ladies and gentlemen.

I think I said all I could say on why this is a bad title in my last review.

This is a dumb comic... I say it pretty much every issue. This series is mostly just a wall that has things being thrown at it, but nothing ever really sticks. Whose idea was it to bring back comic book CGI art? That died in the late 90s/early 2000s because it fucking blows. I know, I know, it's only one issue. It's something different. It's quirky. But my counter to that is that it's there to hide a basic story that has been done so many times... It's a cliché. And I think that's my biggest problem with the book. It's all surface level to dazzle the readers, while bringing in D-grade storytelling and writing that would be called dull or mediocre. But it's in this different and "interesting" packaging, so... And the Cliff story is fine. He becomes Ultron, then he becomes Planet Ultron. Cool. I guess. I wish this issue was the last one, honestly.

I really don't know why Marvel does these synergy one-shots for their movies. Who is going to go to the comic book shop after seeing Eternals, and pick up this comic? No one. If they even enter a comic book shop, which is a big if, the comic shop owner is giving them Neil Gaiman's run or the current run's first trade. Not this. And let's say the potential customer does grab this and the shop owner sells it to them. They will read this and never pick up another comic again. It's dated and it's boring.

Ugh, man, I am so glad there's only one issue left. I know the writer said it was just going on break, but with a Hellions series featuring Psylocke and Mr. Sinister and a Cable series featuring.... Cable debuting not long after the supposed break starts, I just assume Fallen Angels is done. I hope so anyway because this is a comic where neither the writer nor the artist fit. It's such a huge miscalculation on Marvel's part. It needs to end and be replaced by something with better writers and artists (which seems like the case). The dialogue is pretentious and the art is horrendous. The only thing I liked about this issue was Magneto at the end. That is not enough.

This is really bad. My expectations for the ongoing are terribly low. I may not read it at all.

Wow, what a waste. Maybe one day Tom Taylor will fix this. Also, I couldn't hold back my laughter when they did the big splash page that comics so often do for couples. Only usually they kiss. Here, Faux-Ivy goes for a head smooch instead of a real kiss though. Maybe this was intended from the beginning, but it really felt like editorial was pulling at their collars thinking about how dangerous two women actually kissing would be and decided to make it a bit more platonic. I know a lot of people really, truly care about the Harley and Ivy relationship. I'm not one of them. Even still, I'm offended that my time was so clearly wasted.
2.5
 Justice League of America (2017) #25 Jul 20, 2019

I'm glad when books like this come around. You can really tell which critics are full of shit or not. This sucks and is poorly written. Plain as that.

Superboy is as uninterested in learning about the Legion as Bendis is in writing the Legion. I have no clue who most of these characters are or why I should care about them. Bendis couldn't handle a team book with seven characters in Young Justice, why give him a book with dozens of characters? I'm only reading this because as Bendis assimilates more and more of DC, he'll make this required reading.

God, the writing is so dated and this story is such a shame. Woof.

This is just no good. Show Dick that Bruce is alive to break the brainwashing. I hope it doesn't come down to something so obvious, but I just can't expect anything better from this book.

Well, I guess I'm glad Dick is back... But man, this issue is not well written at all.

This was really bad. Soule really dropped the ball on this one, unfortunately.
2.5
 Scarlet (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019

What an exhausting comic.
2.5
 Superwoman #17 Jul 21, 2019
2.5
 Titans (2016) #18 Jul 21, 2019

This really does suck. It's just all so pointless. And at $4.99 per issue, it's sufficiently wasted everyone's money.

I think this is horrible and completely antithetical to the previous run.

I don't know what it is. Maybe something just clicked. I've found Bendis' writing really annoying lately. Before I thought it was lame and tired, but now I'm legitimately distressed when I read these comics.

There's no real progress here. We already knew that Leviathan was teleporting people through Event Leviathan. This book is a terrible bore because the plot is moving along at a glacial pace and most likely won't even be resolved in this book.

I don't care about Naomi.

I wish this comic wasn't such a mess.

This blows. Who is reading this? Why is it still going?

Like most everything Seeley writes, this was a tepid and boring comic with inconsistent tones and dialogue. We were all having a nice time with Age of X-Man, most of the miniseries were good. This one is definitely the dud that will drag everything else down.

Man, this was a bad issue. Very little cohesion, very little forward momentum in the plot and very little substance. Too much cliché, too much clunky dialogue and too much Seeley.

Man, I am not liking this. I feel like all the characters are out of character. The dialogue is the biggest problem, I think. It's like everyone got ran through a woke filter, so now everyone is very keen on gay lingo and Angel is very caught up on the socio-political ramblings of the Wokescold. And in a different book with different characters, this would be fine, but it does not fit these characters. I don't understand how this book can be praised for nailing the voices of these characters while still openly ignoring their traits. Angel is supposed to be outdated and asocial. In the shows, it's Buffy and, later, Doyle and Cordelia (and Wesley) that get him to become more sociable. But he's still not great at it. We've seen none of that in the comics so why is Angel so familiarized with this sort of thing? If anything, Spike should be the one more socially adept because he didn't divorce himself from society for a century. And then Oz sounds nothing like Oz ever sounded? The dry wit and insight is replaced with random barbs of implied homosexuality. And ugh, poor Fred. I really fucking hope that's Illyria. Even though it'd make no sense. The only thing in this issue that I genuinely enjoyed was that one panel of Fred's TV show death because it reminded me of a monumentally better story. The art also wasn't great.
3.0
 Aquaman (2016) #30 Oct 9, 2018

God, I hate Deadpool's dialogue in this. I also hate the Scarlet Witch/Quicksilver retcon. And this whole thing seems so unfocused. My eyes are starting to glaze over. Just two more issues, I hope I can do it.

Man, remember that Captain Marvel one-shot for that movie? Remember how it was given to a modern writer? Remember how it actually did a better job selling the character than most of the actual ongoing series? Yeah, maybe you should shoot for that in the future. The biggest problem here is the archaic writing. It reads like a 60s Marvel comic, and that's just not acceptable in the modern age of comics. Because there's no nostalgia or charm to it, and it's never telling stories that will serve a greater consequence years down the line. The characters don't stand out whatsoever. And it's not even purposefully like this, like Al Ewing's Iron Hammer miniseries last year, this is just how Ralph Macchio writes. This is just such a poor issue, and I would hate if this was someone's introduction to these comics, which is the idea behind these one-shots, isn't it (as ineffective as it may be)?
3.0
 Avengers: Shards of Infinity #1 Oct 9, 2018

This is so messy. Why is this so messy?
3.0
 Batman (2016) #53 Oct 10, 2018
3.0
 Batman (2016) #54 Oct 10, 2018
3.0
 Batman (2016) #55 Oct 10, 2018

I guess telling two halves of a story at once is a good way to engineer a false sense of forward momentum. I wish King would just stop with the gimmicks. He exhausted my good faith 30 issues ago, at least. I think even King is starting to realize that people are catching on to his writing tropes, and since they're not ones that you can easily diversify (There's only so many ways you can tell a "character driven" story about your own form of depression.), he's had to resort to style over substance. Can we just make this a weekly series? I don't want to spend another year on this.

This comic is so baffling to me. From the way it's structured, to the way it's written. I'm so sick of King's tropes at this point. And there's not even much of a story anymore to form around said tropes. What is going on with the structure here? This comic is slowly breaking down and it's an incredible thing to witness.

Using entire issues to get across a single bit of information is a quintessential example of decompression. Last issue, I thought we had the reconciliation, but I guess we still didn't, since the end of this issue pretty much mirrors the last. Except now they explain that peculiar meeting problem that we all thought was Doomsday Clock/Rebirth related, but nope it was just some poetic bullshit that sounds nice to a sixth grade reader but falls flat if you've ever learned the term "melodramatic." I also liked how I chalked up Damian's actions in Batman #77 to Damian always being a shit, but it turns out Bruce made the brilliant call that got Alfred killed. Or maybe this is a repeat of I Am Suicide, where Batman's plan is so overcomplicated and circuitous that we'll all be scratching our heads about how necessary it all was by the end. There's nothing much to say about this issue as it exists in a vacuum. It's a character issue, but the characters are as one-note as always, so it falls flat for me. I wish that Knightmares issue about how Batman didn't love Catwoman was the reality of this romance, because it'd fit their chemistry a lot better than what Tom King wants us to think. At least it wasn't as insipid as issue 78.

It IS I Am Suicide! With a healthy buff of Everyone Loves Ivy! Quick Question: Why is Hush here? What happened to that dimension with The Dude in it? I read that shitty tie-in and now you're telling me it doesn't matter?? Oh, Tom King didn't write it? Okay, now I understand. I guess we're just going to keep ignoring The Price too, huh? I only wish King would ignore the Button so we wouldn't have Flashpoint Batman in this run. Although, I guess he kind of is, since how Flashpoint Batman survived the end of that has yet to be revealed (and I'm starting to think it won't be. Where would it even fit in this story?) Speaking of things not fitting, this is the part where I discuss story structure and I am told I am just narrow minded and limited for not sucking King off for his shitty work. This arc has no structure. I mean it sure pretends to act like something is happening, but we're in a loop of the same sort of vignettes playing over and over again. Which, hey, that's a structure, technically. But it's not a good story structure. Why? Because stories usually have a flow and Spin-Cycle is not a good one. It feels disjointed at best, and slapdash at worst. We've seen time and time again that King sucks at longterm planning, which is why Heroes in Crisis' reveal issue was a whole lot of nothing besides Wally telling us that he set up a fake mystery with no real clues. And that Batman issue where Flashpoint Batman recapped all the events up to 50 revealed nothing besides Bane dun did it. There is no planning. There cannot be. I refuse, unless it's scrawled out on a Chuck E. Cheese napkin with crayon. If this was all truly planned out, King has his priorities out of wack, or he's more incompetent than Dr. Death. I just really want this to wrap up. I have to remind myself that the end is near every time I read a new issue, because it certainly doesn't feel like it. It feels like most of this story is filler. As was the case with War of Jokes and Riddles. And Knightmares. This is the piss-poor planning of a man that wants to be writing something else, or general incompetence. Pick one.

I don't care about any of this. I'm glad now we have confirmation that Bruce was suicidal at his young age and he did make the vow to be Batman at that same young age. That was an argument between friends that has now been resolved... I mean, I get what King is going for here, but we as readers have known Alfred was dead and have processed that for months now. The wound, if it existed at all, is no longer fresh, it's clotted and scabbed over. This was too little, too late. I don't have any anticipation for the final, final, super final confrontation between Bruce and Thomas. Why doesn't Thomas just brainwash Bruce? He pulled out all the stops to manipulate and psychologically damage his son, but he won't just brainwash him. I guess that'd be too anticlimatic. I'm calling it now, this run will end with Gotham Girl killing Thomas, thus fulfilling the promise of her killing Batman. As for her marrying Duke... I don't know, I guess they can just ignore that. Or just skip to it happening without explanation. If this run has proved anything, we don't need those. I expected the info dump issue this week, but I guess we're getting that in December. What we really need now is a pause in the narrative. I'm sure it won't be convoluted and stupid, like all the others. A side note: I'm glad Bruce is okay after those gunshots to the abdomen. Fantastic work, Surgeon Thomas.

I didn't know what to expect, and what we got is totally Tom King. Repetition, failure to follow through, obvious metaphor, quoting literature, etc etc etc. I don't care, though. I genuinely couldn't care less about any of this. And knowing that it's over in not a bang, but an astounding whimper, leaves me with an empty feeling I can't help but enjoy... It's like a starvation, but a good one. It's odd. And you know what? That tease with Joker was actually pretty good. I'm on board for Tynion's Batman. That did what it was supposed to, I guess. Maybe that helps soften this blessed emptiness I feel, but I can't act like I'm upset or that I... feel anything at all about this ending. The only reason this is getting a three is because I know a past version of myself would believe in that rating. I recognize the problems. There are many. But again, there's nothing here but blissful apathy.

I don't even know what to make of this book at this point. Nothing is working here. I don't know why I should care about Helena protecting Selena. In 11 issues, I haven't found a reason to care. This entire book is predicated on the idea that Selena is making a tough choice to turn against the Joker. I don't buy the concept, I can't get past it. I know I should, but it's ludicrous. This issue has Selina finally give up the Joker and play hero for Bruce in the early timeline, and if you weren't paying attention, you wouldn't realize that that has any significance to the larger narrative. It's not treated as an important moment. The format of this series makes it so it can't be. Phantasm still feels incredibly tacked on. Her suicide in this issue is also pivotal to Catwoman's character motivations moving into the future timeline. It again doesn't feel significant as it's given barely any breathing room. Now that we're in the endgame, I can see where all the pieces line up and I still don't feel satisfied by what I've read. I don't see the relevance in telling the story the way it's been told. I don't even see why it's a story that needed to be told. It falls flat, and I think it comes down to a poor choice in direction and style, and I'll say it, artist. Clay Mann makes pretty pictures, but I do not think his artwork has been integral to this story the way Jorge Fornes' art was integral to Rorschach, or Mitch Gerads' art was integral to Mister Miracle. And the less said about Liam Sharp's fill-ins, the better. Nothing about this book justifies the choices being made at an editorial or creative level. I just don't understand the grand purpose here. Maybe issue 12 will turn the whole thing on its head, but I really, really doubt it.

I've done my best to speed through this crossover, in terms of reviewing it, because I simply don't care to discuss this. I was enjoying the crossover, perfectly fine with Batman's loosening morals and all that, because it was supported by the story. This issue is where the wheels really fell off for me. The fact that this is nothing more than an ad for Rosenberg's Joker finale (Which btw, I enjoy that run much more than this crossover) is so fucking frustrating. I just feel like DC's being open about how much Batman is simply a corporation's easy money button. And trust me, I've read Joker Year One at the point I'm writing this. The feeling hasn't changed. This crossover has really deadened my hype and enjoyment of Zdarsky's run, and really made me more cynical, which is a feat.

This feels like it's written by a child who just discovered AO3. The art can't save it. I was genuinely shocked by how terrible this was.

This issue felt so long, but also so damn short. I don't find Spiltt interesting and the ending just makes me wish they focused on that. Plus, Bruce Wayne is acting strange and I don't like how slow that development moves. This issue just feels incomplete.

Better than Bat/Cat, but still wholly trash.

I don't know if I was in the wrong mood or something, but I found this very boring and sometimes a little confusing trying to follow Bendis' dialogue (which seems to be getting worse and worse as the years go on). I wasn't a fan of the art either. I almost fell asleep reading it because it was so uninteresting. I don't care about Jinny Hex either. She's just a Bendis caricature OC, one he's made plenty of times before. I wasn't expecting greatness from this, but I didn't expect something so goddamn boring.
3.0
 Black Panther: The Sound And The Fury #1 Oct 10, 2018

Bleh. This series could be much more interesting than it is.

The biggest problem with this series is that everyone is a caricature. If you want to make the reader care, if you want to get a message across, you can't do it this way. This way is full of bias, parody and unlikeability. You need to give an honest look at both sides. This comic doesn't do that. And still, the critics eat it up because it says what they want to hear. Regardless of quality, character or integrity, this book will be critically acclaimed. And this is why I don't trust critics.

What is going on anymore in this poorly written book? Stick to art, Joelle Jones, because writing isn't your strong suit.

Why is this series so insistent on having such a dreadful pace?

I was fighting sleep trying to read this. No exaggeration. This was a really boring story.

I hate this. It's all over the place, it feels like hardly anything is happening, and the dialogue is kind of atrocious. Even the art seems like it is taking a hit.

Bleh. I was really worried for this one because I really like Cosmic Ghost Rider and this was the first time Donny Cates wasn't writing him. Plus, the only other comics I've read by these writers were very forgettable fill-in Spider-Man/Deadpool issues. Overall, I think this sucks. It's just too dumb for me. And I really hate that it is actually relevant to Cosmic Ghost Rider's journey and how that makes it important to read. A lot of dumb people that don't understand Frank Castle think that Cosmic Ghost Rider is a betrayal of the character and a Deadpool clone. He's not. If he was, this is the series you'd get. I'm so disappointed.

What bothers me most about this issue is that the majority of the stories it is referencing happen after Frank Castle's family is killed. How Cosmic Ghost Rider apparently knows all this intimately without actually being able to experience it yet is a big question that I don't think is going to be answered. I know this will all just be undone somehow by the end of this story, but at least have some consistency. I mean, the same thing happened last issue but it wasn't nearly as apparent to me as this was because the Punisher is directly tied with Spider-Man. He first appeared in Spider-Man. You're flying too close to the sun with this one. This series is basically the equivalent of talking about old comics with your friends and joking about the hokey aspects in them that didn't age particularly well. There's nothing much else to it and that's not enough for me.

I wish this would be over already. Uatu save us.

This miniseries is such a mess. The ending sets up an interesting idea, but there's no way I'm going to get my hopes up that somehow issue six will pull all this together.

Ugh. I don't feel like going into why this issue was bad. It's pretty obvious, if you read it. There's just way too much reliance on action each and every issue. If this is DC's answer to the Hulk, they misunderstand why the Hulk has ever been popular.

Another dumb issue with a big fight for no particular reason aside from there needing to be one.

Damage dies as it lived. A Marvel ripoff that can't be properly paced. It's ridiculous. I'm glad it's done.

What's crazy about this title is that it's supposed to be funny.
3.0
 Damage Control (2022) #4 Nov 17, 2022

This was such a hard issue to get through. It's just not interesting. The ending shows promise, but seriously, this is impossibly boring.

This is just so, so, so much. And at the end of the day, this story will be about making DC's continuity a lot more like Marvel's continuity, which is probably a good thing... Aside from the fact that Marvel has always been cohesive and it was more or less about accepting that a lot of goofy shit happened too, whereas with DC, for a long time that continuity just didn't exist and by making *everything* canon, there's so many stories that just can't fit. But... It's probably the best solution DC has as long as they maintain a sense of continuity with the line after this story is over, unlike what they've been doing for 2 years now. And I'd much rather have a discussion about that than read this comic. I don't have the reverence that other readers have for Scott Snyder. So when I see an event like this, when I read a multi-year run sold on being the Biggest Thing Everâ„¢, and it's just so poorly constructed and, over and over again, new plot points are introduced to manufacture the illusion of progression... I just drive myself a little crazy. This is not well written, I don't know what to tell you. I've heard an interesting theory that Death Metal is supposed to be a comedic parody of Crisis events, but I don't buy that because it's not written any differently than anything else I've read from Scott Snyder. I feel like that line of, "This is just for fun" and "Don't take it so seriously", is just there to create an avenue for deflecting criticism. I'm not having fun, and because so much is riding on this event due to editorial meddling, I have to take it seriously. This is such a messy comic, and even the art leaves a lot to be desired... Nothing here stands out beyond the premise of a continuity restoration. The quicker this is finished, the better.

I feel like if the last... 30 issues of Death Metal weren't dedicated to making me hate comics on a deep and fundamental level, I would have liked this finale more. Instead what we get is just *more*. Snyder does all his tropes, because of course, and the day is saved in an ever more convoluted and unsatisfactory way! Just fucking Make Mine Marvel the DC timeline and be done with it. I don't need or want the rest. Also, didn't the fucking Justice League have a huge Doomerism problem back in Snyder's JL because they didn't keep the average public in the loop on all the cosmic bullshit going on? And now, they're doing that again? Okay. I just don't give a shit about anything that's been set up. Leave me alone.

Woof, this is not good. The Robin King blows.

This is not good. The art is bad and the story is messy and underdeveloped.

Couldn't be bothered to list all the stories here. This is not worth reading. The worst stories are the Bizarro ones. I've got pretty much nothing to say about the rest. The final story about Lobo by Tom King is needlessly pedantic. He quotes 1 Maccabees throughout the story, and it's like... Really, did we need this for a stupid Lobo story? I don't even agree with the message of it in the end because I dislike religion. So there's nothing here for me. The rest of the stories don't warrant discussion.
3.0
 Deadman (2017) #1 Oct 20, 2018
3.0
 Deadman (2017) #3 Oct 20, 2018

This was terrible. It's filled with people trying to be funny and failing.

Oh. This was interminably boring.

This issue, much like this series, is really boring. I just don't care about anything that's happening.

This felt like bad fanfiction. Remember the Scissormen?? Remember Dorothy Spinner?? We do too! But don't forget how cool our boss' run is!

This was troubling. I didn't like this issue. It falls into the same trap that most Orlando stories do where they mistake that the reader has established an emotional connection with the characters. I didn't recognize anyone aside from the two Earth champions. The rest felt like unimportant filler. I really found this to be a chore to read.

Bleh. I really just don't like Steve Orlando's writing. There's nothing gripping about it. It feels like he's writing it for the sake of writing it instead of having an idea behind it that he's really interested in making real.

This miniseries was unable to make me care. So I don't care. So this is a boring comic.

This series needs to get interesting. It's all very boring. Oh, and I guess Silencer is back. Even though, she retired in her series, and that was obviously set before this as Deathstroke mentioned that Leviathan was coming in that last issue of her series. The cliffhanger at the end was laughable. I don't think Bendis knows how to write a compelling mystery. We're just getting meandering issues that lead nowhere, and supposedly something is going to happen eventually. Adding a whole new team to the mix is pretty stupid, but this six issue mystery thriller only has two issues worth of story. Those four extra issues need to be filled with something and Bendis has squeezed all the life out of needlessly long conversations that lead nowhere.

This sucks. It's had six issues to become something worth the time to read, but instead it keeps up the same trend of porn, character drama about characters I couldn't name, and Hell. Maybe I shouldn't be reading something that considers itself erotic in nature when I don't read comics to get off. Then again, this could be so much better than it is. Just because it is porn doesn't mean it has to written like porn. This is uninspired, haphazard and boring. Faithless should never return, but it will. And you won't have to wait till 2020 for it. Just open a tab and search for porn. There's Faithless 24/7 out there for you. Enjoy.

Oh who knew her backstory would fit all the checkmarks for any diverse character made in the last 10 years? I was as surprised as you were. Eye-rolling pandering aside, which is just as eye-rolling as the constantly screaming Steve Buscemi in the room, this issue offered more, lol, "intrigue" about this mystery I couldn't care less about.

I'm so bored of this series. Barry isn't the only thing running in circles.

I really dread this series now.

How wrong was I to have some faith in this story? Very wrong.

Psych is so goddamn stupid. I'm glad he's dead.

This series just feels like a constant recycling of ideas.

Oh no, Flash can't control his powers... AGAIN. I feel like I can't tell who has it worse. Wally or Barry. Yeah, Wally killed a bunch of people and lost his family, but Barry is in a constant cycle of bullshit. Come up with a new idea already. And also, I've never been less sure of this, is Captain Cold an old man? He looks real old here.

This took me forever to get through. Mostly because the Superman story is so painfully bad that I was very close to just checking out of Superman until March. The back ups are fine. The Mister Miracle one is probably the best story here, but it's not amazing or anything. It just engages the reader slightly better than the Guardian story. This one is a real dud for me. No thanks.

Wow, this was really messy.

This is a really bland set of stories at best.

This is really bad. Underdeveloped and nonsensical and boring. I think I'm gonna have to stop reading this series. This issue just did not work on any level. It was a mess. I slogged through this issue and immediately fell asleep. Woof.
3.0
 Green Lanterns #55 Nov 6, 2018
3.0
 Guardians of the Galaxy: Telltale Games #5 Nov 6, 2018

Ugh, you know, I'm past my days of schoolgirl crushes and young adult romances. I don't like it. I don't really need a 45 year old woman telling a story about a bunch of milquetoast characters as the bland, easily replaced female lead finds love in the unlikeliest of places. And I know the writer is a man, but I don't see gender here. I just see what's on the page and what is on the page is a tired, Twilight, Maze Runner, Hunger Games, Bullshit young adult story that I can't get behind. It sucks. And you know, I don't know if that's totally Stejpan Sejic's fault. Harley's origin is just perfect for this kind of story. But I don't have any nostalgia for Harley Quinn as a character, so when I see her origin on display, I can pick out the flaws. And by the way, the art isn't perfect. Take a look at some of the faces, people. The polished stuff is good, but it quickly deteriorates over page count.
3.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #36 Jul 19, 2019
3.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #47 Jul 19, 2019
3.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #50 Jul 19, 2019

I really hate this series with a passion.

The Metamorphosis was much better than this, I promise.

This is gross. Let's just get it out of the way. The dialogue is still as bad as ever. It's like the writer has a dart board with, maybe, 3 different dialogue trees. There's the "character A says X, character B says !X" one, there's the "character makes innocuous statements, but break down, letting the audience know that this is *deep*" and there's the "character goes off on an unrelated tangent because they're incredibly single-minded, apparently". And these have to be broken up with way too many ellipses, by the way. As for the plot and characters, there's a lot of annoying things to talk about. First, I'm glad Harley and Ivy's relationship is basically a mother finding their toddler cute, that's all I can get out of "boop". Ivy is killed off panel, so that probably means she's the villain. I'm pretty sure the Justice League knows Batman has kryptonite in his utility belt (and yeah, it's not a bat belt). I'm pretty sure Batman has used said kryptonite on Superman in the past. But let's just act like that's not something they know. Harley Quinn takes out Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, because she's apparently as good as Batman. So good that Wonder Woman just stood there in awe after Harley flashed the kryptonite and let Batman go to make her escape. Harley's the next Deathstroke. I can't trust anything that snake in the grass, Skeets, does since he's apparently on Bane's elite Suicide Squad (watch them call it that). Harley was acting too competent, I guess, so Booster is now the WaCkY crazy one who can't shut up or take any social cues, or you know, words, into consideration. Which is not at all different than how he was before King turned him crazy, but whatever. Lois is a single track mind, and that only track is being an asshole, since someone's clearly trying to talk to her. But maybe it's the other person's fault for not realizing that Lois doesn't care. But then how would we know that Lois is a hectic and busy woman?? And what would we do without that dramatic "Wait, what"?? And finally, why is Superman so worried about the heroes being shown to be human? I know it'd violate their privacies, but he seems way more concerned with maintaining this air of perfection. But why? I'm pretty sure most people realize by now that the heroes are not perfect. In fact, they probably realized this the first time the heroes did anything and there was property damage and injuries left over. And if not, there's been so many stories about the public finding out that a hero is "just like you and me". I don't know, seems like a Superman only problem. Or it would be if Superman was never shown to be fallible, but that happens in every other story he's in. Anyway, I think this sucks, if you couldn't tell.

Wow. Priceless. I'm really not interested in this anymore. I don't agree with most of the characterizations in this. I feel like nothing much is happening. And I hate, hate, hate dialogue.

This issue was incredibly boring.

This is not interesting. It's boring. That's the worst thing a comic can be.

This was really bad. I don't like the writing style MacKay chose for this series and the art is just abysmal. Such a waste of two issues.

This was extremely boring. There was no big payoff to the M-Day stuff. Speed Weasel isn't anything special. This is probably the worst Infinity Wars tie-in. I almost feel asleep trying to read it. This sucks.

This is just void of interesting ideas to me.

I couldn't care less about this. Wake me up when hope isn't the cause of and solution to all of life's problems.

Wow, this is boring.

This is really not good.

Fuck you, Bendis, for giving us another Superman arc in disguise. Even the back up was super boring. This comic has nothing for us.

Slightly better than last issue, but reading these two latest issues back to back made me hate myself.

I literally decided to not read this for so long, it put me behind on comic books again. Instead, I was keeping with all the Russia/Ukraine stuff (Russia bad) and seeing the onset of war was waaaay more engaging and fun than reading this super fucking boring issue. I really hate this.

Didn't enjoy this as much. The exposition was way too much. There's a feeling of fatigue to this. We don't need an epic, overdriven event story every single time. Especially when the new ideas presented are painfully unoriginal and there's not even an attempt to organically introduce those ideas. They just drop exposition on you again and again, and expect you to care. I don't care, so I just found this to be a chore to read.
3.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #19 Jul 20, 2019
3.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #21 Jul 20, 2019
3.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #24 Jul 20, 2019

So, I think it's pretty clear that this mini-event is just a way for Bendis to get to all the stuff he wasn't able to get to with his LoSH run. Which I would be fine with, if that run wasn't absolutely terrible. This does have the honor of being slightly better than Bendis' Justice League run, but that's about it. It's messy and not worth your time.
3.0
 Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes (2021) #3 Nov 6, 2022
3.0
 Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes (2021) #4 Nov 25, 2022

Nothing interesting has happened yet. I find this series very tedious to read. Definitely feels like a botched Justice League title.

I thought issue two was better than this. I really loved the part with Bullseye. It shows that Bryan Edward Hill is a capable writer sometimes. But everything else, all the other characters, is just really boring and really not worth reading about. I don't care that SHIELD, and Black Widow specifically, is involved now. I just find the whole thing such a drag to get through. I don't understand the new romance that's brewing between Erik and Knight. There's nothing in the last three issues that gave me that impression. In fact, it gave me the opposite. But now Erik wants to take Wakanda and have Knight be his queen for reasons. Bullseye needs to come back and hijack this series. Retcon the past so that Bullseye killed Killmonger. Just do it.

This really wasn't very good. The first story went on way too long and said basically nothing new about Cloak and Dagger. I feel like every time they're brought out, the same basic story beats are hit again and again. The second story was really bad and out of nowhere, and what's worse is that it seems like it's setting something up. I really hope it doesn't continue.

This is just like most of Bendis' books. Lots of talking, with dialogue that just keeps going and going. And... Not much else. Unfortunately, his dialogue is insipid. So I don't like this book.

This sucks. Bendis barely knows how to write characters with personality, so giving him 20 of them and expecting us to care is asinine. This issue feels incredibly pointless. Hopefully, next issue really is the end of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

This is annoying.

Why are we being introduced to this concept now? Where is the fucking focus here? Ugh.

This wasn't as bad as issue one simply because it went by a lot faster and there wasn't any needlessly complicated pacing. It was all exposition still, and rather boring, but it wasn't as much of a train wreck.

There is way too much happening here, the art doesn't convey visual storytelling very well, and the story being told isn't that interesting. I'm glad to see this series end. It is a definite dud for the X-line, and we can all do without it.

There's only five pages here that I thought were good. Out of 30.

This reminds me why I really, really dislike Rebirth era Harley comics. It's so drearily unfunny and annoying.

This is uniquely unfunny. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This is really not funny. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
3.0
 Multiversity: Harley Screws Up the DCU (2023) #4 May 7, 2024

I found this issue really annoying. This whole issue is people not just telling Naomi what she wants to know. And her frustrations are mine, because goddamn did I just want to know already. And I still don't really know and it's so incredibly annoying. Maybe that means the writing is effective, but even if it is, I'm too annoyed to commend it.

Yeah, you've worn me down.

This series was devoid of good and interesting characters, as well as a story worth caring about. I'm not even sure what exactly they were stopping in this issue. This whole series has been a chore to get through and I'm glad it's over, to hopefully never return.

I was thinking of not reading this comic because I really don't like anthologies. They're always such a mixed bag, or worse. I should've dropped it. The only story worth reading here is the first story. Featuring Batman. And that was very uneven in its own right.
3.0
 Nightwing (2016) #47 Jul 20, 2019

The pacing in this arc is atrocious. And very similar to Red Hood in its ability to stretch things out (Bizarro's reverting to idiot). Not much happens. The new Nightwangs continue to be Nightwing. Dick officially becomes Ric because he's got a piece of paper saying so. (Maybe he needed a "sane" stamp on his hand.) Ric continues to have a love interest that is devoid of interest. And Scarecrow continues to exist and be Scarecrow. The only thing that could have saved this issue was the character interaction. Most of the characters are one-note and boring. Ric is a dick, but not in name. And Scarecrow couldn't ooze more evil if he tried. And yet, Ric couldn't parse that out, probably because he's so fearless. This issue sucks.

So this issue just firmly cements this very boring status quo that most people don't want, judging by the reception. And how long will it be until everyone realizes Ric Grayson, and therefore Dick Grayson, is Nightwing? He just shows up and becomes easily the most capable of the Nightwings, he's immune to fear toxin... certainly a doctor like Scarecrow should be able to fit all the pieces together, right? Especially since he's apparently obsessed with Nightwing. This idea is just so ill-conceived. I put the blame firmly on editorial and their dislike of Dick Grayson. Tom King revealed the original pitch for the Nightwing series after Dick was shot. It was going to be shared between Tim Drake who was going to be taking up the mantle and a recovering Dick Grayson who helps him behind the scenes. Would that have been a good series? I don't know. But it sounds a hell of a lot more promising than this travesty. Joker's Daughter being the antagonist for the next arc is such a joke. If there was ever a sign that this idea wasn't working, it's that.

God, I was so happy when I thought one of The 'Wings was dead. But of course they aren't. I wonder if the writer ever gets bored writing this series? Especially when every issue starts with the same tired explanation we get every issue about who Ric is. It's so repetitive and it just adds to the problems this book has.

Nightwing Red: I bring you love. Disenfranchised Mob: He's bringing love! Don't let him get away! Break his legs!

Another false ending. Nightwing's Clone Saga continues unabashed!

Oh this is such trash. Please let's just get over this already. The art sucked too.

Harley sucks.

All of the jokes fall flat. This world could've been a cool idea if you took Harley and the comedic stylings of her solo series out of this book. DC needs to fix this character so badly. This is ridiculous.

This is Harley Quinn. So therefore it sucks.
3.0
 Ragman #1 Jul 21, 2019
3.0
 Raven: Daughter of Darkness #7 Jul 21, 2019

This was an incredibly boring miniseries and I'm very glad that it's over.

Oh my god this was trash. I'm glad it's over.
3.0
 She-Hulk (2017) #160 Jul 21, 2019
3.0
 Sideways #8 Jul 21, 2019

This comic is really a mess. There's no other way of putting it. Part of Priest's style is non-linear storytelling, and sometimes that can work to great effect. In fact, it does in the Deathstroke series he's currently writing. But this miniseries suffers a lot because of it. The story itself isn't extremely thrilling or complicated, despite being a suicide mission with two popular characters involved. It definitely did not need or warrant Priest's style of storytelling. All it did was convolute. The only good things I can say about this is that through that one flashback, we know Priest at least researched Spider-Woman beyond the absolute basics for this series. And the other is that they did kill off characters on what is supposed to be a suicide mission. (Watch it be undone somehow. Maybe they'll be cloned in Spider-Geddon #5.)

3.0
 Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
3.0
 Spider-Men II #5 Jul 21, 2019

In this moment, fresh after reading this issue, I'm considering dropping this title. The pace is too deliberate for me. I do not like mustache-twirling Alanna. There was an extreme lack of Mr. Terrific in this issue. He's the only reason I was, at all, excited for this issue. And you know what, I'll say it, I think Mitch Gerads' artwork is ugly at points. I just don't care about the majority of what's happening here. I get the plot. I get what's happening. We all feel a little Mr. Terrific when reading a Tom King comic. Take this quote from a 10/10 review of this very issue: "This is without a doubt the most intellectually engaging comic DC has published since Watchmen. It's execution is at an extremely high level and is just as beautifully illustrated." Now, mind the typo, as you really let that sink in. That's the reader base for this comic. That right there. I'm just burnt out on this series. It hit me as soon as we got an issue without a compelling character in it.

This is such a boring series.

This is trash. This is very unfunny, and it doesn't realize that it's not good. This is a terrible comic, and I hope people stay away.

Ending on a low note!
3.0
 Supergirl (2016) #16 Jul 21, 2019

Not a good issue. Seriously, this title should've stayed dead after Orlando's run, because since then it has played piggyback to whatever event was going on at the time and now it has barely anything to say as it drudges through its last few issues. I don't blame Jody Houser for this. Or Marc Andreyko before her. I know they can write good comics. I blame the editorial mandate that this book must have had. I saw some people complaining about this title going digital first, but really, it's not worth being in anyone's physical collection. The story is dumb and simple and not worth reading. I hope the US government decides nuking the hurricane is the best option in the next issue.

This was just terrible. From the writing, to the art. I don't blame the writer because she was given absolutely nothing to work with, but goddamn am I glad this is over.

This series is so inconsistent in characterization and plot, but the quality is consistently trash.

Clark Kent is a shitty writer and a shitty journalist.

Oh my god, why does Superman suck so fucking much?

Why indeed, Superman.

This is trash.
3.0
 Superwoman #16 Jul 21, 2019
3.0
 Superwoman #18 Jul 21, 2019

This series is just not very good. Its saving grace is being a light read. Especially now that the back-ups are (thankfully) gone.

Not good.

Like Aero a few weeks ago, thankfully this series is over with. It's just not that interesting, sorry. This last issue is spent delivering backstory, which I suppose answers a few questions this series set up. But in the end, not much is actually resolved. I couldn't really care less.

Not good.

Who could've seen that coming? Except everyone? It's the ending to Scary Movie all over again.

Dammit, I thought this was the last issue. This series is a bore. We've got three different characters repeating the same information like it's some new revelation after the first time. And a big battle. And that's it.

Found all the villain monologing extremely tedious. This is the second New Age of Heroes title to tease a sequel at the end. Why would anyone want that?

...I mean, what's the hook here?? All we get is a bunch of ideas splattered against the pages with seemingly no cohesion. Am I supposed to feel something? Anything?

I could not care less about anything happening here. Sorry, not sorry.
3.0
 The Silencer Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019

This really bores me.

I hate Bizarro-speak. Especially inconsistent Bizarro-speak.
3.0
 The Unexpected (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019

Why spend an entire issue explaining the origins of a lame villain?

I don't know, I'm frankly shocked by the reception to this issue. It's just as boring as every other issue. Unearth isn't very interesting. The characters themselves say that it's based on a very one-dimensional concept, that mostly serves to create plot devices. And I believe them! I'm just so checked out of this title at this point.

I'm glad this title is ending. This issue kind of encapsulates my problems with this series. Nothing of interest happens, it's wholly unsatisfying and there's a lot of relief that it's over.

3.0
 Trinity (2016) #22 Jul 21, 2019

Man, to hear the writers talk about it and to see the critic score, you'd think this comic was some amazing, inspired story. But it's not at all. It feels like no one wants to be writing it or drawing it. No one cares. Easily one of the most disappointing indies I've read. I got caught up in the writers' hype and now I'm reading a shitty indie title from a team that I only like one third of.

Wow, what a waste of time and money. Maybe we shouldn't have comic book tie-ins to theme parks.

This one-shot is pretty bland and boring. I never really read the old war comics so I don't know for sure if the style is in keeping with those, but I hope not.
3.0
 Weapon X (2017) #12 Jul 21, 2019
3.0
 Wolverine: Patch (2022) #5 Feb 6, 2023
3.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #35 Jul 21, 2019
3.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #55 Jul 21, 2019

Oh man, this got even more boring.

This series is boring as can be.

This is not good. The writing, the art, everything. It's all so dependent on one's investment in... anything happening. And I don't believe those people exist.

I honestly barely understand what happened in this book.

Well, last issue wasn't exactly stellar, but at least it wasn't like this. This issue skips ahead, without any explanation, and spends most of its page count on a flashback that amounts to Wonder Girl wanting to find herself. The pacing here is already off the rails. But that's Bendis for you.

Why is this series so disjointed? Why does the second artist draw Tim Drake as a 10 year old? Why are we caught up in Gemworld? Why is this so much garbage?

Bendis' dialogue sucks and I'm sick of reading his books.

I hate this book.

A few weeks (months?) ago, when Ironheart 2020 #2 came out, there was a review by DispatchDCU from Weird Science Marvel Comics, in which he made the point that that miniseries had nothing to do with Iron Man 2020. In my review for that issue, I openly disagreed with that idea. The core of the event is about artificial intelligence and what rights should be afforded to them. I say all this because if you really, truly want a tie-in that has nothing to do with the main event, look no further than iWolverine 2020. There is simply no reason for this to exist besides Larry Hama, for some reason, wanting to write an Albert and Elsie-Dee story. I can't imagine Marvel coming to him with the idea. It had to have been Larry Hama. This is just so, so disconnected. There's only one reference to the event at all in this issue. Now, if you want to make the argument that Albert and Elsie-Dee are being treated as property with no rights, and this series is about liberating these characters-- fitting fully in theme with the event, that's... Fine. I'm just shocked that this exists. It's written like a 90s comic. The art isn't quite so 90s, but uneven which could mean the same thing. It's really not worth it to anyone to read this tie-in. Stay away! Avoid it! It's not good! I will continue reading it because I am a slave to the comics machine and... once I've already dipped, I'm just going to have to double dip. That's just the person I am.

There is so much talking in this issue, and most of the time it's inane bullshit. But this issue actually managed to work for two or three pages. It was an amazing spectacle, you should've been there. When Superman had to deal with death, it honestly worked for me. I didn't think Bendis was capable of that anymore but, turns out, he is. Now, I'm not entirely sure why the Invisible Mafia did it? It seems like a self defeating plan. I also could not care less about what's happening with the Daily Planet. But like, those two or three pages gave this issue a boost. It's not going to be a good score, but it'll be better than what Action Comics usually gets.

Neither story here was particularly well written. This annual is less about Venom than it is about Lady Hellbender, a character whose tragic backstory doesn't really help her as she bounces from cliche to seductress cliche. And the whole "villain" angle goes out the window when you already know what she actually does, which you would if you've read Totally Awesome Hulk or Monsters Unleashed. The entire origin story feels like a pointless tack on to an already pointless story being told with Venom. I don't expect that much from these Acts of Evil annuals, but this one didn't even clear my low bar. The only thing interesting (notice: I didn't say good or bad) is Venom's weird design. It's so odd that you just have to see it.

This is just poorly written. Any attempt at an epic story is lost in a sea of bad pacing and inconsistency. At least the art isn't as bad this go around as there's not much action for the artist to sequence break. I'm just very disappointed with this title as a whole since I know the writer can do better.

If you like Seeley's crappy dialogue and writing, you'll love it.

Really shoddily written and drawn, honestly. I see what they were trying to do, but the pacing didn't work and neither did the mostly out of nowhere focus on Jean Paul.

I'm so glad to be done with this terrible event. It was just too much. I wish I just ignored it, but once I started, I couldn't stop.

It took me forever to get through this issue. It's all so very boring. I hope Batgirl is dead. What algorithm was Oracle adjusting? And what was X? You throw in things like Sentient AGI (which is redundant), but I don't think you really know what you're writing about. But that's fine. Why do I care about something so small? Because it's the only thing I really want to discuss in this comic. Nothing else interests me as much as technical sounding things being thrown at this wall of a script in hopes that it sticks.

The best thing about this issue is that Harley and Ivy actually kiss after years of DC trying to act like they were just super good friends and not a prominent gay couple. But that's it. The rest of this is rushed, poorly written and fucking boring as shit. I will never read this comic again, and the only reason I'll ever think about Tynion's run in the future is because someone's gonna get ass mad about how this run was actually totally slept on and I'll have to hit back with a resounding "No."

Well, I didn't like the backups and I really didn't like this. Uninspired and uninteresting. Like... I don't know who this was for, but someone likes it apparently. I'm so glad this run is over, let's hope what's next is better.

I really don't care for the drama between Bruce and Selina. It shouldn't be a thing. The stuff in the future really doesn't do anything but mechanically inch the plot a little further. And the stuff with Phantasm is extremely boring. Easily the worst part of the miniseries.

This book sucks.

This sucks. Bonus points for spoiling the ending on the cover.

3.5
 Batman/The Maxx #2 Jan 6, 2020
3.5
 Batwoman (2017) #10 Oct 10, 2018

I agree with the critic here. This series just has so much going on and I care about none of it anymore.

What is up with DC titles having covers that only become relevant by the final page? All it does is spoil the issue for the reader. This is just more fighting, with no story. A waste of time.

The first two thirds of this issue weren't great, but they weren't *awful*. But the last third of this issue gave me such a headache. I got so fucking annoyed. Ugh.

This issue is predictable and the dialogue just does not fit. It's only saving grace was the overabundance of double pages because there was hardly any more story to tell.

The pacing is all over the place, but at least I'm glad the new heroes are creative. Lo Lo Kick You is totally not an insipid name. And she's not at all like a certain Harleen Quinzel.

No, this is stupid, you guys. First, the Twitter handles and the fanfiction pandering is insignificant, but still really dumb. Second, why the hell would the emotionless people start a counter-protest to the emotional ones? These "emotionless motherfuckers" as our heroine eloquently puts it are not emotionless. Now, either that's the big twist at the end of this series, or the writer and artist don't understand what emotionless means. Either way, making this the main crux of your story is really dumb. Because, if it's not a twist, you're just a shitty writer. If it is a twist, it's so obvious that the reader never believes in the lie you've crafted to create said twist. This is not good. Don't @ me, as the kids and N.K. "hip" Jemisin would say.

Didn't like this. Nothing much was accomplished here. Iris going away means nothing to me. The epilogue made me roll my eyes.

Woof. What a boring series.

I don't care about the other forces. More rogues please.

Read this as a parody comic and it works a lot better.
3.5
 Green Lanterns #39 Nov 6, 2018
3.5
 Green Lanterns #56 Nov 6, 2018
3.5
 Harley Quinn (2016) #32 Jul 19, 2019
3.5
 Incredible Hulk (2017) #711 Jul 19, 2019

This is so stilted and boring. Big things are happening but to make sure you know big things are happening, they're going to explain that big things are happening. Yet at the same time, this entire thing is couched in a hand-wavy logic that's never been fully explained, so anything can happen, and everything does happen on the whim that it's cool to see. Please clap.

As the old showbiz adage goes, “I'm horny and you need this job.â€. Venditti takes that to heart in this issue.

So much for things happening that matter. I guess the point of this issue is to give us some perspective on John Stewart, but nothing here is revolutionary in that regard. I guess it's nice to see heroes being heroes, but it could be done much better. The Justice League 1,000,000 BC pitch that frontloads each issue is probably the part that's most interesting.

I could not care less about anything happening in this book, and yes, that includes the backup.

This issue of Justice League is not good... which I'm sure is very surprising to anyone reading this. I wish I liked it, I really do. It's just poorly paced, the dialogue is bad, and there's this overwhelming sense that none of this matters knowing we've got three issues of this run left, and the issue after that kills off the Justice League. At least it's ending the book, anyway. The backup is fine, but I've really lost interest in Ram V's run since the backups started. It has just felt like each chapter ended before it could really get going. This last one has some nice moments, but I just don't really care.

This title works as well as Abnett's Titans did, but I can't put all the blame on him, or Joshua Williamson. A lot of the blame goes on editorial and the way they neutered this series before it even started. This title is a failure.

Man, does Greg Rucka even know what he's writing about? We've all collectively lost the plot, it seems. And what is with the faces in this issue? Everyone gets Question masks for next issue. Oh btw, where'd that subplot go? Guess it was lost with the plot. The only thing about this issue that is worth reading is the Letterkenny reference, because maybe it'll get more people to check that show out. Ironically, that show probably has a more robust plot than this comic. If you watch the show, you'll realize what a burn that is.

This miniseries is going nowhere fast.

Okay so just to recap... Renee is shot by Death Skeleton and Lois Lane is very upset, but she just knows there's a romance between Renee and Death Skeleton, like I know there's a romance between my cats and the squirrels. You just tell by the way one kills the other. But Renee and Death Skeleton's kink (which I will not shame) is wearing the face of a cancer riddled, soon to be undead C-list Objectivist icon. So Lois tells Renee to gas up, and even though Renee doesn't have a mask on her face, it still works. And then Death Skeleton stabs herself in the hand as opposed to somewhere sexier, and gives Renee a kiss of death. And somehow, some part of Death Skeleton imprinted onto Renee and anti-life somehow brought about life, like it's a 1959 animated film. So Renee is healed of the literal hot-lead-torn hole in her body (did the bullet even exit?) and also Death Skeleton becomes Death Blonde. Jessica Rabbit thinks this is all to Lois' plan, something she admits is untrue, but only to a woman of God, as that keeps her in good faith with the Almighty. Renee makes a poor comment about her sex life that she can get away with because she's a woman in 2020 even if she has the proclivities of an average man. Turns out Death Blonde and Renee were an item on an alternate Earth and Lois knows about it for reasons we still aren't allowed to know. Don't let that bit of info about Renee and Death Blonde stop you from enjoying a reunion lesbian love kiss. Universe switching voids consent. Now it's time for the grand finale. Now we're going to learn how it all ties together. I sure can wait. Years even.

This honestly made me fall asleep.

A really poor ending. I won't miss this title at all.

Marvel always does these one-shot synergy tie-ins to the movies (which I guess are coming out eventually), and they're almost always bad. This one isn't an exception. Ralph Macchio writes in a very dated manner, and it really is a chore TJ read, especially when a character like Morbius is involved.

I just don't care about this character. She's not that interesting and I thought this was a very underwhelming finale.

Ugh. I really don't care about any of this. You're not going to get me to care.

This is starting to feel like the clone saga. Full of false endings and a clear lack of a plan. Can't wait for Ric to be put on trial for being a murderer. How about Nightwingcide? Ooo, we haven't had our "elderly caretaker died" issue yet. When's Nightwing #400?

This series is such a confusing bore. I think Wolfman tried to do way too much with this miniseries, and every disparate story thread is a third-rate idea that isn't worthy of the time its given. I don't understand how such a mess can come from what is presumably a planned miniseries. The storytelling should be rock solid, but it's not.

It was all part of the plan, I promise.

This is real bad, True Believers. Don't read this. Ever. It's Tim Seeley writing like Tim Seeley always does. 'Nuff Said.

This finale needed me to care about anyone in this story and I didn't. Not once. The use of Earth-1218 was actually pretty decent. But Grandmaster is definitely going to come back. It's just going to make one writer's job a lot harder to ressurect him.

This book is so ridiculously cynical. I think it took the wrong lessons from the comics it's constantly trying to ape. Everyone is a cynical douchebag. And every situation is written through the eyes of a perpetual pessimist. This series is devoid of one key ingredient in Spider-Man, and that is hope. Cue jokes about DC being over-the-top dark. As for the new villain, why does he look like the Punisher? I mean, aside from the obvious. And I guess Derek's powers aren't anything special now. Where were the Fuginauts for Boltisher? I'm really ready to let this series and these characters go.

Thank god it's over.
3.5
 Suicide Squad (2016) #32 Jul 21, 2019

Go away, Rogol Zaar.

Yawn.

Lol, bring back Supes' father just to make him a subpar villain that was once deemed important, and then kill him off in a way that doesn't even make sense with the reasoning given.

Man. This series needs to end soon.

I don't like Roundhouse or his mom. It really added nothing to the story. Djinn and Robin's romance is still gross. Crush is the only thing I liked here.

This is a really rough title, man.

This is a really ambitious comic. It's clear that this is a vast world the writer has come up, rich with history. But I don't really care about any of it. I don't know what's happening beyond the basics and I'm incredibly disenchanted with the dialogue. And in this case, I honestly don't know if that's my prejudice against high fantasy or if this is a badly written comic. I can't tell the difference when it comes to these types of books. But I'm not one to give the benefit of the doubt.

I'm bored with this. Should've ended after last issue.

I don't like Bizarro. I don't like reading Bizarro.
3.5
 The Unexpected (2018) #5 Jul 21, 2019

This is homogenized comics. Machine made and prepped.
3.5
 Trinity (2016) #16 Jul 21, 2019

This is a stupid issue. If you want to be preached to, pick it up.
3.5
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #17 Jul 21, 2019

Well, it seems like this volume has been pointless. Never is that more exemplified than by that throwaway line at the end of the issue that gets rid of the Drake costume and codename.

This sure was a thing that exists. I think Lois is being insanely irresponsible, and her character usually isn't that. The stuff with Jimmy was fine, although Perry White comes across like J. Jonah Jameson, if he didn't know how to properly berate someone. The hell is "Out of this multiverse"? I'm severly uninterested in the plot revolving around the blue bombs, assumedly set by Leviathan. This issue was like a clip show, of all sorts of plots, but none very interesting.

This was yet another installment in a comic series that sure does exist. I'm not feeling anything for any of this. I'm pathetically apathetic about this whole thing. The tease at the end of more Question pulled at my care strings just a little, but if it's like last time where he cameos and then disappears again, I'm going to upset. I'll be doubly upset if he does play a major role and is written horrendously. At which point, I will look back on his first appearance as a blessing and never call back to it again when discussing this series and its letdowns.

Could we get a move on here? I know this says part four, but I feel like it's been going on for at least a three years now. We have plenty of page space to dedicate to Lois musing about undercover work and a random Checkmate callback, but not enough for actual plot. I'm sure this won't be as annoying in trade, but when I'm waiting month to month and I just want to be done with this storyline (which haha, is not going anywhere anytime soon), I get frustrated by how slow everything is. This wouldn't be as much of an issue if the character work was stronger, but it's Bendis so it's not. We just get asides and Bendis speak.

God this is boring.

I find this series a chore to get through each and every time it's out. It being the first issue alphabetically, and therefore the first issue I read, it actually makes me wary to read DC at all. It makes me re-evaluate my concept of what makes a good story. I always think that good characters are at the core of a good story. But then this series comes along, with its great protagonists and their great dynamic and a big ball of nothing for a plot and I'm dreading it like an impending doom. But on the other hand, it really only has the two great characters... Well, one and a half, Damian is very lucky someone tried to make him likeable... The villains suck and every character outside of the two sucks. So I can't really see this series as a definitive reason why I'm wrong in my idea of what makes a good story. I think maybe my praise in the past for the characters was a little misplaced even. This series needs a plot and villains worth caring about instead of the main two characters being dragged through what feels like last second decisions to twist and turn this three issue plot into twelve issues.

Not feeling this one.

I'm hoping these two Atlas series aren't really ongoings because they always drag me down when I know I have to read them.

It was a pleasant surprise to see that this title (and Sword Master) is ending with issue 12. I don't understand the appeal here and I find this series to be incredibly bland. The issue ends on a tease that I honestly wouldn't mind never being fulfilled. It features a character I barely remember. The most satisfying thing about this issue is that it's the end.

I really found this issue boring. The action doesn't really work and the characters are not that interesting. It seemed like the same character beats kept repeating over and over. Belit is not captain, but she thinks she is. Again and again.

This issue really fails to flow and that's its biggest problem. It is getting the basics of comics wrong and it's a shame.

At least things are starting to happen.

Man, I do not like Zac Thompson's voice for pretty much every single character. I think this issue is sort of a mess and while I like Oz on TV, I have hardly any hopes for him here. I am so disappointed. I know this series ends in another 2 issues, but I'm sure it'll be back, and I'm just hoping it'll be with someone other than Zac Thompson. I really wanted to like this.

I don't have much to say about this that I haven't already said. Look at my previous reviews. It all applies here. Bleh.

Man, this was a chore to get through. I don't like how every single arc ends with a hail mary. I don't like the oddly childish nature of Manta that he only seems to have to provide climatic tension. I feel like everything is over explained and at the same time not. The dialogue is really bad. Particularly when Arthur explains the mariner's farewell and then says it again. Why not just have him say the farewell? No one can ever stop explaining everything. There's a balance that should be reached but it seems that Snyder can't find it. Drowned Earth actually started off okay, if I remember correctly, but it just couldn't last, could it?

This issue, like the rest of this run, was pretty boring. What makes it explicitly bad is that they are STILL trying to reconcile and validate Mera killing Aquaman. They even make a joke of it in this issue. For the record: Killing your significant other because you just love them so much is, in fact, bad. It's not romantic or cute, or any more validated than a random act of violence. In fact, most murders are considered acts of passion, so DC is justifying most murders here. It was a stupid idea to do it when DeConnick tried to blame it on hormones, and you aren't going to fix it by trying to justify it some other way. Just leave it alone. Ignore it. Oh also, the Death of the JL came out of nowhere and had nothing to do with the story. Just don't even bother with it. Tell a good conclusion to your story instead of wasting the last few pages ignoring that, please. Thank you.
4.0
 Astonishing Iceman (2023) #3 Jan 21, 2024

Ugh I really don't like Axis. This is what put me off of Rick Remender's work in general. I'm reading this as part of my Hickman's Avengers re-read, despite Hickman's run just skipping over Axis entirely. But Avengers World, which I'm also reading, ties in and Tony Stark gets inverted. That's the only reason I'm reading this. But I really don't like it. It's a mess one issue in and God, some of the dialogue is just atrocious. This is gonna be a rough one.

Yeah, this is not good. I had some real trouble getting through this. It's unfortunate.

Man, I am falling off of Avengers really hard right now. I really used to enjoy this run. You can go back and look. You'll see me praising this run, so excited for the future. How naïve! And wasteful, since I've been collecting the run for my physical collection as well! I literally have the trade containing this Phoenix arc pre-ordered. I've had it pre-ordered since like... March 2020. And I'm not going to cancel it, I'm for sure in too deep. It's preposterous. I have Heroes Reborn pre-ordered as well. No clue if that's going to be any good at all. I don't even have faith in it. And I'm sure when the World War She-Hulk trade is listed, I'll pre-order that too, because despite everything, I'm actually kinda excited for that. There's a lot wrong with me and my financial practices. Anyway, I don't like the art in this book. The coloring washes everything out. I can't tell what's happening sometimes. Everything is on fire, and it's just orange and yellow puke everywhere. It was legitimately difficult to read at points. And on that reveal, who cares about Echo? Like, it's such a weird choice and I feel like it isn't being done because Jason Aaron has a great Echo story down the line.

Jason Aaron's run on Avengers felt like it had so much potential when it first started. The expansiveness of its second arc promised a really interesting plotline of various factions vying for power in the Marvel universe... We didn't really get that in the end. It feels like all of that was shunted in favor of multiversal, high octane nonsense. Aaron's letter in the back talks about his mission with this book, especially when COVID hit, and I totally get what he's saying, but I don't think this run was successful, especially when each arc of the biggest thing started to simply bleed into the next arc of the next biggest thing. By the time we get to this issue, every solution feels like an ass-pull and unimportant. This is something I criticized Snyder's Justice League over a lot. It was just too much to the point where nothing really made sense anymore. Avengers Assemble and Dark Nights: Death Metal have a lot in common as finales to their respective runs. Both are extremely messy, not very fun for anyone, and tiring. I think Assemble had more genuine character moments that stood out as good, but... I can't pretend this final issue wasn't a huge slog that felt tedious more than exciting. I have nothing but high hopes for MacKay's Avengers. It looks great. I would be excited to hear about Aaron's next project as well. I usually like his writing. This just wasn't a good fit. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I can't believe I'm still reading this. I thought this was the last issue. I really struggled with this one. But I'll finish it out. Should've saved my money and time. The thing is, this is probably as well written as something like this could be. It's just a whole lot of nothing.

I stuck with this series to the bitter end when I should've never read it. It's fine for what it is, I guess, but what it is feels incredibly soulless and by the numbers, in a cynical corporate mashup sort of way.
4.0
 Batgirl (2016) #17 Oct 10, 2018
4.0
 Batgirl (2016) #20 Oct 10, 2018
4.0
 Batgirl (2016) #25 Oct 10, 2018

This evil AI is poorly written, there's no doubt about that. Even if you disregard the reality of how something like Oracle would work. Just in the realm of Sci-Fi, it's poorly done. The dialogue in this issue was surprisingly bad. There was more than once where I had to re-read panels to understand what the writer meant. That's Bendis levels right there. The story itself is... fine. I don't care enough about anything that's happening. Maybe make the politician corrupt or something, idk. I thought Batgirl was about to switch back to the old costume completely, but luckily they merged the costumes and did away with the garish purple, and made it look less like Barbie's First Costume. So I'm okay with it... Unless the next artist accentuates the bad aesthetic the purple costume had. Overall, it's a Batgirl issue. Dull.

I find the burgeoning relationship between Jason and Babs to be really gross and I will not accept it. There are multiple things wrong here. Assumptions are made that don't make sense. The writing is just not very good. The art is similarly mediocre.
4.0
 Batman (2016) #45 Oct 10, 2018
4.0
 Batman (2016) #56 Oct 10, 2018

Well, that was dissatisfying. Batman and KGBeast could've actually talked a little but instead Batman has to be a moron and alert KGBeast to his presence and get himself shot in the process. I legitimately liked the fairytale, although I'm not sure if Tom King made it up or not. Either way, good job on that. Unfortunately, the way the fairytale relates to the Batman/KGBeast story (which it does) is muddled and made stupid by Batman's dumb decisions, that he only makes because plot demands it. And I wouldn't liken the Fox to Batman, since Batman should put KGBeast's life before his own, like he does with everyone else. But I guess KGBeast doesn't have that Joker level insurance policy when it comes to killing Robins. Oh, and of course, Bruce and KGBeast were both read that fairytale as children, because everything has to be connected for some reason. Maybe if the entire comic was just the fairytale, I would've given this a positive score. But it's not, and I won't. Batman's such a moron for being the world's greatest detective.

(This is just an aside and won't affect the issue's score, but can we please get better covers on this series? It's Batman. Why are the covers so lazy?) This issue and its quality is kind of dependent on whether you've felt that this all has been earned. And I don't. Batman going around beating people to find out about Bane isn't exactly something he's never done before. So I don't see why that is what makes Gordon give up on Batman. Maybe it's that Gordon thinks Batman has lost it. But, if that's the case, is he going to stop at breaking the Batsymbol? That doesn't solve the problem of Batman at all. And why did he use this officer's valuable, retirement bat to do it? I mean, there's the symbolism of the bat destroying the bat, because Batman is being self destructive. I get it. But why make Gordon a dick like that? Just make it a normal bat, not someone's retirement. The penguin stuff is more than a little dumb. First of all, it implies Penguin is into bestiality... Which is not a place I'd ever want that character to go. Why is Penguin blindfolded? He wasn't bound, he could've just taken it off. I guess it was a sign of good faith. But why would he leave it on as soon as the spooky voice from beyond started talking to him? And why did Alfred have to feed Penguin? He, again, wasn't bound. It was probably for the imagery, but with a slight change to the script, it wouldn't have looked dumb on Alfred's part. Which is why I always get the feeling that the writer doesn't think this series through as much as his fanboys would tell you. (Tom King himself is actually pretty humble most of the time.) As for the end, I'm not at all on board with Thomas Batman working against his own son. There's not much reasoning that I'll accept for that. But maybe King will pull something good out. If the next issue is nothing but a fight scene, I may enjoy it on the spectacle alone if I turn my brain off. So here's hoping...

This issue was pretty pointless. "Master Bruce" is going to Arkham, and that's probably going to factor into Bane's Super Mega Mega Plan, but we didn't need a whole issue for that. And if we had to have one, it could've way more interesting than this. This is filler. I don't know why Tom King is so hellbent on having a 104 issue run. The run should only be as long as the story allows, but Batman sells no matter what so filler won't be looked down on. This makes me think the cliffhanger from issue 60 won't be resolved for a while. Maybe after Knightmares is done, so with issue 70 or so. This "arc" is supposed to be a series of one-shots chipping away at Batman’s soul, with a Flash crossover in the middle as a break, according to Tom King. So I'm guessing these next issues will be received in all sorts of ways.

Well, this sure was a thing that exists. Constantine is a non-character in this. What was the point besides getting Hellblazer fans hopes up? ...Or down, in my case? Why is he here when basically anyone could fill his spot? Such an underwhelming guest star. And that's a shame because this comic has like nothing going for it now. I don't care about Bat/Cat. I find their relationship extremely superficial, not helped by this issue by the way. There's at least some connective tissue that hopefully makes reading these pointless issues slightly more tolerable, because if I like anything, it's continuity and callbacks. Oh, and John gets a little meta, too. That's... a thing. I just don't care. Yeah, Batman is dreaming. We got it.

Meh. I feel like this will end with Gotham Girl being fine (because she has to be due to the end of I Am Gotham, unless they forgot that.) and probably the, ahem, "shocking" revelation that Bane was behind this. But let's see. Please do something we won't all see coming.

Guys, I don't think you understand how deep this issue is. Did you realize that it's a parallel to the I Am Bane issue where Bane fights the Arkham inmates? Did you realize that Maxie Zeus* was quoting Dante's Divine Comedy? Because it's like Batman is entering the inferno?? Isn't that deep and inspired??? This series is getting schizophrenic. One issue, I like it, the next I'm hating it again. Occasionally, this series gets me drunk enough, but the morning after is always a mess. Can we just talk about how badly this issue is executed? First of all, this should've been the finale of Knightmares. But I guess that arc needed no ending or beginning. That certainly helps with reader enjoyment. Second, why is there such a drastic change in art here? I prefer Jorge Fornes' art over Mikel Janin's art, but I think it doesn't fit at all here. Especially for the random page at which it starts. Third, the villains are just jobbers now. They're objects for Batman to overcome quickly. That Riddler riddle has to be the weakest one I've ever read. I knew the answer before the riddle was even finished. What's up with the "scientifically speaking" part with Freeze? I'm fairly certain that's some weak ass banter. Amygdala and Grundy obviously shouldn't go down so easy. Lastly, the pacing here. Is this run just DC's attempt to see how much they can squeeze out of a reader before they drop this title? Any other book with this type of pace would probably tank. But since it's Batman, people will continue to eat it up. It's basically an impulse at this point.

Whatever. I don't care. I feel like all of Thomas Wayne's plan up to this point was pointless. Why go through with any of Bane's plan if your entire plan, in the end, was to revive your wife and bring your family back together? It's not as though his connection with Bane is going to help any with Al Ghul, otherwise why are they being attacked in the desert by his guard? Maybe teaming up with someone who mentally tormented your son is a bad move. I don't know. We all know this plan will fail and no one can say they won't see it coming. I can't bring myself to care about this. Let's get a move on to something more interesting as it seems King is just unwilling to answer the question of how Thomas Wayne is back. That question is the only reason I find this Batman even remotely interesting. Singing Home on the Range is not going to do it, shockingly.

Well, I'm glad Bane went out like the chump he truly is. I would probably be less enthused if I cared about Bane as a character, or... maybe that would depend on how far down the Tom King rabbithole I was. I prefer what happens at the end of this issue to, like, 90% of the book previous to this. It doesn't really fit narratively, but I guess if you want to subvert expectations, that's one way of doing it. I mean, it quite literally is spending years building up a villain (Bane/Snoke), only to have him be taken out by the... other villain (Flashpoint Batman/Kylo Ren). Yeah... that's the best descriptor for Thomas Wayne at this point. I will laugh and laugh if this next issue is yet another issue of exposition and reveals. Somehow, rectifying the inconsistent characterization of Flashpoint Batman, while also making him the smartest guy in the room. Or, getting shot in the gut was Batman's plan all along. Either one is possible and likely. I went into this thinking Catwoman was going to break Bane's damn back, and bless her, she got close. But damn bullets are damning. I'm kind of apathetic towards this whole run. Which is why I don't care that the story is all over the place, or that things are going sideways for these characters. Like Alfred, Bane is someone I'll promptly forget to cry over.

Man, I cannot catch a break with the bat-titles this week. Has DC always been this boring? Riddler is stupid here. Just make him a smart guy with riddles. How hard is that? I don't care about this masterplan that's supposedly in play. Maybe I'm just used to masterplans being unnecessarily complicated and circuitous. Oh, and the new Bat-Shot is also really fucking dumb. This sucks.

I feel like most of this issue is just a repackaging of what came before. We haven't had a face to face talk between Bruce and Dream Alfred, but almost everything he says is something that's already been explored in this run. And then with Punchline... She's just the worst. Her reason for being trash is not a good reason. She's just an insufferable twenty-something brat who buys into the Joker's bullshit. And while I'm sure there's a huge swath of edgelords who are just like that (and I would not be surprised at all if this was somehow a reaction to the Joker film), I don't empathize with that at all. At least Harley's reason for becoming the Joker's "main squeeze" is not trying to be based in some sort of logic. I really hope things happen in the next issue and it's not just *another* issue of Batman being broken. And no this isn't a "Batman can't be sad" argument. He can be sad all he wants, it's just that this arc is over halfway done and he's done almost nothing but react to whatever the Joker has planned and, when he's not doing that, he's having sad drug hallucinations.

This sure does exist. I wish some of this stuff was in the actual run because that'd be more interesting than what we got. So much reading for so little reward. A microcosm of the entire run.

Yeah, what a whimper of an ending. It basically rides on whether you liked what came before, and if you didn't this is just going to seem like a masturbatory round up and that's not the most fun thing to read, if you're not in on the orgasm.

Uhhh, this was something! I really didn't think much of it. I found that the constant switching of the timelines was more annoying than interesting. Not a ton happens in this issue, even still. I know it's only issue one, but there's no hook here for me. Maybe if I had seen Mask of the Phantasm, I'd be more interested in what's happening in the present timeline? I don't know. The only part of this issue that I really think was worth the read was seeing future Joker pop out of his makeup and wig. That's it. The rest, unfortunately, just feels like more of Tom King's Batman, which I found unbearably vapid. I was hoping, for some reason, that his writing would change or be better. Something about the constraints of having 12 issues may have helped keep things more consistent or something. But as of now, I can only walk away from this feeling like we're in for another twelve months of Tom King's Batman, and that's not a good thing, even if Tynion IV is over there making the main book just as unfortunately trite. The art is good, at least. Clay Mann isn't my favorite artist, but he's very competent and that at least gives the book some standing. Side note: When they first introduced the differing timelines, I thought the past timeline would have cold blues, the present timeline would have warm reds and that the future timeline would be colored standardly. But then that was thrown out immediately, and I honestly think that was a missed opportunity.

This wasn't very good. The only thing I liked was the bank vault part, but it seems like barely anything is happening and I'm so sick of the way this story is being presented. The art isn't even as good as I thought it would be.

Yeah, this series sucks. To give credit where it's due, the three timelines thing finally works for the first time since... issue two. Definitely a storytelling mechanic worth using. As for the rest... Clay Mann is back on art, but you can tell he's still barely keeping up. So, the art isn't amazing, even for the average Clay Mann fan. Which I'm not. The writing is... confident. That's the nicest thing I can say about it. King is assured in what he's writing. He clearly has a story to tell, and he's telling it. I just find it rather unfulfilling to read. I don't like his voice for Catwoman. I definitely don't find any solace in the revelation that Joker is actually sane. Like, no shit, of course he is. And I can't tell if we're supposed to think of it that way but Catwoman has to deny it for Batman's sake, as if Batman wouldn't know, or just wouldn't accept it... for some reason. I don't really get where the characterization for Selina wanting to be buds with all the mentally ill people like her comes from? Was that established in this series, did I just forget? And even if it's just established here and now, that's still a super shitty reason for the Joker to be her BFF. Best Friend Forever turned Best Friend Formerly. I never thought Selina was cool with mindless murder. Maybe she was, maybe I just fundamentally misunderstood the character. But I'll just assume I haven't. I think this is a case of themes overriding plot and characterization, which is not that uncommon in King's work, and I haven't been a fan of that in many of the other cases. I'm not a fan of it here, either. I think it's much better when all those things work cohesively in tandem, personally.

This title is always trying to be something epic and grand, but unfortunately, the storytelling just isn't up to snuff. The dialogue always tries so hard to really concentrate an oomph for the reader, but it rarely hits. It reminds me of Ta-Nehisi Coates. I'm not sure about Bryan Edward Hill's background. I'm not sure if he came from novels or what, but that may play a role? I feel like only a few people can really pull off this grandiose dialogue, and Hill is not one of them. Names that come to mind are Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Hickman... When you can really nail that type of dialogue, it's great. If you can't though, it might destroy your comic. It just drags it down so much. It kills all momentum. That's the problem with this issue, and this title in general.
4.0
 Batman Beyond (2016) #15 Oct 10, 2018
4.0
 Batman Beyond (2016) #23 Oct 10, 2018
4.0
 Batman Beyond (2016) #24 Oct 10, 2018

This series just isn't that interesting.

Wow, this is worse than any Maxx issue I've read before, and I read them all.

Well, so much for this series. I really did my best trying to like this. I love Azzarello's Hellblazer run and I was hoping we'd be getting something more like that. But Constantine isn't actually integral at all. He guides Batman, sure, but beyond that what help is he? There's just some frankly stupid writing choices made in this issue. Underground Rapper Etrigan is easily the cringiest thing I've read in a while. What even is that? Did Azzarello finally see 8 Mile, because that's straight out of the early 2000s? That's like something that'd be in an early Ultimate Marvel comic that is swiftly forgotten once the times thankfully changed and modern didn't mean trash anymore. Deadman getting off on the pain of burning alive is so edgy it's ridiculous. And finally, Harley trying to rape Batman is just gross. And it isn't like I don't think there should be rape in comics. I think there should be whatever the story warrants. It's just, in this specific case, I don't think it's warranted. I think it's edgy and dark for the sake of edgy and dark, and that's incredibly eye-rolling. This grimdark comic is kind of a joke. The only thing worth your time is the art. The art is fantastic. I don't why it got soooo fucking stupid so quickly? I'm truly disappointed.

This book is really poorly written. I don't know what everyone else is reading. The art is good, at least. I just can't stand the writing.

Compared to Bat/Cat, this is marginally better. I really don't care for the deliberateness of the narration, mostly because I don't think it's actually important to understanding the plot. It is a device with no purpose. If I'm wrong, maybe future issues will prove it. The story itself is fine, very mid. Marquez's artwork is good, and I wish it had a better colorist with it. The thing hurting this book is the need to use this narrative device, and the plot seemingly being completely undeserving of it. There are some problematic character moments, specifically with Catwoman and Joker, but thankfully the entire series isn't about that.
4.0
 Batman: Killing Time (2022) #4 Sep 27, 2022
4.0
 Batman: Killing Time (2022) #5 Sep 27, 2022

I never read the We Are Robin books. I feel like I'm missing out on a whole lot that would still not maximize my enjoyment of this trashy issue any further.

This is bad. I would not want to hear this, yet alone read it. At least it was short. Imagine my shock to learn there is actually 6 more issues of this drek. No thanks. I'll stay out of this one.

This was such a weird non-ending. I wonder if Spider-Geddon actually continues from what happens here. But I doubt it.

Man, I was promised racism and misogyny, and what do I get? A boring, clichéd, poorly written book. The dialogue here is really, really trying so hard. It's like if Buffy the Vampire Slayer's dialogue met incompetence. Azzarello seems to think what makes a great team is characters constantly finishing each other's sentences with "clever" double entendres. I was sick of it a few pages in, but fucking strap in because that's going to be repeated the entire time. The characters aside from Harley seem out of character, but I don't think is a canonical story so screw it. I would say they are pretty much in line with the movie: Harley is trying to get over the Joker again, Huntress is trying so hard to be edgy and cool, Black Canary is pointless and Renee Montoya is a beat down cop with more than questionable morals. So I guess I can commend Azzarello for that...? There's no good villain however. If you've seen the movie, you know that Black Mask is the highlight. He's the only reason I'd bother with the movie more than once. But unfortunately for us, we're stuck with a stereotypical Muerte cartel gang that can barely support the pages they're in. They felt like an absolute afterthought, including how easily they're dispatched with. And Joker and his gang are in it too. That's just too bad because I guarantee the book would've been better if Joker wasn't sidelined by... Whoever the fuck that was. I don't even understand their plan. Kill off your consumer base through other distributors so they know to buy from you? Why not just offer "primo" shit that will definitely drive traffic towards you naturally. Why take the time and money to do all of that? Drugs are usually cut with potentially lethal mixtures because the cartel is trying to save money and the risk is worth it. A whole separate operation to intentionally kill your consumers is just stupid. But yeah, I know, just a comic. But what else has this comic given me? Nothing! The art was good though. That's the most I can say about that. This is not worth buying.

I honestly came into this review expecting to have a ripe racist review to make fun of because this is ComicBookRoundUp after all, but literally no one has reviewed this book. And you know, that's fair. The art and the writing on display are worthy of abandonment. I really didn't enjoy this series, and I hope Aquamen is much, much better.

I gotta be honest, I don't think I followed most of this issue. I just want this space arc to be done already. The dialogue this time around was especially stilted. It's like they keep trying to have these smart dialogue moments, but Wakandans speak weird, so it's essentially like when a joke you think is *the shit* just does not land. Maybe like all my friends, I'm just too stupid to get it. Also, take a shot every time they say "N'Jadaka" in this issue.

4.0
 Black Panther: Long Live The King #3 Oct 10, 2018
4.0
 Blue Beetle (2016) #17 Oct 10, 2018

This is really bad. It makes every character a stereotype and yet the critics eat it up because it *dares* to address these "modern" issues. But it does so in such a one-sided and ridiculous fashion. Being outright wrong in some areas and just obnoxiously over the top in others.

I'm really growing to dislike this run. It's just so convoluted, and the art isn't good at conveying anything. I don't even know who is who sometimes. I just wish they'd end this run and start over fresh.

I guess Spike was in it and he was kind of in character so... But nothing here works right lol.
4.0
 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2019): Buffy '97 #1 Nov 15, 2022
4.0
 Bug: The Adventures of Forager #5 Oct 10, 2018
4.0
 Bug: The Adventures of Forager #6 Oct 10, 2018
4.0
 Captain Marvel (2017) #125 Oct 18, 2018
4.0
 Captain Marvel (2017) #127 Oct 18, 2018

Not much happening here, as usual. The flow in action is sometimes inconsistent. I think this book needs some sort of real direction, and soon. It's boring at best, and a waste of time at worst.
4.0
 Champions (2016) #15 Oct 18, 2018

Not very good.
4.0
 Cyborg (2016) #19 Oct 18, 2018
4.0
 Cyborg (2016) #20 Oct 18, 2018
4.0
 Cyborg (2016) #23 Oct 18, 2018
4.0
 Damage (2018) #7 Oct 20, 2018
4.0
 Damage (2018) #8 Oct 20, 2018
4.0
 Damage (2018) #9 Oct 20, 2018

This is not a good miniseries.

Whenever people talk about bad dialogue and bad writing in comics, they could always do with a shift in perspective that one can only gain by reading a comic written by Howard Mackie. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I don't understand the praise that this book is getting, particularly from users. It's really not too good. The art is inconsistent in a way that doesn't bolster the atmosphere this book is trying to go for. The writing is basic and bland, not really doing anything besides the bare minimum.

You know, Nihilist compared this series to Mastodon. As someone who hates Mastodon, I couldn't agree more. Way too much of this issue is spent expositing and that's because there is no foundation here. It's just like Justice League where everything is just building on pillars of sand and bullshit. And now they're setting up the numerous one-shot tie-ins while never establishing their event's base. This is just mindless. I'm so sick of Scott Snyder's anime-esque storytelling. It's fucking drab. What was the point of the Final Crisis regurgitation besides "fun"? I guess a reference is enough for some, but for me, I just saw it as wasted pages, and ultimately stupid.

More of the same. I don't have the wherewithal to really delve into this. Bleh.

Ugh, I hate anthologies. Why do they keep making these? Why do I keep reading them?? I Am Here is trying so hard to be cool, and it would be if the writing was better. It's expositing about another deus ex machina that Snyder needed for his Metal event. That's it. That's all. King of Pain does something I hate. Children are incompetent and easily handled. I promise you this. Child murderers are not spooky and this whole story had me rolling my eyes. Batmanasaurus Rex is stupid. This Man This City was also pretty stupid, but the art was awesome. Francesco Francavilla is a name I'll look for in the future. Road Warrior is stupid. I Shall Become is also pretty stupid, but Garth Ennis is funny so, it works better. All in all, this is a massive waste of time.

I thought this was a chore to get through. Time is eaten away by explanations we've already gotten. Bad jokes are made. The Robin King is there. And the ending is spoiled in the solicitation. The art was good at least.

The first story in this anthology promises something different, and while Robin King's examples of different were very stupid, I was fool enough to believed we'd be getting weird stories. But we didn't, really. These stories were very akin to those Dark Multiverse one-shots, only thankfully shorter. None of these are really worth the time, but I will say that the final story is probably the best one, even if not much is done with the legitimately fun concept it presents.

Wooo, I'm so done with this event. This is pointless unless you're just... So into Death Metal. These stories, aside from the framing story, follow the same pattern. Hero meets their evil Dark Multiverse counterpart, and defeats them. It's usually through hope, but there are a few exceptions. The standout stories are James Tynion IV's The Batmen Who Laugh and Matthew Rosenberg's Armageddon Blues. The Batmen Who Laugh is so ridiculous. It's a parody. I have to believe it's Tynion taking the piss out of this event. It's just so dumb, and makes hardly any sense. If it's not that, then it's probably one of the worst stories in this anthology. Armageddon Blues is my favorite story in the anthology. It's not even particularly great. Some of the dialogue for Constantine is iffy, but it's just the most entertaining story and Constantine is close enough that the dialogue isn't much of a problem for me. It's the high bar of this anthology, and it gets a 7.5/10, so what does that tell you about the rest?
4.0
 Dazzler: X-Song #1 Oct 20, 2018

This sucks lmao
4.0
 DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War (2022) #2 Oct 2, 2022
4.0
 DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War (2022) #3 Oct 2, 2022
4.0
 DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War (2022) #5 Nov 17, 2022

A lot of the humor falls flat. In fact, the Tasmanian Devil joke is so try hard, I literally made that joke in a writing project I did as a child. The story is barebones. The only redeeming factor here is Nic Klein's art. I really like it.

This was pretty lame.

Dove into the shit pile that is Rob Liefeld's creative output under the pretense of the threat that he'd massacre Spider-Gwen. Like a car accident, I had to see it. Spider-Gwen does not appear in this issue.

This is really weak. Doesn't do anything to make me excited for the Terminus Agenda. Just makes me dread it.

This is lame...

I'm pretty bored and tired of this series.

This is easily one of the most bland titles currently published by DC. It's just so hard to care about this comic.

Well, I'm glad this is done.

This was extremely boring. I could barely get through it.

I didn't like this. I think it's pretty low on my list of D&D parodies. Gwenpool did it better.

Silly me, I thought we were going to get a continuation of the last issue. Instead we're back to our regularly scheduled shitshow (a vast improvement over 2016's unregularly scheduled shitshow) of boring writing that's given a pass because it's dressed in weirdness. I wonder if the people who like this would also like Deadpool's symbiote escapades. (Hint: they wouldn't, even though it's about the same level of writing and humor as the special spandex.) This just makes me want to read Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol, which I'm conveniently in the middle of reading. Oh, how the stars align. I know Gerard Way is a big fan of that run, and through reading it, I can totally see how you could derive this essence from that run. But it's wrong. He must've liked Morrison's run for the wrong reasons, or simply misunderstood it. There was a point in that run. There isn't here.

This event ends as it began. Boring. This was really a waste of time. Maybe it'll play into Bendis's Justice League, which of course will also be a waste of time.

This was a very boring wrap up. The character stuff doesn't actually give us more insight to the characters. It was just a retread. Who cares about most of this book, honestly? The only thing to really point out is this: It is exceedingly gross that this comic thinks not having consent to do something romantic/sexual with someone else is fine if it's your culture. This is a PSA: It's not fine.

I put off reading this back in November because I just didn't have the will to read it, but I'm too OCD to not finish what I started. The continuity and canon changes, while small in the first issue, become much bigger here. And they aren't changes for the better of, at the very least, innocuous. There's a Power Rangers homage, for instance. This issue was just stuffing way too much into itself and didn't even tell the story as it was, which is what I assumed these Grand Designs series are supposed to do. I don't regret skipping this for so long.

There's not much here. I wish it were better.
4.0
 Flash (2016) #34 Nov 6, 2018
4.0
 Flash (2016) #35 Nov 6, 2018
4.0
 Flash (2016) #53 Nov 6, 2018

This series really is quite boring. Constant retreading, but through new and forgettable characters.

This was something... I really don't know how Batman hasn't immediately suspected Bane. After all, he's been convinced it's Bane pulling all the strings in Batman for the arc that supposedly takes place before this crossover. I think next issue will explain exactly how Gotham Girl changed from when we last saw her in Batman (and Batgirl and the Birds of Prey, if you count that). This seems very out of place for her. Just like the ending of Batman #50. So are we just going to continue to act like that doesn't need explaining or...?

Woof. I don't have much to say about this title anymore.

I'm bored.

Oh no who saw that coming?

Ugh, this is just more of the stuff I don't like.

This story is very weirdly plotted and paced. It seems like the writer wanted to have a twist but couldn't get there by conventional means so he just excised a crucial part of the plot, Barry making the Philosopher's Stone, from the story. What's going on here?

Thank god this was better than issue 63. While not great, at least we didn't focus on brand new underdeveloped characters for the entire issue. Just the slightly developed Godspeed! Plus, Wally West's death finally impacts this series. I didn't really care though? I'm sure if I had read stuff with Wally outside of Rebirth, I would have. But I didn't. So meh, Iris freaking out didn't do anything for me.

Starting this issue out with a character from Sideways - a comic about a character that is clearly supposed to be DC's Spider-Man, but fundamentally misunderstands what makes Spider-Man so great - is very appropriate. This comic is trying to make gold out of shit. Picking up the pieces from Heroes in Crisis, Dark Nights: Metal and The Darkseid War... Scott Lobdell is not the person for the job. There are some excellent examples of writers who are able to do what this comic is desperately trying to do. Unfortunately, they are all writers over at Marvel. I can't think of a writer at DC that is exceptionally good at what this series is trying to do. That being said, Scott Lobdell is still one of the worst options you could go with. As was Dan DiDio for Sideways. As was Tom King for Heroes in Crisis. It boggles my mind that DC doubles down on this mess. They could sweep this under the rug and move on, yet they keep pushing forward thinking if they keep digging this hole deeper, they'll eventually come out the other side. Maybe they're headed towards another reboot, with whatever 5G is, and they're no longer concerned with what's happening at the moment. That would make some sort of sense, at least.

This is poorly written.

Oof, this is bad. First off, the rhyming here is atrocious. You're a writer, Lobdell, why are you only ever approaching slant rhymes? And second, this issue is full of weirdness. Why is there a kiss between Lightspeed and Wally right after Wally rejects her? Just so we can have that moment? Okay, well, speaking of cliches, that ending. That's fucking abysmal. This is just not very well written.

I need more than patriots fighting against the evil Nazi empire to be invested in this. Almost none of the characters we're supposed to care about stand out, making the end of this issue pretty unsatisfying.

Bleh. I wish this was less black and white. The greys are what makes these types of stories interesting, but I guess we'll have to settle for good ol' patriotism. Because we know Nazis are bad. Which is why they're always used as villains in lazily written stories.

Bleh.

I didn't like this one. The first story is messy and suffers from the same problems as Superman of Metropolis from last week. It's too much. The second story is better, but ultimately doesn't tell a story we've never seen before with Jessica Cruz. It's very safe. The third story had potential, but ultimately wasted it.

I don't have much to say about this issue. I just wish that Marguerite Bennett was a better creator. She's actually very local to where I grew up. So local that we went to some of the same schools. I wish I could look at her work and have some sort of pride about what my ilk has accomplished in this medium that I love. Instead, I read her work knowing that I'm going to get a boring comic, and that's the worst type of comic. I really wish I wasn't so harsh; I don't want to be harsh. However, I can't pretend that I enjoyed reading this.

I'm not enjoying this at all. I don't know what is up with the art, but it looks unfinished. And really? You're going to put a recently published Batman: Black & White story as the backup? How cheap and wasteful, tbh.
4.0
 Future State: Gotham #15 Oct 2, 2022

This comic is a fever dream.

Way too much exposition and dialogue for something that does almost nothing new. It's just cyberpunk. How original. The characters aren't very original either. It's the same trope of a pissed off rebellious person thrust into an important role because, yes, they are that special.

Ah, classic Steve Orlando. Incomprehensible.

I want to like this more. I can see where all the tropes fit, and why they're where they are. But holy shit, this comic is such a drag. It's so cynical and ugly, and I don't like reading it.

I was bored with the majority of this.

I didn't like this one.

Sure, there's some neat meta reading to be had here. There's also a lot of mind-numbing exposition that I can't force myself into liking. I just wish I could get back on board with this series.
4.0
 Green Lanterns #36 Nov 6, 2018
4.0
 Green Lanterns #41 Nov 6, 2018

I find Abnett's writing painfully dull a lot of the time. It's just not for me. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
4.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #32 Jul 19, 2019
4.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #34 Jul 19, 2019
4.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #41 Jul 19, 2019
4.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #42 Jul 19, 2019
4.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #48 Jul 19, 2019
4.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #49 Jul 19, 2019

I can't believe a font could annoy me so much... As for the story, it's very simple and in a much better writer's hands, it could work. Sam Humphries' dialogue is trash. Most exemplified by the final page. Give it a rest, please. End this comic or get someone who isn't just going to piggy back off of the garbage Conner and Palmiotti runs.

This could've been a good issue if only Harley Quinn wasn't written the way she is here. I don't understand it. It's annoying to read, so it's gotta be annoying to write. How much does this series sell? I would think it'd sell low. But maybe it doesn't and that is why Harley is written like this.

...Was it just me or was this issue entirely recap, with the only progress being made being Idamm being alive and Hawkman surrendering to the Deathbringers? Yeah, that's annoying. This series has an awful plotting problem. Same as other Venditti series like Damage and the latter parts of Hal Jordan. I was mostly bored with this.

I found this really boring.
4.0
 Hellblazer (2016) #16 Jul 19, 2019
4.0
 Hellblazer (2016) #24 Jul 19, 2019

Yeah, this is really not good. It's something but it's not Hellblazer. I don't enjoy what I'm reading. If DC wants to do these miniseries, just get Spurrier to write them.
4.0
 Heroes In Crisis #1 Jul 19, 2019

Who doesn't love some good ol' repetition over and over again. That's the gimmick with Tom King. Every writer has a gimmick, usually. Unfortunately, this gimmick assaults my sensibilities like Nancy Kerrigan. King gives Bendis a run for his money in the scenes with Booster. Think of the worst Bendis back and forths... the ones in this issue with Booster will fit right in. Also, Harley killed Wally because, you know, it's not like everyone hates her already. This event is really trying to sell you on caring and fails because of the tropes the writer can't write without.

Not very good.

This was not very good, unfortunately. There are so many obvious twists and clichés in this story. It's actually astounding. I don't have much to say here, I just think this could've been done much more creatively.

Meh. I was expecting a lot more? And I'm not sure whether this series is on a break or if this is the finale. But it was certainly an underwhelming ending regardless. The way the witches get revenge is like any other story like this. While it should feel cathartic to the readers since we've been on this journey with these characters, I just found it really, really boring. It's nothing new and without the characters really resonating with me, I could not care less when what's-her-name burns her husband to a crisp or when the-other-one saves her husband from the same fate.
4.0
 House of Whispers (2018) #1 Jul 19, 2019

I am not on board for this. I don't like or care about any of the characters and we spent a whole issue literally going nowhere besides some lesbian ghosts. And I'm not hating on that because they're lesbians... I'm hating on that because they're women.
4.0
 Iceman (2017) #8 Jul 19, 2019

As a big fan of both of these characters, I think this series was a total missed opportunity. There's so much that didn't work. What was up with that ending? That was extremely unsatisfying. I wonder what Max Bemis would've done with this... The only thing I liked about this issue was MJ.

Jed MacKay seems to like to change up his dialogue depending on the series. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. This particular issue reads like early Coates' Black Panther. Like, A Nation Under Our Feet Book One Black Panther. That's not a good thing. The dialogue is very stiff. And the story isn't much better. I'm really worried about Man Without Fear.

This isn't very good. This is an original story with DC characters pasted over it. If that story was extremely good, I wouldn't mind all that much. But this story is mediocre and slow.

So, Joker is some edgy punk kid, great. This series is a collage of clichés. We can all do better here.

This issue really stretches my exposition limits. There's no reason issues have to be sacrificed to the exposition gods every arc or so. There are better ways.

This issue is such a bore to me. The first part of the issue with all the various heroes of the multiverse was cool, I guess. All this issue serves as is a recap. We get barely anything new. And everyone has to explain their character in case you didn't read the last 25 issues. It gets to be too much when you have been following this series. James Tynion IV's writing is usually very wordy, so giving him a recap/filler issue, that just exhausts me. Also, the Question is more than just puns. Please do something with him instead of just making him a useless Rorschach.

It just keeps going. This series needed to matter, not just be yet another stepping stone. It's just annoying. I'm not excited for The Encore, as they dub it. I hate how little continuity matters to DC. To the point where nothing lines up, because there's no editorial planning, and now we need a crisis to fix it. And you know that 5 to 10 years down the line, we'll be having another one. This crisis isn't a reward to fans who read everything. This is saying that it all matters, without showing that it did. They can say it matters all they want. They can have a crisis that ends with a timeline of everything mattering so they can push 5G. The reason why I dislike it is that at no point does it feel like it matters. The DCU doesn't feel like a cohesive universe and it's not that hard. You want proof of that, go read Marvel. This crisis is just a shorthand. They didn't actually put the work in. And that means continuity will fall apart again and again after this is all said and done. Maybe I'm cynical and wrong, but history shows that I'm not. I would love if DC proved me wrong.

So we get an extra-sized issue to wrap up a poorly written story. Turns out all it took to wrap things up was our characters deciding to actually be reasonable heroes. Who knew? It just doesn't make up for the fact that we had to endure 2 and a half issues of having a very simple message beaten into us again and again, while devaluing the intended message. Ironically, by the end of this, the message is lost. There's... I guess you'd call it nuance, for lack of a better word. But it doesn't work. It plays out like the writer wanted to pull the rug out from under the readers like, "Aha! You would've never guessed these characters you like would be heroes!" This is just so poorly written. I'm glad it's over. Let us never speak of it again.

I am really not enjoying the main story. The backup was boring this time around. Ducktales.

Well, I'm glad Naomi Season 2 is done so we can get to Justice League, right? ...Right? The backup was clever enough, but I feel like Ram V never has enough space to do anything interesting.

Really not good.

Just one more issue. Man. This issue had an excess of double page splashes, and this time around, it wasn't just so Bendis could fill them with dialogue. So this read fairly quickly. The story feels nonexistent, and this is all a waste of time.

This is just a very, very long setup for the JL vs LoSH miniseries. It is not very entertaining. It is very overwritten. I don't have a ton to say about it. It just sucks. Oh, and it seems like Bendis isn't even really breaking these issues down, storytelling wise, because we just get random chapter breaks like a quarter through the issue, instead of starting with that. And I know it's an homage to Jack Kirby and older comics, but you need to establish that, you can't just start doing it halfway through because you got the idea to do it then. It reads as inconsistent.
4.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #18 Jul 20, 2019
4.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #23 Jul 20, 2019
4.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #26 Jul 20, 2019

Still not into this, even with the writer change up. Which is a shame.

Another boring as hell issue. God, this series is dull.

This is simply a boring comic.

Boring.

I can't be bothered to be excited by or interested in this. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Really liked the cover work for this mini. If only anything about its contents reflected the covers.
4.0
 Knight Terrors: Punchline (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
4.0
 Legion (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019

Just another ingredient in Bendis' patented goop. On Sale Now.

I don't care about this.

Why won't they tell us anything about what's actually happening? Instead, they keep it nice and vague... for reasons? All it does is slow the pace down tremendously and annoy me. Also, look, I know Lois Lane is an accomplished journalist in universe, but all we ever see is everyone telling us how great she is. And then, she gets a lot of her sources from her name recognition. It makes me really dislike Lois because her attitude of "I'm great" is not endearing. Like, look at the cover of this issue. Does that smug face look nice to you? Does the raised eyebrow signify smarts? I just feel like I'd love an issue where Lois has some humility or gets something wrong for once. You know, so she wouldn't be so one-note as a character.
4.0
 Marauders (2022) #7 Dec 4, 2022

This is the weakest link of the X-line.

Well, who would've guessed that a writer that's basically always put out mediocrity has put out yet another mediocre title? There's something missing with Orlando's writing. Something integral that galvanizes the reader to take interest in the story. So without that, you get twenty or so pages of the reader trying to latch onto something and failing. It's just a standard noir story, but without all the stuff that makes noir cool, like the environments, themes or looks.

This is a very boring comic. It seems to take forever, but at the same time, it's still rushed.
4.0
 Master of Kung Fu (2017) #126 Jul 20, 2019

Almost not a WotR tie-in at all. It's just used to tell a poorly paced and continuity-confusing story about Moon Girl teaming up with Thor.

An issue where the main character acts like a spoiled brat the entire time. It's as entertaining as it sounds.

Not as annoying as the last issue, but still, I'm genuinely uninterested in this mystery. You've decompressed the interest right out of me, Bendy.

This wasn't satisfying. I don't think we're getting a season three.
4.0
 New Challengers (2018) #4 Jul 20, 2019

I really hope that these new Nightwings develop some actual character. We aren't going to get it from Ric. I think Scarecrow's obsession with Dick Grayson and his supposed fearlessness is kind of dumb. I wish that Dick Grayson would come back and maybe a good writer could take the reins and do something cool with the character. Instead of us getting Red Hood leftovers.

Still sucks.

Another retread issue.

"When I was shot in the head, I forgot who I was. I knew people, now I don't. I can't love someone I don't know. I only love people I know. I was Nightwing. But ever since I was shot in the head, I haven't been Nightwing. But now I am Nightwing, with a team of Nightwings. Who am I? Ric or Dick Grayson? Ever since I was shot in the head, I haven't known."

Please. Just give us real Nightwing again.

Bleh. Took me days to read this boring book. And what do I get? Endorsed sexual harassment.

This series suddenly gets a little more serious and I'm mostly not having it. That last page reveal was absolute trash and I really hope this never gets a sequel.
4.0
 Pearl #2 Jul 20, 2019

This was a waste. Things are barely ended, and there's a promise of more to come. You got 6 issues to tell a story, but decided to cram too much into it, and now we have to wait for a sequel that's yet to be solicited to get pay off. That blows. Why not just make it an ongoing if that was your intention going in?

This miniseries did not need to exist. Nothing proves that more than when the book just sort of ends without any major resolution. Punchline is not a character I've been sold on, and this series didn't help. She's just not interesting, and I personally think what would've made her interesting is simply not going to ever happen at this point. She's an anti-Harley, but that's not interesting to me. The social commentary would work if any of the writers given Punchline were capable of actually showing off how radicalization through social media works. How disinformation and misinformation can unravel someone's mind and turn them into the average CBRU review bomber. It is an incredibly interesting and important topic, and yet it feels like despite so much attention being paid to it in any of these Punchline stories, none of the creators actually want to show the process. They just want to show the end result as though that's anywhere near as interesting or as though it gets across the same message. That, more than anything, just frustrates the hell out of me in regards to this character being pushed so hard.
4.0
 Ragman #3 Jul 21, 2019
4.0
 Raven: Daughter of Darkness #8 Jul 21, 2019

I'm not even sure about what happened in this issue. Was the stuff with the kids new? Or was that in a previous issue? This story wrapped up too quickly. What is up with the pacing? This problem is present in all of Scott Lobdell's work. You've got an arc. 5 to 6 issues, usually. You should be able to map everything out. It's like he goes into the writing process of each issue with half a paragraph making up the entire arc's story and a dream. And we still have time for 5 or 6 pages of just violence because Jason Todd is Punisher without anything that makes the Punisher interesting. Just a temper that he'll probably get over in a week and quips that'd make up the lesser Looney Tunes comics. Two Lobdell comics on two of the former Robins was too much for me. What are we trying to do here? Ruin the Batfam?

Mostly just boring action with an extremely abrupt ending.

I dropped this series long ago. Just came back for the Joker War tie-in. This issue was very bland and contrived. I'm glad I bailed on this series a while ago.

This wasn't a good finale. Everything felt slow, yet rushed. This needed another issue maybe, or maybe just a better pace and a more focused outline. I don't know why Marvel has a sudden interest in Reptil, but I hope the next time he gets a starring role, the creators are more adept.

I can't believe the fans voted for this one. The writing is really not good at all. And the art is... an acquired taste. I really don't have much to say about this issue beyond that. As a tangent to lengthen my review, I've never been more confused by a comic's attempt at political inserts than by the Devotees of Anarchy. It's obviously QAnon inspired, but at the same time, it's about anarchy. These aren't the same thing, Tim Seeley. Sure, I guess you could say QAnon is mostly composed of right-wing libertarians, and libertarianism is inherent in anarchy, but the thing about that is that right-wing libertarians never call themselves anarchists because they don't actually believe in liberty. Anarchy is about maximizing liberty for everyone. Destroying hierarchy. QAnon types are not into that. And you know, if it was a writer I had more faith in, I could see it being an intentional disparity. These groups frequently take up symbols and terms, and distort them. Hell, that's why libertarianism is seen as a right-wing ideology now, despite historically being a far left ideology. But I don't trust Tim Seeley as a writer. I feel like he's both sides-ing the extremes for no real reason. I'm perplexed by the muddiness here.

Going from the other Robin series to this is such a downgrade. Poorly paced, with characters acting just... so poorly, I don't know how fans picked this to be published.

This is not a good series. It was obviously made to capitalize on Shang-Chi's newfound popularity due to the movie, but man...

Yikes.
4.0
 Shatterstar #1 Jul 21, 2019
4.0
 Sideways #7 Jul 21, 2019

Yep. This went off the rails spectacularly. I'll be surprised if Priest manages to turn it around with the big finish.
4.0
 Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023
4.0
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #24 Jul 21, 2019

Neither of these stories work for me and they both go on far too long.

Same as last issue basically. These stories are incredibly dull. And the characters are no better. The worst aspect of this was El Diablo trying to tell everyone that the team is made up of criminals every two pages. This is very subpar. I don't know why this series exists.

Mout was totally right here. I don't know why I gave Azzarello the benefit of the doubt. This is trashy and a slog to get through. I didn't enjoy it.

This was better than the last few issues, but it's stiilll pretty bad.

Oh noooo I'm sure this is important to Nanaue's character development.

Man, guess who I don't care about? Defacer.

Oh this is stupid, but I guess that's what happens when your superhero paints walls.
4.0
 Super Sons (2017) #11 Jul 21, 2019
4.0
 Supergirl (2016) #20 Jul 21, 2019

Wow, this title plummeted fast. Maybe don't turn the title character into a gimmicky villain with no clear motive, in a plot that's destined to be resolved in a separate comic.

This is barely an issue. An extra point for condescending Wonder Woman somehow saving the day (with the help of a good boy).
4.0
 Superman (2018) #3 Jul 21, 2019

I'm never going to be able to get around how, in order for this story to work, characters have to act completely out of character. If I had to give this anything, it's that the scene between Jon and Jor-El at the beginning had some good moments. And the cliffhanger was cool, as a spectacle. I don't know why it's happening, but hey, it's the Crime Syndicate!

That full page of Ultraman with Jon's dialogue over the bulk of the page is so Bendis, it's unreal. I don't like Bendis anymore.

Ugh.

This is a big old meh. It's also poorly structured, but I guess I can chalk that up as a side effect of its original release. It has most of Tom King's tropes, so if you're not a fan of those, you won't like this. I'm not a fan.

This series is all over the place. Nothing gets progressed here. The first story is the more effective of the two, but it's not saying much worth reading about. The second story is just plain boring. What's the point?

Bleh. This is a boring, disjointed book.

This series is still very, very basic and uninteresting.

I can only pray that the lack of a tease in the back of this issue means that we've officially finished the Symbiote Spider-Man experiment. It had its moments but... it also had some baaad moments.

Oof, this wasn't good. The dialogue was bad. The story itself was as forced as could be. This experiment is largely a failure because of the mandate that these stories all end with evil winning. In some instances, it's like it's forgotten by the writers until the last few pages. In others, it's just a forced slog to the preordained finish. Do elseworlds instead, or learn how to do better What Ifs.

Yeah. This reveal doesn't help this book. At all. I hope the next writer does better, whoever that ends up being.

Man this team sucks. Bonus points for Crush calling sexism on something as innocuous as "guys", but then being homophobic in order to insult Kid Flash.

This series, despite popular consensus, did actually have potential. It was just crushed by the weight of way too many characters, and a much too convoluted story.
4.0
 The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #6 Jul 21, 2019
4.0
 The Curse of Brimstone #4 Jul 21, 2019
4.0
 The Curse of Brimstone #6 Jul 21, 2019

I can see what this series is trying to do, but it's doing it the wrong way. There are legitimately some cool ideas buried in here, but the writing makes sure they're never uncovered. I was so disappointed to learn that there's an annual coming out. I was happy that there was only an issue left. But Wandering Jack could have a cool origin, right? Maybe. I like the idea behind his character, but again, the writing fails it here. This is not one I will miss when its gone.

The first story with Constantine and Swamp Thing was shockingly the best one. It was certainly muddled, with both the writing and art failing to really establish things, but I wasn't outright offended by it. The second and third story were much shorter and were pretty bland and boring.

Man, this series is just devoid of horror, isn't it? I wish it would go someplace interesting.

I just found this so boring, I'll be honest. This was such a drag. I don't care about these characters.

I don't know. This book bores me. I think it's so very caught up in itself and either you're into that or you're not. I couldn't care less about any of these characters and it's not like this book has tried to change that. I really dislike Dora. I don't like how she's so awesome and different. I also don't like her garbage characterization. No troubling backstory will fix that for me. I checked my page count maybe 4 pages in. I wish I could just like this book, but it just sucks the life out of me. Maybe if I didn't have to read a bunch of other stories to be invested in this one.

As far as I'm concerned, this was a bunch of wheel-spinning bullshit. We get a whole issue about the Sawyers, where I just wish I was watching the one and a half good Texas Chainsaw movies instead of reading about a weird homage to them that somehow misses the point. I just do not care. I was also reminded heavily of better versions of one villain trying to eat another. I'd rather rewatch Hannibal smile gleefully as Mason Verger's weirdo chef explains how he's gonna cook him. This whole issue is just the epitome of, "I've seen this done better elsewhere," only for it to end and for me to realize, oh, there was no plot this issue. No wonder there's a surprise 15th issue. And the backup is so fucking stupid. None of what happened in that makes any sense, I'm so incredibly sick of Punchline. Just go away.

While not as bad as last issue, this issue only works with the new origin that I don't like. There's shreds of emotion in this and I would probably be more receptive if this miniseries hadn't made such a unnecessary and baffling retcon for no real reason. We still don't know if the movie will follow through with this origin. The trailer made it seem like it won't. But even if it does, that's no good reason to change things.

Well, this continues to be a boring comic with zero scares.

There was so many ways this could go, but it went for the most predictable way.

This sure was a thing that exists.

Bleh, whatever.
4.0
 The Terrifics #7 Jul 21, 2019

Pretty boring all the way to the end. Also, I'm not the most knowledgeable about religion, but I'm pretty sure the golden calf story was about God being totally jealous about a gold statue and threatening to kill everyone over it, so Moses had to step in and save the Israelites by destroying the false idol. I don't recall the Israelites really doing anything "bad" except worshiping something other than God. So I'm not sure what Paula's point is except maybe if humanity starts worshiping this technological marvel, that the real God will get jealous and kill us all?

When every character is just there to spout exposition, it's hard to care about anything that happens.

I just wish I cared more about this team, but honestly they'll probably just fade into obscurity and I won't notice them gone.

This feels extremely forced. And I don't think it's going to get much better seeing as this title is going straight into Drowned Earth, it seems.

Lame.

This title is pretty boring, but at least Raven will get her soul-self back and stop being an annoying pain in the ass.
4.0
 Titans (2016) Annual #2 Jul 21, 2019

I was too harsh on Nightwing if this book is the quality we *could* be getting. Everything is rehashes, while nothing feels like it matters. Especially not this issue.

This score is only about the new material. I kind of hated it. It's so weird and off putting.

Look, while I appreciate an honest and not at all sensationalized look at West Virginia, this book is not very good.

*exasperated sigh*

Spiders-Man was cool. And nothing else.

No point in reading this one. It's not good.

This is bad, and I don't know why it exists.

This really isn't that good, unfortunately.

This is so by the numbers. Unfortunate, since I thought after the first issue that this series had more potential.

This issue, divorced from intention on the part of the creators, is a bit racist. I don't know much about the creators, where they grew up, that sort of thing. But I can easily see this as an example of someone trying their best to tell a story that a marginalized community would appreciate, but not having the skill, talent or forethought to recognize when they just fall into offensive stereotypes and parody. I'm not surprised this issue made it through editorial, and I'm not surprised at the reaction to it. It's just not good.

I really don't want to be rude here but... I think the WildC.A.T.s are... diametrically opposed to being interesting.
4.0
 Wolverine: Patch (2022) #3 Feb 6, 2023
4.0
 Wolverine: Patch (2022) #4 Feb 6, 2023

Oh, the writer misunderstood why I was here... It wasn't for social commentary. I don't know if I'm just significantly more jaded since than I was when I read the last issue, but the jokey nature of the book didn't land either.

More of the same tired satire I've heard many times before. I just find this boring and unnecessary. The characters aren't interesting.

"The world is bad and we're trying to fix it but we're the Wonder Twins and the writer isn't done complaining, so we'll never fix it."

Let's fight injustice in this world, unless our friend really wants to get out of jail. He wasn't *really* a terrorist. Social Justice Powers Activate!

I just don't care about this series anymore. Bring back Greg Rucka or someone that actually knows how to make this character interesting.

Man, there's a lot of relationship drama that's concocted out of thin air. Would you believe this writer also wrote Ms. Marvel, whose interpersonal drama was a highlight?

I think this anthology is a totem of mediocrity. Most of the stories here fall flat for me. Steve Orlando wraps up the ongoing arc that was incredibly bad, and the quality didn't magically change for this celebration. Then we get a bunch of stories not even worth mentioning. Then we get Vita Ayala's story, which is just a rehash of two previous issues in this run, if I'm remembering correctly. The only story that works here is the final one. The ushering in of the 5G timeline by Scott Snyder. This one captured the character of Wonder Woman best, in my opinion. Overall, this was lame, unfortunately.

A recap page would've been nice here. These Orlando issues... They leave my brain as soon as I finish reading them. This issue will probably be no exception.

Yet another issue of a boring, boring Wonder Woman series. There's nothing to say.

Well, that surprise ending is more interesting than anything that came before.

Nope.

I really liked that one-shot released way back, but this isn't nearly as good. It felt poorly paced, like it was juggling way too much, and I just didn't enjoy it. It's a slog. Shame that the art is as good as it is.
4.0
 X-Cellent (2022) #3 Feb 6, 2023
4.0
 X-Cellent (2022) #4 Feb 6, 2023

I didn't like this. I found it confusing.

The art was rough and the story wasn't very engaging, which might have come down to the lackluster pacing.

Something went very wrong with the construction of this issue.
4.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #17 Jul 21, 2019
4.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #18 Jul 21, 2019

This was preeetty boring. I don't remember any of the context for this story. All I can really say is that it reminds me a whole lot of the DC comics event, Legends. That's not a great thing to be compared to, mind you.

Man, this was rough.

This series is meant to capitalize on the nostalgia of older X-Men readers who are scared by this newfangled Hickman era, and... I mean, can't they do better? This is really low quality. These creators weren't this bad back in the day. I don't think age has treated them too kindly.

Larroca's art is terrible. Made worse by the horrific early 2000s designs. The story is uninteresting, as well.

There isn't much to say here. Is it competently written? Yeah, for the most part. It's Claremont, after all. Is it competently drawn? No, not really. It's Larroca, after all. Is the story interesting? Flat out, no. We know where these characters end up, and nothing in this arc seems like it was worth reading about.

This isn't a good miniseries. It just feels so overwritten, and neither Yondu is that great of a character, so their banter isn't that entertaining and the story itself is all over the place, with nothing to really ground you.

I was actually annoyed by this issue. No one would shut the hell up. That's all.

Ugh. I don't care about Gemworld. Give me a reason to care!

Boring.
4.0
 Zombies Assemble #0 Jul 21, 2019

There was one Huntress line here about Talia and I legitimately cannot tell whether it's a typo or not. That's how much the dialogue has worsened. The story itself sure does exist, but it's incredibly slow and I'm completely underwhelmed by all of this.

Meh this is the usual Super Sons. Good protagonists but a lackluster plot that feels like it's going nowhere. I think art took a hit this issue, especially Superboy's hair. This is a frustrating read because this series has so much potential and it's continually squandered.

Honestly, I'm just bored of this story. It's never really been anything that good or great. I feel like the story is throwaway. I really do enjoy the dynamic between Jon and Damian, but it's just not enough for this really disjointed and boring story.

This is a miniseries of wasted potential and boring storytelling.

Same as usual. The main story is quick, full of fluff and generic. The backup is poorly written, mostly due to the page count restraints, I believe. I'm glad it wasn't that pointless, I guess. Really depends on if Atlantis Attacks holds up its end.

This is so frustrating because there's what could be a good story, buried under way too many characters, self-indulgent dialogue and plenty of tired tropes.

This would be a good book if much better artists were working on it. Salvador Larroca deserves a lot of the blame, but let's not be greedy with that blame because the colorist, GURU-eFX, should also take a good helping of it. Especially considering this artistic pairing has been turning in awful work together for years, almost as though they have a pact to keep propel themselves into work, despite their meager ability. But even then, let's not forget the editor, Jake Thomas. He made the awful choice of giving these artists their jobs. He's behind most of the Marvel comics you think are mediocre. He has a few good things under his belt, but he really is hit or miss. And this series right here is a miss. I can only guess that this title needed a quick turn around so they cut corners on one of the most important parts of comics, the art. It's maddening.
4.5
 Aquaman (2016) #39 Oct 9, 2018
4.5
 Aquaman (2016) #40 Oct 9, 2018

The best part of this issue was the little hint of Superior Iron Man in the middle. The rest was brought down by bad dialogue, and in the case of Kluh, just bad ideas.

Again, the best part of the issue is that little glimpse of Superior Iron Man. I'm not sure whether Remender came up with the idea for that series and Tom Taylor fleshed it out, or if he's just giving that tie-in some lip service, especially since the beginning of the event focused on Tony Stark. Either way, it's the best part. The rest is repetitive at best and bad at worst. I will say, this event is very unfocused.

I just want this to be over already. Just one more issue.

This really needs some grounding, both in writing and art. I could not get a sense of space in this issue. Everything felt disconnected. The art really fails the script here, even though the script isn't great either. Very disappointing.

I don't know why I keep reading this, especially as I've fallen well behind on comics, but yet again here I am. Might as well finish it out.
4.5
 Bane: Conquest #8 Oct 10, 2018

Why is this so lame? Give me something more interesting than a love interest and gentrification.

I'm only reading this for Joker War, and so an issue that's basically got nothing to do with it is not really what I was looking for. I hate how Cecil Castellucci writes Babs. She's incredibly stubborn, except when she's with a guy that she has a romantic interest in. When that happens, she's just *such* a girl. The story is pretty much what you'd expect after last issue and it's pretty boring. It also takes forever to read.
4.5
 Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #16 Oct 10, 2018

The problem with this run seems to come down to the characterization. The characters act to the whim of the script instead of the characters impacting the script which is what should be happening (in my opinion). So all these big character moments feel unearned. Also, Penguin's speech about his wife is extremely similar to the eye letters in Batman #50. Which is probably why Batman believes him. Because in this series, characters make decisions based on extremely simple factors. As for Batman in this issue, I don't buy that he would punch Gordon or would be this out of control, but again, maybe I would if this was earned. The dialogue is so off, but that's just Tom King so what's the point of talking about it. There's seeds of a good story here, but Tom King isn't capable of delivering it.

Meh. This was a waste of my time. I'm so glad that now I know Bruce dreams about Lois and Selina bathing together. That's the type of deconstruction I love. These are such pointless issues that are used to get across the smallest of things. But I forgot that King's name is on it so I gotta appreciate how great it is. Let me try: I hate Tom King's Batman run, but I love to hate Tom King's Batman run. 10/10 tbh.

In a shock to no one, this plan Thomas Wayne had didn't work. We get a return of the folklore from Batman #57. It serves as the focal point of the entire issue, and then we even have the story narrated to us again. Because we needed the point hammered home after it had just been made. This is supposed to be cathartic, but it's not because this story hasn't been well constructed. I'm glad Bruce has finally decided not to be depressed, at least. He never really gave up, though, he just got a little more violent. He was always on the money with Bane and was never going to stop. But I'm glad he overcame that so he can go beat up Bane.

Meh. It probably says a lot about this run that when something as big as this happens, I don't care. I don't get excited at the possibilities. I don't get sad because something bad happened. I don't even give it more than the half a second it took to read. I just move on, unchanged. The dialogue in this issue is the worst when it's Bruce and Selina. They don't talk like people do. And that wouldn't necessarily be a problem in certain stories, but in this one where we're supposed to connect with this *very human* relationship, it's bad. I thought this issue had a nice set up, at least. I can buy the idea that Damian would go into Gotham against better judgment. I mean, Damian's always been a shithead. It's just not well executed. It doesn't have the proper build up. If earlier issues weren't just a compilation of stories and ideas, but rather one throughline narrative, maybe this could've been given more weight. I just don't care about any of this anymore. I'm not angry, I'm not disappointed, I'm just apathetic.

Well, this issue seemed like it suffered from all the problems a bi-weekly schedule can bring to a comic. First, hardly anything happens. We get more context as to who Ghost-Maker is, but it's nothing that really changes anything we don't already know about the character. It feels like pointless additions. Second, the art is just all over the place. There are four artists on this one issue, and none of them are particularly good. It's just so clear that Tynion had to stretch this arc out and I have no idea why that's even the case. This story is just that barebones. This is mediocrity in spades.

This is a super boring story. Even as we come up towards its conclusion, all the developments land with a thud. I just do not give a shit about this event. I'm glad it's nearly done, it's felt like an eternity. The backup is just so much wheel spinning. Barely anything happens, and I don't know why this backup wasn't just two parts instead.

Man, I wish I liked this. I just don't find it compelling. Even the art is starting to get worse; there are pages here that feel unfinished.

This issue was rough. The training exercise felt like padding, and didn't really work for me at all. I'm actually really disappointed because I mostly liked the first two issues.

I don't know why I continue to read this book. I mean, it has potential, but there's so many diversions and the dialogue can be a chore with certain characters. Katana and Shiva, especially. I'll be dropping this soon if it doesn't have an uptick in quality.

This was a mediocre issue. I found the art lacking and the pacing is very slow. A lot of the dialogue feels robotic and only really works when Ra's is speaking. I don't really care where this is headed, and I'm just waiting out the rest of the run.
4.5
 Batman Beyond (2016) #14 Oct 10, 2018
4.5
 Batman Beyond (2016) #16 Oct 10, 2018

This series is such a drag, man.

I'll be honest, it's been so long since I've read the first three issues that I have only the slightest inkling of what's happening. And on top of that, this issue is like, just the worst issue to come back on. It's not good. But hey, I like how some of the dialogue is slightly snappy.

4.5
 Batman: Lost #1 Oct 10, 2018

Maybe I should take time out to respond to the lunacy in Merlyn's review and the comment below, but I don't think it's worth responding to. Merlyn doesn't know how to read, and that Bats guy reminds me of those lunatics you see preaching on college campuses after their first philosophy course. They say so much that means so little, and you're often confused as the point has been thoroughly obscured. Why am I so focused on that review instead of the issue? Because this issue is a waste of time and boring as fuck. I did not care about the Gardener before reading this, and I still don't care. She's such a waste of space. She didn't need to exist, she will promptly be forgotten soon enough. The Ivy stuff is *fine* but I've seen more than enough Ivy exploration that always goes the same tired routes. I just kind of want everyone involved to go away. Ivy can come back after a few years. Gardener can stay away.

Anthologies are hard on everyone.
4.5
 Black Panther (2016) #168 Oct 10, 2018

Had trouble getting through this issue since not much happens at all and with how this series is written, there's no need for a breather issue.

This is less the start of a new arc than just yet another issue of Black Panther. I don't think I'd notice if not for the blurb on the cover. It's fine, and slightly boring. But this is the last one until we finally wrap this up. I can't wait for something new here.

All these issues are blending together for me. I can't wait for this story to be over, honestly.
4.5
 Black Panther: Long Live The King #4 Oct 10, 2018

These one-shots are typically made so that potential new readers flocking into comic shops after seeing the newest MCU movie have a brand new number one to read. But there are a few problems with this. One, lol. Two, hardly anyone is flocking to the comic book shop after a movie comes out to read more. And three, these one-shots are usually written by Ralph Macchio, whose style of writing is very, very antiquated. I don't think this issue would convince anyone to read more Black Widow. We need a top tier writer to write a compelling one-shot. We don't need more of these.
4.5
 Blue Beetle (2016) #16 Oct 10, 2018

Man, I am not happy that the guest writer has taken over this book. I do not like his overly wordy writing. It bores me so much. The art here is mostly good, but it's not enough for me. Just two more issues...

Not even Wesley "Head Boy" Wyndam-Pryce could save this one. There's just too much wrong here. It's genuinely upsetting to me as a fan of these characters, or at least what they once were. I'll keep reading, I guess. Maybe it'll get better.

This whole miniseries was kind of a waste, in my opinion. The pacing is terrible, there's never a real sense of conflict and it just felt pointless. I wouldn't recommend this.
4.5
 Captain Marvel (2017) #126 Oct 18, 2018

Catwoman is here to stay in Villa Hermosa... Unless you're reading any other DC book with her in it. This issue wasn't the worst, but fuck if I care about it.
4.5
 Cave Carson Has An Interstellar Eye #6 Oct 18, 2018

Dennis Hopeless is incredibly hard to trust. For everything good he does, there's plenty that isn't so good. And his first run of Cloak and Dagger is like that. It went from good, to bad, to good again. So I wasn't really looking forward to the sequel... And I was pretty much right not to. It's not awful by any means, but Tandy's characterization is very annoying. She's clearly unhappy with her relationships and instead of fixing things, she's just extremely petty. Ty's characterization is better. Much more sympathetic. But we can't have too much of that, because he gets a new super cool:tm: girlfriend that's so into him for superficial reasons. And she's got no character outside of that, so you better love her like Ty does way too quickly! The actual plot, because yeah there is one, is that Mr. Negative needs to deliver Cloak to some entity that I don't know of. I don't know if it's a new character or if that's some major Cloak and Dagger villain. I would've looked it up, but they never give us a name, so I couldn't. Mr. Negative can be a fun villain, but there's just not enough of him because Hopeless is busy writing about two different trainwreck relationships that aren't very interesting.

This is still so predictable and boring. Do something that hasn't been done over and over again. Add some twists. Be at least a little original. And what kind of Justice League is that? That looks nothing like the current teams, and while I could see most of the team acting as the Justice League, why is Ollie there? He's made it a point not to be involved in the Justice League as recently as No Justice.
4.5
 Dark Nights: Metal #4 Oct 20, 2018

I think Amanda Waller has become a parody of herself. Go back and read the original Suicide Squad series, or hell, just her Secret Origin issue. The difference is night and day. She has lost so much of her character through DC constantly trying to make her a major threat with less and less justified reasons each time. Last we saw her, she took over Earth-3. There was a whole event about it. Not even referenced here. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
4.5
 DC / Looney Tunes: Catwoman/Tweety and Sylvester #1 Oct 20, 2018

Another DC anthology... I tend not to like these, and yet I keep on reading them. The first Batman story was actually pretty good, but that's due, in no small part, to Greg Smallwood's amazing art. I love his art, and it can elevate even the most perfunctory of scripts. The second story with Wildcat was a breeze. Not much to say about it other than that. It didn't overstay its welcome, nor did it leave much of an impact. The third story with Pied Piper was not good. James Tynion is typically wordy and overwrought, so limiting his page count doesn't help. The fourth story with Green Arrow and Black Canary was fine. The story didn't really fit the theme and it didn't really work, but it wasn't a chore to get through. The fifth story with Plastic Man was bad. It was annoying, like most of Sina Grace's work. The sixth story with Batwoman was also annoying. It felt like forced drama. It almost felt editorially mandated, even. The seventh story with Slam Bradley was okay. I don't know either of the characters, and I guess that story would land a lot better if I did. The eighth story with Nightwing and Batgirl was fine. It didn't have room to breathe and didn't really say anything. The ninth story with Catwoman wasn't very good. It just annoyed me, honestly. Not to mention, it flies directly in the face of her current status quo. The tenth and final story with The Question wasn't very good. I really liked the art in it, but there's just way too much of a Question Vol. 2 influence. I don't like the version of the character that rambles incessantly about the city he has a very real connection with.

I was very underwhelmed by this.

This was lame. So much to get here and it's done just like that.
4.5
 Detective Comics (2016) #971 Oct 20, 2018

Not very good. It's the dialogue. No one sounds right. That seems to be a common trope in Robinson's writing.

Meh. James Robinson has proven to suck at dialogue and this is an issue that's basically all dialogue. We get a lot of answers in this issue, but none of them are interesting.

Meh. I wasn't expecting much from this and that's about what I got. Going through each and every story would take time I'd rather not devote to this, but needless to say, this felt very much like one of the 80 Page Giants. And I really don't like those because the quality is never consistent. Anthologies in general suffer from this, but I would expect everyone to bring their A game to a big issue like this. Instead we get tons of mediocrity with an okay story here and there. I audibly groaned by the time I got to the Tom King story because I felt like I was wasting my time by that point. I didn't need to read this and I would've been better off just reading the few pages that lead into the next issue and moving onto better comics.

I had so much trouble getting through this issue. I was mainly just bored with this. It couldn't end quickly enough.

Well, I guess they really weren't expecting extra issues, because this is a wasted issue, full of obvious ideas.

I feel like the pacing is off here. Why is this happening now when the big reveal was issues ago? Why is this happening now? There're two more issues and nothing here feels that urgent. This series just feels like it's meandering.

This whole issue is like something shoddy built on pillars of sand. Gail Simone tries to make a poignant message with this final issue (excluding the upcoming Domino: Hotshots miniseries, of course) but its hindered by the previous issues. At this point, Domino and her team aren't the heroes this issue tries to make them. No matter how many monologues about scummy slavers and no matter how many changes of heart. It feels like a tonal whiplash. This isn't the series we were reading before. So there's nothing holding these revelations and heroics up. I think what happened is the title got cancelled and the writer scrambled trying to put a bow on this series. It's pretty messy. Despite that, it wasn't nearly as boring as the previous issues and was just simply mediocre instead.

There's a lot of cringey and otherwise bad writing in this, but there's some semblance of an interesting plot in here. I just wish Simone didn't do such a great job annoying me.

The stuff with Cliff Steele was good... Mostly. The stuff with Jude Law forcing fat people to be muscular was not. I don't like weirdness for the sake of it and that's all that was. I wasn't the biggest fan of Way's first run because of it, and that was before I started reading Morrison's run. Now having read some of that, it just makes this feel even more inferior by comparison. But... There are glimpses of hope. Like I said, the Cliff stuff was mostly well done, and it's the only reason I'm invested at all.
4.5
 Doomsday Clock #2 Oct 20, 2018

This issue was mostly duds, if I'm being honest. The Ann Nocenti story could've been good if the art didn't fail to communicate what was happening as much as it did. The Paul Azaceta story felt like it went on too long. But hey, it had sexy vibes if that's your thing. The David Pepose story felt like the most standard of the bunch, but that was just a forgettable story you wouldn't blink an eye at in any other context. Real disappointing, honestly.

This is a very simple comic with a very simple story. It drags along too long, and I'm not very interested in continuing it, although I will. It will be over quick, at least.

This is still not interesting!

Bleh. The dialogue is really bad here. I couldn't tell who was talking when the characters were off panel. And even when I could, there's dialogue here that doesn't fit with the conversation they're having. I wouldn't harp so hard on this dialogue problem, but this whole book is dialogue. I'm not very interested in what's happening at this point. Let's just get it done with.

The characters still aren't doing much for me. And forcing people to rape each other isn't exactly endearing me. Poppy is just the generic pixie girl and... the other one is just the other one. There's not much, if any, story to speak of here. I don't know, I just don't find this to be particularly written well, instead relying on shock and sex and hoping that's enough.

The dialogue continues to be stilted; the art continues to fail in storytelling... This is easily the worst book of Dawn of X. I'm really hoping that this one ends soon. I just feel like it's so caught up in... I don't even know how to describe it, but it's most exemplified by the info pages. That was easily the worst part of the comic for me, and I tend to like those pages. That part is pure bore, and it seeps into the rest of the issue, infecting the dialogue. And I don't understand why Bryan Hill is having so much trouble with this one. I read his Batman and the Outsiders and it's not that bad. It is not my favorite book, by any means, but it's better than this. Same goes for his Angel series over at Boom. This book needs a change up or it needs to end, with something better taking its place. The only thing I can say positively is that I liked the ending. The whole Apoth/Overclock thing is genuinely interesting and a nice spin on Hickman's whole idea going into the X-Men. But it's just so much work to get to those moments of interest.

I went into this expecting bad things and I got half of what I expected. But that's the second half. The first half is just action with some emotional string pulling that fell flat. I've completely forgotten who Syzn is. I can promise the emotion wouldn't have hit anyway. But that was fine. Athe second half has Jo jacking into Atville and it's just a whole lot of cringe. I guess that's what happens when you jack into the internet. But that's not compelling to me. Neither is this mystery that's playing out. The art is the only reason to read this book. I saw a review by AIPT! talk about this comic being an example of Science Fiction Ingenuityâ„¢, and while I can't outright deny that without speaking out of my ass; after all the most I dip into SciFi is Twilight Zone, Star Trek and the occasional comic; I can say that if the concepts here are considered to be ingenious within the realm of Science Fiction, the genre must be behind the times. And honestly, I do deny this comic's ingenuity a bit, because what little I've dipped into the genre still dealt with the very same themes this comic does, but through a less internet-age lens. I guess you put a coat of Twitter on something and it becomes ingenious... I don't know, point is, this book isn't very good.

The best part of the issue is the George Carlin quote it's named after. The same problem I have had with this series continues here. I'm not invested and I could really use a character that I actually like. Jo is *fine*, but she doesn't really stand out to me. The rest of characters are even worse off. The art is good, even if I wish the artist were given something exciting to do. As far as I'm concerned, Jamal Campbell has been wasted.

Meh, this didn't have much of what made this series stand out before, which were the particularly effective scenes of sexual abuse. Without those, the series just sort of becomes bland. And it really just makes me think a lot of these characters, especially Big Barda, are just the worst. It took Aurelie being murdered to make Barda see the problems here. Not the begging and the crying or any of that. Even after she helped hide the body of one of the abusers in the first issue. It's kind of funny that this clearly feminist book resorts to a much maligned trope like fridging just to get one of the characters to a place they should already be at, if not for what in hindsight feels like a particularly forced attitude for the character in the context of this series itself, not even regarding any other story that this one contradicts. I think this is what happens when you're writing for the stereotype that fits your message rather than the story or characters. And I won't discount the message. There's some good things being said here. I just think the execution is haphazard as hell and it shows that the writer really doesn't know what they're doing.
4.5
 Flash (2016) #36 Nov 6, 2018
4.5
 Flash (2016) #37 Nov 6, 2018
4.5
 Flash (2016) #54 Nov 6, 2018
4.5
 Flash (2016) #55 Nov 6, 2018

I guess this wasn't atrocious... I mean, I was bored, and it completely ruined the pace of my reading today... But I didn't absolutely hate it. I do think the backstory is a bit stupid. All these reviews saying it gives James Jesse depth are wrong. It's all a trick, which could've been something cool by a better writer, but it feels like a waste here.

Iris is kind of an idiot, huh?

Bleh.

I honestly forgot that Iris had even left. This was fine. There are bits and pieces of this I actually kind of like. But so much that I don't. It's tiring to read.

Oh no, this book is still boring.

Boring.

I think the biggest issue I have with this run is how repetitive it is. We're having yet another story about Flash learning to master the speed force. It's mind numbing how much concepts are reused in the past 85 issues. I just don't think Joshua Williamson has many ideas for the Flash. His other work has been better than this. This is just so rote.

This issue is kind of like that pitiful plate of spaghetti and meatballs that Barry scarfs down. This is the only time I've related to Barry on a real level. Just re-heated plain spaghetti and meatballs. Yeah it'll fill you up. Give you some much needed calories. But man, no pasta sauce?

All this mediocrity is wearing me down.

This had all the hallmarks of Joshua Williamson's run, and that's not a good thing, to be honest. But at least it's done.

I read Crazy #1 from Marvel Comics before this. When I first started reading this comic, I had to remind myself that I was no longer reading a parody comic.

I don't like this.

This would be so much more entertaining if it wasn't just so obvious. We get it: Nazis are bad. We also get that freedom is a good thing. I just think this could be so much better if the Nazis- sorry, Ratzis- were actual characters and not just bad guy X and bad guy Y. And same goes for the heroes. They're just as one dimensional. I think a lot of the reviews here are as high as they are because this book is a people-pleaser. The comic equivalent of oscar-bait. The art is good, but the writing falls flat.

I've said all I could say about this series in the reviews preceding this one.

These stories are pretty boring.

Well... I liked the art. The story is too quick, with not enough developments in the right areas.

The John Stewart story is full of clichés we've all seen a thousand times before. It's fine, if I'm being generous. The Teen Lantern story was shockingly pretty good. I mostly enjoyed it after those first two pages that were a bit annoying. The Hal Jordan story just confuses me. It obviously connects to the rest of Future State, but it ends in a cliffhanger (in a very loose sense, since there's no story), and I'm not sure if it's supposed to be happening now or in the future. I guess we'll see.

I liked The Next Batman story. I don't really get the dislike of that story in particular. The Batgirls and Gotham City Sirens stories were so bad. I almost couldn't get through them.

4.5
 Green Arrow (2016) Annual #1 Nov 6, 2018

This is just a hassle to read. I get what they're going for, but it is just annoyingly written.

This is still kind of a messy comic to me. I understand what happened in it, but it wasn't an enjoyable read because of how off kilter everything is in this book for... generally no reason, it seems. I don't really want to go against the grain with this one, because I do enjoy a lot of what Morrison does, but I just found myself checking pages so often and getting a little frustrated when I realized the book was slightly oversized.

Well. I can't say that I'll miss this.

This is a boring issue.

Well, thank god this mob boss does something a mob boss would never do in order for Harley to be driven to love Joker. I don't like this story, I won't lie. Nothing about the Joker is alluring, and his manipulation would only work on a pre-teen that's already hot for his... gangly Tom Hiddleston-ness. There's too much Twilight infusion in this for my tastes. I think it makes Harley look like an incredibly weak person, which I guess may be in line with her character, but it certainly becomes a hindrance in a story that's supposed to highlight and study this transition. It just sort of amounts to "He's, like, soooo pretty and he's soooo smart. He *understands* me." And if that's truly what the Harley/Joker relationship boils down to, what's the point of this series? That's not worth the exploration.
4.5
 Harley Quinn (2016) #51 Oct 9, 2018

Another decompressed issue where not much interesting happens.
4.5
 Hellblazer (2016) #17 Jul 19, 2019

Tom Taylor kinda loses the point of Constantine in this issue. And I'm not quite sure why?

This is the big dud.

Well... I liked the parts with/or related to Peter Parker and Mary Jane.

This is the first time (unless I'm forgetting something) that someone else wrote the Injustice comics. It's Marguerite Bennett, who has always been hit-or-miss for me. And that trend continues here. I saw a lot of reviews saying that the writing was off, and honestly, aside from a few instances in the first story, I didn't really see it. The second story, however, is really not good. I understand Tom Taylor helped plot these stories, but they don't read like something he'd write. This is definitely the worst part of Year Two. As for Year Two as a whole, it was a lot more consistent, both in art and writing. But unfortunately, it never hit the highs of Year One. Another thing: I hate how easily Sinestro manipulates everyone. I understand there has to be some give here and there for our heroes to turn evil, but man this never worked for me.

I'm so disenchanted by this. There's stuff here that I like. I like Tony Stark actually being himself again, although I think there was real potential in his downfall at the end of his solo series that was never given its time to shine. I like the cat, honestly. It's fun. I like that Arno wasn't just a crazy nutjob. I like the art. I like the design of the new suit. But there's so much I don't like here. The dialogue gets so bad that I was genuinely curious as to whether Dan Slott was trying to ape or mimic older comics. That whole bit about "positioning your last attack..." is straight out of a 60s comic. In fact, most of Arno's dialogue is. I don't like the concept behind the new suit. It doesn't make any goddamn sense. I don't like Sunset Bain and her bullshit. What is that? Set up for a story that probably won't come. We already know what happens next with Iron Man, and that seems much more enjoyable to me. I wish this event got the Empyre treatment instead of continuing with its monthly schedule as though we aren't supposed to be months behind it at this point.

This is lame. It sets up a mystery and does nothing with it. Guess I'll just go read Lemire's Moon Knight instead. I don't want more of this. I thought the Joker miniseries was very mediocre and this just makes it less appealing. But since it's Batman, we'll probably get 12 more sequels if we're lucky.

This issue is just bland. There's not much here to talk about.

This is very lame.

The pacing problems that Venditti's writing always has rears its ugly head here. Barely anything happens, and none of it is all that interesting.

Oh no, what's this? A politically charged story where characters become stand ins for Opinionsâ„¢. Who could've seen this coming from the guy who wrote The Dreaming? Not me! Not I! Wonder Woman's opinion seems to change based on the argument being presented on that page. I'm not getting into the political conversation, because I couldn't give a fuck less about exploring these themes in a short, possibly poorly thought out review of a comic that's not entirely worth the time. I will just say that I don't think the ideologies are being represented by the right characters, nor is either side incredibly well written here. Wonder Woman gets the worst of it on both ends and it really just... I'll just say it, this is... why people need to learn to listen to every side. You may hate to hear it. You may not want to, ahem, "signal boost." It'd make this comic a hell of a lot more interesting if Simon Spurrier had a higher level of knowledge of both sides, though. And it would've made his political insertions more natural since they'd be more nuanced instead of characters blurting out... just every talking point any idiot can throw together in a few seconds on Twitter. Did I just do a politicism?

I'm getting flashbacks to after school specials. If the only way to demonstrate your point is to make a story where characters have to act out of character and be way more stupid than usual, maybe it's best to write something else instead. In more capable hands, this could be a very poignant story that maybe introduces some new ideas to people, or at least brings them a new perspective. Instead we get the Ferngully Effect where as much as one may agree with the thesis, the execution almost makes you not want to.

Because of Comixology being trash earlier, I couldn't read this until very recently and I did it in a rush because polls are beginning to close in the US and I'm a slave to anxiety-laden election coverage, but I'll just say this is my least favorite issue of the arc so far. It's kinda falling apart and lagging. We'll see about next issue.

This arc definitely fizzled out. I was actually enjoying it for a while there, but it had to wrap up abruptly, without much being said. It's kind of a paradox. This issue is paced very poorly so that not much really happens, and the things that matter (presumably) manage to sneak by. I hope Williamson writes more Justice League in the future, and that it has nothing to do with any sort of Metal.

I... hate Bendis' writing. I don't care about Naomi. I don't care about her home planet, unless she leeeeaves (I understand it's not another planet). I just have no interest in this story. The backup, however, was much better. I really wish it wasn't being bundled with this terrible Justice League comic.

Oh no, yet another deal with the devil made how exciting the 8th time around.

The dialogue is really bad at some points. I'm not on board for this weird plot.

I thought this was pretty bland and boring.

Bleh.

This issue was kind of a drag to get though. I didn't really find any of the characters relatable or interesting. This is just a mediocre revenge story.

The idea is there, but the execution is not very good.

Unfortunately, this one didn't click with me. The second half was better, but this issue was such a slog. I'm hoping it picks up with issue 3. I'm not used to disliking Kurt Busiek's work at all, so that just adds to the disappointment I'm feeling.

Neither story here was particularly interesting.

As someone who has enjoyed Rodney Barnes' work in the past... This ain't it.

Not very good at all.

This wasn't a great collection of stories. In fact, the only one I'd recommend is the very first one by John Ridley. And that'll take you all of 10 seconds to read.

This isn't very good. It feels like something out of a lesser 90s comic. It's kinda boring. I get what they were going for, but it misses the mark. And you know what, this doesn't really affect the score, but maybe I don't want to read a comic about all the good cops forming a camaraderie against the one racist bad cop because "they're all blue." The optics on this are not great.

This was extremely disjointed and such a bad end for this series. Knowing how much the story as well as the writer's life unraveled makes me sad. This was mostly a great run, but it couldn't stick the landing.
4.5
 Mystik U #1 Jul 20, 2019
4.5
 New Superman #17 Jul 20, 2019
4.5
 Nightwing (2016) #50 Jul 20, 2019

Not feeling this. There's not much here for me.

Slightly below average just because of the bad dialogue. Plus the lack of entertainment and plot progression. I'm probably being nice.

Found this to be really boring, but if we push through some of the bad characterizations, maybe this can be something that works.

Still not a fan. Let's wrap this up and give this title to a good writer?

Are we just going to ignore how Ric just blinded poor Tusk? Must've had his memories changed to reflect the Titans TV show. Honestly, how much worse can the Joker make him?

This doesn't fit in continuity at all but otherwise, it's pretty boring! Maybe after Future State a new creative team will take the title over and we can actually move past all this Ric nonsense.

This whole run was kind of a mess, and a lot of that has to do with the concept of non-stop action. It really made this a chore to read, and it really didn't need to exist. Hopefully the next iteration of this book slows things down a bit. This is like reading on a roller coaster: ill-advised and obnoxious.
4.5
 Plastic Man (2018) #4 Jul 20, 2019

There's just not anything here to make me care. It feels like we've been in the same place for months now. This series suffers from pacing problems and lack of character.
4.5
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #16 Jul 21, 2019

Not amazing, just kind of boring.

This issue, and this series, have slowed things tremendously. Issue one had so much plot but the rest hasn't even come close. This issue is all about the X-Men finding Wolverine... And then you get half a fight. Not much there. Maybe issue four will be different and provide answers like the tag line promises, but on its own this issue is slow and the art doesn't fit the series at all.

I'm sorry, but this is a very boring book for as fun as its cast of characters usually are. I was really disappointed in this one.
4.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Mister Miracle #4 Jul 21, 2019
4.5
 Shang-Chi Infinity Comic #2 Oct 28, 2021

Just not very good and not worth anyone's time.
4.5
 She-Hulk (2017) #159 Jul 21, 2019
4.5
 She-Hulk (2017) #161 Jul 21, 2019

This dialogue is really bad. I still don't care about any of the characters and I don't think I'm really supposed to, since this group will most likely be forgotten like the Seven Soldiers were.
4.5
 Spawn #290 Oct 9, 2018

This is just a boring story, told with some rather trite dialogue. There's only one thing I really enjoyed here and that was Spider-Man Noir's Man-Spider design.

Very mundane... At least the writer knows continuity.

There are some hints of classic Spidey in this, but ultimately, there's not much here.

I was not a fan of this issue. It felt poorly paced, and I was not very engaged.

This is not a good final issue. The pacing was all over the place and sometimes didn't get conyeved properly. I'm glad this is where it stops. This series didn't really need to exist and it never became a series to follow.
4.5
 Suicide Squad (2016) #35 Jul 21, 2019
4.5
 Superman (2016) #36 Jul 21, 2019

Not a fan of this dialogue. And Rogol Zaar doesn't work. Let him go.

Oh joy, Rogol Zaar is just never going away, is he? He's such a crappy villain. This arc doesn't really have a conclusion. Just an abrupt stop. And after quite a lot of pacing problems throughout this arc... Well, that bodes well. Jon being back doesn't get me excited for anything. It's stupid that they aged him up and I'm certain he won't be sticking around long.

This is just... odd. But what else can one expect from Morrison? They're just an odd writer. I really had trouble getting through this one. It's just really not as fun as they think it is.

Man, King's dialogue is just atrocious. I know what he's going for. I can feel the feelings. But you don't need to rely so much on repetition and platitudes, you know? That's my biggest issue here. If that were better, and if the kid were less annoying, this would be a solid comic. But as it is, it just makes Superman sound... how do I say this nicely? Socially-challenged? It's real bad, you guys.

Sorry, but this was super fucking boring. I wanted to find something to really like here, but I can't. I almost fell asleep reading this.

Meh.

Kind of a middling chapter. I can't stand Greg Land's art in this issue. It is so bad at times.

This is the weakest Symbiote Spider-Man mini yet! I can't believe they're doing yet another one after this. The first one was nice and pretty good. The second one was a little too much. This one just never went anywhere and didn't really tell a story. Oof.

Too long, filled with Seeley-isms and overall boring.

I feel like this issue really expected me to have read the original story, but I didn't. The whole thing feels so crammed, and I usually like Ariel Olivetti's art, but the layouts and perspectives here were very off at times. I don't know why, but this all feels like a rush job.

I didn't like the original Metal, and I didn't like this Dark Multiverse version either.

I think I'd care more if I was invested in these characters.

More drama I couldn't care less about.

The first story was pretty good. The second story was not. And the epilogue sets up some eye-rolling drama for later issues.

This was a boring comic, but hopefully it gets better. So far, Strange Academy is the much better teen hero ensemble.

I didn't like this issue much. I thought it was bloated. I'm really sick of Snyder's "This isn't what you thought it was" speeches. It's happened a few times in Justice League. I just find it a chore to get through whenever it happens. I think I'm just tired of Snyder's writing in general. Its tropes have become very apparent with just how much he's been writing lately and I can never get excited because I know where the pieces are probably going to line up.

I just thought this was boring, honestly. I'm not here for Daniel Hall's love life.

This is too cheesy for me. It reads like... freedom.
4.5
 The Silencer #8 Jul 21, 2019
4.5
 The Silencer #9 Jul 21, 2019

There so much plot convenience in this story. Things happen how they do because these are the easiest and most cliché to write.

This was not very good. Too much is happening, and I can't bring myself to care.
4.5
 Trinity (2016) #15 Jul 21, 2019

Yet another anthology. The Web-Slinger was messy and way too quick. Final Galaxy Battle! was a cool homage, but that was it. Spider-Byte was competent, but very short nonetheless. Savage Spider-Man is the only story worth reading here, in my opinion. The idea of Spider-Man controlling an army of giant deadly spiders is way too cool. Unfortunately, this was pretty bland overall.
4.5
 Wakanda Forever: Avengers #1 Jul 21, 2019

I don't mind Sabretooth being brought "back to basics", but this issue was severely lacking. There's not enough emotional weight earned. And this was not a final issue by any means.

This wasn't very good. The first story felt so convenient and out of place. The second story was unnecessary, but fine.

This is a very middling book. I don't think it's written very well at all. The art is uneven. It's just not very good.
4.5
 What If? (2018): X-Men #1 Jul 21, 2019

This was a pretty boring one-shot, but the art was really good. Just wish it was taken advantage of more.

Yes, I too have used Twitter. The comic raises some fair points but at the same time, the satire is tired and obvious. I can get this from any generic, forgettable Twitter rant. And outside of being a soapbox, this series is just a bore. Give me something new, something I haven't been inundated with for quite a while. You know what would help all this? If these characters were built up and interesting. Why should I care about this? Because it has the right politics? I agree with most of what is in this issue. But it's just poorly executed and written so I don't care.

This was stupid.
4.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #34 Jul 21, 2019

Bleh. This could be a fun story but the dialogue is really bad, especially from our main character. Also, I'm not okay with the hints of bestiality in this book. It's really gross. I guess the furry market is not one DC has tapped enough.

This issue was like most recent issues of this title. The story being told is very unoriginal and none of the characters pop enough to make that easy to overlook. It's just uninteresting.

Wasn't a fan of this. It's just not interesting.

I'm glad this run is over. It was a mess.

Man this is just not well written.

Man, this run has been turbulent, and this issue is the same. There are good ideas here, but the execution is lacking.

Not as bad as issue one, but not engaging either.
4.5
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #24 Jul 21, 2019
4.5
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #34 Jul 21, 2019

Very overwrought and 90s, but that's kinda the point, I guess.

This was fine. The best story was Red Hood's story. The worst story was the Grayson story.

This had some ups and downs, but I really don't know why I still bother with these 80th anniversary anthologies. They're never so good that they're worth their insane prices, and they never really get me hyped on the character they're centered around. They must sell because DC's made like 80 of them.

The best thing about this issue is how Deathlok kinda looks like Deadshot from far away.
5.0
 Action Comics (2016) #991 Oct 9, 2018
5.0
 Action Comics (2016) #992 Oct 9, 2018
5.0
 Action Comics (2016) #994 Oct 9, 2018
5.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1002 Oct 9, 2018
5.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1003 Oct 9, 2018

This miniseries had potential, but was ultimately filled with ineffective, boring, bland storytelling. The art wasn't able to elevate it, which I feel has been a hallmark of Taylor's work lately (See Redondo on Nightwing). It just doesn't do anything to progress the narrative or the characters. And it isn't a fun read regardless of that. It's just bland. Who cares? JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This is very mediocre.

It's been five months and I still don't like this series. Why it wasn't a casualty of COVID really boggles my mind. Not even Iron Man could make it interesting. I read somewhere that this series was originally released in much larger volumes, and that may be why barely anything happens issue to issue in the American release.

This is just a bland, bland comic. It just feels lifeless. It's not even particularly bad, it just exists.

This was probably the best issue simply because I'm a sucker for villains dressing down their opponents, and Apocalypse does a good job with that here. But it all kind of falls apart in the end when the X-Tracts forgive him. I'm glad this series is over. It was easily the worst of the Age of X-Man comics.

I really hate the art in this book, and it's a shame we aren't getting a reprieve for the next arc. I find myself regretfully interested in the story, which is probably not the feeling anyone working on this series wants its readers to feel.

This could be a really fun story, but the art is absolutely terrible. There are plenty of panels and pages here, where it's genuinely difficult to derive the motion and the actions intended. It's absurd that Salvador Larroca keeps his job. I feel bad because I think the story might be pretty good, and even elevated by a kickass art team. Unfortunately, Larroca drags literally everyone else down with him. Marvel, I think we're all begging you to kick this fucker to the curb. At least put him on a book where the art isn't what makes or breaks it... wait that's most comics, isn't it?

I've fallen very far behind on ASM, but I definitely will get back on track... At the expense of these reviews. This is a pretty boring issue. There are some great visuals, but the story is overall very trite and expected. There are some ASM issues like that as well, but those are usually saved by the Peter Parker stuff. No such thing can save this annual because Marvel was trying to get ASM readers to read Doctor Strange, and therefore the issue focused a lot on him. It is not great. I don't really find silver age Doctor Strange very interesting. Too many stories end with DS out magicking someone with yet another new spell. Quote of the issue: "We Said We Could Lick Any Man in the Place... And We Meant It!"

5.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #793 Oct 9, 2018

This issue bothers me. I don't hate this run. I don't fundamentally dislike the plot points, either. I just wanted something more from this conclusion. The scene where Tombstone talks to Peter is great by itself. How quickly the entire plotline wrapped up is so odd to me. We just got two issues of a giant fight. Where is the editor?? I read Wells' letter in the back, and he claims that Nick Lowe was there for him constantly, and I just don't see it on the page. Editing mistakes are rampant in Lowe's tenure, and that's one thing. Fix it in the trade (As someone with the trades, they don't). I can abide by bad lettering and color mismatches. I can't abide by the fundamentals, as I see them, being thrown out or disregarded. Pacing is important, especially in this medium. You have to do a juggling act of making each issue satisfying on its own and as part of a larger arc. Lowe sometimes fails to do either. It's baffling. The plot line for an arc should justify its length. If you have to stretch it out with filler content, like a giant fight, maybe lower the issue count. If you are scrambling to exposit-vomit at the end of a book, maybe give it an extra issue. This arc and the final arc of Spencer's run are like complete opposites, it's insane. This arc is barely able to fill its pages, apparently, while hurrying through what plot it has, while that last Spencer arc spent every. single. page. trying to explain the cacophonous nightmare of retcons upon retcons. Where is the editor?? The same guy was ultimately in charge of producing both of these things and the only similarity is the rough, amateur pacing and structure. Nick Lowe is a senior editor. He should do better. I don't see this sort of roughness from editors until they're unceremoniously ripped from their books like Jordan White on X-Men, but Nick Lowe has sewn himself into the Spider-Man tapestry at this point, so what's the fucking deal? I have other issues. The Aunt May segment is almost good. The characterizations are there. Wells is competent. But for the love of god, would it have killed them to just have Peter tell her his identity? Every single moment felt as though it was leading there, only to have them pull back in the end. I just want to see real growth from these characters. Technically, Aunt May was worried and upset at Peter at the start of the run and now she's accepted him. Cool. That's technical growth. I'm real happy Pete gets to live in his lies more comfortably now. Whatever. The Rek-Rap segment. I have nothing to say aside from this: Where is Gog? I don't recall Peter ever setting him free or giving him away. Gog is Peter's actual pet still? We haven't seen him since Spencer's run though. Where has he been all this time? Did Nick Lowe forget about Gog? That's much more interesting than keeping Rek-Rap in play. The MJ segment was good. Again, Wells is a good writer. He's good with characters. As someone who is an adult, who has had relationships sour and change and morph, I found a lot of MJ and Peter's friendshipping here relatable. People grow and change, and it's really odd to say that here but it does work. Maybe now that MJ has explicitly told Peter thank you, those weirdos online will stop calling for people's heads. I doubt it though. The Chasm story is meaningless to me. I don't really care that Ben was changed, or that he's a villain now. Maybe he'll show up and do something interesting next time. The tease for Joe Kelly's run was mostly good. As noted in KittyNone's review, the coloring could use a lot of work. However, from the writing side of things, I actually really enjoyed Peter's monologue and how it showcased Peter's capability, something writers will often ignore or forget about. I like when Pete is treated like the science geek he is. I really didn't like his story in issue 50, but if Kelly is giving us something more like this with 8 Deaths, I'm glad for it.

I am still desperately disengaged with this. There's way too much variance in tone and pacing for an eight issue miniseries. I don't buy most of these character motivations, and it just seems like the writer doesn't know what they want to do with this story.

I read this as a joke. I know of Ant from a friend who couldn't get over how obviously, ridiculously sexualized the design for this character was. Of course that trend continues here, which is a bit off putting when I'm pretty sure that Ant is still a teenager by the end of this issue when she gets the suit? Honestly, the letter in the back about Ant's history is far more interesting than what's in the actual comic. I don't think I'll continue to read this. It's very by the numbers once you ignore the weird sexualization.

5.0
 Aquaman (2016) #31 Oct 9, 2018

This is a boring issue. And the mech is dumb.

I... I just don't care about what's happening here. I couldn't care less about what happens with Atlantis. I just want Aquaman and Mera to talk about and reevaluate their murderplay. Like, Arthur says "Honey, next time don't actually murder me," followed with a strong, independent retort from Mera, "One cannot contain a murderous lust as well as monogamy!" Check out my AO3 account, xXRipfeatherXx, for more. Orm can have Atlantis, honestly. After all the nonsense in this Rebirth run as well as Justice League, it's just a wreck. Oh sure, Orm, you can have the Balkans of the sea. No problemo.

This was fine but I'm not really interested in any of this.

Remember kids, spousal violence and homicide is okay as long as the other person *deserves it.* I thought this was a fine issue. It happens and things work out. And Mera and Arthur get married, which is something I'm sure someone wanted! The pacing was a bit rushed, but I guess people needed to start jumping ship by this point.

This final issue speaks to the problem with this miniseries as a whole. It feels rushed, things are hardly explained, and worst of all, nothing seems like it matters. I don't think people will be talking about this story in a year. Or six months. Or now. It's very middling.

It feels like the story itself is hanging by a thread here. I don't know who did the layouts for this issue, but they're terrible. I feel like not even the writers know what story they're trying to tell. It is only by the grace of the sea that this comic works as well as it does, and that is to say it works *fine*.

The trend continues downward. It's crazy how there's this whole "saga" for a lack of a better word of all these disparate Aquaman related titles, and it all led to this wet fart of a miniseries.

A lot of the charm in Nick Spencer's Archie is lost here.

This is losing me fast, and without the promise of something better coming, I'm maybe going to drop this soon. Why is Archie a guest star in his own comic? I know Katy Keene got a show or something, but this is not worth the synergy. And why does everyone look sick? I find a macabre humor in them looking this way while traveling to New York City, given the Coronavirus pandemic.

This was fine. I wasn't really into most of this, with the only standout moments being Throg's narration (Which is more a gimmick than anything) and Kid Loki's death. The rest of the issue is a built around a rather boring crisis on Ego. With the Yondu from the ill-advised Sam Humphries miniseries taking center stage way too much. That synergy Yondu sucks. I don't really care about Sera and Angela's relationship, mostly because the bulk of what I've read of it being from the Marguerite Bennett Angela miniseries. So seeing that relationship crumble after basically being forgotten since Queen of Hel didn't do much. I'm ragging on this issue a lot but I didn't hate it. There's just a lot that's unfortunate about it.
5.0
 Astonishing Iceman (2023) #4 Jan 21, 2024

I took a gamble by reading this before King in Black #1, and I definitely chose wisely. This has almost nothing to do with King in Black. If you're thinking of getting it for the sake of reading King in Black tie-ins, you shouldn't. The tie-in is literally the last two pages, and all it is is that Knull is here and the Agents of Atlas are going to help Namor fight him... To be continued in King in Black: Namor. As for this issue as a conclusion to this miniseries and the story Greg Pak has been telling through various miniseries and back ups... It was fine. Nothing really ended unexpectedly. There's plenty of room for Greg Pak to continue his story, but I honestly wouldn't mind if he didn't. This issue is fine. This story is fine. That's all it amounts to.

And it's back to blehness. I hate some of the dialogue here. I wish the story would move quicker here.

I am just left with Eye-Roll-Perpetuity here.
5.0
 Avengers (2016) #674 Oct 9, 2018

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This is fine and dumb. It's definitely aware of its dumbness. But it's not very engaging. There are a few good lines.

There's basically nothing to say about this one. It's a lot of action and barely any interest on my part. I don't know why I'm still reading this. It's not even canonical.

Oh, why am I reading this? It's so manga... inspired, and I don't really care for those tropes. I just... keep reading this for some reason. It's not worth the read though.

I still don't know why I'm reading this. It's fine. It exists. I can't imagine anyone else is reading this.
5.0
 Bane: Conquest #12 Oct 10, 2018
5.0
 Batgirl (2016) #19 Oct 10, 2018

I guess someone had to pick up the abandoned Nightwing story arc... I'm really dreading when that comes to the forefront because it's such a stupid idea. But for now, we just get more family drama which sure is a thing. I don't like Batgirl's ego much. Especially since she keeps screwing up. Maybe a literal genius wouldn't screw up and maybe a literal genius wouldn't figure something out and then tell themselves they already had it figured out, subconsciously. I don't know, I'm not a literal genius.

An okay start to a new arc. Not a ton happens and what does isn't too interesting to me. This is just plainly fine. It didn't hook me at all though.
5.0
 Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #22 Oct 10, 2018

This is a comic that does not work, and that feels like the result of the writers wanting to do too much. Is this series a sneak mini? I genuinely don't understand the storytelling fundamentals here. You can layer in plots and villains; you can really complicate a story, and you can do it without the reader feeling any of it as long as you understand the balance, and what to show and not to show. This book feels like they had... four different ideas for this first arc and decided to throw them all in together instead of maybe holding out on some of them for a second arc. This comic already has a frayed aesthetic by design. It's very frenetic. The art is definitely stylized with this in mind, the characterization is also incredible carefree. But imagine for a moment if all of that was actually just an accident and these writers just don't know what they're doing. That's how this comic reads. It's unfortunate because there *is* a fun series here somewhere, it's just buried under the 8th subplot.
5.0
 Batman (2016) #42 Oct 10, 2018
5.0
 Batman (2016) #50 Oct 10, 2018

There are some cool ideas here, but also so many Tom King tropes. I don't like these tropes so it really hurts this book. I feel like his dialogue is just getting more and more ridiculous and Bendis-like. I feel like this issue ignores a lot of what came before just for the sake of having "cool" moments. Some of which could be explained, easily, but I don't think they will be. This run is built on moments, not cohesive storytelling. I feel like that is a problem many newer, aspiring writers have. I certainly do. I don't know how long King has been writing, but it seems he does as well. You want the big moments, because those are exciting and interesting to write, but you need the in between moments. Those are what make your story truly work. I feel like that's a big part of why I don't really care about anything that happens in this issue. This wasn't the worst issue, but I can't say I'm excited for the next one. I'm just left with a feeling of apathy.

There's just so much - too much - being crammed into this arc. I can't believe we're only on part four. The whole part with Harley and Ghost Maker made my eyes roll and I really wish they'd stayed that way because I wish I hadn't read the terrible backup.

This is a super bloated and boring event. I don't understand why Tynion put *so much* into this arc, with such little payoff storywise. At least, thus far. Tynion has two issues to make this all come together and my hope for that is extremely low. Jorge Jimenez isn't even drawing all of it anymore.

Yeah, this just doesn't resonate the way the creative team wants it to. A lot of that has to do with the current status quos and how we got to this point, and that's not really on this creative team. But that shouldn't mean we should give them a complete pass. After all, Amazing Spider-Man #400 was near perfect, and that issue was submerged in the 1990s Clone Saga. Status quo doesn't negate one's ability to tell a great story.

I really can't believe that we're halfway through this series, and it's just... not doing anything? The three timeline thing is destroying any sort of pacing this title would have, I assume. I just... am perplexed. I don't even think this is a bad issue, really. I just don't think it's anything at all. It's just a null and void in my mind. Hence the five out of ten.

I like some of this individually. It doesn't work as a whole. I really don't get the point of this series anymore. Why did they make this? What story *had* to be told?

I wish I liked this more. I really do. It's a tribute to a dead man, after all. But like... it's hard to enjoy this. The dialogue is the biggest issue here. I don't like how Tom King writes anyone here. It's too ponderous. I could talk about some of the plot here. It's kind of weird that Selina makes friends with Bruce's portrait. Like, that's the kind of thing I hope she never told Bruce about. It just seems like a weird thing to add onto the mythology of these two characters. I don't think it really serves the relationship. I really wasn't a fan of Joker in the main series. We get it, he's queer coded like all the villains people like. I just don't think he'd be Catwoman's gay best friend. And in this issue, his repeating joke is really annoying. I get it, King likes repetition. But instead of writing scenes where Joker tries to rekindle their friendship, which could be interesting, he just repeats the same joke that I'm pretty sure didn't even work that well the first time we saw it. It feels so limiting to me. I don't get it. And of course, the pacing is very weird overall. Things that I felt should have been given more time to breathe just aren't. Like the ending. I saw someone somewhere was heavily affected by that ending and I don't know what I was expecting, but that wasn't it. It's just, there's a lot of unfortunate stuff here and I wish I could just say it was great, but I can't. Sorry to rate this one as low as I am.

I read this is sort of a fugue state last night, so maybe I'm just missing something. But almost nothing happened in this issue, right? I'm not just misremembering the issue. Actually, looking at the solicitation, that's just a synopsis of the issue. That solicitation spoils the whole thing. Eh, at least it's not Flash.

Honestly, this was fine, but I had trouble keeping my attention focused on it. It reminds me a lot of Joshua Williamson's Flash run but with ever so slightly more interesting protagonists. Unfortunately, they're not really that present here. Sure they're in most of it, but only to exposit. To set up the Ultra-Humanite. The solicitation description of this issue is all you need to read, and that's a bit of a problem. The art is a showcase of foreheads. And yes, that is a bit mean. The art is good aside from heads, I'll give them that. All in all, this issue is insipid and I wish there was more here.

Meh. I think this arc has been all over the place and the ending wasn't satisfying but I didn't hate this issue. It's perfectly average.

This is a very boring story.

Well, this ended similarly to Ellis' Moon Knight, but I guess Moon Knight got a more decisive victory. Which is expected, since Moon Knight is better than Batman. This was fine. I guess the ending was unexpected, but like I've been saying since issue one, the art doesn't fit here. It's too stiff. It took what could've been an impactful finale and turned it into something I just sorta shrug at.

Best issue so far, but mostly because Julie and Maxx interact.

Better than last issue, but I still think the way the story is being told is unnecessary to what the story actually is. The Help is a pretty cliched character, but at least this issue felt like something was happening and it wasn't stretched for its page count.
5.0
 Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Batgirl vs. The Riddler #1 Oct 10, 2018

I was originally not going to read this, but then comics pretty much stopped completely, so I figured why not? I was not a fan of the show growing up, simply because I didn't watch it. I've tried getting into it here and there, but it's truly not a bingeable show, in my opinion, so my speed on that front is glacial. It's just not really my thing. And this comic isn't my thing either. It's fine. Honest. I just don't find myself invested in it, which could just be the format of the comic rearing its ugly head. The biggest complaint for me is the art. Some people will understand this: It reminds me of the Simpsons comics. They were like the show, but a little off model and the coloring was much more flat. Same here for this comic compared to the cartoons. The writing is fine. There are no real complaints but I don't think it's particularly good. It's not even close. It exists. That's the best thing to say about this comic. It exists and you can read it.

The Zatanna story still feels shaky. The Plastic Man story was kind of obnoxious. The Birds of Prey story is trite. The Ace story is great.
5.0
 Batman: White Knight #3 Oct 10, 2018
5.0
 Batwoman (2017) #17 Oct 10, 2018
5.0
 Batwoman (2017) #18 Oct 10, 2018

This book never really went anywhere interesting. Marvel really doesn't know what to do with these 20th Century IPs, I swear.

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I really wasn't a big fan of this miniseries, and this finale didn't help. The plot is convoluted and the message is muddy as hell. I feel like Priest needs to un-complicate his writing a bit. Sometimes his style works wonders and the layers of story and character really mesh well together, but in other instances, it's just a sort of blob. This is one of those instances.

The art in this issue is horrendous. The nice way to put it would be "stylized" but I really don't even know if that's applicable here. It's just very ugly. The plot is fine, but I couldn't care less.

I'm sure this would've hit different in 2020.
5.0
 Black Panther: Long Live The King #1 Oct 10, 2018
5.0
 Blue Beetle (2016) #15 Oct 10, 2018

I wasn't very interested in this issue. I don't really care for any of this. It's fine though.

This just doesn't interest me. It's a lot and it just goes on and on.

Eh, this is fine. Just not very interesting. Let's wrap this up already.

Well, this ended. Umm, don't have much to say. I think it went on too long. I never considered Tim's schoolmates to be his friends, so that was weird? And uhhh, yeah, it sure ended.

Well... That went nowhere. I mean, it wasn't a bad comic on a technical level. It just... wasn't worth it.

Man, this run is challenging my faith in Buffy so hard. I do not really enjoy this anymore. Just end it and start fresh. this is so incredibly convoluted, and not in that fun comic book way, but in that "please let me out" way. So close to dropping this, I swear.

I'm ambivalent about this series. I think the writing is a bit off. There's no real conflict. The pacing is very slow. It's just something that is happening, and I'm not too invested in it. I really hope there's a point to this.
5.0
 Buffy: The Last Vampire Slayer (2023) #3 Mar 15, 2024

This sequel series has much of the same issues as the first series. It's clear the writer has a very particular fan fiction they want to tell, and that's fine, but that fiction isn't built up properly and therefore comes across haphazard. There are good moments, but as a whole, I find it kind of a chore to read.
5.0
 Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest (2023) #5 May 17, 2024

I don't know, this was fine, I guess. There's nothing that stands out here. It just sort of exists. Basically nothing happens in terms of plot. Penguin shows up and wants Catwoman's attention for reasons that'll be explained next issue, I'm sure. With the pacing problems that plague this series, I'm not exactly shocked that it continues to be an overly slow comic with little to say or do. There's just nothing here. But nothing offensive about it either. No plot to latch onto. The art isn't even particularly good. I feel like I'm just repeating myself. This review is almost as padded as this series.

This was yet again just a thing that exists. I liked how easy it was for Catwoman to make that mysterious woman give up the item. All talk, mysterious woman, all talk.

This issue is a resounding "Meh."

This was a thing that existed.

Meh.
5.0
 Champions (2016) #14 Oct 18, 2018

This was not great. The art is very uneven, and so is the writing. Unfortunate.

Not a great issue. I feel like some writers feel the need to write a lot when it's not necessary, and that leads to a lot of bloat.
5.0
 Cloak and Dagger (2018) #3 Oct 18, 2018

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5.0
 Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: Gotham by Gaslight #1 Jun 12, 2024
5.0
 Cover (2018) #1 Oct 18, 2018

Eh this was fine, but I expected more.

I have nothing to say about this. I guess it's technically a comic.

This comic is mostly not good. The dialogue can be very bad at times. The art is the same way. The only thing that keeps this from a worse score is I think there are some elements of the Dreadscape that are good.
5.0
 Damage (2018) #6 Oct 20, 2018

This was fine. At least it was more than a picture book this time.
5.0
 Damage Control (2022) #1 Oct 2, 2022

I don't care about any of this. The plot is nothing original and there's no intrigue here. It's very light on actual horror. I know horror works better with build up but they're trying to hook us aren't they? I'm constantly hoping for something groundbreaking to come to these comics, and nothing so far has been that. That's not to say these needs to be that in order to be interesting or entertaining, but I feel like this issue exemplifies the problem I'm having with the entire line, so I'm picking on it. Horror is a genre that already has a ton of hurdles to overcome, but these comics aren't helping.

I didn't really care for this one. I think whenever Tom King goes for the more saccharine approach, he loses me. Perhaps it's because I have no feelings, but I'm leaning towards it just being because he leaves it open for the reader to impart their own feelings into the work, and his way of inviting the reader to do that does not pull me in the way it does others.
5.0
 Darkhawk (2017) #51 Oct 20, 2018

This was fiiine. I've never been an avid Darkhawk reader, so... But I liked how each story showed how the character has evolved since his introduction. However, if this was supposed to make me excited for more Darkhawk, it failed!

Man, this issue was too hyped up for me. I heard so much about how cool it was all gonna be, and what we got is... what we always get. It's fine. It's totally passable. I hope the gumption in its presentation is channeled into the All-In initiative and we get some great comics. This on its own though? I probably wouldn't recommend it. Like, if a friend of mine were to lapse on their DC reading and decided to jump back in with All-In, I'd just tell them to start with Absolute Batman #1 or any of the other myriad of soft relaunches. This is supposed to be the start of something big and new and exciting, and it feels like the start of every DC event/initiative for the last five years.

So for what is ultimately an extremely middling book, this sure has gotten a lot of ire. Most of the stories here should elicit a response from the reader that can only be described as "Eh." For what little it matters to this conversation, I am a member of the LGBT+ community. I'm pansexual. That doesn't matter here because I think the genuine criticisms of this book are universal, and the rest of what you see in these user reviews is horseshit. I'll quickly run down each story and give my thoughts, and then I will address the... absurdity on display in these user reviews. Such is the benefit of reviewing your comics in bulk (and falling hopelessly behind because life doesn't care about your hobbies.) "The Wrong Side of the Looking Glass" by James Tynion IV is... fine. I don't know what it is about Batwoman, but I find her hopelessly boring most of the time. Her costume is a 10/10, I loved her in 52, but god help me if I have to read another fucking story about her terrible sister. But the moral of the story is ultimately a good one: Don't be ashamed for being different; You aren't alone. Nice moral that I completely agree with, I just find the path there boring as hell. "By the Victors" by Steve Orlando is probably my second favorite story of the anthology, which is crazy since it's Steve Orlando, but I've heard in the past that he is exceptionally good at writing Midnighter, so maybe that explains it. Besides an odd framing device that doesn't really add anything to the story and features John Constantine of all people, I do think this is well-written. Straightwashing is a thing, even with history. Historical figures like Gandhi or Alexander the Great have been straightwashed because bisexuality is uncomfortable. And that's not getting into news media and entertainment. "Try the Girl" by Vita Ayala is okay. It's just not a very engaging story. It's very contemporary, and I'm sure that may resonate with other people, but for me. I genuinely come away from it having forgotten most of it already. It's just not very memorable, sorry. "Another Word for a Truck to Move Your Furniture" by Mariko Tamaki is alright. I don't have much affinity for the Harley/Ivy relationship. I just really dislike Harley and don't really care about Ivy. But this wasn't bad and had a candidness to it that I really wish Harley would have more often. "He's the Light of My Life!" by Sam Johns is actually my favorite story here. I was surprised because I don't think the writer does a good job with their Punchline backups over in Joker. But I thought this was a really good exploration of how especially older men who grew up in more oppressive times end up feeling trapped with their sexuality. And I think it's very heartwarming that Alan could learn from his son to come out and be happy about who he was. This is genuinely a great story. "Clothes Makeup Gift" by Danny Lore is such an odd story. It feels like it could be written for any backup in the Flash or for any anthology, and they just pasted it in this one to meet that page count. It's not very good, it's just bland, which could be because it's the Flash. "Be Gay, Do Crime" by Sina Grace is... atrocious. If I was writing a slanderous, anti-gay comic, I'd make the gay character sound like Drummer Boy. This is embarrassing. Sina Grace, it's fine if you want to be a 90s gay sitcom character, but you write literally every gay character like that and it really gets annoying. I don't think writing an obnoxious know-it-all super indignant person as the mouthpiece for what is actually a very valid complaint is the way to go. Landlords are taking part in a predatory business that affects more oppressed people even worse than just the average joe, but is nonetheless barbaric either way. Don't make people hate that concept as a gut reaction to it being put in the most obnoxious way possible. This is the worst story here. "Date Night" by Nicole Maines falls into the same trap as the Flash story. It just seems like it could exist anywhere, and it's an average story that doesn't do anything interesting. "Love Life" by Andrew Wheeler is messy. It tries to do too much in the space it has, and it is not an amazing debut of the JLQ like they seem to what it to be. I came away from this just sort of annoyed by its pacing and its overall structure. The idea was too big for... what, 8 pages? Now onto the astounding complaints! First up is Merlyn. In his review, he complains about the Pride DC logo, saying "I do have a question: why does the DC logo on this book have all those extra-colors? The LGBT flag is obvious, the trans flag I can get too (even though the "T" in LGBT already covers that), but what are the black and brown for? Wasn't this about sexuality, it's also about race too? If so, intersectionality is a dangerous type of thinking and DC does no one good with supporting this ideological stance." The reason the logo has all those extra colors is because the Pride Flag was redesigned in 2018 by Daniel Quasar to emphasize progress around inclusion. The baby blue, pink and white (which are not on the typical rainbow flag, hence the need to be introduced in a new flag) represent trans people. Yes, the acronym covers everything, what does that have to do with the flag though? The black and brown stripes are to highlight LGBT people of color, a group that needs inclusion, representation and comradery now more than ever, as they have to deal with all the oppression associated with being LGBT, along with all the oppression associated with being of color! And Merlyn was able to connect the dots on that one, I am so proud. It is a form of intersectionality, which is simply the idea that people can be discriminated against for one thing or another, but if they're both things, the discrimination can be "interesected" and therefore be even more intolerable. Nothing about that is dangerous, Merlyn. It's just common sense! Maud Benjamin's whole review says, "Alan caused the train crash that killed a lot of people because the conductor was busy having sex with him and wasn't doing his job. How is this respecting gay people?" And my response is, shockingly, no he didn't! The reason the train crashed is not because their gay sex was too hot and steamy for that poor little-engine-that-could to take! The reason the train derailed is because business rival to Alan Scott, Albert Dekker, sabotaged a railway bridge after the train company chose Alan Scott's company to build said bridge. Learn your continuities, kids! Articulat3 had a charming review that went as follows: "As expected all the "professional" reviewers give it glowing reviews. Everybody has loved Harley, Ivy since forever, nobody cared they were LGBT. You guys need to be releasing this book in the Middle East, thats where they actually have a problem with intolerance towards LGBT. Stop writing down to your audience here. You can write LGBT and minority characters without making it there only personality trait. Constantine is bisexual and nobody gave a shit, the problem is you guys write bad stories for alot of these characters. If you actually care about lgbt/minorities write them properly and not as mascots for your social views." My response to this is of course professional reviewers will give this book glowing praise. It's not like they actually read these things! And actually, I happen to know that plenty of Harley/Ivy lovers love them for the representation they give to the LGBT community as a prominent lesbian couple! Oh, and comics are available in the middle east. I'm not sure if this one will make it though, due to oppressive laws. But I think we can all agree that we shouldn't harp on social issues if they don't affect us westerners. That's just science! But seriously, given how dogshit some of these reviews are, DC isn't writing down to anything. Some of you clearly don't know shit about LGBT rights. I can't think of a single character in this anthology whose whole personality trait was being LGBT or a minority. The closest character to that was Drummer Boy, but even they were also anti-landlords. Fun fact about Constantine, it took a decade for anyone to actually portray him as openly bisexual. Before that it was an offhanded comment made once. And even when he was finally adapted into film and later into his own TV show, that bisexuality was conveniently excluded. I wonder why, if everyone was totally fine with it. Maybe it says something about what was socially accepted and what wasn't, not even 10 years ago. What you'll find is that a lot of LGBT people and minorities agree with the social views that you deem them mascots of in these stories. These stories were literally written by them. It turns out, gays like rights. I'm as surprised as you must be. Foxter had a terrible point with their review: "This why the comicbook industry is dying. You just has to compare the users and "critics" rating, there is dissonance here. Dc and Marvel continue to make comics for an audience that dont give a shit about them." The comic book industry is not dying, despite the constant doomsayers that have been screaming literally my entire lifetime. To think that this website is an indicator of the general reception of any comic is ridiculous. We are a small, fringe community. We aren't representative of any general trends, I promise you. And actually, a lot of LGBT people are comic book fans and as with literally every form of entertainment, you want to diversify your audiences to get the most product out there and the most money you can. Basic business. Sup3rsa1yan1990 had a spasm and out came, "🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮". (CONTINUED IN COMMENTS)
5.0
 DC Universe Holiday Special: 2017 #1 Oct 20, 2018
5.0
 DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War (2022) #4 Nov 17, 2022

I tend to dislike anthologies like this because the quality is usually so turbulent and these take a long time to read so when the stories are inconsequential, it just feels like a time sink. The Rip Hunter framing sequence was okay. It did its job. The Batman 666 story was also just okay. The Superman story felt like there was a inconsistency in the emotions being displayed and the emotions being felt by the reader. The Flash story is hands down the best one. I think it works really well and Barry isn't an insufferable prick. Similarly, the Supergirl story also works really well. These stories both hit the emotional aspect they're going for and serve as a highlight of what these anthologies could be. Aquaman tries to do the same, but has mixed results. The Firestorm and Kamandi stories are easily the worst stories here. They're dull and somehow feel too long. The Catwoman story was okay. And the Green Arrow story felt like it had the potential to be something up there with the Flash and Supergirl stories, but ultimately didn't succeed. It turns out, like most anthologies, the end result is a resounding "meh". There's only two good, if not great, stories here. And the rest is just okay or bad.

5.0
 DC's Saved By The Belle Reve (2022) #1 Oct 2, 2022
5.0
 DC's Terrors Through Time (2022) #1 Nov 18, 2022

This was extremely quick. Uh, it's Batman... kind of. Meh.
5.0
 Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan #2 Oct 20, 2018

This is just sort of bland.

I was really bored with the main story. Bringing Scarecrow back makes it even worse. Fear State was such a slog, and it seems like DC was intent on making sure Detective Comics had its own slog. It's all about equity in Batman titles, I guess. The backup wasn't even as good as usual.

I don't get the thought process in writing this finale the way it was written, but poor execution is nothing new for this event. I can't pretend to be disappointed. This was expected. I just want this series to move on from an increasingly common problem called a failed Batman event. The backup, while I get what it was trying to do, was also poorly executed. It kind of soured the entire story for me. God, I hope 1059 is a fresh start for this series.

Bleh.

5.0
 Edge of Spider-Geddon #2 Oct 20, 2018
5.0
 Edge of Spider-Geddon #3 Oct 20, 2018

Meh.

This is the best Orlando comic right now in that it's the least offensive with its sheer blandness. This writer needs to figure out how to create interesting stories. Seriously.

Not much happens. This is kind of the same as most of my reviews for Endless Winter, it turns out. It's just uninteresting, and feels like something you read if there's nothing else.

This isn't technically bad... There is a moment with Johnny Storm here that has gotten ire from some readers, but honestly, none of it seems out of character to me, he's always been the worst with women. I just don't... care about any of this.

This was fine. A lot of this issue came across as silly to me. It's a failure on the part of the writer to take concepts that are generally not taken seriously, like memes and Twitter, and trying to mix it with themes of oppression and authoritarianism. Which is... Unfortunate. It means now that we're getting payoffs to earlier developments, I don't really care. I'm just reading it to finish it at this point.

Well.. I'm glad this could all be solved with an appeal to emotion, which historically has always on the emotionless. Seriously, forget all the less than spectacular infusion of internet culture into sci-fi, the problem this series has from issue one is that it doesn't know how to portray emotionless people. The art and the writing fail spectacularly in this regard, and it's genuinely absurd that the climax would crescendo with yet another failure. It's crazy, man.

I made the mistake of expecting this to be anything. Instead, it was a bunch of art cobbled together from previous stories, with references to the show and Boom's Buffy titles captioned with the art. It doesn't seem to celebrate 25 Years of Buffy. It just celebrates the last... four years of Buffy, with an occasional bone thrown in the direction of the show. Similar to the 25th Anniversary one-shot released a few months back, it's off the mark. The FCBD issue ends with the same preview of The Vampire Slayer as the one-shot did, and I'm still not very invested in that. I haven't read The Vampire Slayer #1 yet, but I just hope it's more engaging than this preview.

Continuing from the Flash Special, this annual is such a hurdle for anyone trying to get into Waid's run. Armageddon 2001 was a terrible event, everyone knows that, but I feel like that idea hits differently when you actually attempt to read any part of it. Waid does his best here, I'm sure, but it's just not an interesting story. An alt-future Wally West who goes through a very stereotypical alt-future superhero journey is not interesting to me, and it means nothing because we all know this isn't his future. It's very, very boring. Go away, Waverider. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Meh. This issue didn't have much irritating writing. It was mostly boring. I mean, of course, Williamson's OC gets a lot of focus in the new Flash origin... Man, I just wish a better writer would take this title. The best way to describe Flash is milquetoast.

Not the worst issue, just a bit boring and obvious.

The first two chapters of this issue were the usual Barry Allen fare. Just really boring. The third chapter with Captain Cold was pretty interesting though. I liked seeing a Suicide Squad that wasn't just the garbage movie version. And Captain Cold is just plainly more interesting than Barry Allen could ever be.

Meh, this exists.

So... The Paradox's origin is basically the same as Electro's in Amazing Spider-Man 2. It starts with our hero bumping into our villain. This villain has an obsession with the hero. This villain is accidentally turned into a monster. When he tries to reconnect, the perceived antagonism of those around him drive him mad. So, when is Flash going to beat Paradox in a dubstep time factory?

This was fine. Just another Flash issue to go along with all the others. I really don't understand how people are still invested with the amount of recycling this run has.

Uhhh, this was fine, I guess. Not much interesting happens, but it sure did feel like a long time. But hey, the art is good as long as the characters are in costume?

This is very bland. There's some stuff to like. I enjoyed some of the retconning. That made some pills easier to swallow. I didn't like the explanation of said retconning. Or... Most of the dialogue here.

This was fine, I guess. There were so many moments where I thought Flash could've ended this early, but he just didn't. Anyway, getting hit in the face with the force of nine airbags is a good way to die.

This is really not that interesting.

This is really boring aaaand that's about it.

Eh, maybe if I read the Flash when Wally was Flash, I'd be super invested. But I'm not a Flash fan, so I only know Rebirth Wally, who sucks. This just feels like DC editorial digging its Wally hole deeper.

I really don't know who wanted this besides Geoff Johns himself. Who gives a fuck?

This would work better if there was a real sense of build up to these big moments as well as a good amount of character development along with it. I don't just care because they say I should, or because they're fighting Nazis and everyone hates Nazis. I need something here. The idea of people rising up against their oppressors is an easy one to get people invested in, but somehow this comic is failing to do so.

This was fine, but I kinda forgot it as soon as it was over.

Unfortunately, this was pretty lackluster. I think I liked the Nubia story slightly more, but neither was great.

I'm a bit late to the party this week. The reason is simply that I am just about over Future State as a whole, and my burnout hit its peak this past Tuesday. But I'm finally getting through all these comics and let me tell you, it sure is a mixed bag to say the least. This is the last Future State book of the week for me, and I was not looking forward to it. But then, I saw the user reviews. Lots of mad reactionaries. Trump invoked. Socialism?? I should've known better. Mark Russell has a history of being a mildly critical liberal, something I've criticized him for many times before. Don't get me wrong, though. I'm no conservative. I'm an evil, socialist, anarcho-syndicalist pansexual. Much worse, I voted for Biden! What we get here, at its core, is a comic that would be in excellent company with the weaker side of Stephen Colbert's Late Show monologues. It's not saying anything risqué or provocative. It's generally acknowledged but ignored that Capitalism thrives on exploitation. Us Americans, at least, tend to pay lip service to the condemnation of the sweat shops, the slave labor, and the colonization and occupations of other countries, but we still buy all those cheap, cheap goods that were only made possible through suffering! And we also ignore the abysmal conditions that our own workforce is put through, so we can't even claim to be self-interested. There is a surprisingly substantial percentage of the workforce that would rather fight against its own interests than dare unionize. And who can blame them when they've been taught to gasp in horror at the most milquetoast criticism of our economic systems? This stupid little comic book forum is a microcosm of how fucked we all will be. Do you notice how I'm kind of just pulling at a vague thread from this comic in order to make a broader point about crazy, kooky politics? That's because this comic is, in my opinion, vague and empty. There is not much of substance here that I can really hone in on. And yet, the response to this issue makes it seem like it's the reckoning of the bourgeoisie. But no, it's just some Trump criticism mixed with themes of colonialism. Pro-tip to all my conservative time-wasters, you really should stop being so reactionary. It doesn't make you look good. It makes you look like how you want to pretend us leftists are actually like. Trump was a terrible president. He held the people in contempt. He was legitimately a proto-fascist. I could spend hours just listing off all the ridiculous and harmful ways he fucked America. And yet, for a good portion of the citizenry, he was a good man who had our best interests in mind and wanted to desperately drain the swamp, but the establishment wouldn't allow it. The fact that so many people were conned and come to his defense even after he incited an insurrection, is just proving this comic right. People are easily conned especially when you exude opulence and power, and when you have a news network devoted to kissing your ass, while you downplay any dissenting opinions as evil, immoral or fake news, and throw spurious claims and ad hominems at any opponents to shut them down as quickly as possible.... Guess what some of the people in this stupid little comic book forum are doing? I could go on to defend politics in comics and point out for the millionth time that they've always been in comics and there is no 100% escape to be had in most storytelling, as it is a reflection of our reality, and our society and culture, and the systems of thought present at any given time. I could also go on a huge, big rant about reactionaries and Ben Shapiro's "facts don't care about your feelings" phrase. You know, cite a bunch of his emotional arguments he's made in the past about abortions, trans people and Israel. I could point out how conservatives are constantly trying to reframe the narrative of the criticism of their oppressive ideas and policies as though they're the ones who are oppressed for having "different ideas," which is straight out of the fascist handbook. I won't do those things though, there's no point. And frankly, this comic doesn't deserve this much discussion. I'm not looking forward to issue two. EDIT: Thanks to some of my good friends on this site, I learned that Merlyn is talking shit about me in the comments of his own review. I couldn't see it because he has blocked me, hypocritically enough. I'll explain why I blocked him initially. Look at where the conversation was headed in the comments of this review. I didn't want him spamming my comments with nothing responses again and again and again. I'll unblock him now, since he can't handle the inaccessibility to my reviews' bussies.

This wasn't worth it.

I'm disappointed that Nick Derrington isn't doing the art for The Next Batman all the way through. His replacement is good too, but I really liked how his art looked last issue. The Batman story is still really, really good. I think it's one of the best written stories in all of Future State. I enjoyed it here. The Batgirls backup is too exposition heavy and boring. It was definitely a slog. The Gotham City Sirens story feels soooo amateurish. Maybe it's the tone not hitting properly, or the messiness of the story, or the pacing, or the unfinished looking art. Or maybe it's all of that! It's probably all of that.

I didn't think either story pulled through with a satisfying conclusion. It was a waste.

I honestly liked the Suicide Squad half for the most part (the ending was iffy, at best). The Black Adam story was just a drain in my soul. I hated it.

Nihilist said it better than I could, or care to.
5.0
 Future State: Gotham #13 Oct 2, 2022

Well... this was a thing.
5.0
 Generation X (2017) #8 Nov 6, 2018
5.0
 Generation X (2017) #85 Nov 6, 2018
5.0
 Genis-Vell: Captain Marvel (2022) #2 Oct 4, 2022
5.0
 Genis-Vell: Captain Marvel (2022) #3 Oct 4, 2022
5.0
 Genis-Vell: Captain Marvel (2022) #5 Nov 26, 2022

Not very interesting. Why does this exist?

Really not very interesting. Even a proto-Moon Knight couldn't make this good for me.

This felt really rushed and jumbled. It needed more than three issues or maybe an adjustment in its tone.
5.0
 Green Arrow (2016) #35 Nov 6, 2018

This was fine, just like the other Green Lantern title this week. Which I guess is an improvement over those Future State stories? Geoffrey Thorne seemed very influenced by Bendis' time at DC. So many references to his Superman run and his Young Justice run. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I prefer Thorne's use of dialogue quirks over how Morrison used them in The Green Lantern. I don't get a headache from weird old English (kinda) the way I did from... A lot of Morrison's alien characters. I guess the biggest problem with this issue is that there's so much going on and I have trouble getting invested in it.

This run really wasn't good.
5.0
 Green Lanterns #35 Nov 6, 2018
5.0
 Green Lanterns #38 Nov 6, 2018
5.0
 Green Lanterns #42 Nov 6, 2018
5.0
 Green Lanterns #43 Nov 6, 2018
5.0
 Green Lanterns #53 Nov 6, 2018
5.0
 Green Lanterns #54 Nov 6, 2018

This was average, but it's such a waste too. They basically made this another Hal Jordan book for the final arc, meaning that we really didn't get our last goodbyes with the Green Lanterns we've been focusing on for the majority of the run. And that blows. This issue felt rushed when other issues in this arc felt like they were purposefully avoiding plot progression. Pacing during this arc was just awful. And just how many times did Hal mention Cyborg Superman couldn't control his ring in these last few issues? I think it was more times than what was appropriate...

This was average. I just don't find myself getting invested in this. And the comic is becoming more and more like the Harley Quinn solo series, and that's definitely not a good thing. I find it painful to get through this.
5.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #35 Jul 19, 2019
5.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #40 Jul 19, 2019
5.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #44 Jul 19, 2019
5.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #45 Jul 19, 2019

Somehow an issue drenched in social commentary focused on a movement that only a select minority of comic book readers would even know about is still better than the shit that Humphries gives us every 2 weeks. Harley's annoying accent gimmick isn't used nearly as much. The story isn't in itself a gimmick. It's just Harley trying to sell cats. And then the writer felt the need to make fun of a movement called Comicsgate. Someone who's so invested in it as this writer must be should know that it's a small group of readers with leaders like Diversity & Comics and Ethan Van Sciver, who constantly trip over themselves, and look and act ridiculous. It's not worth your time, but no, we need an issue that might've been relevant before the jokes therein weren't overused by anyone who knows anything about that community. Even if you're on a side in this stupid back-and-forth, even if you are in the know, you shouldn't really derive any pleasure from this issue. It's so very basic. It does nothing new or intelligent. But even STILL, it's better than Humphries.
5.0
 Harley Quinn (2021) #21 Nov 20, 2022

Bleh. This series is soooo poorly paced.

This was fine, I'm just not very interested in the plot and the pacing is glacial.
5.0
 Hellblazer (2016) #21 Jul 19, 2019
5.0
 Hellblazer (2016) #22 Jul 19, 2019
5.0
 Hellblazer (2016) #23 Jul 19, 2019

I want to like this more. I liked all the meta stuff in this issue. I didn't so much like the story... which was boring.

This is fine, but it really fails to deliver on its promise. It isn't able to recreate the tension, the bombast, and the overall feeling of the original. It gives a bad attempt at copying Gerry Conway's style of writing at first, but that kind of gives way eventually. I mean, I know not everyone has read the original, or if they had it may not be fresh, but like... this copies all the story beats, and then makes them less compelling and feels less like a natural development and more like a checklist that has to be hit. Compare Norman regaining his memories in this to him regaining them in ASM #121. It just pales in comparison. Maybe I'm just too harsh here, but... a 5 is definitely not harsh given how much I enjoy the issue that this issue is directly invoking.

This issue was a little better than the last. The two plotlines converge, finally. That doesn't make them that much more interesting, but at least they kind of matter now. This is still a boring, boring title.
5.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Claws Of A Killer #4 Jul 19, 2019
5.0
 Imaginary Fiends #1 Jul 19, 2019
5.0
 Incredible Hulk (2017) #710 Jul 19, 2019
5.0
 Incredible Hulk (2017) #713 Jul 19, 2019

You know, I just assumed that the Ray Fawkes story would be the problem here, but that one ended up being pretty good in the end. Not great, but good enough. The second story, which serves to presumably retcon characters back into the story for Year Four, is just so contrived. Unreasonably so. As for Year Three overall, I think I liked it more than Year Two. I liked the focus on magic. You can definitely feel the writers stretching themselves out trying to figure out new ways to keep this story going at this point. I hope Year Four can reinvent the title and keep things fresh.

Eh.

This... wasn't terrible? I'm sort of done with this story. I liked the twist with Okoye, though. There's not much to say here, honestly.

This is fine, but I'm not engaged here.

A weird place to put the character, but I'm not too concerned. Also, Merlyn doesn't understand how comics work apparently. He thinks this is a sneak Okoye book? What an idiot.
5.0
 Iron Man: Hong Kong Heroes #1 Jul 19, 2019
5.0
 Jessica Jones #14 Jul 20, 2019

I can't say this was bad, but I can't say much at all about this.

Eh, this was fine, but pretty weak as an ending. It felt rushed.
5.0
 Jurassic League (2022) #3 Nov 25, 2022
5.0
 Jurassic League (2022) #4 Nov 25, 2022
5.0
 Jurassic League (2022) #5 Nov 25, 2022

Honestly, this story was a bore. The writing is heavy with tropes, and the dialogue is very basic. I feel like the creators expected/wanted the fact that all the heroes were now dinosaurs to carry a very limited story. Or... this is for young children and I'm not the target audience. I shouldn't have read all of this, but it's too late now.
5.0
 Justice League (2016) #33 Jul 20, 2019

Meh.

Just a recap issue. Nothing more. Blah.

I guess there are things here that I should care about. But I don't. I think everything is overwritten. It feels like Snydion IV (can't remember which wrote this one, and their styles are too similar to tell) is afraid to let the art do the work. Comics are a visual medium, and that should be taken advantage of. Instead, we get lots of long paragraphs, supposedly said during the heat of the moment, that explain what the characters are doing on the page. I think this is easily the weakest part of either writers' writing. And oh no, I guess all hope is lost for the 84th time this month. Who thinks it's all going to turn around when the heroes get hope again? It may not be next issue-- as there's a whole event about the Doom Pa- Brigade (I'm not calling them the Legion of Doom, as I don't respect them) and The Money That Prints fighting each other-- but it *will* happen eventually.

This is a mediocre comic, alright, that's not what's at issue here. What is at issue is "Justice League Advance!". Is this an actual rallying call for the Justice League or did Venditti make it up for this very specific scenario? Do the Justice League have a rallying call? Is it as bad as the Titans one? How about "Justice League Defuse" or "Justice League Jump"? I could keep going.

Uhhh, this is just a capstone to Venditti's short run a few months back. I didn't really get much out of this, it was fine.
5.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #22 Jul 20, 2019
5.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #27 Jul 20, 2019
5.0
 Justice League of America (2017) #28 Jul 20, 2019

I didn't even mention The Batwoman Who Laughs in the last review. Why the hell would they include her? Everyone was sick of BWL by the time he thankfully went away. It just seems like this is something devised in a rush to fill the gap between Infinite Frontier and the next Crisis, and wasn't originally intended to be the next step. I don't know. The stuff with President Superman and Doctor Multiverse was neat, but I literally just read How To Read Comics the Marvel Way, and it did that idea already. I don't know, I'm really bummed out that this series is such a letdown. Its worst offense really is the dialogue. I cannot get over how bad it is. I don't understand. Was that even given a second look? Sometimes writers write poor dialogue as a filler of sorts to get the point across, and then go back to make it better. Did Williamson do that and forget to go back? What is this?
5.0
 Justice League: Odyssey #1 Jul 20, 2019

I read this... 7 months ago. I read this whole goddamn event. It took me quite a while too because this event gives saps away any motivation I might have for itself, and possibly the medium of comics altogether. It's not quite Death Metal bad. The use of ass pulls was restrained, I have to give it props there. I just... think it's not worth the time of anyone involved. Much like Lazarus Planet, what this actually does in terms of progressing the larger DCU storyline (which I plead to culminate and end with Absolute Power) is minimal. This feels like the new higher ups at DC wanted to get that Marvel event money, and mandated an event out of that. It reeks of the same stench as those 90s annuals events like Bloodlines and Armageddon 2001. The main book itself is not the worst offender here. It's really the tie-ins, and how they stopped up the line for two months. Williamson writes a tiring, yet breezy event that you don't really need to give any thought. You could probably pick up the trade paperback and read it in a half hour, shrug your shoulders, and give it to the family dog to bury. The overarching Dawn of DC narrative has produced some of the most vapid content DC has seen in years. The event is completely transparent. You can see its mechanisms inside whirring, clicking and spinning. We know DC (and Marvel) is owned by a mega-corp that doesn't give a shit about art. Can we at least dress it up a little? I haven't read Beast World yet and a lot of the reason why is this event. I don't think I can stomach it. Absolute Power isn't really thrilling me either in spite of its creative team. This event killed my enthusiasm.

An incredibly mediocre affair that makes you want to drown yourself to escape it.
5.0
 Knight Terrors: Harley Quinn (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
5.0
 Knight Terrors: Punchline (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
5.0
 Knight Terrors: Ravager (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
5.0
 Knight Terrors: The Flash (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

This was kinda just boring. Not exactly what I'd call well written. For instance, there was so much unnecessary exposition through the dialogue. It was to the point that they were repeating the exposition through multiple characters.
5.0
 Marauders (2022) #4 Nov 6, 2022

Took me way longer than it should have to read this issue. It was fine, I guess.

This was good art, but not many good stories.

Meh, the drawings were cool.

This was completely average. Don't really have an opinion on it. The characterization is out of whack. But I didn't have trouble getting through this.

This is very middling.

This was a bit rough. Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel are both written well enough, and so are their interactions. But everything surrounding those are rough. The art also isn't the best. The cliffhanger reveal doesn't make me excited. It leaves me on edge. If this comic ends up going through with what that last page suggests, this story will be dreadful. But if it doesn't, it'll be obvious. I didn't hate this. But I didn't like it either.

This is probably the Marvel's Voices anthology that is most connected to the current ongoing series Marvel publishes, and that's kind of interesting. Unfortunately, what we get here is nothing special. I think this should have been longer or something, what we get ever has the time to really develop.
5.0
 Marvel's Voices: Identity (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022

This anthology is really middling. I love how homophobes revert to the biggest submissives on the planet as soon as an openly LGBT comic drops. Wasn't that the gay stereotype? Weren't we supposed to be the subs?
5.0
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #25 Jul 20, 2019

This comic should just be about Doombot's head. It's *fine*. Nothing offensive. It's competent for a kid's comic. It doesn't seem to talk down to kids but the plots remain fairly simple. I'm sure I'd like it more if I was a child instead of a man-child.

Yeah, this is fine. But I'm not a child so I probably don't enjoy it as much. There's nothing offensive about it. Moon Girl can be a good character, it's just that her solo title is meant for kids...

The cover promises a team up that doesn't actually happen, at least not until the very end. We get some Nightmare and some Sleepwalker, and that's fun, but this feels like an especially slow issue.
5.0
 Multiversity: Teen Justice (2022) #4 Dec 4, 2022
5.0
 Multiversity: Teen Justice (2022) #5 Dec 4, 2022
5.0
 Multiversity: Teen Justice (2022) #6 Dec 4, 2022

This was technically Bendis' best work in a long time. And despite that, it was still very tiring and uninteresting. David Walker keeps things from being a total disaster.
5.0
 Naomi: Season Two #3 Nov 6, 2022
5.0
 Naomi: Season Two #5 Nov 6, 2022
5.0
 New Talent Showcase: 2017 #1 Jul 20, 2019
5.0
 Nightwing (2016) #48 Jul 20, 2019
5.0
 Nightwing (2016) #49 Jul 20, 2019

Meh. I don't really care about anything that's happening here. I don't like Ric. And I don't like that his status quo is constantly re-established every single issue, more than once in an issue, like everyone forgot it. It's a really annoying crutch the writers are using.

Yes yes kill them all, Joker.

This comic is technically fine. It is simply boring as shit. There are no stakes here. Every character is operating at their peak, and there's never any doubt that they'll be perfect heroes. It's just things that happen for 20 plus pages. I don't care anymore. The fact that the cover is a poorly rendered meme recreation aside from anything regarding the plot makes me feel like even the creative team is enthusiastically uninterested in the current story being told. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Not sure why this exists beyond explaining why Bea was such a terrible character, which I'm not sure was necessary to explain. Especially cuz now she's kind of a terrible person. You lie to your partner, who you have sex with, the entire time, and never have to come clean because DC went, "Oops, all Bendis!". The implication is not great. It's called *informed* consent for a reason, Bea! Also, the ending was so hacky that it dropped the score at least a point.

The pacing in this final, tie-in issue of Nubia is unbearably slow. The trend of uninspired dialogue continues and, since that's entirely what this issue is made up of, it really drags hard.

I really dislike the writing here. Everyone is so enamored with Nubia, that it erases what other characterization they have. I don't dislike Nubia, I think she can be a good character, but I don't want her to be DC's Poochy.
5.0
 Nubia: Queen of the Amazons #4 Dec 8, 2022
5.0
 Pearl #1 Jul 20, 2019

I guess this idea that people are being radicalized to fringe ideologies is something that writers are going to be pumping out in the shadow of things like Trump, the alt-right, and... Pffft, Tankies, I guess. It's an interesting idea, and I think one that has potential, but this iteration of it isn't very interesting. I don't think it even captures the important aspects of how someone becomes indoctrinated. It's just the barest form of that, which I guess is realistic enough for the DC universe. Using the Joker as an analogous figure doesn't really work. You need someone who actually has a personality that people would latch onto. Joker isn't that. I don't know anything about Harper Row and her brother, but I have a friend who liked them back in the New 52... Gotta say, I don't really see why. Maybe they were written poorly, as with the rest of the issue.
5.0
 Ragman #5 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Ragman #6 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #17 Jul 21, 2019

This was completely average. Violence only gets you so far.

I thought this was fine, I guess. I don't really have much problem with this issue. I'm still not engaged in this storyline, but the issue went by quickly enough, so that's gotta count for something. Also, I did like that they remembered Artemis and Bizarro. I figured they were just going to be gone until this gimmick ended or the series did. But maybe not.

Meh. I find a lot of things in this issue really dumb. Batman would've done something to Red Hood. He wouldn't just go away after a threat. He has a history of locking people away himself. Ugh. I don't care about this.
5.0
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) Annual #2 Jul 21, 2019

This issue really tried to say something but I was so bored, I'm sorry.
5.0
 Royals #10 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Royals #12 Jul 21, 2019

This was mired by the archaic writing of the time. These two issues of Uncanny X-Men aren't the best. Really, all we can hope for is that Savage Avengers builds on this. But we won't know for a bit, as this issue refers to issue 11 of this series, yet issue 10 isn't even out.
5.0
 Secret Warriors (2017) #8 Jul 21, 2019

Man, I just find Badal and his plan so boring. I know the humor was intentionally taken out of the book for this super serious final arc, but man would I rather be reading a funny book about sex criminals than about a boring rapist with a boring plan that the main character just spends the entire issue passively reacting to.
5.0
 Shade, the Changing Woman #6 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Shadow War (2022): War Zone #1 Nov 6, 2022

Dumb.

Man, this one is boring.

This comic didn't offend my sensibilities at any point. I think I'm numb to the characterizations. All it is now is a shell of mediocrity.

This is fine. I approach it from the idea that it's for children, so I'm slightly more lenient. But... This is the worst issue of the mini so far.

5.0
 Spider-Man (2016) #235 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Spider-Man (2016) #238 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Spider-Men II #4 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Spirits of Vengeance (2017) #1 Jul 21, 2019

Man if only I cared.

I'm so sorry but I could not care less about this. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
5.0
 Storm (2023) #3 May 7, 2024

This is fine, I guess. I mean, if you wanted me to root for Alanna's downfall, you did good. She's clearly an awful person. I'm frankly sick of this story already, which is probably not a good sign, and I'm not interested in what happens next anymore.

I wish I could like this more, but I'm just not interested. I hate that they brought back the trivia t-sphere thing. That never worked for me. I just want this to wrap up.

Uh, this was fine? Very weird.
5.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #37 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #40 Jul 21, 2019

This was average, not the worst thing ever. Which is a step up. I guess fans of Captain Boomerang, the inferior Boomerang villain btw, would like it more. I just found it to be boring.

I would rate this lower, but I don't care enough. This series really felt like Azzarello had a cool idea or two, and then fucked it up with his tropes. And really, the gall of ending this on an interpretative ending, my god.

Slightly better, and you know why? The final page is kind of neat body horror.

This bland story won the DC Round Robin contest. Much like Robins before it, this further proves how corrupt this Round Robin concept is.

This is the weakest issue in a while. It becomes an obvious read, and that makes it especially boring.
5.0
 Superman (2016) #35 Jul 21, 2019

This was perfectly average. Not much to say about it.

An issue telling us what we already know from recent issues of Supergirl, how repetitive.

This is bleh.

This is my 5000th review. I think it's safe to say I'm a slave to this medium and that you all should pity me. I was expecting a shit show here because it is Bendis' Superman, but to be honest, not enough bullshit dialogue happened to make me truly hate this. I'm not invested in the story or anything, don't worry, but I'm also not offended like usual. This issue is bland, certainly, but is it as annoying as previous issues? No.

Meh. There were some parts I liked. Some parts I didn't. I'm a negative person, so I'll focus on what I didn't like. The repetition. The length. The bullies. Especially, the bullies.

Not awful but not good.

This is a very mediocre series. The back up at least had some Namor in it. Pretty much the only reason I'm excited for the Atlantis Attacks mini coming up.

This was fine. I mean, it feels very superficial and empty, but it moves quickly enough for it not to get my ire too much.
5.0
 Teen Titans (2016) #14 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Teen Titans (2016) #21 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Teen Titans (2016) #22 Jul 21, 2019

Meh.

Meh.

Meh. I don't care about these characters. Just kill them all, I say.
5.0
 The Curse of Brimstone #5 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 The Curse of Brimstone #7 Jul 21, 2019

I feel like I skipped an issue somehow. This was a one minute read. Totally a waste. You get a cool fight where Doctor Fate's mask gets melted. I hope the last 3 issues can wrap up this lack of plot...

I think I may drop this series. The plot really hasn't gone anywhere in several issues, and so much of every issue is dedicated to reiterating the thesis of this run, which is not engaging the 16th time you're hearing it. This time we're hearing it through the lens of the 60s counter-culture movement, and it's probably the least prescriptive version of reiteration yet, because everything is spacey and drugged. I just want something more from this series. I don't feel like I'm getting worthwhile new info from a lot of these recent issues, and the tone and story of these one-shots on their own are not engaging enough.
5.0
 The Immortal Men #6 Jul 21, 2019

I wonder how this is Akira Yoshida's fault in 2 years?

This was average, in every sense of the word.

Despite aping some of what Conan is doing over at Marvel, this book isn't nearly as fun to read. Fantasy isn't typically a genre I enjoy, so maybe that's part of why I didn't enjoy this. I just find myself drowning in all the made up names that seemingly get more complicated the more over-saturated the genre becomes. This story isn't doing much new despite that, and I realize it's only issue one, but I can't let myself ignore the trite nature of this comic. I'm sure, given time, this comic could stand out more, but as is, it's waldo. Not sure if I'll stick around for next issue.

I have no idea who any of these people are. The best thing about this issue was Torma's death. Not much else here for me besides that glimmer of horror.

I am really turning on this series. I don't find it very engaging or entertaining. I'm just waiting for it to be over at this point.

Yeah so... this comic is kind of shit. Like, on the surface level, it's competently produced. The art is... good enough, and the writing at least makes sense. But holy shit, these characters are such boring assholes. They're postcard people. This may just be me outing myself and the lot I hang with, but these don't feel like real people to me so much as polished, perfect little versions of the friends Tynion has, or the friends he wishes he had. And you know, if that's the case, there is nothing wrong with writing your friends into your stories. That's not the point. The point is that they don't feel real to me. They all have a very similar, very safe yet slightly quirky voice that I find extremely fake and boring. It's way too neat and precise for my tastes. And that is really the crux of the problem here. This issue only works if you care about and like these boring characters, and... I don't. I can't connect with them, and the horror they experience doesn't matter to me.

This was average... Can't wait to remember this book exists again next month.

I'm not interested in this team, so the whole break up at the end felt pointless. I guess this issue was fine? It didn't bore me to death, but I didn't care about what was happening at all. Java's story in the annual was good, so I'm glad that he's just a huge mistake in this issue, yet somehow still bests the team. Doc Dread is a parody of Doom but doesn't do anything particularly worth anyone's time on his own. Nothing to raise the stakes. Just to make people clap, for they know the character he is parodying. This issue has nothing for me, but it's a testament to Jeff Lemire's writing that I didn't hate it.

Meh. I never cared about these characters so this all is juuuuusssst fine. I wish the series would just end here.

This one was kind of a mess. I feel very let down by this miniseries, honestly.

Meh.

This issue is just more moving pieces. This entire arc regarding the commonwealth seems stuck in place. Things are slowly unfolding, sure. But for every big moment, there's issues and issues of bare bones character interactions. For a while, it was characters realizing how good things are. Now it seems to be relationship focused. Carl and Lydia have an argument, but it's resolved by the end of the issue so it felt particularly pointless. Sophia is still seeing that one guy. And Maggie still has some sort of relationship with that other guy. Princess decides to leave the commonwealth and the relationship she's built with one of the guards. And Jesus and Aaron are still gay, if you remember. This series is on a constant simmer, in terms of plot. And you can only do that for so long before it just begins to bore. Even the ramifications of Dwight's death, I meet with apathy. This series can be incredible, but there's so many droughts to drudge through, and this commonwealth arc seems to be one.

This series continues to move at a glacial pace. It seems like more and more, we're in for a ton of issues of build up that doesn't do much to excite the reader followed by a few genuinely exciting issues. That's been the Walking Dead for quite a while now.

I don't know why I'm reading this, it's just not very good.
5.0
 Titans (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
5.0
 Titans (2023) #5 Aug 7, 2024
5.0
 Titans (2023) #8 Aug 7, 2024
5.0
 Titans (2023) #10 Aug 7, 2024
5.0
 Titans (2023) #11 Aug 7, 2024
5.0
 Titans United: Blood Pact (2022) #1 Mar 13, 2023

This mini, and its predecessor, were consistently mediocre. Still better than the TV show, at least.
5.0
 Titans: Beast World (2023): Tour Atlantis #1 Aug 7, 2024

Yeah, I don't know who decided that the tone and voice for this series was to be "stilted stoic" but it makes for a largely uninteresting read that threatens to put you to sleep.
5.0
 Trinity (2016) #20 Jul 21, 2019

This is very silly, and not in a good way.

I really don't know why I'm still reading this.
5.0
 Wakanda (2022) #3 Mar 14, 2023

I'll be honest, this one was a chore to get through. I'm just not feeling connected to this story the way I do with Ewing's other work,

This is a very weird anthology. It honestly shows me a Spider-Office that doesn't really know what it wants. The entire thing is an exercise in synergy, with Madame Web haphazardly being the impetus for the anthology. It gives me the same vibes as when Black Adam got a full page splash in Dark Crisis along with an extended sequence showing just how great and heroic he was, because he and his movie were definitely going to be a smash hit. Luckily, Marvel didn't commit quite so hard to Madame Web, at least. We also get some weird synergy with Loki. I really just want Spider-Gwen to be in her own universe. Half the fun of the original run was exploring Earth-65 and seeing how different it was from 616. You take that away and Spider-Gwen gets lost in the sea of ancillary Spider-Characters with nothing to truly define her besides the memory of her counterpart's death 50 years ago. Now tying her to the off-brand comics-catching-up versions of the MCU's Ouroboros and Mobius, it seems like Marvel simply wants her brand to continue to diminish. The synergy might run even deeper with Spider-Man 2099 taking the lead role in whatever the next Spider-Verse event is, but who knows if he will be by the time issue 1 of End of the Spider-Verse, For Real This Time, comes out. My point with the synergy is that it feels like so much of the creative side of editorial, specifically Spider-Editorial, is being driven by whatever the latest creative flaunt is. That tells me that the editors don't really have a direction or directive, or drive, for how they want to shape Spider-Man and his extended cast's books for the foreseeable future. They're just latching onto whatever might work. I'm behind on every Spidey book that isn't Amazing, so I know I'm missing context for certain things, but never so much that I felt lost. However, this anthology does not make me want to rush and catch up. The standout story for me was literally the first one. It's Wells and Romita, and it's about Tombstone. As much as Gang War bummed me out, I still really enjoyed the first arc of Wells' ASM run and this brief story has the vibes of that rather than what Gang War was like. The tone feels more consistent, Spidey is turning the tables on Tombstone somewhat... As an incredibly stupid man once said, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." I am extremely hesitant here, but I'm looking for something in this anthology. Miles' story was fine, but too caught up in its lore for me to latch onto anything. I haven't read that arc yet, why do I care about whether this vampire guy gets out? Spider-Woman had me interested, until Nick Lowe spoiled it for me in the back matter, and now I'm kinda dreading that one. The second Wells story did *look* fantastic, but it did nothing for me. Green Goblin is coming back, we know. The Chasm/Kaine stories are ones I want to enjoy, but the absurdly awful Greg Land art really took me out of it. Whenever I see artists that *I know* are hired for their speed rather than their ability, it tells me that Marvel doesn't actually care about this story and selling it. So why should I care? The Spectacular Spider-Men story was cute but I wasn't super invested in it either. It's weird that there are two major elements of the Spider-Comics at the moment that weren't represented here: Ultimate and Slott. Ultimate is edited by a separate group (which is why it's better), I know, but this is supposed to be the grand opening statement of all things Spidey come 2024, so why not include an incredibly brief story by Hickman to grab the 2 and a half people who aren't yet reading that book? Hell, maybe its inclusion would boost sales for this anthology. The Slott stuff being absent is much more perplexing. He's writing two separate titles right now, that's a big chunk. And I assume those stories are building to something in the near-ish future. And Slott participated in the last big anthology issue, so why not here? I don't know about you, but this web feels pretty incomplete! I wish I could say this book is exciting, or serves a purpose, or feels important. It's not any of these things. You can skip it, in fact, *do* skip it. It's a waste of your money and your time. I only rated it a 5 because nothing is really bad, it's just bland as hell. This book is a statement on editorial's failures. Eight dollars of non-excitement.

There is too much going on, and nothing for me to latch onto. I don't know these characters that well. That is a personal failing on my part, no doubt, but I wish this series did more to make me care about these characters. It kind of melts my mind if I pay too much attention to it, and not in a good way. Once again, and I'll mention this in every review until it changes, the lettering is terrible. I don't understand why DC is using it other than nostalgic reasons, since it's very similar to the lettering of the 90s books. It makes this book harder to read. I really like Rosenberg too, so it can't just be me, can it? JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Nothing here was very engaging.

The first story was fine. It could've been better if not for Greg Land drawing it. He's a weight dragging down everything he works on. The second story has the best art and writing. It's a fun little Arcade story. The third story is kind of a mess in both art and writing. This second issue overall is not as good as issue one, but given the creative teams for the next issue, I'm hoping that that one will be better.

I understand why these sorts of series are nostalgic for a lot of people, but I can't find myself enjoying the outdated storytelling on display here. Not every writer can adapt to modern sensibilities the way people like Gerry Conway or Peter David or JM DeMatteis have, but maybe they shouldn't be given miniseries, I guess.
5.0
 Wolverine: Patch (2022) #2 Feb 6, 2023

I think that these spotlight issues are never given the full creative force that they should be given. If you're going to do these celebratory issues, at least put your best talent of whichever demographic it is on these issues. There are plenty of female creators that could've done a better job here.

Bleh. Don't find Mark Russell's writing that funny. Nor do I find his social commentary to be all that unique or interesting. I've been on the internet before. So what we've got here is a serviceable story that just sort of exists! Great.

I thought this was fine. I think it was a little hollow. I never really found that stakes all that high and I didn't really find anything in this as inspiring as the writing and art wanted me to. It just wasn't set up properly, I think.

Meh.

Things certainly happen here.

Just filler. Nothing awful, but nothing worth reading.

Damn it, not Grail again.

This is just a very underwhelming book.

Meh.

Again, this event is incredibly tedious and boring, and such a slog. I do not understand what the appeal is here. It's just the epitome of what's wrong with how DC has handled Wonder Woman for years.
5.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #786 Nov 6, 2022

This isn't that bad. It's not great. I'd struggle to call it good. I think it's fine. But that ending fucking sucks. Not a great way to kick off the next run, for sure.

This issue is an exercise in restraint, or lack thereof. King has this idea to have this Amazo Bot spew out Charles Dickens quotes the entire issue, and while there are certainly parallels between the quotes and what is happening, I don't think it works. It's functional, sure, but it's not engaging and it takes you out of the issue the entire read. That coupled with some god awful dialogue from multiple characters, and you've got a rather grating issue. The backup is what saves the day, as always. King can inject Damian, Jon and Trinity with such character and personality, but god forbid any of that trickles upward towards Diana.
5.0
 X-Cellent (2022) #5 Feb 6, 2023

I'm glad this series is done. This had a lot of potential, that was wasted. I don't know what the behind the scenes for this book was like, but yeah... This is the Fallen Angels of Reign of X.

Steve Orlando strikes again.
5.0
 X-Men: Days of Future Past - Doomsday (2023) #3 May 8, 2024
5.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #19 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #35 Jul 21, 2019

You know, I never read Peter David's X-Factor. If I had, I assume this would've hit better. The story is nothing special though. I did like Quicksilver's perspective on the non-mutant hero teams, at least.

This is a really boring series. I don't know why it's lasted this long.

This is very mid. It's just a very forgettable Wolverine story. Not worth your time.

I mean, sure, yes, okay.

5.0
 X-Treme X-Men (2022) #1 Feb 6, 2023

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This was fine. I don't really have any strong feelings about this issue one way or the other and therefore have nothing to talk about.
5.0
 Zombies Assemble: 2 #1 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Zombies Assemble #2 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Zombies Assemble #3 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Zombies Assemble: 2 #3 Jul 21, 2019
5.0
 Zombies Assemble: 2 #4 Jul 21, 2019

This isn't too bad, but I don't like the art, and the story hits all the obvious beats. It exists.

DispatchDCU is wrong in his review saying that this mini had nothing to do with Iron Man 2020. The idea of AI and its rights are the entire point of Iron Man 2020. It's a tie-in to the theme of the event and how the characters in Ironheart deal with it. That being said, this was fine. Unnecessary, but fine.

Even playing to nostalgia doesn't really make this interesting for me. I can't imagine what someone going in blind would think. Thankfully, this is only two issues.

These anthologies are always tiring to get through. For every good story, there are a bunch that aren't. Skin the Cat was fine. It didn't leave an impression. Now You See Me was also just fine. Helena had more of the awful dialogue between Batman and Catwoman that Tom King's run on Batman relished in. But the ending was nice. I don't understand where the dialogue pattern came from or why it developed the way that it did, but it's like a knife to the story's Achilles tendon. It takes something that could be great and ruins it. The Catwoman of Earth is just nonsensical and awful. A Cat of Nine Tales has an interesting concept but the execution was a bit off. Little Bird was just oddly weird and very specific. I don't know what the writer was going for, honestly. Is that her version of Year One Catwoman? Born to Kiln was just a fun, simple story. Conventional Wisdom was a fun meta story, and I liked it. Addicted to Trouble was pretty damn boring. I was thinking of jumping back on to the Catwoman series since a new writer was taking over, but this short story convinced me to stay away. The Art of Picking A Lock was nice. It was not a bad way to end this anthology.

5.5
 Action Comics (2016) #993 Oct 9, 2018

Slightly above meh. The Question returns and I hope Bendis realizes he's not Rorschach, but that's for later issues. We'll see. I'm not very interested in the Metropolis crime world so far. None of the characters are particularly original. Clark is very happy about staying separated from his wife and child for reasons... It doesn't fit the Rebirth Superman run, but who cares?? Bendis pokes fun at One More Day because he's never done anything like that. I mean, if you ignore his last five years at Marvel at least. Oh, and his first year at DC if you remember last issue. Of course Red Cloud is one of the OCs Bendis introduced for his Superman run. No one saw that coming. No one. And I guess the stuff with the firefighter is something. The only reason this isn't a straight 5 is because the art is really good. Action Comics is just a dull series.

This series is too busy trying to establish these new characters created for this run, so there's not a ton left for Superman to do. He lets the villain go because Red Mist truly deserves more than one arc. She's the golden child of Leviathan for no particularly good reason. Much like Superman, this arc didn't really end, it just stopped. I was excited to see more Question this time around, after his appearance last issue, but he's not here, making his appearance feel all the more like filler. Despite all this, there were a few good moments, like Superman using his X-Ray vision and when he consoles the fire chief. But overall, still a lackluster issue.

This was fine, but still way too bland for my tastes.

This wasn't horribly written. I just have trouble finding a reason to care.

This just isn't very good.

Meh. Things happen.

The problem with this issue is the same as all of them. The writing isn't bad, but god damn, Salvador Larroca just does this book no favors at all. The art is terrible. You need a good artist on the horror comic, Marvel.

We get a new Kraven story and it's... Fine. Nothing as good as the last few issues, but nothing terrible. It just wasn't as engaging and I don't really have anything to say about it. Quote of the issue: "...But Spider-Man I've Been... And Shall Always be... For as Long as I Live."

I really enjoyed the Conway/Bagley story. Too bad Ralph Macchio and Erik Larsen have to come in and tank the score.

Angel, as a television series, always flirted with Noir. Most obviously in its first season, before the larger narrative took shape. And this issue feels like one of those episodes. And look, I have a lot of nostalgia for Angel's first season, but I'll admit that it could be a bit rough. And so is this issue. It doesn't really fit the tone of the series and feels contrived at points. The dialogue really took some getting used to as the writer had some... interesting quirks he kept exploring. The art was also a bit rough in places. And honestly, if you keep referencing the Hyperion and implying one of the television series' best episodes (as well as a killer period piece), "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been", maybe write something that works as well as that episode does. Or you know, at least come close. Angel's past gives writers a chance to tell all sorts of interesting stories, but unfortunately this isn't one of them.

A slight improvement over the last issue does not make this series suddenly great. I don't have the energy to bash this title more than I already have. What makes it worse is that I think Cantwell is a good writer, he just totally missed the point here. The one saving grace is that this issue captures some of Angel's funny ego that Boreanaz played so well in the show. But that's about it.

I found this to be a mostly boring issue.

There's a lot of silly writing here. It kind of brings the whole thing down for me. It's fine.

I liked the last page or so. The rest was very middling.

Meh, this just isn't too interesting. Every time the story has a chance to go in an unexpected direction, it slides right into the obvious.

I mean, at least something happens that feels like it's actually going to affect the story. But it's not very interesting, unfortunately.
5.5
 Aquaman (2016) Annual #1 Oct 9, 2018

This is a giant exposition issue, and you either care or you don't. I don't.

I really hope this tie-in to the Riverdale spin-off was worth it. Probably not since it was canceled. I was sticking with this arc because I figured Nick Spencer was going to come back afterwards, since it's clear there's way more to the story he was telling. But I've looked, and there's not another Archie issue in the foreseeable future (as far back as October), and there's nothing in this issue that gives any hint about what's happening with this title next. Is it canceled? On hiatus? What? This arc has been lackluster to say the least. It's a shame, since I was really enjoying Archie before this. I hope it comes back, with Nick Spencer writing it, but I guess for now this is it.
5.5
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #6 Oct 9, 2018

Like most anthologies, this was a mixed bag. Luckily, even the lesser stories never overstayed their welcome. But it was also a detriment, because the potential of the good stories was cut short. The Eyes Have It was mostly a miss. Mostly because of the short length. Suspense wasn't able to properly build. Although, Matt ripping his eyes out at the end was very much my style. Whatever Happened to the Richards Family? was a fun idea, but things went too quickly. The Thing From Another Time was probably the best story here. It's plainly a Thing homage but it works well within the timeframe given and manages to be compelling enough. Punisher of the Opera doesn't seem to fit the horror theme. I mean, it's Phantom of the Opera, but it is immediately turned into a Punisher story that doesn't focus on the horror of its character, but rather just making it a standard Punisher story which has been more of an action/crime variety. Haunted Mansion is easily the weakest story here, it's never compelling. But it does end on a happy note, for some reason.

I don't mind the writing here. I think the story could be better executed but whatever. The art is atrocious. Derek Landy had an unsinkable titanic, and Greg Land is the iceberg, holy shit. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Bleh. At least it's not Female Furies bad. The Oracle thing looks like it'll be another Technology Bad story, so I'm not too interested in that. The stuff with Jason Bard is also completely throwaway to me. I don't care about their budding romance. The Killer Moth stuff was probably the best part of the issue, but that was just a thing that happened.
5.5
 Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #18 Oct 10, 2018
5.5
 Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #21 Oct 10, 2018
5.5
 Batman (2016) #43 Oct 10, 2018
5.5
 Batman (2016) #47 Oct 10, 2018

Aside from the art by Jorge Jiminez, this isn't worth reading. The plot seems very slow and not much happened here. It's just a very uninteresting issue.

A Serious House is a good start to the anthology. It's not spectacular, but I can't argue with the Joker here. It's just shitting on City of Bane a bit, which is fine by me. Family Ties is fine. It's competently written, but doesn't really do much with its page count. I think maybe the Fox family should ask Bruce Wayne what he wants done with the money, instead of assuming he wants it back or wants them to have it. Seems like a way to set that straight quickly. But Lucius does seem a bit unhinged, so maybe that's why he wants to take it. This doesn't really get me excited for John Ridley's Batman miniseries, but there wasn't time for much here. The Symbol is fine as well. I don't like the art and the story was serviceable. It was really all there just for that ending, which I'm sure some people were super excited about. I love Cassandra Cain's Batgirl costume, so I wish its return was drawn by someone better. But that's fine. Ashes of Eden is pretty weak. It seems like DC doesn't know what to do with Poison Ivy, and Queen Ivy is not what I'd call an interesting new status quo. Clown Hunt is fine. I'm not on board with Clownhunter as a character. But it's not offensive or anything.

I sorta blew up on the Red Hood review, I don't have much else to say. This event ends as most events seem to, with little consequence. For now, at least. I know the very end has a very big tease, but it's nearly March and we still haven't gotten a pay off, so I'm fine with my statement.

A lot of your feelings towards this issue will depend on how you feel about the greater DCU, specifically Snyder and Tynion's giant Justice League run. I don't like the larger narrative of the DCU. I find it boring and stupid. So, this issue is just Batman and Superman wallowing in the status quo... It's only passable because it offers hope that this nonsense will end eventually.

This just isn't very interesting.

This was fine, there wasn't much to it. The dialogue could've been better. But the art was good and the story was fine.

This was fine. Nothing spectacular, but nothing bad, per se. It's just there.

Meh.

I don't think this is very good. It really comes down to the dialogue. It's just very stilted and wrong. I don't know why but it seems like there's a self important feeling to this comic that should not be there.

This is another so-so issue of a so-so series. Bryan Hill can, on occasion, write some fantastic comics. I'm 100% genuine when I say that. Although, a big problem with his writing is his dialogue. It can be overwrought and clinical, especially when he's writing characters with a mystic sort of side to them. It really hurts this book. I mean, it's not Fallen Angels, but it's also not Angel. It's in the middle between a garbage fire and a decent time. It is, perhaps worst of all, mediocre. On top of that, some of the story decisions only make sense in the context that this guy writes for DC Universe's Titans. Some scenes here genuinely do not work and makes previous issues pointless. I don't understand what that's about. And all this is a shame because the art is honestly good.

This was fine. I didn't like the art. I wasn't really satisfied by this ending. And Bruce is a bitch.
5.5
 Batman Beyond (2016) #17 Oct 10, 2018

I guess this was good enough...

Honestly, pretty much everything besides the ending has left me cold. I don't like Harley and Bruce as a pairing. That reads like bad fanfiction to me. I don't like the Wayne lore. It just bores me. Azrael is kind of a drag. I want to like this comic but I find it mediocre.

This is such a miss of a sequel. The tonal shift, the exceptionally more cartoonish villain, etc. It's just really odd.
5.5
 Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Robin vs. Ra's Al Ghul #1 Oct 10, 2018

The Joker and Psycho-Pirate stories were good, but the rest were very forgettable, and outright bad. Especially the Bane story. Tim Seeley strikes again.

Big old meh.

I mean, the Azrael story has potential as far as I'm concerned, but the rest... you could skip without regret.
5.5
 Batman: Urban Legends (2021) #16 Sep 27, 2022
5.5
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #22 Oct 10, 2018
5.5
 Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #2 Oct 10, 2018

This issue is kind of a slog to get through. Allegory and theme aside, I don't think this issue offers much. I think it's kind of a problem that Coates focuses so much on theming that he lets story come second. The back-up was fine, not long enough to get anything out of, really.
5.5
 Black Panther: Long Live The King #2 Oct 10, 2018

Just boring after the 5th page or so.

At least it went quickly.

5.5
 Cable/Deadpool Annual #1 Oct 18, 2018
5.5
 Captain Marvel (2017) #128 Oct 18, 2018

For a painfully slow arc, this last issue was painfully rushed. I think Joelle Jones tried to do too much with this opening arc and the ending was underwhelming because it had no time to breathe or really be built up to.

I just read this so I could say I read all the Joker War comics. This isn't even a Joker War tie-in, don't let the banner fool you. It seems like Ram V has set up a lot of stuff and... I just couldn't care less. I'm sorry, I don't think Catwoman is for me.

Eh, not sad to see this end. The Champions was a cool concept, that unfortunately hasn't been done effectively yet. Mark Waid just didn't seem like he knew what to do with it. Jim Zub tried his best to make them something bigger, and I liked that, and it didn't sell. Now we have the Outlawed era, which blew up thanks to COVID. So... I hope Marvel gets a top tier creative team on this title when they inevitably resurrect it. You need a big name writing it or it won't sell, and a big name will take risks with the title too.
5.5
 Cloak and Dagger (2018) #4 Oct 18, 2018

Some of the stories were good, like the Etrigan one and the (shocking as it is to say) Swamp Thing one. Some were bad like the Green Arrow one or the Black Lightning and Katana one. Also, while the Zatanna story was cute and stuff, it didn't really fit the horror theme so that was a letdown because Tynion IV can definitely do horror.
5.5
 Damage (2018) Annual #1 Oct 20, 2018

This was fine. Just a middling sort of book. Maybe it'll get better, maybe it'll get worse. It's up in the air.

Woof. This is just a lot. That refreshing feeling from last time? That's gone know. You have to turn your brain off for this one... Hell, don't even turn it off, set it to dumb. This event has quickly turned into what the original Metal was and what Justice League was, which is just things happening and then the characters explaining why it happened because it's never been properly set up. It just happens! I don't have the patience for that. I really think the Batman Who Laughs getting Dr. Manhattan powers is a meta commentary on DC squeezing that fruit dry. But I'm not sure if I should assume that that's what it is. This is tiring and I'm no longer being nice about it.

I really just hate anthologies and this is not the worst one. This doesn't really give any more information than what could be gleaned from the main event, aside from some stuff that doesn't ultimately matter, like where does Harley's giant Hyena come from. I'll just very briefly go through my thoughts on each story and we can all stop wasting time on this issue: The Fall of Earth - Again, this could all be gleaned from the main event. The heroes lost, who could've suspected? I find it funny that the super special Manhattan doorway was just another false hope situation in the end. I guess since they're not all dead yet, there's still hope lol. Queen of the Desert - I was kinda looking forward to this one because Chip Zdarsky writes some awesome comics like Daredevil, but turns out, he can't do much with a few pages for a character as annoying as Harley. To be fair, she is way less annoying here than she is usually, and I could tolerate her. The story just doesn't have the time to do more with it though, which is the biggest problem with anthologies. The Umibozu - I really enjoy the art here. The story is less compelling, but honestly, this is a top contender in this anthology. What does that tell you? Shut up, I don't have bad taste. Seeds of Hope - This didn't give me a ton of hope. It's fine. That's all I can say. I'm not really attached to Poison Ivy as a character, so maybe I didn't care as much when her heart was broken. Dragonlance - This one starts off really well but it devolves into the worst of Priest's tendencies as a writer. But I really liked the art at least. It reminded me of "Not Quite Jorge Fornes," which was good enough. The info pages are pretty much worthless in my opinion. They don't really give us useful information. Compare this to, like, how HoX/PoX over at Marvel did it, and this just looks worse. But I guess it needed to be a Guidebook! Also, I had trouble reading some of it. I had to zoom in like an old man. So the design of the info pages also probably should've taken a hint from X-Men. All in all, this is better than Legends of the Dark Knights, but it's like going from bad to mediocre. It's not a great achievement.

I'm very ambivalent about this issue. There were plenty of good moments, but they're clothed in less than stellar writing and overall, just the overwhelming albatross that is Death Metal.

I couldn't be bothered to go through each and every story. I just don't have that patience for this event. The worst story was Dust of a Distant Storm. It just felt like it went on forever, and wasn't very interesting. The best story was Man of Tomorrow. Mark Waid is good at writing Superman, it turns out. Who knew? Not editorial.

This felt less like a character being broken down and more like a horror comic that Spider-Man was just shunted into. It doesn't feel like the writer really knew what to do with Peter. Is The Unraveling a cool concept? Sure. It just... feels wasted here for shock rather than real substance. It's cynical, and I won't deny that streak in myself and in my own writing, but... even I know, you need to warrant said cynicism, at least a bit.

I told myself I wouldn't read this one but I am a masochist, I guess. Anthologies are usually all over the place, and in the case of these holiday themed ones, used as sort of a testing grounds for smaller writers. In my opinion, that leads to a lot of these anthologies being mediocre at best. But maybe this one will be the exception to the rule. The Limits of Control by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman is something that I can only describe as cute. I feel like they take a couple liberties with the concept of AI. And I understand the whole history of Brother Eye, but still... Batman's suspicious of a coffee maker at the end. That's very cute. The art is honestly great, though, so that's a plus. Fandom by Andrew Constant and Nicola Scott is just plain weird, and a bit of a cringe inducer. "Just so you know, Wonder Woman likes anime. UwU" Everyone loves anime now. I disagree with Nihilist on this one. You can approach this with an open mind all you want. It never approaches funny. It's just sort of a waste. The art was pretty good though. Summer Camp by Stephanie Phillips and Leila Del Duca is fine. It tells a wholesome sort of story we've all read a million times before. Everything about it is competent. Nothing more to it than that though. The Boys of Summer by Heath Corson and Scott Koblish is just a mess. Too much is crammed into the story and that makes reading it a chore. It feels like a rookie mistake. Something I've done myself in an attempt at making comics. I know Heath Corson works on the DC animated movies. Maybe he should stick with that. The art is good, but it's covered up by so much text. The Speedster Games by Joshua Williamson and David Lefuente is mediocre. Much like Williamson's Flash run. It's just not very interesting and it's a rehash of concepts that Williamson has already rehashed before. I'm not a fan of David Lefuente's art. Haven't been since his stint on Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man. Summer Lovin' by Liz Erickson and Nik Virella is actually a lot of fun. I really like stupid Silver Age stories and this did a good job capturing the feeling of that (without also filling the pages with words thankfully.). This may be a standout for the anthology. We'll see. Out There by Steve Orlando and Paul Pelletier is actually not that bad. I am a fan of Monsieur Mallah and the Brain, so whenever they're used, I'm a bit softened. I've never read Steve Orlando's Midnighter and Apollo, but I've heard it's good even by people who typically don't like his writing. And this short story is honestly another standout for the anthology, so maybe I should check that out soon. Splish Splash Special by Che Grayson and Marguerite Sauvage is dreadful. I don't like modern Harley Quinn at all, and this is just that. This is terrible. Summer Bummer by Max Bemis and Greg Smallwood is the only story in this anthology that I actually had an interest in reading. Max Bemis wrote some great stuff over at Marvel, including a severely underrated Foolkiller miniseries and a mostly good Moon Knight run (It kind of unraveled at the end, and that was most likely caused by Max Bemis' life unraveling at the same time), so I'm glad he's back in comics. Greg Smallwood is an amazing artist. This had to be great, and it was pretty good! It was definitely a bit weird, but the message was solid and it was constructed well. But it definitely wasn't what I was expecting from a Robotman story by Max Bemis. Catfish Crisis by Stuart Moore and Cully Hamner is honestly a fun way to round out the anthology. Nothing amazing, but it left me feeling like this wasn't all a complete waste of time. Overall, this anthology is mixed. I don't see it being worth the $9.99 unless you read all of it, but not all of it is good, and therein is where the issue lies.

This was relatively fine. Some stories were better than others. The Cassandra Cain story was my favorite. The story that this issue is named after was a bit overdone. I completely agree with the sentiment, but I felt like I was reading a pamphlet more than anything. Like Mr. A, but without the terrible objectivism. I support this kind of thing that DC is doing, especially considering the rise in hate crimes perpetuated against Asians recently. Hence why I read it. But I just wish the content in all these giant anthologies were of a higher overall quality.
5.5
 DC's Grifter Got Run Over by a Reindeer (2022) #1 Jan 12, 2023

The art is really not good, and the story is kind of boring. The only good moment was when Hawkman was pulled into the Land of Nightshades.

A bit boring, honestly. But hey! There's only one more chapter.
5.5
 Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan #3 Oct 20, 2018
5.5
 Deathstroke (2016) #26 Oct 20, 2018

I feel like the last thing we need with something like Priest's writing is an unreal drug trip where you can't trust what you read. Usually, when you read his work, it can be confusing but eventually it comes together and you figure out where all the pieces go and that can be a really fun and rewarding experience. But a good portion of this arc just isn't real so I don't think we'll get that same experience this time around, and we will just stay confused. A good portion of this issue is spent with Death Masque, which is clearly a parody of Deadpool. And that's fun, I guess. That's it. Just fun. Then we have the stuff with Two Face and Rose. I don't care about this at all. And I'm not sure why Two Face does. The whole subplot with Rose's multiple personalities, most specifically Willow, has mostly fallen flat for me. And the final part, Hugo Strange is trying to fix Deathstroke and he succeeds by making Deathstroke kill his doctor. Which would have more impact if she had played a larger role and wasn't just in this super confusing arc. And then, Jericho and Wintergreen stop Strange. And Death Masque shows up with a getaway van. I think next issue will be a lot more straightforward. Deathstroke and the others will save Rose from Two Face and I'm not a fan of easily the worst sub plot becoming the focus. Oh, and then they'll stop that alien invasion, I guess. This issue was messy and failed to deliver on what was clearly supposed to be big moments for these characters. Despite that, I didn't hate it. I was just mostly unimpressed.
5.5
 Detective Comics (2016) #989 Oct 20, 2018

This is neat, but I'm not invested in the story.

The first story was fine, if a bit jumbled and messy. The second story was odd, but it had some pretty cool body horror, so that's something.

Meh. This wasn't bad, really. I was just incredibly uninterested in all that happened. I can recognize that the writing wasn't intrinsically bad. I just... I just don't care about this.

Better than usual, but still not good.

An uneven miniseries comes to an end with a slightly enjoyable final issue.

Anthologies are rough and Elektra isn't an amazing character. This issue was fine, with only the first story being worth reading.

Meh. I didn't dislike this. But it was literally just a recap of what we already know with a little bit more of analyzation of what's happened by the characters.

This was a bad ending. I don't mind endings where the heroes lose, but to have Iron Man come out of nowhere and fuck all this up is so annoying to me. I don't think this was worth eight whole parts. This felt like a waste of time.

Why does this series spend the bulk of its issues on boring drama, only to then have cool visuals at the very end that are hardly followed up on in the next issue?

5.5
 Falcon (2017) #1 Nov 6, 2018

This was pretty boring, but that one page after Victorious spills the tea to Doom adds half a point. It's so good. I would frame that. The rest of the issue is a lot of set up and climbing action. I don't care about Sky, Mr. Slott. Honestly, just make this a Namor and Doom comic, with guest stars Reed and Ben. That's what I want here, and yet there's so much baggage that drags everything else down. SMEK

This is probably not worth the money. The art is good, and that third annual is very well written for its time, but I mean, this is something you should only get if you just love the FF that much. Maybe if you haven't read these stories before, but it's unclear if they work together on their own.

So, the writer continues to misunderstand what emotionless means. I can't get over it. It's such a fundamental flaw with this comic.

Well, I'm glad we could slow down the plot to focus on obligatory romance. That may be a sassy thing to say, but I'm a sassy man. This issue has some redeeming qualities. Like, for instance, there's not too many characters in this one and the ones that are around have reason for being emotive. So, this issue doesn't fall into the usual trap this series does where the whole Emotional Exploit plot line is kind of a farce. Is this the most original story? No. Is it predictable? Yes. I don't see much special in this comic. It has good art (It is sometimes messy. Maybe Jamal Campbell is getting rushed.) and with what's happening in the US, and is now spreading to Canada and the UK, at least, it is somewhat prescient. Unfortunately, when you tackle something like this, it's important that you don't dumb it down or somehow lessen the impact of it. I think this series does that? Is that a controversial opinion? Probably. But I don't care. I already feel myself having to bob and weave through the pitfalls of judgment from the people I know will read this. My opinions and how they relate to this series' use of these themes are too complicated and boring for this review. I just feel like it's not doing enough. It's not exploring the roots of the problem, even with the whole colonization backstory. It's just been overly simplified. I guess to some people it is as simple as this comic is making it, but not for me. And as I sassily mentioned earlier, they're taking time for an obligatory romance with the enemy. Jo is now getting calls from every female superhero from the 90s. It's taking time away from a metaphorical alien story that couldn't be kept straight in the last 5 issues, and severely needs more development and nuance for my tastes.

Bleh. The first story was okay. The second one had its moments, but felt off. The third was really rushed.

The Camp story was fine. I feel like each issue, it gets slightly better, but it's not reaching new heights, exactly. The Hellcat story, to my surprise, was pretty good until it really fell apart in the ending. Like, REALLY fell apart. I can see how Zoe Quinn could drive someone to kill themselves now. The final Jubilee story was pointless and cringey. So all in all, this was mediocre.

It was better than this series usually is.

This wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be.

This was fine, but I don't have much to say about it. And it's good to know the editors don't care enough to proofread the comics anymore. See: that page where Reverse Flash and Flash were suddenly switched.

You and I both know this is a mediocre comic.

I mean, this is fine, but I can't say it's really holding my interest.

This was uneven. Shockingly, I enjoyed the story by Joshua Williamson. It wasn't amazing, but I had a good time. The story by Ram V was so boring and I don't know why. I liked his run on Justice League Dark a lot more than this.

This was alright, but I found myself counting pages.

The prospects of reading this comic kinda halted me for several days. I just didn't want to read it. But I read a lot, and a new week is fast approaching. So I finally forced myself through this. It was... Fine. The first story wasn't a good first step for Phillip Kennedy Johnson, because literally every Superman writer does this issue. It's cute the first several times, but after that, it loses its luster. It wasn't bad or anything though, just kind of like, it felt like it was going through the motions to get to the Planet Hulk plot... Next issue. Plus, he throws in an odd moment where a Muslim looking woman is about to suicide bomb Jerusalem...? I looked into it and by that, I mean, I looked on his Twitter. And he seemed like a moderately progressive person, with some based takes on Batgirl and how her personality switch is bad. But I also saw that he completely ignored the suicide bombing thing, saying that the scene was not a political take just because Superman saved someone in Israel once. I think we can all agree that there's probably more to that scene than Superman saving someone. It's extremely loaded. It was a weird thing to put in your comic, if your comic isn't supposed to be at all about that. But I liked the art, at least! The Mister Miracle story was fine, I guess. I didn't like the art or the story, but it didn't drag too much. Don't have shit to say about it. The Midnighter story was fun to me. I like the frantic art, the writing reminded me a bit of Becky Cloonan's Punisher run a few years back. The Black Racer story just seems like someone had an indie pitch but DC came calling and they seized the opportunity as best they could. It does not fit with the rest, and I'm shocked there's a part two.

This was fine, I guess. It really seems like Tim Sheridan was *doing something* with his Future State titles. Interconnecting all of them into... A big convoluted mess. I wish I could say his vision was worth reading all these subpar comics, but it wasn't. Maybe the last chapter of Black Adam can turn it all around. I doubt it.

The Clark Kent story was a very large improvement over part one. The Mister Miracle story, I couldn't care less about. The Midnighter story was a significant downgrade from part one. The Black Racer story was a whole lot of nothing.

Well... I liked the main Batman story. But I found the backups boring and a chore to get through.

I don't know why this series exists. It just feels boring and lazy. I don't see it lasting too long, given its higher price.
5.5
 Generation X (2017) #9 Nov 6, 2018

A bit too long and very... comic-y. It was fine. I liked the first part more.
5.5
 Green Arrow (2016) #43 Nov 6, 2018

I really do not like anthologies. They're rough and they go everywhere. The Disappearing Bandit by Mariko Tamaki is an allegedly fun throwback to simpler, silver age Green Arrow stories. I say allegedly because I didn't find it very fun, but rather tiresome, and I've read very little silver age Green Arrow. It's fine. Punching Evil by Tom Taylor is a lot of fun. I love the art by Nicola Scott and the story is cute. Nothing much to say about it. Who Watches the Watchtower? by Stephanie Phillips is another really fun one. I like the smartass attitude Ollie has here. Probably because I'm also a smartass. The art again is pretty great here. ...Just the Usual Sort of Stuff by Mike Grell is not my favorite in terms of writing, but I do really enjoy the artwork. The Arrow and the Song by Ram V is a verifiable dud for me. I just plain found it boring. One by Brandon Thomas is the same as the previous story. I was shocked to find that Brandon Thomas wrote it, since I usually like his work. I was convinced it was Joshua Williamson the whole time. Green-Man and Autumn-Son by Devin Grayson also didn't work for me. I get what the intention was. I think representation for indigenous people is important. But man, this was boring. Star City Star by Phil Hester is good. I don't have anything to say, really. Happy Anniversary by Vita Ayala is cute, but not very interesting. The Sympathy of the Woods by Ben Percy is boring. Much like his Rebirth run. But of course, there's a bit about Socialism in it. And that scorned at least one user, for no good reason. SONOFBATMANN, aka SONOFBADTAKESS, really got annoyed with the brain-dead message that this story has. To briefly sum it up, Ollie compares a forest to socialism, and says, "There's no greed or loneliness. Everybody takes care of one another. That's how you survive and grow. Community, sympathy." I don't know the specifics of what SONOFBATMANN finds dumb here. I would assume it's the idea that Socialism leads to a communal society where there's no greed. And not that community and sympathy don't lead to survival and growth. But I guess I'll cover both. Socialism is essentially the idea of a social ownership of the means of production, and the abolishment of the commodity form. Now, you can get in the weeds here, as there are different forms of socialism, but we'll cover both Market and Non-Market Socialism. In Market Socialism, the use of monetary prices, factor markets and the profit motive are maintained, with respect to the operation of socially owned enterprises and the allocation of capital goods between them. The profits generated in this system would be directly controlled by the democratic workforce, or dispersed into society as a whole. In Non-Market Socialism, the profit system and capital accumulation doesn't exist in favor of economic planning. In either of these systems, greed is an eliminated factor as the people are no longer exploited for their labor, and the profits are dispersed equally, either to the democratic workplace or to society at large. And if you couldn't tell, both of these systems would be extremely communal. And to cover our bases, community and sympathy are integral to societal survival and growth. We are social animals with developed emotions and language to express those feelings, we thrive with our ability to empathize and sympathize with one another, as that allows us to learn and work together towards common goals. Without community and sympathy, humanity would not be where it is now. That's all, I just think people need to do some research! The Last Green Arrow Story by Jeff Lemire was very confusing to me. I never read Jeff Lemire's Green Arrow run so that's probably why. The art was good though. Tap, Tap, Tap by Larry O'Neil is hands down the best story here. A beautiful tribute to one of the most influential comics creators ever. If it doesn't hit you in your emotions at least a little bit, you need to do some self-reflection.

This is very weird issue, and not in a good way. The first half of this book read as nonsense, but it did get better by the end. That makes for an unfortunate reading experience though.

I'm really starting to get annoyed with how this series is written. It's like every single issue is its own thing, and it makes as much sense as it can in its own context. But there is an overarching story that I just can't figure out. I see the hardcore fans of this series praising these issues as revolutionary, and they also allude to this vague overarching narrative that I feel like I'm only realizing in the most surface level sense. If someone wants to comment and explain what the fuck the narrative is, be my guest. This issue has its moments. I think incel Hal is fine. I think the art is cool at times. That's about it though. I find the story kinda boring.

This was fine, I guess. I don't really like stereotypical stoner characters from the 90s, but apparently Morrison didn't get the memo that this was a tired trope. Otherwise, it sure did exist.

At this point, you're in or you're out. I'm out.
5.5
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #33 Jul 19, 2019
5.5
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #34 Jul 19, 2019

I don't care about this at all.

This isn't very good. It's fine. It just really feels pointless, and it's not very fun at all.
5.5
 Harley Quinn (2016) #38 Jul 19, 2019
5.5
 Harley Quinn (2016) #46 Jul 19, 2019

Oh. Another issue of fighting... I'm glad they made sure to hit 12 issues. Doesn't feel repetitive at all. At least it's done and we can move on to the next story. Hopefully, it will have better pacing. But what am I saying? It's Robert Venditti.

A bit too boring for me to really enjoy.

Another issue, another big action scene. I don't know if it was explicitly mentioned last issue, but I thought it was pretty obvious why Sky Tyrant killed. I don't think that reveal is effective. If it's a reveal at all... Maybe this will eventually go somewhere cool.

This is a big old meh.
5.5
 Hunt For Wolverine: Mystery In Madripoor #4 Jul 19, 2019
5.5
 Iceman (2017) #9 Jul 19, 2019

Yikes, a major downturn.

This was fine, I guess. Nothing stood out, but nothing annoyed me. I just thought it was pretty bland. Not much to say.

I just have such a hard time caring about this.

Meh, this was fine. It's just mindless action for most of the issue, which again is just fine. And the ending is kind of interesting, which is much more than anything the previous arc gave us.

The Bendis part wasn't as annoying as I assumed it would be, although that first page seemed very desperate. This was fine. The back up was also fine. I feel like Ram V takes a second to get going so a 10 page back up isn't very helpful.

I don't know what it is, but I just feel fatigue from this. I don't really look forward to this title. I think it's repetitive, and I'm tired of this magic is dying story. It doesn't feel like it is going to end soon but every arc expects the reader to think that this time it's actually really important and the stakes couldn't be higher. Cue next arc where things are even worse and it's actually really important. I think I just don't have the patience for these attempts at pulling a Hickman. It takes a lot of talent and some luck to make that work, and you actually need an idea and a story dense enough to warrant that type of long epic storytelling. And you need to be willing to delve into the minutia of it, and not just do the same arc again with a bigger baddie and even highest-er stakes. It becomes boring and monotonous.

I really liked Kyle Hotz's art. And I liked seeing superhero Hellblazer again... Aside from that, this is really not good. The exposition and dialogue is just atrocious. I really don't understand what happened here. Infinite Frontier perhaps dealt with even more expansive lore, but wasn't so stilted. Was this written in a hurry to fit in Batman or something? I'm really lost for what happened.

This was a little above average. I hope we get some actual explanations for everything, but who knows? Some of the dialogue isn't very good. It's basically just some of the ideas that intrigue me and the brisk pace probably didn't hurt.

Killmonger is betrayed by Knight, in what had to be the most telegraphed twist ever. At least they didn't try to keep that farce of a romance going. I just don't understand what they point of most of this series was. We get an issue to see Killmonger do what we all know this was leading to. The rest of the series is just an aside. Still, this issue was a little bit better. If only for the art and action sequences.

The only reason I was interested in this issue was because of the promise that it would define the Question's continuity, but this issue doesn't do that. It just confuses it even more. I'm just hopeful that next issue finally sets it straight. I'm not talking about the other plotline because I just really couldn't care less. Overall, I didn't mind reading this, I just wish I cared.

This series is really all over the place. It's bad when a few pages of Batman are better than the last 8 issues of Lois Lane, plus the pages she's in this time around. This series feels almost enthusiastically uninterested in Lois Lane herself. Which, y'know, I can see, when she's doing her Instagram pose on the cover to show how hard she cares. She's an increasingly arrogant character that never really shows, even in her own series, why she's so full of herself. Or why we should like her. Or why she deserves the praise she constantly gets. I don't know what the plot is anymore beyond the assassination attempt and the tendrils of plot outreaching from that, but I know that's not how this series started. We've got 3 issues before this is over, and it feels like barely anything of note has happened. Just make the rest of this series a Batman/Question comic. That would be fine with me. I know it's what the creative team really wants.

This felt kind of rushed and uneventful.

The worst part of this issue was the new material because Rob Liefeld can't write well at all. The two Wolverine issues that were reprinted were better. Probably because Liefeld didn't write the scripts. Still, this was a glorified reprint and incredibly pointless. But I guess I didn't hate the two Wolverine issues that much. Deadpool was there and he was written pretty well.

Nothing special, but not bad.
5.5
 Marvel Rising: Omega #1 Jul 20, 2019

So, I'm very incredulous about this one-shot, but maybe it'll surprise me. Souls Afire is a one-page story that exists. Race also just sort of exists. Black Widow: Be No Evil exists too. A Diamond's Worth... I'm slightly biased towards since I like Emma Frost. It was okay. Assemble! is nice. I'm sure I'd get more out of it if I were gayer. Inspiration is *great*. I genuinely love it. It's horrific and perfect. ...A Friend Indeed was cute. Like with the other story, I'm biased, as I read every issue of Moon Girl. Perspective is genuinely funny. Top of the Key is also one I'm biased towards. I like Mosaic. I thought he had potential as a character. And the tease of a continuation of his story is something that intrigues me. What a Wonderful World sure does exist. Death was neat. In Christmas Blues, whenever Charlamagne's not on page, all the other characters should be asking, "Where's Charlamagne?" Punishment is really tone deaf. And lastly, Back to Madripoor is fun. Not sure why Hulk is grey at some points, but I chalk that up to a coloring error as the rest of how Immortal Hulk is handled is on point. Overall, this was a very mixed bag, but Inspiration makes it worth reading, honestly.

This is a lackluster finale. The story is a bit rushed.

Not very engaging. I really don't know why this exists.
5.5
 Monsters Unleashed (2017) #8 Jul 20, 2019
5.5
 Monsters Unleashed (2017) #9 Jul 20, 2019
5.5
 Monsters Unleashed (2017) #12 Jul 20, 2019
5.5
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #34 Jul 20, 2019
5.5
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #24 Jul 20, 2019

This was a slog for me to get through. I don't mind the writing, but I'm just having trouble staying engaged with this series.

This was okay. Nothing here was actively bad aside from the old Adam Strange story, since it was like being thrown into the middle of a story. My favorite story was the Lois Lane/Clark Kent one. Which is also the only one I genuinely thought was great.
5.5
 Mystik U #3 Jul 20, 2019
5.5
 Nightwing (2016) #35 Jul 20, 2019

Oh no, the thing that always happens when a status quo is upended has finally happened! I couldn't care less about this. I did like KGBeast getting a beatdown, because he sucks, but I just can't bring myself to care about whether Bea and Dick will make it together or not. And luckily, it seems like they won't and we're finally moving on from all the Ric nonsense. I'm sure it won't transform this title into something better, but at least the character will be... You know, the character.

Honestly this issue is a perfect encapsulation of the issue with Taylor's run. Nothing is explicitly *bad* here, but this issue is boring as fuck to read. Nightwing has had... a semblance of struggles, but nothing near enough to make this issue of feel-goodness really hit. It's never felt as though he's triumphed over anything in this run. There were conflicts, sure, but nothing that didn't seem easily handled at all times. This just really bores me.

Better than the typical issue of this run. Yet, still not great. At least now we know there's an out for this troubled Ric Grayson storyline.

I'm really having trouble with this one. It's a competent series, but I just do not care about these characters. Their problems are too common within comics for me to care about them. Sorry.

This isn't very good. It's bland. That's a step up for Steve Orlando's usual output, but it's still a bore to read.
5.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Mister Miracle #2 Jul 21, 2019

This is fine, I guess... For Chinese propaganda LOL.
5.5
 Silver Sable and The Wild Pack (2017) #36 Jul 21, 2019

Rick Grimes 2000 ends very quickly, and it is fine. I don't have any real problems with it, but I'm glad this is where the concept concludes. Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton is a lot of fun. I never read the original series, but I liked Assassin Nation, so I'll probably have to check this series out. C.O.D.E. was not very good at all. Easily the worst story in this anthology. Super boring and filled with 90s hacker speak, but not ironically. That's like a pet peeve of mine that I can overlook when I'm not insanely bored, but alas that wasn't the case here. Really didn't like C.O.D.E. The Gasolina story was good. Again, I may have to check out the original series, as I also haven't read that. Really, C.O.D.E. is the major problem here.
5.5
 Spawn #280 Jul 21, 2019

This was cute, I guess. See ya.

5.5
 Spider-Man (2016) #240 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #23 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #38 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #39 Jul 21, 2019

This isn't a great comic and you can skip it without regret.

This wasn't great, and often boring.

This was kinda boring. I like the art but the writing is really bland.

This issue throws you into the action immediately. If you're not familiar with SP//dr, you'll be lost here. It's kind of a detriment, honestly. But by the time I got my bearings, I noticed some cool elements... not enough for me to overall enjoy this book, but there's some cool here.

This was fine. I feel like this series is so turbulent. Sometimes it's good and interesting, other times it's kind of a slog. I didn't find myself gripped by the reveal here. It's a thing that's happening.
5.5
 Suicide Squad (2016) #36 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 Super Sons (2017) Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019

At least most of the stupidity in Superman #14 was kept out of this. Still mired by this crossover, though.

Meh.

This is super boring, and it has to do a lot with the narrative device Tom King decided to employ here. I don't disagree with most of the issue, in terms of what it says about Supergirl. But man, I cannot fathom finding this writing engaging. So much of the narration is just overwrought for the sake of it. A whole page of narration can be summed up in a single sentence at points, and oh my god the repetition. Not just in the narration, but also in the dialogue. It's just annoyingly written, and this score is as high as it is due to the ideas present in the issue, that just aren't executed properly.
5.5
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #11 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 Superman (2016) #37 Jul 21, 2019

This was fine if I turn my brain off and bask in the moment. The speech Superman gave, and the reactions from his supporting cast were both pretty good. I didn't like the initial set up with Adam Strange and more Unity of Planets bullshit. But once we moved past that, it wasn't so bad. However, and I really doubt Bendis is going to tackle this, there is no way Clark or Lois can still be journalists after this. They've been discredited, right? They've been using Superman for their stories for years and years and years... and now everyone knows Clark is Superman. On top of that, we do not need more Legion of Doom in these Superman comics. There's already too much going on.

I don't know what the point of this series is. It's not fun on its own.

This is fine. I just don't think it needed to be 80 pages. I don't think it's really worth the page count. I don't really care about this story. I just think it's fine. It exists and, besides the time commitment, I didn't regret reading it.

This wasn't the worst bunch of stories but the only standouts were the Mr. Mxyzptlk story, which was great, and the Bizarro story about his birthday, which was really bad.

Kind of just exists. I was looking forward to this one, but unfortunately this issue wasn't very good.

This is slightly above average, I think it works fine, but God, Roundhouse is cringey. Like a 50 year old's first foray into youthful internet culture.

This issue is spent not being a Deathstroke crossover. This crossover is basically not one. That's annoying because these team dynamics are boring as hell.

There was the slightest hint of care here. I could feel it.
5.5
 The Demon: Hell is Earth #2 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 The Immortal Men #3 Jul 21, 2019

This is fine, I guess. I don't think this issue succeeded in being as deep as it wanted to be. This is just not a good idea, and the most you get out of it is something middling.

Well, this slowed things down tremendously. I don't like James Jr. I think the idea of him is super edgy. So an issue about him is really boring to me. The backup, as always, is a chore.
5.5
 The Maxx (1993) #6 Sep 13, 2022

Not the best, but I had absolutely no trouble getting through this.

I feel like Talia's plan doesn't make any sense. The same people who've wanted to kill her and usurp her power are still part of Leviathan. This whole fake war she set up didn't change much of anything. It didn't prove that Leviathan needs her either. Of course, she's a convenient way to stop the power vacuum, but another figurehead could take her place if they wanted. There's no change here besides a few members were killed. Otherwise, the issue was readable. Even fun at some points. But that ending... It's supposed to be a big moment, but it only works if it feels like the character outsmarted everyone and I don't think she did, even if the comic wants us to think that.

Quit with being Fantastic Four already. That's my biggest gripe with this book.

A pretty boring issue, altogether.

This issue isn't too bad. The Walt Simonson story with Beta Ray Bill felt nostalgic. The Thunderstrike story felt like Thunderstrike... which isn't great. And the Sif/Jane Foster Thor story was kinda boring and stilted. I guess it is cool to have an anthology of stories about the *other* Thors but I just wasn't feeling these stories.
5.5
 Titans (2016) #22 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 Titans (2016) #23 Jul 21, 2019

Really didn't like the art here, but my biggest issue is how this doesn't actually line up with the rest of the event. Feels tacked on, and rushed.

This 10 part weekly event is starting to feel particularly disjointed. We're on part seven and on a complete detour to the Age of Apocalypse. And there's a time jump as well. It feels like a separate story. Sure, these characters were all present in the first six parts, but most of the characters aren't involved anymore. This issue was fine. It just doesn't fit well with what came before.

Part of this was good, but there's a lot here that holds it back.
5.5
 Venom (2016) #158 Jul 21, 2019

This issue felt like kind of a mess. Maybe I wasn't in the best headspace while reading it, and still read it anyway, in an effort to catch up on all the comics I've yet to read. But this really was not a good time.
5.5
 Weapon X (2017) #22 Jul 21, 2019

A cool concept, but not used nearly as well as it could've been.

Not really at all sure what to make of this.

This was fine. Nothing stand out at all.

I'm all for celebrating women, and female characters. I just wish the way we celebrated them in comics wasn't usually so mediocre. There is obvious talent here, but I feel like the format limits what these creators can do, in a way that hurts the book.

This is fine satire. It's 2009, so we really do need more voices like this young Mark Russell to lead us to a brighter future... oh wait, it's 2019. Well, uh... at least I'm not bored that much!
5.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #42 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #43 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #49 Jul 21, 2019

Still not very into this. I've seen this story play out before. And the characters aren't enough to carry the issue when the story isn't exactly original. Very middling.

Bleh.

I mean, I guess schizophrenia is fun....

Quite boring.

I don't really like anthologies and none of these stories were spectacular.

This honestly isn't a bad title, but I think it could be so much more interesting than it is. It's just a slog to get through at the moment.

This was super underwhelming as the end to years of stories. We needed more pages here, somehow.
5.5
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #16 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #25 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #33 Jul 21, 2019

This was *fine*.

This was certainly one of the better issues of this arc. But man, I can't get over some of this dialogue. I counted at least two instances of the dialogue just flat out not making sense. You know what this series needs? An issue where everyone just hangs out and talks. There needs to be an issue where we can truly establish this team and its place in the DCU, but instead they got thrown into a boring Gemworld conflict and now are strung about the multiverse.
5.5
 Zombies Assemble #1 Jul 21, 2019
5.5
 Zombies Assemble: 2 #2 Jul 21, 2019

The second part of Christos Gage's story was better than the first, and Tom DeFalco's story was just as bad this time around. This was a really weak miniseries tie-in.

Anthologies are hard and usually not worth it but everyone buys these so I guess they'll just keep happening. Scars was alright. Just a standard horror story but with Joker pasted on top of whatever random monster it would've been otherwise. What Comes After A Joke? proves that Punchline is as bland as she seemed in Batman #92. Her origin sucks. So much for all the speculation and hype. Yawn. Kill The Batman ironically had a better punchline than the last story. It was fine though. Introducing The Dove Corps was one of my favorites from this anthology. It was just a lot of fun, even if it was a bit predictable. The War Within was not very good, but I see what they were going for. The Last Smile was fine. Nothing to say about it. Birthday Bugs was my favorite of the entire anthology. Unironically loved that one. No Heroes was fine. Slightly better than the other "fine" stories here. Penance was just a waste. It just was not good at all. Two Fell Into The Hornet's Nest was okay. It works infinitely better if you've seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Otherwise it's almost unintelligible.

I thought this was okay. Deadpool's hard to get right and I'm not sure that Frank Tieri does it. But I'm hoping that the next issue will be something better.

This was fine.

This event, as a whole, feels like a more competent version of the lackluster events DC has been plagued with since Infinite Frontier (Not that Death Metal was good, just that these newer events have a feel to them that Death Metal did not). It always seems like these events are an afterthought. DC doesn't really seem to have a plan, but the quarter is about over, and they needed some extra cash. Everything from the start of Infinite Frontier has led to this point and... when you look back at the journey, do you feel like it was worthwhile? I don't. And this finale kinda exemplifies why. We don't really get a conclusion here, not a real one. Sure, Amanda Waller is stopped and the day is momentarily saved, but did the characters really learn anything they didn't already know? Even Waller is just sorta brain damaged to end her reign. She never has to confront what she did, or learn a lesson. She goes down screaming into a camera, a maniacal super-villain that pales in comparison to what the character once was. Ultimately, nothing is really challenged. No characters have to confront an inner conflict. It's just smashing until the end where the one group has successfully smashed the other. It feels mindless. These events just come and go, and they're becoming so very tiring.

6.0
 Action Comics (2016) #996 Oct 9, 2018

The main story has a lot of potential, but it's not quite there yet. I'm optimistic, however, since I do like the idea of Superman facing his mortality. The backup was fiiiine. I just didn't find it very interesting. I do like the tone of the Midnighter backups, however, and that remained consistent here.

I don't have much to say about this one. It's fine. I think the part about abuse and the way that was handled was... relatively decent. However, I find myself apathetic. I was excited for the sea kaiju. Not because I care, but rather because action means the issue is going to move along faster and end quicker. That's not a great place to be. The Midnighter backup is also kind of nebulously okay. It feels like a necessary part of the story, but not an entirely rewarding part of the story.

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This was okay. This could be become something better but in order for that to happen, the world needs to be better defined. So much happens in this issue but we're not given enough time or information to really care about any of it.

There are good elements but ultimately, this is a tiring read.

This miniseries has no ending. It just leads into the next miniseries. I don't really want to read more, but I guess now I have no choice. This miniseries, like the War of the Realms tie-in before it, is bloated with too many characters, and not the best story.

The art takes so much away from this story. The writing is, on its own, not bad. With an effective artist this could be a fun series. Instead, we get duds like that last page. So unfortunate.

Man, if the art was good, this could be a very good Alien comic. Right now though, it's very mediocre. Do better, Marvel.

This is a genuinely cool idea, even if the setup was kind of a chore to get through. The art is really what kills this book. Larroca is terrible and Marvel should not hire him, especially for a book like Alien that *needs* great art. I was hoping a new arc would mean a different, better artist, but unfortunately, being a tracer means you can keep up with deadlines for an extended period of time. I just feel bad for PKJ, since his writing had to be paired with the lowest grade of comic book art out there.

...I don't even know what to say beyond the usual. The art is terrible, but the story is pretty good. I really hope the relaunch has better art. It is crucial.

This fell off. I don't think the storytelling works here. Like, in a mechanical sense. The art doesn't do a great job with it, unfortunately.
6.0
 Alien (2023) Annual #1 Nov 9, 2023

This was better than I expected, but I'm not very into it. I don't like teenagers. They're annoying and woefully incomplete as people. And while Simon Spurrier's character work feels out of touch and has a sort of "Hello, fellow kids" vibe, he's certainly nailed the annoying part. It feels like it's set in three different, incongruous time periods. The current stuff with YouTube, that's relatively modern. But the way they dress feels more like the 90s. And the way they act, and how things function, feels more like the mid 2000s. It just feels like the writer wasn't sure what era he was writing.

There's still a huge "How do you do, fellow kids" vibe to this, but once you cut away the massive amount of excess, you get a neatish story.

Honestly, this reads like Forrest Gump in Aliens. It's not intentional, I think, but it sure is a bit baffling. Burke seems too goofy for my tastes. I don't know why I should care about this story yet.

This was okay. Like Canada. Just okay.

This is another one of those early Spider-Man comics that I read very, very young. And honestly, I'm sure it held up better then. Before I knew anything about how computers work. This issue is such a silver age issue. It's advertised as a special "tribute-to-teen-agers" issue, and I think that's code for a tribute to Daredevil readers because this is super, super silly. First, let's just get this out of the way. The Living Brain is a character created from a wellspring of... Inaccurate knowledge about how computers work. Of course, this is a comic book and so we have to suspend our disbelief somewhat, but I made fun of the Vulture so I'll make fun of this too. One, computers/AI are not smarter than humans. They may possess more information, but knowledge is not the same as intelligence. Now, the Living Brain here is obviously using some advanced machine learning. He's taking advantage of Bayesian deep learning well before it was a thing. But uh, it's Marvel time, it's different. Even then, rough-brained Peter should know better. Two, what exact inputs does the Living Brain accept? Early in the issue, Peter has to convert the information that his classmates give him into... Something, and he inputs it using a control panel. And then later, the Living Brain seems to hear sounds and have visual inputs as well. Kinda doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Also, I can't tell what the Living Brain outputs either. Is that hexadecimal or something? I wouldn't be surprised if it is, because the company that makes the Living Brain is ICM, which is clearly a parody of IBM, who had just introduced hexadecimal in 1963. Maybe that news blurb is what Stan Lee based this entire issue on. Three, is the Living Brain malfunctioning or not? Why would scientists make their supercomputer into a humanoid robot with the ability to fight people? For dramatics?? I mean, that's what they say in the issue, but I don't believe it! On one hand, they act like the Living Brain was damaged by the two idiots hitting its control panel. On the other, the Living Brain is clearly even more functional than it was. It's not acting random as it should be. So clearly, these scientists programmed it with these abilities for some reason. Why? Why would they do that? Four, Probability does not equate to knowing. The crux of the issue relies on this machine being able to accurately know... Everything. This is not how computers have ever worked. And the fact that Peter is sweating over it is soooo silly. These two random guys who apparently work with the scientist who is showing this around at schools only now decide that this machine is their meal ticket, after presumably sitting through this presentation many, many times. And it's like, man, these people are all idiots. With that out of the way, we can focus on the Peter Parker stuff. Flash and Peter finally fight! This whole part of the issue reads like an Archie comic, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it's not exactly Spider-Man. It's just all so silly. This issue is so ridiculous. At least Peter gets to turn it around for himself at the end. At least he's happy. The back-up is awful. Peter acts like an asshole, and I was on board for it until he tried fighting the entire FF for no reason. I don't really mention the art much in these reviews, if at all, but I have to say, Jack Kirby's Spider-Man just isn't nearly as good as Ditko's. Maybe it's just because of how iconic Ditko's Spidey is, but I really had a problem with Kirby's version. This issue is really dumb and I think it was glorified filler. They had to get an issue out, but hadn't any good ideas. Way to go, Marvel. Way to pander to your prime demographic and then fuck it up. I really hope this sort of thing doesn't happen again, personally. Quote of the issue: "Drat This Knotted Shoelace!"

It's been over a day since I read this issue. Normally, I write these reviews right after reading the issue, and although that can lead to a scattershot review, my main objective with this is to record my thoughts, whether they be orderly or not. With this issue however... There is so much. Too much. I had just praised last issue for giving us a fulfilling and complete story, where a lot happened but it was also paced extraordinarily well. And then we have this issue. It's very unassuming with its cover. Four generic looking villains and Spider-Man against a pale green background. But this issue is filled to its very brim and it's genuinely hard to parse through everything. So, I waited. I thought, yeah, I may forget some of what I wanted to mention, but tackling it outright is just going to be a frustrating endeavor. I was already two issues deep because I wanted to catch up on my reading, in time for... Well, tonight/tomorrow morning's supposed two-parter, issues 11 and 12. These reviews take time, even if it doesn't seem like it, and I was burnt out. Onto the issue. I'm going to discuss things quickly and in broad strokes. The Big Man is a cool idea, the Enforcers are not. Dragging Spider-Man into a big mobster plot, only to soon resolve it, is too much for one issue. Everything is rushed, including the JJJ fakeout and the promise to find out why he hates Spider-Man. We get some more clues as to what Betty is hiding, which will come to the forefront next issue. Meanwhile, we're still dealing with the aftermath of Aunt May's surgery. And it's all just crammed into this issue. It's just too much. The highlight of the issue to me was when Flash showed that he does care for Peter in some strange way, warning him about claiming to know who the Big Man is. The final fight is... Too big. Part of me loves the idea of Spidey taking on a roomful of gangsters. It's a big spectacle and an actual challenge for Spider-Man. But it's so cluttered. It's endemic of the entire issue. I could praise this issue for trying to be big, but man, it is a struggle. Quote of the issue: "All My Life I've Been Interested in Only One Thing-- Making Money!"

I feel like every time that an issue features a super hero guest star, that the issue itself is going to be very low on actual development for Spider-Man and his cast, while trying to drum up interest in the other hero. And I guess that's fine sometimes, but it really does curtail my interest a bit. I was finally caught back up on this re-read and very excited about that, but then this issue came along. I've never really enjoyed this issue (or the next one, but we'll get there... tonight, hopefully.), and I feel like it's an obstacle for me whenever I attempt a re-read like this. This isn't my first attempt at re-reading ASM. Every so often you get an issue of modern Spidey that hits on his expansive history in such a way that you just feel compelled to give it all another look over. In this specific case, it's the Last Remains arc that has gotten me to want to try, try again. The main obstacles for me all lie in the early days. It's either the very first few issues, or the issues in the early 20s. Issue 20, issue 21 and issue 22 specifically. I don't know why, but they just kind of grind things to a halt for me. Let's focus on this specific issue now. It doesn't start out too bad. I was afraid that we were going to get a sneak Strange Tales issue here (and we kind of do), but there's enough Spidey to keep me out of my depression. And it's fun, you know? Seeing Peter interact with Doris Evans was a genuinely nice change of pace than what I'm used to here. But of course, we get more of Betty doubting Peter. A few issues back, I said that the real shit is the interpersonal drama of Peter's life, including his many romances, and that's true. I stand by that, but I didn't necessarily remember just how often Betty decides that Peter either hates her or is cheating on her. It's a plot point in almost every single issue. It's maddening, and I know Stan Lee can write women better than this. The characterization is played out, and I'm starting to long for the Gwen and MJ days. But haha, we're still 10 issues out from meeting Gwen and technically 21 issues out from meeting MJ. I like what Betty Brant becomes as a character, but right now, she's starting to get frustrating. The villain here is the Beetle, who is a very... bland villain. I don't care for the Beetle. Not until Nick Spencer introduces a new female version in Superior Foes in 2014. That's a while from 1965. But I'm hopeful that we'll get there eventually! I'm really struggling to write this review because there's pretty much nothing here. This feels like a filler issue/an advertisement for Strange Tales. We don't even get enough JJJ. I'm the guy picking up ASM for Jameson, Stan! Quote of the issue: "Why Must I Be a Costumed, Super-Powered Sad Sack??"

This is another issue that really doesn't do much for me. Molten Man still isn't a great villain, and there's not much on the Peter Parker side. This issue tries to have a lot of fun, and that's commendable, sure. What I want, though, is the same comic I got a few issues back. I want to see storytelling on that level. I don't want issues that feel throwaway if not for one or two pages, like this did. What I can say is that Ditko is, art-wise, still killing it. This title has evolved a lot since it began. You can already feel the tugging toward modernity with some of the techniques being used. That's great. That makes my reading experience more enjoyable. But I want that in conjunction with meaningful stories that make these disposable magazines worth the time, you know? Quote of the issue: "So, Your Best Weapon is Totally Useless! It Can't Stick to my Slippery, Molten Body!"

Man, these annuals can't catch a break. I don't read Spider-Man to actually read about the Avengers. Amazing Spider-Man is one of the best books of the era, whereas Avengers really wasn't, and it shows even here. This issue was funny, at least. Wasp's one character trait of hating Spider-Man because she's a wasp. Hawkeye's ridiculous Avengers pride. It wasn't all bad, but I want to get back to the regular issues already. Quote of the issue: "But No Web-Head is Gonna Try to Put the Avengers Down--Not When Hawkeye's Around!"

After a promising first issue, I thought this was quite a disappointing conclusion to this small mini arc. Carmen Carnero is great though.
6.0
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #13 Oct 9, 2018
6.0
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #14 Oct 9, 2018
6.0
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #23 Oct 9, 2018

This is fine. That's all.
6.0
 Analog #5 Oct 9, 2018
6.0
 Aquaman (2016) #34 Oct 9, 2018
6.0
 Aquaman (2016) #38 Oct 9, 2018

The pacing on this was wonky. I'm not even sure what happened.

This is fine. I wonder if anyone's actually upset about the whole murder thing.

What started as a fun miniseries is slowly becoming a tired, rote story that really has nothing to say.

The problem with this issue is that it's mostly built around a mystery that's never explained and that feels like it came out of nowhere. A lot of this series is constructed like that, and it didn't really bother me so much when we had an entire miniseries in front of us to figure it out. I have a feeling the final seventh issue will be as messy as this one was.

There are things to like about this issue. The art, for one, is really good. And for what it is, the writing is competent. The problem is what the comic is. This comic is very trope-y, and sure these story concepts are tropes for a reason, but it makes this series so much less interesting than it was earlier on. I hope it can end on a high note.

This is an incredibly boring book and I have nothing to say.

Anthologies are very hit or miss, and this is no different. The best stories were the Bloody Mary story, the Batman story and the Phantom Stranger story. But those weren't exactly great.

Getting past all the finer points of why this is kind of fucked up, because I don't care, this was fine. I just wonder who was asking for *any* of the Trial of the Amazons.
6.0
 Asgardians of the Galaxy #1 Oct 9, 2018

Eh, this was fine. Not much to say besides that. It was cool to see elements of the Drax ongoing that I liked incorporated into this series. But not much happens here.

This is like being put through a grinder with half its teeth broken off. There's a lot here that I don't like. I think the dialogue was very rough at times. The entire plot is a train completely off its rails. I think Moon Knight's inner monologue is both right and wrong at points. Which deepens the mystery of what Jason Aaron was thinking further. The art wasn't great either. But I didn't have necessarily a horrible time reading this. It kept my attention. I think this is a story that could've worked with much better pacing and a few more drafts of dialogue. I cannot stress the pacing problem here. This arc was terribly paced to begin with and to backload it with the Phoenix was a bad idea. But I guess it was the only way to stop Khonshu. I'm officially just hoping for the best for what comes *after* the Phoenix arc. It's officially just as tainted as this arc is. But the best part of the issue, by far, was Wolverine. I have to admit it.

I usually don't mind these flashback issues. Maybe it's just because Avengers has been less than stellar, arguably for several issues now, but this issue is just kind of dull. I didn't think it was bad, necessarily, but I just didn't enjoy it. It's mediocre. I have next to no expectations for Enter the Phoenix as I said before. I'm just hoping whatever comes after this arc is better. Which is sad because I've been on board with this series for a while, and also collected it in trade and everything. I do that for things I truly enjoy, so to be several volumes into the run just to have it plummet like this is hitting me as a monthly reader and as a collector now. If it keeps up, maybe I'll have to start selling these trades off.

This arc really isn't working. There's nowhere for the reader to plant themselves and make sense of all this multiversal madness. It really doesn't work.

This event may beat out DC's summer offering of Knight Terrors, but not by much. It seems very haphazard and I really hope these creators got something more out of this than us readers did.

Eh.

This fizzled out. Things just became too clichéd by the end. I hope this is it for the Old Man universe for a while. I think the original story was a tad overrated, and that the universe was best exploited by Marvel during the initial Old Man Logan run by Lemire. Since then, it's degraded. We didn't need this series and the majority weren't reading it, proven now by its digital only release. Please, I do not want another miniseries about rebuilding civilization after Doom.

This is fine, but I really don't know if I care enough to continue.

I mean, this was fine. I don't know what this is supposed to be.
6.0
 Bane: Conquest #10 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Bane: Conquest #11 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Batgirl (2016) #22 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Batgirl (2016) #23 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Batgirl (2016) #24 Oct 10, 2018

I didn't hate this issue, but this political storyline is just not that interesting to me. Maybe if the politician were more like an actual politician and not a leftwing wet dream. I don't understand this. Batgirl is always trying to say something about the world, but always manages to paint everyone in such broad strokes, regardless of the writer. Part of the problem with this is that you expect us to take this seriously and get involved when nothing new is being said and the character is more idealization than a person. Aside from that, I guess this issue held my interest? There's not much I can say, but I just wish these characters were more interesting and grey, rather than black and white, because it's not just the politician that's like that. The only character that comes close is Jason Bard, but it looks like they're setting him up for a love interest so there goes that. I know that Cecil Castellucci is taking over soon for Year of the Villain. I just want to hope that she makes these characters really pop, but then again, she's the Female Furies writer, so....

This is a mostly fine issue. I just don't think the tone is compatible with what I want from a Batgirls comic. And there is simply way too much going on here. Like, four different villains. Maybe the disparate threads will come together soon, but as of now this reads like an overstuffed slog.

This issue suffers from a lot of the same issues as previous ones, but there's a bit more of focus here. I really can't find myself getting excited over the villain reveal in this issue, as it just compounds on the problems that this series is facing. The art is really energetic and fun. The writing tries to match that tone but it feels scattershot and can actually become annoying to read. But the biggest issue here is there is still way too much going on in this arc. This comic kind of exhausts me when I read it.

This manages to thread the needle between all these plotlines pretty well, given just how messy this first arc has been. It's still not great, but it does feel like the creators have started to get their footing. I can't say I approve of that pointless fake out, or the larger Seer plotline though.
6.0
 Batgirls (2021) #11 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Batman (2016) #37 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Batman (2016) #46 Oct 10, 2018

This was fine, I guess. I was expecting much worse. Not much happens here. It's nice to see these characters actually suffer ill effects from the things they've gone through. Something that is mostly ignored in Heroes in Crisis.

This is a fine, very safe, very by-the-numbers issue. Sometimes that can work, if the characters are written very well, but here it doesn't really become anything better. I have almost nothing to say about this one. At least Tom King's run was rife with things to talk about. This comic, right here, exists and that's it. If you like Batman existing, you'll be pretty much okay with this.

This was fine. I would prefer a Batman that doesn't have the answer for everything and a limitless amount of tech for every situation. I like that concept. It's far more interesting than the alternative. So the promise of that is intriguing. But this issue is all just set up/fallout, and that's not very exciting.

I don't care about Clownhunter. Unfortunately, he's not going away. The stuff with Ghost-Maker was fine I guess. The ending was unexpected, and probably a little lackluster, but... It's hard to be upset when no matter how it turns out, you're not going to care. The art needs to be more consistent. I'd much rather have one of these artists doing the entire issue than all four of them working in tandem.

This was kinda just slow and boring.

Crazy how much I'm not excited for anything this sets up.

I read this before I took my long comic break, so I don't remember specifically what my problems with this issue was beyond a malaise, which I think mostly comes from how boring all this set up was, and my general disinterest in this event as a whole.

This was fine, but nothing too great. It was a very simple story that fulfilled its page space.
6.0
 Batman and the Signal #3 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Batman Beyond (2016) #19 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Batman Incorporated (2022) #3 Jan 12, 2023

I'm surprised this miniseries is still going, what with the Warren Ellis Groom Patrol and DC canceling his Dino-Bat story in Death Metal. I can't really say that I'm happy about it continuing. I had a conversation with a friend about the whole mess when it first happened and I was much more concerned about the new re-release of Transmetropolitan trades and how I may have to get the older, more expensive version of them instead if DC decides to cancel their releases. I've never read Transmetropolitan and I don't even know if I'll like it, and yet that quicker came to mind than what will happen with this series, which I had to be reminded was a thing by this same friend. And I think this issue validates my past self in some ways. I like most of the writing but there is something in it that doesn't work. Gordon, for example, is either complicit in a police execution or the most gullible he's ever been. I don't know which it is supposed to be. And the art... I'll continue to compare the two even if I shouldn't, but Warren Ellis' Moon Knight isn't just very well written. Declan Shalvey draws the hell out of it. And so when Ellis let his art tell the story, it worked so well. Bryan Hitch is nowhere near as good as an artist, but his art is given that same responsibility and it fails nine out of ten times.

I think I kinda enjoyed this issue. I was engaged. That "oh god" panel was funny. I think I know why the art isn't really connecting the way it should be. Maybe it was different in earlier issues, but there's no sound effects? Nothing to help the image come to life. It's all just modeled puppetry. The coloring is flat, too, and that doesn't help. Warren Ellis is relying on the art too much for the art team to handle, and that's genuinely the biggest problem with this comic.

I keep harping on the art in my reviews for this series, and the trend is going to continue here. I don't think Bryan Hitch was the right artist for this comic. I see some of my own art in his poorly rendered fight scenes. That should never happen, especially not in a book dependent on the execution of those scenes. I'm also going to bring up Moon Knight again, because now this comic is swerving into similar territory story-wise. The last issue of Warren Ellis' Moon Knight was all about someone who tried to be Moon Knight. It ended with Moon Knight confirming he's the more loony one and reaffirming that we should all give up our Mr. Knight cosplays. What are we even setting ourselves up for with all that white? Now, I'm starting to see similar elements at play here. I really hope issue 12 isn't just Batman out-Batmaning a wannabe Batman, because that'd be very similar to and, let's be honest, not nearly as satisfying as the final issue of Moon Knight.

The Calvary is pretty good. If you like The Next Batman, you'll probably like this, as it's just a bit more of that. A Kingdom of Thorns is okay. The art would unfortunately work much better in color. Just go look at The Dreaming. And the story was a bit rough. I am the Bat is fine. There's a neat twist at the end. The art worked very well. Unquiet Knight is not good. I don't like Tim Seeley's writing and the art definitely would've been better in color. Legacy is something. I really liked the art, but I'm not sure about that story.

None of these stories were bad, but I didn't find any of them very compelling. I think the last two stories were the most entertaining to read. I do not think the gimmick of the color scheme was taken advantage of here. It's just a thing.

None of these stories are amazing, but the two best are the ones by John Arcudi and Scott Snyder.
6.0
 Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham (2023) #1 Mar 14, 2024

Yeah, I thought this was a slog. Everything is overwritten for no good reason. I was bored most of the time reading this. The real hook for the story comes at the very end of this first issue, and it's not even that clear if it's worth the trouble. I hope next issue delivers on this supposedly being an "epic, white-knucled, action-packed tale" because that's not what I'd call this issue. David Marquez's art is... good. I really think Marquez suffers from the same sort of problem that artists like Sara Pichelli do, which is that they used to be colored by *the* best colorist in the business, Justin Ponsor. He died of cancer a few years back, and none of these artists' art looks quite as good as it once did. You can't change that, obviously, but I can't help but notice and it's a little disappointing.

I'm really perplexed why this issue really exists. It's kind of a stupid question, I know. DC either commissioned this creative team to make this story happen for some larger plans at play, or Andy Diggle and Karl Mostert really had a story to tell about... this. But nothing here really makes this issue worth reading. It's very dull, and I wish I just skipped it.
6.0
 Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Red Hood vs. Anarky #1 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Harley Quinn vs. Joker #1 Oct 10, 2018

There's almost an equalizing amount of ups and downs in this anthology. The Tom King story, in true Tom King fashion, squanders away an interesting idea but I guess this anthology really needed that framing... (that's sarcasm). The scarecrow story was pretty good. I liked the ending because it's dark, if not at all original. The drone story was not good. I just didn't find it compelling. The cabin story was okay, but I don't think the ending hit the mark like it should've. The Detective Chimp story was great though. Tom Taylor is a really good writer and he manages to make the ending land.

This was fine. Anthologies like this are not my thing. None of the stories really stood out to me. It was fine. All fine.

I said it in one of my Batman reviews, and I'll say it again here. Tynion's work seems to take these base, cheesy ideas and tries to mix them with social commentary. It doesn't work for me a lot of the time, and this issue is no different. I like the ideas here. I agree that society forces these norms on people that a lot of people just don't fit, and that can create a life that is incredibly depressing. It can lead to all sorts of mental anguish. I like that concept. You could have a whole discussion on oppression and hierarchy, but instead, she falls for a cult leader who promises to make it all better, and that's not treated like the bad thing that it obviously is? And I guess it's not going to ever be explored, at least not by Tynion, because Fear State is the end of his run. You don't free someone from the social hierarchy by indoctrinating them into another. Does Tynion not understand the basic problem here? Is it just something he planned to get to but now won't due to Substack? I don't understand how it went so wrong.

I hadn't read The Killing Joke for years and years before recently picking up the Absolute Edition for my collection, and... I'm kind of jaded by the fact that I spent $30 on this story. Maybe it's just that I'm coming off of reading Moore's Neonomicon, which I thought was a very smartly written story, but this is such an obvious, bland story. There are cool elements. The idea of Batman thinking about his eternal struggle with Joker. I do like Joker's humanization, not so much in his actual origin, but in the ending fight/monologue. I'm one of those people who really couldn't care less for the more modern approach to the Joker, where he becomes a monster under one's bed. That is never as terrifying or as interesting to me as simply a man dressed as a clown who schemes to murder and hurt people. I mean, seriously, the reason this book is beloved comes down to its final pages. And that part of the book is very engaging. I really like the dynamic Moore presents between these two characters, and their relationship. It is an interesting take. If this book was a 10 page anthology story, if the bulk of what Joker had done and his origin were ripped from this story's contents, I would be fine with it. The problem is the rest of the book. Joker's origin is kind of tired. Nothing about it stands out to me, and I think it's pretty bland. I guess because Joker is such a baroque character, Moore felt the best option was to do the exact opposite with his origin. It doesn't work for me. Similarly, the current day plot failed me as well. Babs is shot and handicapped, and it feels like a means to an end. A prominent, glaring example of female characters as plot devices to motivate the male characters to do what the plot demands. This is tired now, and it was when Moore wrote it. Moore could've done a lot better. Joker's plan failing is treated as though, of course it would, which makes for a really motionless reading experience. And it's not just because I've read this book before and I know what happens in it. There's never a moment where it feels as though Joker will win. It all feels pre-determined, which is unsatisfying. In the Absolute Edition, they include Moore's outrageously long script, and at the end of it, he does confirm that he thinks of this story as a Joker story, rather than a Batman one. I really wish he wrote it fully subverted as such. It never feels like Joker is actually the main character, despite his prominence, and that just heaps more onto the pile as to why this story feels so uncompelling to me. Simply put, I know Moore is capable of much better writing and character deconstruction, and I am not impressed with something as mediocre and bland as Killing Joke truly is. On the other side of things, the art is great. Specifically, the original version before Bolland tried to clean it up along with a lifeless recoloring. That's actually the whole reason I bought the Absolute Edition. I wanted the superior coloring, not available in any modern reprints. What they did to the colors in the newer editions pales in comparison. It's lifeless, and lord knows, the writing needs as much help as possible with keeping its own pulse.

I liked the Batman Beyond story, I'm actually kind of looking forward to what it set up. The Future State story honestly didn't even leave an impact on me, I've forgotten most of it. The Batman 666 story was trash. The DC One Million story had some cool ideas, and I liked seeing all the references to the different Batmen, but it wasn't written very well.
6.0
 Batman: Urban Legends (2021) #17 Sep 27, 2022
6.0
 Batman: Urban Legends (2021) #18 Sep 27, 2022
6.0
 Batwoman (2017) #9 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Batwoman (2017) #13 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #10 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #11 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #12 Oct 10, 2018
6.0
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #21 Oct 10, 2018

Why did I read this? I don't know! I happened to see an article about the explicit cover to this issue shipping without the censor bag, and of course I had to look. I saw that Bettie Page was a very crazy woman, literally. And like any red-blooded man, that attracted me greatly. So I did a little more looking into her, and she was actually a really interesting character. Of course, knowing there were comics using her likeness was weird. I just wanted to see what they were like. It just seems like a fun, middle-of-the-road adventure mystery comic. It reminded me a lot of the first arc of Amazing Mary Jane. I probably won't continue with this but sometimes I like to try things out. I'll definitely continue researching the life and times of Bettie Page though, because she had such a life that I can just live mine through hers than pretend to have my own.
6.0
 Beware the Planet of the Apes (2024) #3 Mar 21, 2024
6.0
 Black Adam (2022) #1 Sep 27, 2022
6.0
 Black Adam (2022) #2 Sep 27, 2022

This is a consistently mid series. Really doubt Rock fans will enjoy it, if not even comprehend it.
6.0
 Black Adam (2022) #5 Nov 6, 2022

I really think this book is unfocused as hell. I know Priest's style of writing is very non-linear and sometimes pieces that don't seem important later are. But it makes for a very uncompelling read when you feel like you're just being thrown scraps of story in service to the full 12 issue story, rather than this single issue's story.

I decided to read this solely because Chip Zdarsky wrote it. It was... fine. I think maybe if I was more aware of the larger universe and the characters that I'd like it more, but I'm really only interested in it because a writer I usually enjoy wrote an issue of it. So, I'm a little disappointed, honestly! But uhhh, just a random observation, this reminded me a lot of USAgent's time as Captain America. Maybe that's just because Falcon and the Winter Soldier is happening right now. Maybe it was even intentional. I don't actually know!
6.0
 Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #4 Oct 10, 2018

This book is pretty boring so I'm just gonna use my review to make fun of Merlyn, because I like punching down. Merlyn goes on this long rant, and it just proves he's totally in his right mind. He gets ass-blasted over a double page spread that shows a collage of African American history up to the Civil Rights movement, and some of the dialogue after that. First, he has to get a jab in that he was right about this basically being a Milestone book, because of this very page. Milestone comics weren't explicitly about racial and social justice. They were about providing black comic readers with heroes that looked like them, because it's important for people to see themselves represented in their heroes. For instance, Merlyn sees himself represented in Trump's own cognitive decline. So he's wrong on that. Then he complains about the comic showing that Malcolm X was murdered, with the implication in Merlyn's addled-mind being that the comic was explicitly saying that Malcolm X was a victim of racism and that's what got him killed. I'll clear it up for him. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were at the forefront of the 60s Civil Rights Movement, and they were both killed in the process of it. The comic shows the headlines of their deaths to signify the end of that movement. Merlyn then makes an irrelevant comment about how Malcolm X was killed by the Nation of Islam, and how they were very racist towards white people. I don't know what that has to do with what the comic is portraying, which is... the end of the Civil Rights Movement. But yeah, the Nation of Islam is what we refer to as "Bad News Bears" and Malcolm X made a lot of enemies by recognizing that and leaving the group, although there is a lot of suspicion that the state had a role in ensuring he was killed. That's conspiracy though. I don't even know why I'm on this tangent, this has nothing to do with the comic. Merlyn, once he starts, he cannot stop. His handlers wear earplugs. Oh and lastly, he gets mad about the obvious villain of the book referring to himself by the names of various black liberators, including Marcus Garvey. Garvey was a very controversial figure, and disliked by many black leaders. There were whole campaigns against him. But again, these names are being listed by the obvious villain of the book. It must have been too subtle the way he set off bombs and murdered people at the end.

MiLeStOnE MeAnS BlAcK ChArAcTeRs ExIsT.

I wish I liked this more than I do, but it all comes across as forgettable. The art is better than last issue, but I really had trouble with how some of this comic looks.

I missed the plot here, I think. I hope this title gets back on track after a few messy issues.
6.0
 Black Panther (2021): Unconquered #1 Nov 15, 2022

This was a bit rushed, but fine. This was an all ages book for children and... yeah, it reads like that.

Pretty cute, I guess.

None of the stories here really justify themselves. The Hulk story was the best, but it also went the route of very easily gained emotional manipulation with a sad story about a dog. Ann Nocenti's Hawkeye story felt almost nonsensical at times. And the ongoing Blood Hunters story failed to be as engaging as its first part was.

Not as into this as I once was.

This was fine. A bit long winded. I don't have much to say about it.

6.0
 Border Town #2 Oct 10, 2018

I read this in tandem with last week's Tea Time one-shot. This is such a disappointing read after that one. I just... man, maybe we should reboot the reboot??

I don't know, this is so very wrapped up in Jeremy Lambert's vision of the title, and unfortunately, that vision is too expansive and muddy that individual issues don't really work as standalone stories. Arcs don't feel like arcs, and instead this series feels like an endurance test more than anything.

This did not feel like a real celebration of the Buffy series. This felt like the sales for the main series were too low, and Jeremy Lambert needed another issue. The bulk of this celebration issue is just another over-sized issue's worth of the 2019 run. It is actually better than a lot of that run, especially its ending, but it's still marred by Lambert trying to do way too much while not having the ability to pull much of it off. I'm glad that his last word on the series ends on a slightly higher note, nonetheless. The three short stories afterwards work to various degrees. The Willow and Tara story is pretty cute, but nothing special. I really enjoyed the Xander story because as much as his character has aged poorly, there *is* a good person in there and this story gives us some of that. The Spike story is just bait for Spike/Buffy fans, of which I'm not one (reminder: the whole point of their relationship, but on screen and metatextually, was to show that they *don't* work together.), so the story didn't really resonate with me. The final story, which serves as a prologue for the next run, is unfortunately didn't hit with me. I really enjoyed Eat the Rich, so I was excited to see what Sarah Gailey could do. As much as I want to give the new run and its concept a fair shot, I can't help but feel tired of it already after all this multiversal nonsense Buffy has been thrown into the last few years. We'll see.
6.0
 Buffy: The Last Vampire Slayer (2023) #4 Mar 15, 2024
6.0
 Cable (2017) #151 Oct 18, 2018
6.0
 Cable (2017) #152 Oct 18, 2018

I can say a lot about the current Fall of the House of X era that the X-books are in, and how it's being managed by editorial. I'll defend a lot of the story decisions, as I don't think the vast majority of what the line has been offering has felt off. I won't defend this book. It's not very bad, but it's also extremely pointless. If you reach hard enough, you could find parallels in its narrative with the dominion ascension games of the villains in the other titles, but nothing like that is ever capitalized on in the text so I can't say that was intentional. It's a very run of the mill Cable story that has little to nothing to do with the larger X-Men narrative. Meh.
6.0
 Captain America (2018) Annual #1 Oct 18, 2018

This was a waste of time, honestly.
6.0
 Captain Marvel (2017) #129 Oct 18, 2018
6.0
 Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest (2023) #3 Mar 21, 2024
6.0
 Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest (2023) #4 May 17, 2024

I used this issue as a test to see if I was going to hop back on this title or not, since I had to read most of it for Joker War anyway. Duende was okay. I wasn't bored by it, but I wasn't amazed either. It did seem pretty integral to Joker War though but maybe that'll all be assumed up in a few panels in Batman #100. Return to Alleytown was less fine. The dialogue for the kids was atrocious, and overall, the story felt out of place. Cat vs Woman was better than the last story, but not as good as the first. It was kinda cute. Overall, this issue is rather mediocre. I'm really uncertain about whether I'll continue reading the title. It is an improvement over the last issue I read, but just not good enough to make me want to give issue 26 a shot.

Unfortunately, I just don't care about what's happening in most of this issue.

I'm sorry, I just don't care about Catwoman's love interest whose name escapes me right now.
6.0
 Catwoman (2018) #58 Feb 29, 2024

The weird decision to do flashback chapters instead of just telling the story in order did not help this series.

An action issue, nothing more, nothing less.

This was cute, as this series tends to be. It's also just kind of boring. I really don't know why I'm still reading Super Sons titles. "Cute but boring" has been my thoughts on Super Sons since... like, arc two of the original run.

This wasn't too engaging. I'm ready for this to wrap up.

I mean... this was fine. I won't miss it. The tease at the end for even more Super Sons just makes me groan.

This is fine, but I'm having trouble keeping interest and I really think the art only works when superheroes are involved.

This isn't bad, really. It's just boring. It feels like work to wrap up the whole CRADLE thing, which is only happening because of COVID basically ending the whole Outlawed initiative before it even began.

Unfortunately, this ended on a poor note. It seems like the whole thing was super rushed, and unfortunately, the themes and ideas this series presented suffer for it. It really needed another issue to make it work, at least.

Still don't really care about this.

Man, I'm conflicted on this series. This series is never bad. It is competently written, the art is good, and it is very Conan. I just have such trouble staying engaged here. I don't find these ancient Asian inspired settings all that interesting, in general in media. I don't understand why writers always end up going back to this creative well. And I... realize in writing this that I'm a hypocrite because I've actually used this type of setting in my writing. Shit. The comic needs to be more engaging, alright? You can do it, Zub. I believe in you!

Uh, you know, this was fine. Black Panther was written very weirdly and the plot is so-so. I don't have much to say about this other than that I hope next issue is better!

This is written weirdly. Like it's a comic from the 70s. Saladin Ahmed doesn't usually write like this. What are you doing, Saladin? It's really hampering this miniseries.

I thought this was a pretty mediocre anthology. I liked the last story, at least.
6.0
 Crypt of Shadows (2023) #1 Jun 15, 2024

This isn't... bad. It falls into mediocre territory. There are some good ideas here, like Spider-Man teaching Ted Sallis about responsibility. The dialogue can be very iffy sometimes. Some of the banter is terrible, especially with the Avengers at the beginning.
6.0
 Cyborg (2016) #21 Oct 18, 2018
6.0
 Damage (2018) #1 Oct 20, 2018
6.0
 Damage (2018) #2 Oct 20, 2018
6.0
 Damage (2018) #5 Oct 20, 2018

This was moderately better than issue one, but you people are mad if you think it's a virtual 10/10 comic.

This issue is not very engaging. The story seems very rushed at this point, but not much is happening. I really just didn't click with this one. The art is good at least, and there's a good moment with Deadpool and Gabby. That's about it, though.

This issue is fine. The main attraction is the Wally West story. I don't know what it is about Flash, but whenever Williamson writes him, it's pretty boring. Same here. It's a cute little story, I guess, that kind of set up the aftermath of JL #75. After that, we get a preview of Dark Crisis #1, which actually did seem a bit interesting in comparison. Then finally, they reprinted the pages from JL Incarnate, albeit edited for brevity (which kind of ruins the flow) that sum up the Crises (Well, a few get cut with the edit) up to this point. If I wasn't in on Dark Crisis, I really doubt this zero issue would pull me in.

They really expected Black Adam to make a billion dollars, huh?

ONLY REVIEWING THE STORY BY DONNY CATES AND ELIOT RAHAL: I'm trying to read Donny Cates' earlier work. His more recent works are some of my favorite comics in a long time. This Hunter Quaid story, however, is a bit lackluster. It's only 10 pages, so there was only so much he could do here. But it's almost not worth the time to read? It's fine, not good, not bad. Just fine.
6.0
 Dark Knights of Steel (2021) #7 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Dark Knights of Steel (2021): Tales From The Three Kingdoms #1 Oct 3, 2022
6.0
 Dark Nights: Metal #6 Oct 20, 2018

This is not very good. I didn't expect much from Steve Orlando, so I wasn't shocked. Hopefully the other creators involved in this mini-event thing can make some cool one-shots with this concept.
6.0
 DC vs. Vampires (2021) #10 Nov 17, 2022
6.0
 DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War (2022) #1 Oct 2, 2022

I somehow enjoyed this ending more than the main series.
6.0
 DC's Harley Quinn Romances (2023) #1 Feb 26, 2023

The first story, Perfect Matches, was pretty good. I liked how Batman and Catwoman had some sort of chemistry. I didn't know that was a thing after King and Tynion. The second story, Bittersweet, is complicated. I see what the writer was going for, but man, the writing doesn't hold up. You could have a story about a nonbinary person who doesn't feel like they can find love. You could have a story about Steve Trevor's insecurities. But it turns out, in 8 pages, you can't do both. At least not well. Either topic would require more exploration and more time dedicated to them. As it is, this story falls into the trap of showing that these sorts of problems have quick and easy fixes, and that comes across as condescending rather than supportive. The third story, Loose Lips, is slightly clever, I guess. I don't see why they had to kiss at the end, other than the anthology's mandate. But it was fine. Pretty good, even. The fourth story, A Tale of Two Titans, I don't know what to make of. It's not bad but I'm not sure it works well. Why have Avery be friend-zoned like that? Why make that the point? I'm just confused by the execution here. The fifth story, The Beginning, was surprisingly good for a Tim Seeley story. The implications of the loving suicide pact Harley and Ivy have at the end aside. That's actually gayer than DC is usually willing to make Harley and Ivy, so... The sixth story, Together Forever, was fine. Not enough happened, but I see what they were going for. The seventh story, Anniversary, was okay. It was rock simple, and went by quickly, so I didn't mind it. The eighth story, Ex-Position, was... Meh. The ninth story, Able, was not written that well. At least when my expectations are for a very simple and obvious story, and it has that twist at the end, I can get some enjoyment out of that. The tenth story, The Heart Wants, was fiiine. I expected more from John Ridley, I'll be honest.

This was fine, like chapter one. I just wish it felt like I was reading something that matters. And let's all be honest, that ending was kinda dumb.

Ehh, this was fine, I guess.

This miniseries is the foundation of my frustration with how the X-line has been managed. I can't speculate on why Jordan White was ousted as editor. In fact, it seems like a lot of Marvel editorial is being moved around, and this could just be Marvel changing things up for the line. But if I could think of a reason, it would be how this final leg of the Krakoa age is being handled. I don't actually agree that this storyline is too convoluted or that it doesn't make sense. It does make sense and is mostly linear... if you read all the books. And Dead X-Men is particularly unfortunate because it has to give itself something to do while pushing forward its one important plot point. And all that build up... for an actual payoff in another title. This little mini era will probably make a great omnibus, assuming the mapping is on point. But this title on its own doesn't carry its weight.

The art is great, but the writing is very mid.
6.0
 Deadman (2017) #4 Oct 20, 2018

I hope whatever comes next is better.

This event just felt sort of pointless. The title doesn't lie. Five issues of Carnage killing Venoms gets old though. There's never a point where it seems like the heroes might win. It's just stalling until the end. Carnage Reigns was the better Carnage event.

A pretty uneven finale. It felt very rushed.

This was okay. I kind of know what happened? I was entertained, at least. I hope this series gets back to being great though. These last two arcs have been rough. And going straight into a Teen Titans crossover doesn't bode well for me. Especially since The Lazarus Contract wasn't good.

Bleh.

I'm getting tired of this series in a big, bad way.

This is fine, I guess. On one hand, I don't really like when issues consist of only double page splashes. It's a really easy way to tell a story that can't manage a whole issue. On the other, would I have wanted to read a full length issue of *this*? No.

Eh, this is all kind of a misstep. The writing is mid and the art really should've been better. It's boring, but in a competent way, if that makes sense.

I don't like the art here, and the story is just boring. I'm surprised this is an ongoing and not a miniseries. It really doesn't feel like there's much of a story to any of this.

I managed to catch up on current comics and I figured I should probably read some of the Batman golden age omnibuses that I spent way too much money on, so I gave this issue a read. There's really not much to say about this story in terms of plot. It's very simple. Doctor Death is being woke and demanding reparations from the wealthy elite, and so of course everyone's favorite fascist Batman has to shut that down. Doctor Death has an Indian caricature sidekick. That's worth noting. Hmm, what else? Oh! I've been critical of Nolan's Batman for a long, long time, but it turns out I'm the asshole. Batman hasn't been killing, yet also not saving people since this issue. It's an integral part of the character that he's a murderer by inaction, which is hard to charge in court, so is therefore moral. What's actually interesting about reading these old comics is their construction. If you're a big nerd, you'll be able to tell a comic's age just by how it looks. Comic book storytelling is an ever evolving thing and... boy, is that clear when you try to go back. I understand that comics were a very different medium in the late 30s compared to now and the last thing on these creator's minds was reader's experience, but man, there is no sort of pacing, there is barely any establishment of space. It's fascinating how we get from this to what comics have become. If I weren't doing this on such a whim, I'd probably be much more in-depth and analytical about it, but for now I just have to resign myself to pointing it out.
6.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #969 Oct 20, 2018
6.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #970 Oct 20, 2018

This is a shoddy issue that's mostly reiterating everything we already know, while there's an action scene. And the action is not done well. The art is well-rendered, but the cohesiveness of it is sometimes nonexistent. Very frustrating to read at times. The backup is just kind of boring, unfortunately.

I really am sick of Fear State and this parasite storyline. Good riddance to both, please.

PSA: Feminism isn't misandry. Only a misogynist like Merlyn would think that. This comic feels like wheel spinning. The idea of a 12 issue weekly run quickly loses its luster when some issues are basically just filler like this one. The only thing holding this one up is the backup, which is markedly better this time around.

The only real saving grace for this issue is the backup, which is a lot of fun. The main story continues to spin its wheels and not get very much done in the process. How is this not done yet? I honestly might drop this one too, until this slog of a story is over. I'm a fan of Tamaki's run mostly, but this just isn't fun to read.

This was slightly better than last issue, but still pretty fucking lame. I'm really ready to move on here.
6.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #1060 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #1061 Oct 2, 2022

This issue treats the Rose like a joke, and he definitely is one. Nick Spencer spent so much time building up to the Rose's resurrection and this is what we get for it. Hopefully, Zdarsky weaves him into his Daredevil run, since he's set up Kingpin's other son to play a large role in Marvel's criminal underworld. Or maybe, Zeb Wells should use him to greater effect in his upcoming run also seemingly focused on gang wars. Just do something more than... this.

The tie-in reveals itself to be unnecessary here. Otto can be an extremely fun character to read, so the fact that this book isn't a delight is a crime. It's just boring, man.

I feel like this tie-in doesn't need to exist. But it's fine for what it is, I guess. It's got some weird art though.

There's a narrative problem here. It's pretty obvious. The conversation between MODOK and Doom does not fit with the issue it is in. It's not an uninteresting conversation either, it just does not register the way it's supposed to, leading to a less than satisfying reading experience. I hope next issue is better.

The Superman/Krypto story was pretty standard, but the ending was nice. The Killer Croc story had great art. Kyle Hotz is always good. And surprisingly, Joshua Williamson wrote a mostly good script, better than his usual Flash drivel. The Ferdinand story was fine. A perfect 5/10. The Captain Carrot story was okay. I think it didn't quite hit the mark, but it got close enough. The Animal Man story was actually pretty good. I liked it. The Dex-Starr story was fine, much like the Ferdinand story was fine. The Batcow story was stupid, and not in a good way. The Beast Boy story was okay as well. Overall, this isn't the worst one of these DC seasonal anthologies that I've read, but I still don't know that it was actually worth my time.

This wasn't too bad. But the stuff with Deadpool seemed really forced. Anything with Iron Man gets a boost from me, I'm not sorry.
6.0
 Doomsday Clock #3 Oct 20, 2018
6.0
 Doomsday Clock #4 Oct 20, 2018
6.0
 Edge of Spider-Geddon #1 Oct 20, 2018
6.0
 Edge of Spider-Verse (2022) #1 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Edge of Spider-Verse (2022) #3 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Edge of Spider-Verse (2022) #4 Oct 2, 2022

Like the rest of this series, this was mediocre. Love the design of Web-Weaver though. That's A+.

These stories should've been flipped. The Spider-Killer story should've been expanded on and given the pages that the painfully one-note Spider-Rex story got. I don't dislike Karla Pacheco's writing. But... there's nothing about Spider-Rex that's worth reading about. Edge of Spider-Verse, like so many of these anthologies, doesn't seem to ever prove its worth.

Anthologies are always rough, and this one was no different.

This was fine. It all wrapped up nice and neatly. That's all I expected from this comic.

This was fine and fun. It's just typical Captain America. Nothing more, nothing less.

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6.0
 Extreme Venomverse (2023) #3 May 18, 2024
6.0
 Extreme Venomverse (2023) #5 May 18, 2024

The art here really bothers me. I feel like this artist should only ever draw Punisher comics. His art worked there. It does not work on Action Comics or Fallen Angels. The dialogue here is also a bit too... esoteric, for lack of a better word. And the plot has fallen off as well.

This was certainly better than issue three, but still not very good. At least now the plot seems less jumbled, the motivations are clear, and there's a straight line to follow.

The only reason I'm still reading this is because a friend might also continue to read it. But they're being slow about deciding, so until they make up their mind, I'm stuck with this really uninspired comic. It just feels like every indie title I've ever read. It's not even that bad. It just doesn't feel like it's worth reading.

Hey so, maybe this should have ended after the little girl turned into a tree huh?

This felt rushed. Again, the best part is The Thing. Dan Slott should be writing a Thing solo.

This felt so much like filler, it's unreal.
6.0
 Fantastic Four (2018) #45 Oct 2, 2022

A lot of the wrong things are skimmed over while less interesting things are magnified. And there are some random changes here and there that kind of chip away at the original stories' integrity. This, much like the X-Men Grand Design books, is good for looking at rather than reading through. Especially as things are convoluted immediately by the way the writer/artist tries to get the information across. The X-Men comics at least built up to it.

This was very mediocre. I liked the main character at least. I just despise all the sci-fi in this Green Lantern book. (Yes, I know, dear.)

Only read the new Moon Girl story.

This didn't really excite me for the event. The art by Bachalo was good. However, I really do think he repurposed old Doctor Strange designs for that nightmare sequence. This was fine. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

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I'm not sold on this event yet. Mark Waid's script is perfunctory at best here. It seems like a means to an end rather than a story that Waid genuinely wants to be telling. I'm not engaging with it at all. I read this and the Blood Hunt FCBD issue pretty much back to back, and the difference in tone was palpable. These are both events with a morose sort of vibe to them, but one manages to be fun and the other manages to drag me down.

Meh. I barely know anything about Apokolips, but apparently this comic really misrepresents it in order to tell this story. That doesn't bother me in this instance simply because I don't know. All the sexism in this is pretty laughable. It's very over the top. I was laughing at some of it. I don't think that was the intended effect. Maybe I'm just a sexist, who knows? I didn't find the issue that hard to read. I got through it just fine. I don't know how to rate it because of that. I understand why people are hating it, but in my case, ignorance is bliss.

I only read this as its technically part of Mark Waid's Flash run. He undeniably writes the most engaging part of this book, which also happens to take place in the future and features a character I've never heard of before. Familiarity is clearly not selling me here. The idea of a generational villain that keeps coming back, with each iteration being closely tied to the tropes and ideas representative of the various eras each story is attempting to ape is a very cool, good idea. It's the coolest part of this book. Each story manages to capture the feeling of those eras too. Jay Garrick's story is simpler, while Barry's is exceptionally boring. Wally, being essentially set in modern times, falls away from the homaging a bit but still manages, unsurprisingly, to feel of its era. I'm writing this after having already read the first few issues of Waid's actual Flash run and I can safely say that he breathed a ton of life into Wally based on this story. This is never outright bad, it's just what you would expect from the Flash most of the time: mediocre. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
6.0
 Flash (2016) #43 Nov 6, 2018

There's a lot of leaps in this. How does Flash know that they're really trapped in Heatwave's mind? How does he know Heatwave killing his younger mind-self will make him "gone for good"? How does he know anything about the sage force that he says he doesn't know anything about? How exactly did Commander Cold manage to drag three bodies out of Iron Heights and to his place?

Hey, an issue of Flash that isn't atrocious! It's by no means great, but at least it's pretty okay. I'm not getting my hopes up for the future but I needed this.

Not as bad as usual, honestly. Maybe because Flash wasn't in it.

This Paradox guy is making a lot of sense.

Not as bad as the last couple issues. The cliffhanger might actually lead to something neat.
6.0
 Flashpoint: Batman Knight of Vengeance #1 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Flashpoint: Batman Knight of Vengeance #2 Oct 2, 2022

I read the collected issue of this miniseries DC put out just before Flashpoint Beyond. It's about what you can expect from Azzarello. I think it's actually a pretty good story hampered by Azzarello's insistence to make things as grimdark and edgy as he can. It's... fine.
6.0
 Flashpoint: Beyond #0 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Flashpoint: Beyond #2 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Flashpoint: Beyond #4 Oct 2, 2022

This is a consistently mediocre event. Not sure why this exists. Also thanks for spoiling Dark Crisis, I guess.

This was fine, I just wish my patriotism was enough to make me clap because this comic has freedom in it.

I liked this more than the previous one, but it's still held down with stilted writing and a terrible second story.

This is fine, I guess. While it certainly is just Silence of the Lambs, it's at least not the absolute war crime of New 52/Rebirth Harley Quinn. That is a major step up, I swear. If Harley's characterization here is indicative of how she'll be written in the ongoing, it'll at least have the chance to be something I'd enjoy. Not overly annoying, not brain dead, but still a character. Also, this is my first Future State title, so to already have an editing error with the word balloons at the end is a great sign lol.

This is fine, I guess. I was expecting more based on the reviews here, but what I got was... You know, a thing.

I wanted to like this more, but I don't.

This only got interesting at the very end.

The Suicide Squad story was alright. There were things in it that were entertaining, but also things that held it back. But it was better than I was expecting. The Black Adam backup was similar, except it did far more egregiously bad things.

I liked the Bruce Wayne story. Much more than the Red Hood story!

Nothing worth reading, honestly. The backup really did not work well, either.

This is a title that shouldn't exist, and that's exemplified by DC putting pointless reprints of old Black & White comics in the back. At least it went fast.

Wow, this is really just not very good. I'm holding out hoping it gets canned.

This is lame. I keep reading this thinking there's no way it'll keep going, and yet it's still not cancelled. It just feels uninspired. The art feels unfinished, and not because it's black and white.

I genuinely don't know why I'm still reading this series. It should be a fun little out of continuity story, but instead it's so wrapped up in so many weird, off putting ideas. It really might be DC's version of 2099, only there's no Spider-Man 2099 to hold it all together. This comic is like a mashup of all the lesser 2099 titles that no one likes or cares about.
6.0
 Future State: Gotham #12 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Future State: Gotham #14 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Future State: Gotham #16 Oct 2, 2022
6.0
 Future State: Gotham #17 Oct 2, 2022

Incredibly wrapped up in Rick Jones/Captain Marvel continuity, which is some of the most boring Marvel canon I can think of. So shockingly, this comic isn't great.

A little better but still not very engaging.

This was very 90s. With the main series ended and not much on the horizon for Ghost Rider, I wonder what this issue is potentially setting the stage for.

This felt like filler.

This is a weird title right now. The covers and the solicitations keep hyping up that something is going to happen with the symbiote suit, and we see just a tiny bit of that. It's not really going anywhere, and it's been a thing since Spider-Women. That's a shame because I find it a lot more interesting than what the comic is preoccupied with. That being the Earth-65 Johnny and Sue Storm. They're just not interesting (despite the Earth-65 Doom tease that I do want to see play out). Plus, this is technically an Outlawed book, but that hardly plays a role in anything. And Man-Wolf is still a threat. It just feels like this book is juggling too much and focusing on all the wrong parts. That's how you get an issue like this where at one point it feels like it's an oversized issue, and then still feels rushed at the end. It's unfortunate.
6.0
 Giant-Size X-Men (2020): Thunderbird #1 Oct 4, 2022

I didn't like this issue much. Not much actually happened and the setting wasn't fleshed out like the futuristic one in the last few issues. Plus, I don't think the art conveyed the story properly at a few points. It led to me re-reading pages to figure out the connection. And yeah, this just wasn't very good.
6.0
 Green Arrow (2016) #36 Nov 6, 2018

This is a very rushed issue. The emotional implications for Ollie's innocence in his drunk driving case is completely glossed over and the villain betrays their own sense of morals to make them more villainous, when the opposite would've been more intriguing.

The bait and switch here kinda left me with a sour taste in my mouth. Let's get away from the Ollie being dead thing, please.

This is fine but boring at times.

This was fine. I don't really have much to say. I'm not outraged that Hal is parallax again, since that's not at all what happened, and even a child wouldn't draw that conclusion from that page... But comics have been proven to be helpful in giving those with reading disabilities relief and boosting reading comprehension levels, so we need to accept that some people just aren't as capable as the rest of us, despite this person being able to, ironically, use an online comics piracy hub called ReadComicOnline. I'm also not outraged by the deaths, because being a Green Lantern fan is cringe.

This is just kind of boring, and there's not much here otherwise.

This is competent, I guess but I really had trouble staying interested in this one.

Just more of the same.

6.0
 Green Lanterns #40 Nov 6, 2018

Yeah, this issue was kind of boring to me. A lot of things moving around, but not anything to latch onto.

This is fine. We all know where this is headed, and the journey isn't very interesting.
6.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #39 Jul 19, 2019
6.0
 Harley Quinn (2021) #20 Nov 20, 2022
6.0
 Harley Quinn (2021) #31 May 7, 2024

This Task Force XX arc is the low point of Stephanie Phillips' run. Everything before it, and what's been put out after it, have been much better. I don't know if it was the weekly shipping schedule or what, but it just wasn't very good.

This issue has its ups and downs. The worst part of it, by far, being the Conner and Palmiotti story. Honestly, my favorite of the bunch is probably the story by current writer Stephanie Phillips. I see a lot of praise for Stjepan Sejic's story, but I had a lot of problems with how Harleen handled Joker and Harley's relationship, and those problems are still present in this short story, so I didn't like it much.

This was a messy finale. It's a shame because I can tell the creators are having a fun time and really like these characters, it's just too much. The pacing in this miniseries really came back to bite them with this finale.

Meh.

Meh.

This was very dark and cynical, and that's fine, but I don't think it really fits Spider-Man. I feel like maybe it could've been done better if maybe the writer cracked open a few old issues of ASM. Maybe. It was alright though, I don't mean to be so harsh.

I'm mixed on this one. Parts of it were cool and yet, I've seen parts of it a million times before. I guess clichés are harder to avoid when you've only got one slightly-oversized issue to tell your story. I'm always a fan of endings like this one, because I'm a sadist.

I'm getting less and less enthused about this book. It's more and more boring the longer it goes.

This issue is mid and messy, but the idea of the twist at the end makes the whole series much more clever in hindsight. It's a shame that the execution, which must've been meticulously planned, was then hampered by real life stuff. This whole run is kind of a shame. It had potential, clearly. It just wasn't meant to be. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I was much less into this than the first issue. It didn't have as tight pacing or writing. And it felt like having all the characters come to the realization issues after the reader did only hinders the experience.

Not the best. I feel like there's too much going on, but none of it matters.

I swear that, like gun purchases, CBRU reviews need to come with background and mental health checks. It'd save so much trouble. This issue is fine. People need to learn not to get triggered.
6.0
 Ice Man (2018) #1 Jul 19, 2019
6.0
 Iceman (2017) #11 Jul 19, 2019

This wasn't as good as some of the previous issues, it felt a bit like they were stretching things out to hit the issue quota. And also, the police definitely never blame innocent people for things out of their control. Of course.
6.0
 Imaginary Fiends #2 Jul 19, 2019

I didn't like the art. Especially with the kids. Too bad they're the main characters. It's like their legs don't have knees. What's up with that? Otherwise, this was fine, I guess. I don't really care yet and the writing just made me not care more. I know Jeff Lemire can be good. Great, even. But this isn't very strong.

Just kinda boring, but it wasn't bad. Not much to say.

This was a weird one. It's an epilogue to the Infinity Wars event that mostly focuses on a brand new character. There's this man who's on death's row for a murder he didn't commit and the Time Stone, now imbued with a soul of its own, chooses him as an avatar. And now he has the ability to stop time. So he uses it to escape prison and his impending death. That's the main story and it's okay. Nothing special. There's a little bit of the issue dedicated to the Raptors attacking Phyla-Vell and Moondragon in order to find out who has the stones now. So the Raptors are still vying for the stones after everything in Infinity Countdown and Darkhawk, and that means they'll probably be the antagonists for Wolverine: Infinity Watch. That's good to know, I guess. Finally, we get a little bit more with Loki who won't reveal what exactly he saw at the end of Infinity Wars but now he's teaming up with Future Old Man Phoenix from Thor/Infinity Wars. And presumably, that's where Infinity Watch picks up. So I mean, as an epilogue, it sets everything up for what comes next. Clearly, this man who has the time stone will be part of the Infinity Watch, which Loki and Logan are somehow involved with, and the Raptors will most likely be the threat and that's fine. But I mean, as an issue on its own, it's just kind of lacking. I'm not very interested in this new character and I felt that the Raptors already had their moment in Guardians of the Galaxy and Infinity Countdown. To have them play a major role again is kind of a retread. They changed a lot since then, sure, with the events of Darkhawk, but still. I'm excited for more Loki though. I really like his character. All in all, I didn't really dislike this issue, it was just sort of middling.

This was just a rushed version of Laura's origins, with some magic in there. Meh.

Eh.
6.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2016) #594 Jul 19, 2019
6.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2016) #599 Jul 19, 2019
6.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2016) #600 Jul 19, 2019
6.0
 Iron Fist (2018) #1 Oct 15, 2018
6.0
 Iron Fist (2022) #5 Oct 13, 2022

This was okay.
6.0
 Jessica Jones #15 Jul 20, 2019

This was fine, but kinda boring.
6.0
 Jurassic League (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Jurassic League (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Justice League (2016) #38 Jul 20, 2019
6.0
 Justice League (2018) #6 Jul 20, 2019
6.0
 Justice League (2018) #7 Jul 20, 2019

I'm not too interested in this event. It's really not doing it for me. Which is a shame after the first few issues left me intrigued.

This issue was slightly above average. I wasn't quite so lost in the monotony of exposition as I have been in previous arcs. The characters were interesting enough for the 20 or so pages I had to read of them. It was all fine. I don't have any excitement about this series though.

This was okay. I wasn't bored with it, but nothing really made me excited.

This was almost certainly written after Endgame came out, so that's something. I don't know, I didn't hate this issue. I just don't particularly care? I agree that this should've happened sooner since that last filler arc was such a spinning wheel. But yeah, I guess it's cool the JSA is back. It didn't really amount to much here, but maybe it will later.

Not as entertaining as previous issues, as the Death Metal Doomerism of it all really kicks in here. But it wasn't bad or anything.
6.0
 Justice League (2018): Road to Dark Crisis #1 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Justice Society of America (2022) #2 Mar 3, 2023

This issue has a lot packed into it. A lot of exposition finally comes, and the result is a poorly paced issue that is a slight slog.

Better than the last issue, but still not great. The characters are still pretty one-note, including Killmonger. The cliffhanger shows promise though.

6.0
 Knight Terrors: Black Adam (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

Whoever drew this cover was working hard. It's Tini's Catwoman, it's... boring, even with references to Catwoman's first miniseries.
6.0
 Knight Terrors: Catwoman (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
6.0
 Knight Terrors: Nightwing (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
6.0
 Knight Terrors: Ravager (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
6.0
 Knight Terrors: Titans (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
6.0
 Knight Terrors: Titans (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
6.0
 Knight Terrors: Zatanna (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
6.0
 Knights of X (2022) #5 Nov 25, 2022

This whole event has been more or less pretty good. Leave it to Seeley to bring this issue down with an incredibly bland Huntress story. Also, making a devout catholic character put herself above god is a choice.

At the Heart of Trees was fine. I got a little tiny baby kick out of it taking place in the Great Dismal Swamp, since there's a very interesting history to it, and I'm glad to say it was barely explored whatsoever. But it is a spooky place, nonetheless. They do ghost hunts there! Ring of Stones was fine as well. It held my interest, at least. This is why I don't like short story anthologies, they never have time for a proper build and pay off. Sleeping Giant was not enjoyable to me. It just didn't really connect. I felt myself waiting for the story to get going, but it never felt like it had. No Sign of the Enemy was fine. The concept was sound, but I don't think the writer really hit the mark. Again, I chalk this up to how short stories don't allow for a proper structure. Age of Discovery was probably the most well-rounded of the stories, but nothing amazing. And I think that the story mostly benefited from the great art by Christian Ward. At the Heart of Man was a nice twist on the first story, and a nice bookend to the issue, but ultimately, it wasn't something really outstanding. It was fine, like the rest of this anthology.
6.0
 Legion (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019

Why are we taking time out of a 12 issue limited series that, up to this point, had its own plot and characters to deal with a painfully slow pace? Couldn't this be handled in a different ongoing title? All it does is break up the pace of this miniseries even more, and the entire thing is built on the shaky foundation that is Event Leviathan. I just can't bring myself to get invested in this. Also, didn't Sam Lane meet Jon during the Superman Rebirth run? I guess that's changed to milk the emotions here. I see what they were going for, but the context of this issue brings it down so much.
6.0
 Luke Cage (2017) #168 Jul 20, 2019

Not feeling this.

This is fine.
6.0
 Marauders (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Marauders (2022) #3 Nov 6, 2022

I'm losing interest fast.

You should never trust anthologies. The Wolverine story was okay. I thought the Namor story was a nice companion piece to Invaders #1. The Cap story is very cheesy, and not in a good way. So overall, this was fine.

The Wolverine story was okay. I like the Iron Man story, but it was a bit weird in the end. I appreciate the sentiment though. The Winter Soldier story was a bit nonsensical, however.

I thought the wrap-up to the Vigil was actually pretty neat. The back-up didn't need to exist. The whole concept of Exe-Men is one that keeps coming up, yet isn't very good. I do like the ending though. Just wish it had more of an impact.

This was fine. It felt more like an advertisement for college than anything else, but I wasn't annoyed with it.

Not great, but I didn't have too much trouble getting through this.

This was fine. Some stuff felt a little odd. Like how this type of tech isn't exactly new to Spider-Man, see: Superior Spider-Man. Or why Jackal is alive after being killed in Clone Conspiracy. I'm not exactly on board with it yet.

I expected more from this writer and I found the ending to be completely unrealistic.

I sorta, kinda don't want a sequel to this.

Yet another anthology title for idiot conservatives to complain about, as they pretend to care about unity but only so far as how scared they get when someone dares to say some white people are bad. This issue is fine. It's full of stories, some better some worse. Anthologies aren't really my thing. There are some parts of it I want to go over. The first white tiger story is pretty good. The Young Lords were a pretty based organization. They wanted self-determination for all third world people, they opposed racism, they were anti-fascist, they wanted the community to control land and institutions, they wanted education on their history, they opposed capitalism and the military industrial complex, they wanted women's equality and to get rid of male chauvinism, they wanted international unity, they were pro-communist, they believed in the right to bear arms, and they wanted a socialist society. These people were based, as were the Black Panthers, and that meant they had to be repressed and snuffed out by the FBI. I'm happy they're getting recognition in a Marvel comic, maybe this will get more people to read up on these organizations. The first Miles Morales story is a contentious one for me. The whole "Latinx" debate seems fairly stupid to me, as someone whose only experience with the Spanish language is three years of high school Spanish that I was dragged through by the sheer will of a very determined friend (Thanks Nat). I know I'm coming from a place of ignorance, but this story presents "Latinx" as though it is a widely accepted term. It isn't. It's mostly used by Americans who don't speak Spanish, at least not as their primary language. Which is kind of a big deal when we're talking about a language modification. The argument for "Latinx" doesn't seem to be done in bad faith. I understand why some people like it. The comic explains that side of it fairly well. It's just that maybe it's not something to push, in terms of optics. To most latin people, it would just be confusing, as the majority of them are completely unaware of the term. And the minority of what's left over tend to dislike it, overall. If we want to push acceptance for our non-binary friends, you need to pay attention to the optics. This comic isn't totalitarian or anything, it's not even about controlling language. It's basically a pamphlet. "Latinx 101". But it says right in the comic that you should use whatever you feel comfortable with. So... 1984, this ain't. The Brazilian Sorcerer Supreme story is just yet another reminder that we're all headed towards climate death. Which is not alarmist at all, and true. In fact, the story actually tries to end it on a positive note that somehow, someway humanity will overcome and not destroy our planet. Not to bum you guys out, but that's probably not going to happen. The latest UN climate report, a comprehensive analysis of more than 14,000 studies, paints a bleaker picture. There's no longer avoiding some climate catastrophe, now there's only a narrow window left open to avoid the worst of it, and that window requires emission cuts that the world has simply decided are too much. So... we're fucked. Luckily for all the climate deniers out there, they'll die out during the worst of it. If not sooner. We can only hope. The Ghost Rider story is interesting, because it takes place in East Los Angeles. Did you guys know that Los Angeles was part of Mexico, from 1821 to 1847? Yeah, and before that, the Spaniards ruled it. See, Mexico gained independence from Spain and held all that land, and then the Mexican-American War happened, and America was ceded all that land with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. I'm so glad no one was stupid enough to act like Los Angeles was never Mexico in their review here on CBRU. That'd be a major historical failure. Ah. ha. ha. ha. Oh and making some racist Trump supporters say an evil Spanish word is unironically better than they deserve. Honestly, I don't see why Conservatives get so mad about this sort of thing. Don't like it, don't read it. I'm sure they'd be fine with a comic about English heritage. Maybe they could even show off the Romans coming across the Britons and thinking they were the ugliest and most stupid creatures they've ever seen, who lived in swampy waters. I'd be fine with that, who wouldn't be?

I'm so far behind, these user reviews include bigots! I really do wish these anthologies were handled with a bit more care, as I feel like these stories really aren't top tier. It's nothing terribly bad, but there's not much to say about it. I would just consider it dull.
6.0
 Mera: Queen of Atlantis #4 Jul 20, 2019
6.0
 Mister Miracle (2017) #10 Jul 20, 2019

Yeah... this is fine. Like, I'm not a child so I can't tell what the intended audience would think. But as far as I'm concerned, this is unfulfilling. I read all 50 issues of the original run because I'm insane, and I can say this is a downgrade.

This was okay. It wasn't very interesting. It was very middle of the road.

This was fine. I won't miss this series. It was never for me, yet I read it all.
6.0
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2023) #3 Mar 3, 2023

I'll be honest, I have no business reading this miniseries. This is for children. Looking at it through that lens, I can honestly say it has some really valuable lessons in its contents that I think are good for kids to learn. But I'm an adult, and this is kind of boring. Sorry.
6.0
 Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. #6 Jul 20, 2019

I had a ton of trouble getting through this issue. I'm not sure why. But something didn't work here.
6.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #25 Jul 20, 2019

This was an alright one-shot. Nothing at all special.

6.0
 Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit (2021) #5 Nov 6, 2022

Mojo is a character I should love, and yet all he brings is mid.
6.0
 Multiversity: Teen Justice (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Multiversity: Teen Justice (2022) #3 Dec 4, 2022
6.0
 Mystik U #2 Jul 20, 2019
6.0
 Naomi: Season Two #4 Nov 6, 2022

I'm losing interest fast.
6.0
 New Challengers (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019
6.0
 New Mutants Lethal Legion (2023) #4 May 7, 2024
6.0
 Nightwing (2016) #45 Jul 20, 2019
6.0
 Nightwing (2016) #46 Jul 20, 2019

Dan Jurgen turns Nightwing from a bad comic to a forgettable but ultimately functional comic.

Is this issue a technical marvel? Did Redondo do some real crazy shit? Yes and yes. Is the writing interesting? No. Gimmicks are cool but I need something to uplift the gimmick, you know?
6.0
 Nightwing (2016) #108 Aug 7, 2024
6.0
 Nightwing (2016) #109 Aug 7, 2024

Lots of build up here that never feels like it's going anywhere, but with promises that it will go somewhere next issue.
6.0
 Nightwing: The New Order #4 Jul 20, 2019

This could be a lot better but the basic gimmick of "non-stop" is really hurting this book.

Yeah... this is just a whole lot of talking and it's not particularly interesting talking. Side note: Vita Ayala doesn't write the scripts for this. Stephanie Williams does. Just pointing that out for the idiot who can't read a credits page.
6.0
 Nubia & The Amazons: Coronation Special #1 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Nubia: Queen of the Amazons #1 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Nubia: Queen of the Amazons #2 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Nubia: Queen of the Amazons #3 Dec 8, 2022
6.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #46 Jul 20, 2019

I don't think this issue was necessary.

This was fine.

This was fine. I hope the conclusion makes the weaker issues worth it.

This was fine. I don't think it was really worth my time.

I feel like this comic doesn't know what story it wants to tell so it's sort of a mess.
6.0
 Punchline: The Gotham Game (2022) #1 Jan 12, 2023
6.0
 Punchline: The Gotham Game (2022) #3 Mar 4, 2023
6.0
 Ragman #4 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Raven: Daughter of Darkness #3 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Raven: Daughter of Darkness #4 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Raven: Daughter of Darkness #6 Jul 21, 2019

This was fine. I'm interested in the ideas and concepts that this series has going, but the execution isn't the best.
6.0
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #26 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Royals #11 Jul 21, 2019

This was a bit much. Gerry Duggan has now written two scenes where a woman distracts men by showing off cleavage. Can we go for a turkey? It seems very pointless here and I think part of it is that there's really not much story. This is just an action book but we need 20 pages. The art could've been a lot better, I noticed a lot of digital repetition. If you're going to reuse art, at least hide it better.
6.0
 Savage Spider-Man (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
6.0
 Savage Spider-Man (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023

This whole thing was a huge missed opportunity.
6.0
 Scarlet Witch (2023) #1 Mar 6, 2023

I want to like this more, but the dialogue is really tiring sometimes. I started getting PTSD flashbacks from Orlando's WW run, but thankfully it never went that far. The story is fine, nothing unexpected or engaging to me. The art is some of Pichelli's best in a long time. I just wish the writing was firing on nearly as many cylinders as the art. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ
6.0
 Secret Warriors (2017) #9 Jul 21, 2019

I want to like this but it's forever teetering on the edge of mediocrity.

This was fine. I wish it were better, but at least it's quick.

Yeah, I really don't care about this title. It's weaker than everything else Tom Taylor is writing.
6.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Mister Miracle #3 Jul 21, 2019

This was fine, but a bit tiring.

I was just kinda bored with this issue. But we'll see how the next series goes. Hopefully, it's better.
6.0
 Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings (2022) #1 Mar 6, 2023
6.0
 Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings (2022) #5 Mar 6, 2023

Gene Luen Yang's Shang-Chi run is something that never seemed to click with me the way it did with others, but I appreciate what it did for the character nonetheless. Martial Arts is not really my sort of genre.

This was fine. I wish I could say I was invested in this, but I'm not.

This was fine. I've lost interest in the plot here, and I'm frankly just waiting out the months until this series ends.

Not the best issue. In fact, it felt like a bit of a waste of Iron Man. But at least we have some interesting things coming up with Shuri officially taking the Black Panther mantle again.

Pretty okay ending. Won't miss this title much, but it was better than I ever suspected it would be.
6.0
 Sideways #5 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Sideways #6 Jul 21, 2019

Like every other issue of this series lately, this is fine and I continue to ask myself why I'm reading something that barely elicits a response in me.
6.0
 Spawn #289 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse (2022) #1 Mar 6, 2023
6.0
 Spider-Man (2016) #237 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Spider-Man (2016) #239 Jul 21, 2019

Neat continuity nods and shifts aside, we didn't need this issue.
6.0
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #25 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #37 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Spider-Man 2099: Exodus (2022) #5 Mar 6, 2023
6.0
 Spider-Punk (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
6.0
 Spider-Punk (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023

Not really a fan of how Spider-Woman is written here. I know that's the point, but it doesn't mean I stop disliking it. At least everyone else seemed in character.

Not feeling this one, despite some quality character moments.

I really, really, really hope the next arc of this series gets away from all this complicated Drew family drama. It's not that enjoyable.
6.0
 Spirits of Vengeance (2017) #2 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Stargirl: The Lost Children #1 Mar 7, 2023

This issue is more bland than anything. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
6.0
 Storm (2023) #2 May 7, 2024

Well, this was fine, I guess.

This was okay. I think it may be better in the future, but it's not off to the best start.

I wish this was better.
6.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #42 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #43 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #44 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #46 Jul 21, 2019

Better than the last few arcs. Still not good.

This issue isn't the worst actually. Mostly because it attacks the reader's emotive response with abandoned baby King Shark.
6.0
 Supergirl (2016) #17 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Supergirl (2016) #18 Jul 21, 2019

This was okay. I feel my enthusiasm fading so much.

"We're trying to make you see there are no sides when you're on the edge, Supergirl."

This is not good. It's just pointless.

I'm kind of at a loss with this comic. I enjoyed parts of it. I was iffy on the Ruthye stuff throughout, but like, eventually it clicked, kinda? The art is good... The story exists... I'm very lukewarm on this one. I don't dislike it, but I didn't have a great time reading it either.

I mean, if only I... cared about Supergirl's metal origin. It's fine, it's competent. I recognize the craft at work here. But it did not effectively draw me in.

Alright, yeah, this is boring.
6.0
 Superman (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019

The main story was okay, but there's not much to say about it. The backup... I've lost the plot of. I don't know what's happening anyway. I don't think that's on me, though.

Not very interesting, but I'm glad it's done.

Yeah... this is not interesting to me.

Would've been rated higher if it was good. P.S. Yes I believe in bullets, but I just don't think they can kill me like some crazy moronic leftists would have you believe. And yes, they would kill me, they are THAT petty.

This was okay.

This is a title that is kind of fun, but ultimately not anything special. If you want good 80s Spidey, at this point, just go re-read it.

The writing is fine, but man, the art is really getting to me. Marvel, please stop hiring Greg Land. Have some standards.

This was okay. There was some good here. But it quickly became stupid, unfortunately.

I liked a lot of this book, but Booster Gold made me want to eat a bullet. Writers do this way too much. They forget that an annoying character can annoy the readers too. Booster Gold is so fucking annoying.

I hope this series gets better. There's certainly potential here, but I feel like the writing fails the ideas.

Yeah, this wasn't the worst but I really dislike Roundhouse, and he's used way too much for me to get over it.

I guess this was fine. Still don't like most of the characters, but as this issue was mostly a fight with Lobo, it kinda worked out.

Honestly, I do not remember this issue. But I rated it a 6, so it must have not been too bad...
6.0
 Teen Titans Academy (2021) #12 Mar 10, 2023
6.0
 Teen Titans Academy (2021) #13 Mar 10, 2023
6.0
 Teen Titans Academy (2021) #14 Mar 13, 2023

This wasn't a bad issue, really. I actually really like Stitch as a character, so the first story is probably my favorite. Then there are two stories I found pretty boring. Then the Red X story had really good art, which made up for the lacking story.

This is probably going to be the weak link in this series. The story being told is the standard Silver Surfer story. But the way it's played and the way the art really doesn't look good definitely takes away from it. The important stuff, the stuff that further the overall storyline is intriguing, mostly because it's adding to threads in the other, better books. Namor is similar to this one, but Namor's story was actually something interesting that will probably be built upon in other series. Silver Surfer's story will not be, in any real way, as far as I know. This sucks because I have no doubts Al Ewing is going to nail the finale, so for one issue to pull the others down is really unfortunate.
6.0
 The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #1 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #3 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #5 Jul 21, 2019

This isn't great. This is mostly picking up the pieces of that failed Sword Master comic, with a little bit of the breadcrumbs from White Fox's various appearances. It's weird what they're trying so hard to do here. Eventually it might work. Maybe?
6.0
 The Demon: Hell is Earth #1 Jul 21, 2019

I wish this was a lot less boring.

This wasn't bad but I didn't find it too interesting. Faerie just has never been interesting to me (except in Seven Secrets, I guess). There is just too much going on at once here.

This was fine. I didn't like the art and the story felt rushed and empty. But I still liked the characterization of Miles, so that counts for something. And it was technically written well.
6.0
 The Immortal Men #5 Jul 21, 2019

Ugh, the main story continues to be one of the best comics DC is putting out, while the backup continues to be fucking garbage.
6.0
 The Joker (2021) #14 Nov 6, 2022

A bland, boring ending to a series that started so strong. I am glad it's done. I hope Rosenberg does something interesting.
6.0
 The Man of Steel (2018) #5 Jul 20, 2019
6.0
 The Man of Steel (2018) #6 Jul 20, 2019
6.0
 The Maxx (1993) #33 Sep 13, 2022
6.0
 The New Golden Age (2022) #1 Dec 1, 2022

Yeah, I'm just not feeling this. I might drop this one.

I'm not feeling this one. I think the characters are boring at best, and kind of annoying at worst. I don't care about Reg. I just want more plot to happen, something I could say for literally everything I'm reading written by Tynion right now.

This story was certainly something. I think it could've been executed much better than it was. I'm left with a feeling that, well, I'd rather just re-read Denny O'Neil's run. The kindest words I could give this issue is that it was a valiant effort, but I don't know, it misses the mark for me, no matter how socially relevant it is.

This issue was all over the place. It's actually very similar to the end of the first Nightmare Country miniseries. Yes, it's a continuation of the story, but it feels like they keep shoehorning this Thessaly plot into otherwise unrelated stories, and in the process, completely ruin the flow and pacing, and endings, of the stories they're telling. It's baffling. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
6.0
 The Silencer #4 Jul 21, 2019

I didn't mind this issue, honestly. I noticed the art a lot more here. And the series is better now that it's no longer Silencer going on and on about her family. I'm sure that'll change though.

This wasn't the worst. I never really liked this series and I'm not sad to see it go, but this issue was okay.

I'm disappointed in this one. I expected so much more. It's clear Walter Mosley has a vision for this series, and it's not the one I want.

About the same as the last one.
6.0
 The Thing (2021) #5 Mar 13, 2023
6.0
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #36 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 The Unexpected (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 The Walking Dead #181 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 The Walking Dead #184 Oct 9, 2018

This issue was really frustrating. Michonne is acting irrationally while acting like everyone else is. And that gets a cool character like Dwight killed. Because she believed in a system that was obviously not what it seemed. Skeptical Michonne is dead. After months and months of wheel spinning and character "development", we get this. And they act like it's more complicated an issue than it truly is. It's not. What needs to be done is. Michonne should be on Rick's side. But I guess not.

Peter Milligan's satire is just too stuffy for me.

This was cute but nothing worth reading.

You can tell this one was cut short. I think this series was much better than what the popular opinion says, and I think a big part of why the popular opinion is what it is is because of... pretty blatant homophobia. I've argued it plenty in my reviews previous to this one. I'm not being convinced otherwise.

Anthologies are almost never all good. My favorite stories here were Bizarro Love Holiday and The Holiday Pact. None of these stories were bad aside from Bizarro V. Seasonal Depression: Dawn of Climate Change! The reason this story is bad is because Bizarro is so fucking annoying to read. I guess I commend the writer for being able to write such a thing, as it did seem consistent, but it's just so fucking annoying. It gave me a headache. Bizarro sucks. I don't know what it'll take for idiots to realize climate alarmism isn't a thing. Do they have to die of heat stroke during an unseasonal week of high temperatures? Do they have to burn to death in a wildfire? Do they have to drown in their home? What would it take? I'm guessing they'd die still denying it. Also, lol, imagine complaining about "pandering" when you also cry that they don't say Merry Christmas enough.
6.0
 Titans (2016) #21 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Titans (2016) #24 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Titans (2016) #26 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Titans (2016) Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019

Yeah, I didn't find this very interesting. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
6.0
 Titans (2023) #4 Aug 7, 2024
6.0
 Titans (2023) #6 Aug 7, 2024
6.0
 Titans (2023) #9 Aug 7, 2024
6.0
 Titans (2023) #12 Aug 7, 2024

This is kind of lacking.

This doesn't really feel integral.
6.0
 Titans United (2021) #6 Mar 13, 2023
6.0
 Titans United (2021) #7 Mar 13, 2023
6.0
 Titans United: Blood Pact (2022) #2 Mar 13, 2023
6.0
 Titans United: Blood Pact (2022) #3 Mar 13, 2023
6.0
 Titans United: Blood Pact (2022) #4 Mar 13, 2023
6.0
 Titans United: Blood Pact (2022) #5 Mar 13, 2023
6.0
 Titans: Beast World (2023) #2 Aug 7, 2024
6.0
 Titans: Beast World (2023) #5 Aug 7, 2024

This event was fine. Not the shot in the arm DC needed.

Somehow the best part, to me, was the 60s issue of Teen Titans.
6.0
 Titans: Beast World (2023): Tour: Metropolis #1 Aug 7, 2024
6.0
 Trial of the Amazons (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
6.0
 Trinity (2016) #19 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Trinity (2016) #21 Jul 21, 2019

I don't know what to think of it, for every cool idea, there's a lacking execution. But there's some really fun visuals.

This was a very oddly written issue... So I'll just focus on what matters. West Virginia is trash and it should be brought down. We all think it. We all know it. Alright?

Not as good as last issue, but not terrible.

I don't really like this that much. It feels uninspired and I had a lot of trouble getting through this issue. I don't know if I'll continue reading this one. It's just too generic feeling to dedicate my time towards.
6.0
 Venom (2016) #162 Jul 21, 2019

This one wasn't great. The amount of exposition in this issue is terrible and I really dislike the tone this series is beginning to have.

This is bland, and I'm not sure why I'm reading this.

It's 90s Venom, it's dumb.
6.0
 Venomized #5 Jul 21, 2019

This was okay. It's definitely not in continuity so I'm not sure if I'll continue reading it. There's no point. It's largely inoffensive, bland material.
6.0
 Wakanda Forever: X-Men #1 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Weapon X (2017) #11 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Weapon X (2017) #13 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Weapon X (2017) #15 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Weapon X (2017) #16 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Weapon X (2017) #17 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Weapon X (2017) #21 Jul 21, 2019

This is pretty weak. This title is so bipolar.

I was enjoying the first half with Red Wolf, but then the second half sort of ruined it for me. It was too much, too fast.
6.0
 WildC.A.T.S. (2022) #3 Mar 16, 2023

I'm having a real hard time with this book. I can't believe it's by Rosenberg, the same guy writing great stuff like What's The Furthest Place From Here. It's a bit weird, but I think a large portion of my disengagement comes down to the lettering, of all things. Lettering is an art, and this book showcases what bad lettering can do. It's inconsistent and scratchy. I know this is a style you see DC pull in a lot of their "edgier" books, like this one or... Anything Ghostmaker appears in. It slows down the reader, as misreading is a lot more likely. And it actually hurts the eyes a bit. And if the book was amazing, and interesting, it wouldn't be a huge issue. But it's like... I gotta read way too much dialogue from characters I have no reason to care about or like, and that dialogue is chicken scratch on top of it.

I wish I liked this more. I really like Rosenberg's other work. I just can't get around the fact that there are way too many characters here, too much going on, and none of it is very interesting at all. And I know I've mentioned it before, but the lettering for this series is really bad. I don't know why. The letterer has done a good job in the past. It seems like a *choice* to make this book harder to read. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This issue was a little rough. All over the place, and not very well structured.
6.0
 Wolverine: Madripoor Knights (2024) #4 May 17, 2024
6.0
 Wolverine: Madripoor Knights (2024) #5 Oct 14, 2024

Women, amirite? I feel like with every anthology the Big Two puts out, I say the same thing. They're never bad, but they're never consistently great. And I just wish that when they put out anthologies to celebrate a specific group of people, that they ensure every story is a banger. I don't think it's a talent issue. I think the format itself is very tricky to get right.

There is not enough focus here.

6.0
 Wonder Girl (2021) Annual: 2022 Mar 16, 2023
6.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #40 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #45 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #47 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #50 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #51 Jul 21, 2019

This was okay. I'm not very invested, but I'm not annoyed by what I'm reading.

This was fine, but boring.

This was a fine enough ending to the arc. Nothing special, but nothing bad either.

This was juuuust fine.

I'll admit, I groaned at the end of this issue. This was fine, but man, that ending tried to ruin everything.

This was a weak ending, unfortunately. It wasn't bad but it just didn't live up to the rest of the arc, with its oddness and creativity. The backup was not very good. I find the adventures of young Diana very tedious and boring.

I really wish this arc would just end already. I don't find Janus very interesting. The stuff in Asgard was really good, but since then, this has been dragging like a motherfucker. The backup was actually not bad this time, I was surprised.

This was a lackluster conclusion to a lackluster arc. I was not impressed by anything this issue had to offer. Really feels like this run is running on fumes ever since Wonder Woman left Asgard.

The Sovereign's monologue is getting especially tiresome. As are the constant comparisons to Batman and Superman. I don't even disagree with the sentiment, although I feel like every aspect of this comic is belabored beyond belief. It feels like everything King writes with Wonder Woman is super tense. Like everything is a matter of holding your breath. It's kind of exhausting to read. The backup, on the other hand, feels breezy and fun. It's such a fucking whiplash.

This is slightly better than the 80th anniversary issue. I don't want to just repeat what I said there, but it invariably comes down to that same sentiment all the same. The best story is the first one. There are a few fine ones in there. Just... not worth the money.

I'm really over these anthologies. This is fine, but I just don't find these stories that engaging.

I really don't care for these anthologies, and this one is no different. It's fine, some stories are better, but overall, I am less than enthused about this.

This is just kind of boring. I don't care about Krypton and this issue didn't help in that regard.
6.0
 World of Krypton (2021) #4 Mar 16, 2023
6.0
 World of Krypton (2021) #5 Mar 16, 2023

I'm not sure why this miniseries was published. Was much of anything gained from this series? What new insights did we gain, and were they worth it? I couldn't tell you.

This was alright. I think I'm getting a little burnt out on clones, at least in regards to these characters. It feels a lot like a retread. Luckily, the characters do shine as usual. But I feel like this arc is going to lose my patience eventually. It needs to do something new and/or fun and it's not really doing either. Not a lot happens in this issue. Again, the enjoyable aspect of this issue is the characters. But if you took those moments out, you'd get a bland and boring comic.

This was fine. I just think the clone thing is overdone now and the writing doesn't do anything to make it feel necessary.

This series needs a lot to make work, and unfortunately, I don't think Tini Howard is able to pull it off. This series is just a bore. It's not even badly written. It's just so fucking boring. I like the covers, at least.

This was really messy. Way too much was crammed into this issue.
6.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #15 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #21 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #22 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #26 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #27 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #28 Jul 21, 2019
6.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #29 Jul 21, 2019

This is a very tiring issue to read. There's so much ground that has to be laid to justify literally everyone being there and this story happening. It's so tied to Krakoa as well, despite all aesthetics from the cover to the interior art being intentionally 90s-fied. This was an oversized issue and I still feel like we've got a ton more exposition to burn through.

The ending really was a whimper.

Chris Claremont's style in this issue is surprisingly more modern than usual, but it's still a slight chore to read. It's fine.
6.0
 X-Men: Legends (2022) #3 Feb 6, 2023
6.0
 X-Men: Legends (2022) #4 Feb 6, 2023
6.0
 X-Men: Legends (2022) #5 Feb 6, 2023

Another Mark Russell story, another social commentary in the cutting edge of 2002. This was fine, I guess.

I think this is what those idiots on the internet thought the movie was going to be like. This was fine, I guess. It wasn't bad like I thought it'd be. It just sort of exists.

This was fine. Some unsubtle political commentary with some fighting... That's it. But it wasn't as obnoxious as it gets with things like Wonder Twins. This just doesn't need to be a book and it's not fun enough to make up for that.

There are things I like about this, but also things that I do not. That ending was especially bad.

This was fine. I wasn't really impressed with the comedy, but the references to obscure Marvel things made it fun for me.

A very unnecessary anthology that got progressively better as it went on. The first Machine Man story felt extremely dated, just like Tom DeFalco's work in 2020 Machine Man. It's not worth reading. The second story with Alkhema was actually my favorite. It was well written, in my opinion! I hope Christopher Cantwell continues making his mark on the Marvel universe. The Doctor Shapiro story was cute and had nice art, but it was incredibly unnecessary and not worth paying for.

Not a fan of anthologies, but maybe this will be okay. "Dark Things Cannot Stand the Light" is a solid opener, and I don't mind if Alan Scott is gay now. I wonder if this is part of an initiative on DC's part or if Tynion just decided to do it. This is his best work in a while, honestly. "Last Will" was fun. I don't have much to say about it, but it worked. "The Meaning of Fear" was fine. I could've done without it. It's a step down from the first two stories. "Time Alone" was really good. I enjoyed it a lot. I've never read Hard Traveling Heroes, but I think I may give it a shot. "Legacy" was pretty good. I was less enthused with it, but it didn't overstay its welcome. "Heart of the Corps" was very similar to the previous story. It didn't overstay its welcome. "Reverse the Polarity" was fine. I didn't really enjoy it much. It existed. "Four" was alright. I thought it was a bit hackneyed, but I didn't hate it. "The Voice" was good. I didn't mind it. "Homegrown Hero" was... Not awful, but it falls into this trap of being tone deaf. This tends to happen when a bad writer tries to make a point. I'm glad they decided to end the anthology on that of all things.

This was a fine tie-in, but definitely not necessary.

I was less impressed by Demagoblin this time.
6.5
 Action Comics (2016) #997 Oct 9, 2018

Pretty convoluted and not very satisfying as an ending.

Meh.

I really wish this series would have a story worth caring about. This is the same problem that Supersons fell into. The characters' chemistry works but for some reason, Tomasi just can't figure out an intriguing story to go along with it. Plus, the pacing of this series is all over the place. We get a scene where Joker Jr. retells what we learned last time for no reason. And otherwise, there's almost no plot progression, but rather a diversion. You'd think a planned miniseries would have a tighter story, but I guess not.

This issue was fine. I just wish this series wasn't spent on plotlines that did nothing but bring the comic down. While this main plot isn't the most exciting, either, it feels like it has some sort of weight at least.

This was also rushed. There are parts of this miniseries that I really enjoyed, but in the end, it seems these stories are having trouble being satisfying while still fitting the oppressive narrative that they need to.

This seems like it isn't really going anywhere. The pacing is a big issue.

Oh man, the art really isn't good. Everyone looks stiff and inhuman. The only thing that Salvador Larroca can draw well is the aliens.. For the most part. The story is a lot of build up and it mostly works. With a better artist, this would be a good first issue. But I cannot stress how much the art brings down what's actually a pretty good script.

This issue feels more like a Daredevil advertisement mixed with filler. I know the annual had just come out and a lot of work went into that, but this is such an inconsequential issue. Yeah, Spidey teams up with Daredevil for the first time, but nothing much is done with it. The Ringmaster is a really boring villain. The plot is very barebones and there's hardly anything to really parse through here. We get another MJ reference, which is nice. But nothing really is progressed here, in the overarching narrative. I'm not even sure if Betty being upset with Peter will factor in next issue. We'll see. I will say this issue did move fast, but again, that's because there's not much here. I really hope next issue picks up. I think it will, as I remember having fond memories of the first time Spider-Man decided to quit. Quote of the issue: "I'd Rather Have a Gent Like You With Me Than Agin' Me!!"

There's a lot here that I just didn't remember, but that still doesn't make this a comic that I enjoyed. I'm almost demotivated to write anything about this one. It's just kind of here for our entertainment, while not being that entertaining. I'll get the juiciest bit out of the way first, because it's all I really want to talk about and by getting it out of the way, I can probably force a few more tidbits out of myself, for the sake of a more full review. Princess Python. What is this character? She seems like a failed attempt at a Femme Fatale archetype to me. When done right, this can be a fun sort of character. When done wrong however, it kinda starts to look more... sexist, to me. And sexism isn't nearly as fun as it seems, when you get down to it. I don't believe that was truly the intent of either Lee or Ditko, but enough talk about Princess Python being a two timing, no good female, and the lines begin to blur a bit. Just throw in one "femoid" and the whole house of cards comes tumbling down. I don't remember what becomes of any of these Circus of Crime characters, but I hope that if Princess Python is used again, it's in a more competent way that doesn't come across as like... a sexist, dramatic crutch for the story. I just think it's a bit silly that Spider-Man is temporarily defeated because a woman has glommed herself to him. You don't have to hit her, Spidey. You can get her off of you without being overtly violent. And what about your future female villains? How long does this abstinence stay in effect? That's something to look out for. With that out of the way, I'm at least glad that Ringmaster is treated like the garbage villain he is. He's overtaken by a guy who literally doesn't have a moniker. He's just Clown. And he's a clown, that's all. He sucks too. All these characters are just awful. I can't believe we spent a whole issue on these just... awful characters. The circus isn't a place for crime, unless there's a bird boy involved. It's just... rough. At least Betty, for once, is on good terms with Peter. It's good she was too, because otherwise Peter might've gentleman'd his way into a life of crime with Princess Python. Quote of the issue: "Sorry, Ma'am, I Happen to be Tone Deaf!"

This one does a little better than last issue. The Looter is an F-List villain if there ever was one, but his ego is entertaining enough. He's less of a nothing than Molten Man is. And while there wasn't a ton of a new developments on the Peter Parker front, there was something. The art is again really good. It's just a shame that more interesting villains seem to be out of consideration for the remainder of Ditko's run on the title. Quote of the issue: "Just Because I Flunked Science in School Doesn't Mean I Can't Discover the Secret of the Universe!"

Man, issue 50 was such a momentous occasion, I needed to ruminate on it for over two years! Now that that's over with, I can finally get back to it! Amazing Spider-Man #51 is a strange issue to return to. It's seemingly written with very little in the way of story in mind. Spider-Man spends the majority of the issue punching goons, while Foswell sweats and Kingpin slowly make moves. It all seems to be build up rather than pay off after the events of issue 50. Even the cover, what should be the thing that sells the issue to readers, is simply the ending of the issue repackaged. This is an issue stuck in flux. It's not that nothing happens, though. We do get some development. JJJ gets kidnapped. This is an era of comics where *so* much can happen in the pages of a single issue, so it's strange get something like this especially after how rushed Spider-Man's retirement and subsequent return to heroism was in the last issue. When I was really in the swing of things with these reviews, I would always try to break down each issue into the Spidey side of things and the Peter side of things. Something I think is somewhat essential to a good Spider-Man comic is a nice balance of these things. We care about Spider-Man because of his relatable interpersonal struggles, not because of his power set. This issue doesn't really have that. Sure, Peter has to get his old job back at the Daily Bugle, but that's given a single page, and it's barely a problem for him. Aside from that, we get two panels of Peter's friends in this issue. MJ happens to see Peter riding by on his motorcycle and then teases Gwen about how badly she wants to be with Peter. Gwen is Harry's girl, MJ. I'm sure that holds up to the test of time. Aside from this establishing the firm legacy of cuckoldry within the confines of the ASM title (See: Paul, et al.), it does little more than remind readers that these characters still exist. I give a lot of these older comics a little bit of a pass when it comes to political matters, and that includes how representation is handled. Stan Lee has a particular way of writing women, and it leaves a lot to be desired. His female characters are often totally consumed with their romantic feelings and the men those feelings are afforded to. While I prefer the playful party girl aesthetic MJ has going on to the doting lifelessness that, say, The Wasp or Jane Foster tended to inhabit, it's just switching out one patriarchal stereotype for the other. I usually use these sort of quirks to make jokes, and obviously I made one about Harry above, but this moment is just so abrupt and so in your face that it's hard to gloss over. I can't wait for other writers to come along and give these women some depth. Cattiness and late 60s aphorisms won't work forever. I wish there was more to say about Kingpin here. We do get our first shock that he's not actually fat, but aside from that (personally I prefer my crime bosses with a little meat on their bones), I don't think he really does anything too exciting here that we haven't seen done with other crime bosses in this same title. He's a brute, that's the big difference. Every crime boss before this was also the smartest crime boss to ever boss crime before. Kingpin can get his hands dirty, and competently so. That's... not enough for me. That's not what drives to read about Kingpin nowadays. Maybe the concluding chapter of this story arc will give us what was lacking in this issue: A story with real direction, more interpersonal life for Peter, a reason to single out Kingpin, and so on. Quote of the issue: "With Spider-Man gone, this city is mine!"
6.5
 Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt (2024) #2 Jun 13, 2024

I'm having trouble keeping interested in this series, but I can see this is written just fine.

This was fine.

Unfortunately, I wasn't very into this. For me, it has to come down to the supporting cast. Angel is given a brand new supporting cast just to have it ripped away from him. While that does sound like classic Angel, it's hard to make me care about these brand new characters in the space of an issue. I'm sure this will bring Angel to a different place by the time he makes it to Sunnydale, but I don't think his want "to work alone" needed to be reinforced. In the original shows, he learned that he was better off alone by what happened in the first few seasons of Buffy. That had much more of an impact because we as an audience grew to care about everyone involved and could sympathize with Angel. This felt like a shortcut, plain and simple. I'm hoping we can move away from this specific story since it is a zero issue. The writing wasn't even particularly bad. It's just how rushed it all was for a character definement that was much more warranted in the shows and ultimately could've just existed without much explanation if they really wanted it.
6.5
 Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) #5 Oct 9, 2018
6.5
 Aquaman (2016) #33 Oct 9, 2018
6.5
 Aquaman (2016) #35 Oct 9, 2018

This was fine. I just wish that this run had more... focus to it. It feels like so much has happened, and I can barely remember any of it. The stakes feel like they don't exist. Why do I care about this?

This was fine. I just wish I cared. The baby is cute, I guess.
6.5
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #8 Oct 9, 2018

Believe it or not, I was dreading this title. I've been ambivalent about this new Agents of Atlas push by Marvel. I'm not sure how these miniseries have been selling, but I know the solo titles (easily the weakest link) are Marvel's worst selling titles. So, I don't really expect this to last much longer. That being said, Greg Pak is not a bad writer... He's just not great. He's just okay. And that's what this first issue is. It's okay. I'm not excited for the rest. I don't care about Pan. I mean, this issue ends with the original Agents of Atlas meeting this new incarnation, and just based on how weird and creative they look compared to the new team, I'd rather be reading about them. And I know that's a farce because I *have* read Agents of Atlas before. It's odd.

I'm so ambivalent towards this issue. I don't really understand what Jason Aaron is trying to do here. The narration from Moon Knight proves that Jason Aaron has a pretty good idea of who Moon Knight is as a character, but... If he understands the character, why is he using the character in an arc like this? And the pacing of this arc is too slow. Maybe the pandemic-addled release schedule plays a role in how long this arc has felt, but this just feels like a fever dream at times. And you know, regarding the ending... That is, like, a cool action figure recombination. It straight up is. But... I'm so hesitant to give it any sort of props because the story and that development is just very, very unfitting of Moon Knight. It's as though Jason Aaron had a square peg, studied it, and really understood it, but yet when the time came, he still tried to put it in that round hole. I hate to be that guy who says, "Oh this character would never do this! The X-Men should never go to space! This is just all so wrong!" because ultimately, characters morph over time and if we don't try new things, comics would be very boring and stagnant. Moon Knight has not been the same exact character since the 70s. But this right here does not seem like the harbinger of evolution for the character. This feels more like a what-the-fuck idea thrown at a wall at 2 am. If this whole arc was made just to set up a new Moon Knight series, and that series isn't about a God-powered Moon Knight, I'm still willing to look at this as a net-positive. But if literally nothing good comes of this and Moon Knight goes back in the toy chest, this is probably the worst arc of Jason Aaron's Avengers for me.

Russell writes a... competent Hawkeye story that feels completely off base from what the main series established in terms of the severity of the situation and the way in which the Progenitor acts. It feels disconnected, especially its ending. And beyond that, I don't really think the message is all that good either. The whole point is that morality and what's right and wrong is fluid and subjective, as opposed to objective. Which is true. But I have no idea why the comic acts like it's plainly impossible to know what's right and wrong. Like, it's some higher question for mankind to ponder. Especially for a superhero, like Hawkeye. Everyone has certain axioms upon which they base what's good and what's not good. But the comic never really spends time dissecting the general different modes of thought in regards to morality. And for a Mark Russell comic (which is frequently composed of such things) to just sort of gloss over everything, never reaching a point beyond re-establishing the premise... It's disappointing. He's got a character both sides-ing deontological ethics and consequentialism, as if it's just so hard to know which could possibly be more valid since everyone's such a blank slate for this interminable moral struggle. Oh and for the record, the answer to the question is consequentialism. Like, obviously. Intent means nothing compared to the outcomes.
6.5
 Batman (2016) #39 Oct 10, 2018
6.5
 Batman (2016) #40 Oct 10, 2018

I think the pacing here is not great. I understand the point of the hallucination, but if we already need digressions like that to fill up the page count, that's a bad sign. The story itself is fine. I feel like a lot is waved away for the sake of making the story work, which is usually fine, but we spent 9 issues building up to this story and we're still making big leaps in order to hold this story together. The goodwill that last issue brought me, this issue abuses. I don't think it's a bad issue, it's just an average one. But this is the big event. It should be good. The best thing about this issue is the art, and even that had a few moments of weakness. How unfortunate.

The problem with this book is that despite having great art, and competent writing, it is slow and dull. This entire arc has been nothing but set up for Fear State, while not really having a cohesive story in and of itself. The ending to this issue is a great example of my problem with this arc. It's such a whimper non-ending. The back-up continues to bore me. I do not care about how cool and awesome Ghost-Maker is. Make him do something cool and awesome, don't just tell me about it with a bunch of hypeman new villains. Also, can we just talk about how Razorline is just Pinhead from the Hellraiser films? I was so hoping he'd say, "I have such sights to show you," just to know that Tynion is aware of how much of a copy his new OC is, and embraces it.

The most I can say about this arc was that it was never bad. It just feels incredibly pointless. Zdarsky is a great writer, he's written some of my favorite comics of all time. He's really funny, and sorta dreamy, have you seen his strip dance? I can't for the life of me figure out why this story had to be told here and now. I get the larger point of the story, Batman and Joker are a pairing that will go on forever. Pop culture deems it so. I get that. I get the meta reason of retconning Three Jokers to not have so many continuity snafus. I don't get why this story matters though. What does it have to do with Zur and what's to come next? Is it as simple as setting up that the Joker loves Batman and could always win, but chooses not to, and that'll lead to a team up against Zursafe (that's Zur and Failsafe combined)? That's the only guess I have, but I don't think any of that needed explanation. If this arc started from a clean break, and not in the middle of another story, I feel like everyone would be nicer about it. But it didn't and in the context of its release, it's baffling. It feels like a waste of time and potential, and it feels very cynical as well.

After last issue's greatness, my reaction to this issue could be summed up as Ron DeSantis' media-trained non-smile. I just... man, I was high on this title a second ago.

This issue, much like this series, is fine. I don't find it very compelling.
6.5
 Batman and the Signal #1 Oct 10, 2018
6.5
 Batman Beyond (2016) #21 Oct 10, 2018

This would be a lot better with someone else on art, just saying.

This was fine. None of the stories really blew me away.

This wasn't as good as the previous issues and I think that's because the main attraction of this entire series was the art. I really want to buy the trade of this and put it on my shelf just to look at... And probably not read. The writing is fine, and some moments in this are really good, particularly the part with Alfred. But after such a fun string of quick issues filled with crazy art, slowing down and having the most dialogue intensive issue at the very end where the art can't really do much is kind of a let down, unfortunately.

I don't know why, but this one was weak for me. It just wasn't engaging.

This is fine.
6.5
 Batwoman (2017) #14 Oct 10, 2018
6.5
 Batwoman (2017) #15 Oct 10, 2018
6.5
 Batwoman (2017) #16 Oct 10, 2018
6.5
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #19 Oct 10, 2018
6.5
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #20 Oct 10, 2018
6.5
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #23 Oct 10, 2018
6.5
 Black Adam (2022) #3 Sep 27, 2022

We finally get an explanation for what's been happening. I mean, nothing much that I didn't already know, but I guess it's nice to have it laid out somewhat. Hopefully, this story gets more interesting with T'Challa regaining his memories. The pacing of this story is probably it's biggest issue. Something that Coates clearly struggles with as a writer. But this story is so out there and wrapped up in itself that it's sometimes hard to maintain interest.

This is fine enough, for a children's comic. The biggest issue here was the art was rough, and I don't know what happened with the lettering, but it was terrible. Whoever did it needs to figure out spacing. The comic establishes that Apartheid and colonization is a bad thing, which is a very fair thing to teach children. It also teaches kids to stand up for one another which is, again, totally fair and valid. Now for the meme part of the review. The only other review listed right now is by Merlyn, and instead of judging this comic on its true merits, he gets hung up on a single panel and one mention of a country. Liberia. Onyebuchi doesn't do anything close to historical revisionism. Here is the quote from the issue, spoken by T'Chaka: "...the history of this continent is a sad one. Our fellow Africans in the Congo and in South Africa and in Liberia, all of them have suffered for what lies beneath their feet. Wars have been waged over wealth that never finds its way back to the community." There's no historical revisionism here. Liberia has suffered for what resources they have, to the benefit of European nations. How? Through exploitative trade for centuries. What resource? Pepper grains. See, Europeans such as the Dutch, the Portugese and British established trading posts to get these extremely valuable spices. This included forcing the people in the land of Liberia at the time to give up some of their land. And of course, the bulk of the wealth from these trading posts never went into Africa. Europeans just used it to fund themselves and further colonial action. So, this is not historical revisionism on the part of the writer. This is just fact. The context of this quote is that T'Chaka has been approached by a UN ambassador, Ulysses Klaue (Yes, the villain, if you weren't sure this is a bad thing) about having the UN help them mine the resources Wakanda has, specifically their vibranium, as a middle man of sorts... Sound like what the Europeans did to Africa at all? Of course it does. This is why you should read your comics, and not trust dumbfucks. But let's go through Merlyn's claims, just to thoroughly debunk his shit: First, he goes off on a tangent about Liberia's racist governance, as though that proves any sort of point. This is a tactic to delegitimize the potential suffering of the people that live here. There's no denying that discriminating against the race/ethnicity of a group of people is racist. But that has nothing to do with what T'Chaka is saying. Then he says Liberia was supposed to be a real life Wakanda, but that it failed even though white people didn't interfere as they did in the rest of the African continent. Bit of a loaded claim. First of all, Wakanda is a fake country made up for a comic book universe, where their sovereignty was dependent on a fictional, super-natural alien metal with mystical roots, crashing into the African continent millions of years ago, and depositing in the soil, leading to massive technological advancement. What Merlyn is probably saying is that Wakanda is an ethnostate. Since, you know, Liberia is one. This is not the case. In fact, in this very issue, the Royal Family of Wakanda has adopted a Caucasian boy, who is being raised with T'Challa, and is explicitly treated as equal to everyone. There's a whole scene about that to demonstrate just how bad Apartheid was in South Africa. And if that's not enough to convince you, there's a whole movie where Black Panther fights a black separatist who tries to take over Wakanda and war with the western world. Second, white people interfered super heavily in Liberia. First, there were the trading posts by Europeans. Then, you get to the establishment of Liberia as an American colony. That's right, for over 20 years, Liberia was not an independent nation. It was a colony created by the American Colonization Society. Initially run by a whole bunch of white people who believed that freed black slaves had no place in America. America shipped these people off to Africa, despite them living in America their entire lives, where they then eventually pushed their way into Liberia and intermingled with the people already living there. All at the behest of white people. And of course, then they took the land and made it a colony. But white people never interfered, I guess. Oh and then when the colony of Liberia was too much of a financial burden on America, America forced them to establish their sovereignty so America didn't have to support them. But again, I guess white people never interfered. The rest of the review is nothing but Merlyn's delusions about lies being told and how the kids are going to be turned into... traitors, I guess. Not really worth going into, he just needs to get help. I think I've said enough to make his review look as foolish as it is.

Ass-mad Conservatives get mad about nothing, part 10googol.
6.5
 Black Panther: Long Live The King #6 Oct 10, 2018

I'm really bored by this miniseries at the moment. It's not funny, and the stakes are nonexistent, even though they should be readily apparent.

This was fine, I guess.

This series feels aimless. The character interactions here are varying levels of interest for me. I really enjoyed the conversation between Willow and Xander, and with every conversation past that I became less and less engaged. I don't really care about Rose and Kendra, one is a brand new character that I still don't know that well and the other is a show character that never really got any development and only got a few hints of it in this series. Faith being introduced will hopefully give this series a shot in the arm. I really love TV Faith, so I hope her comic variant is as fun.

The pacing here is a bit slow. Not a ton happens here, but it is inoffensive.

I'm ambivalent towards this issue. The ideas are interesting, but the execution is lacking, as far as the stuff in Madripoor goes. The stuff in Adamsville was still good. And the art was competent!

The first two stories were okay, but the last story was obviously the most fun. All in all, an okay anthology.

This is a slow, slow comic atm. Which would be okay if this intrigued me, but it's not. I still don't find Catwoman that compelling of a character (the issue brings out some of the most eye-rolling aspects of King's Catwoman/Batman pairing) and the villain is not doing enough here. Her evilness still doesn't seem to have much of a point. But then again, I'm not entirely sure what's going on, and I don't know if I'm supposed to yet, so maybe there was a point that I missed in the last four issues...

6.5
 Cave Carson Has An Interstellar Eye #2 Oct 18, 2018

Kinda lost me with the needless flashback, but it's fine.

I actually read this issue last week due to comixology fuck ups, so I'll just replicate my review here: I don't really know why the story was created with these stop-gap flashbacks. This was fine.

This issue felt pretty rushed. Which is a shame because I've enjoyed this arc a lot. I'm not sure how to feel about the brewing romance between Viv and Riri. It's been hinted at, sure, but I didn't expect any progress on that. It's a bit weird, but Riri's reaction proves that the writer is well aware of that. The most intriguing thing to happen was Ultron assimilating Sparky, I'm excited to see what happens with that, and I'm slightly intrigued with the direction Champions is going in the next run. If only this issue didn't rush to its conclusion.

This was a little rough around the edges. Some of the dialogue is a bit off and the pacing also seemed off. But it wasn't terrible or anything.

I don't really care about this, sorry not sorry.

Jim Zub's run on this title had its ups and downs. I'm sad so much of it focused on an uninteresting plot about a demon sword or whatever, when that first arc was so good in comparison. This final story is good too. Maybe he'll come back to it after Jason Aaron does his King Conan thing. The other stories were very middling and not worth mentioning.

The Kurt Busiek and Chris Claremont stories were genuinely good. But the rest were a bit mediocre, unfortunately.

Well, this ended as to be expected. This miniseries didn't really need to exist. We get plenty of Conan interacting with the Marvel Universe in Savage Avengers. I had more fun reading Serpent War, not gonna lie.
6.5
 Convergence: Shazam #2 Jun 12, 2024
6.5
 Cyborg (2016) #22 Oct 18, 2018
6.5
 Daredevil (2015) #595 Oct 20, 2018
6.5
 Daredevil (2015) Annual #1 Oct 20, 2018
6.5
 Dark Knights of Steel (2021) #11 May 7, 2024
6.5
 Dark Nights: Metal #5 Oct 20, 2018

This one has a twist to it that I think kind of hurts the story rather than makes it work better. It was a risk and it didn't really pan out. In fact, we know that Black Bolt is who read from the Darkhold, so it's definitely him. It doesn't make sense for it to be Maximus, but I guess we'll see if any of this is followed up on in the Omega issue.

I think this may be the weakest issue of this series. There's just a little too much repetition in the first part. I understand they're being mind controlled, but they say almost exactly the same things. It was too much. The second part, after they were freed from the control, was a lot better and read much faster.
6.5
 DC Nation (2018) #0 Oct 20, 2018

Some of these stories were cool. Like, Growing Pains, and The Peculiar Pieces of Pierre O'Neil. I liked Babies' Day Out as well. The rest were a mix of perfectly fine stories, but not ones I'd recommend reading.

Not as good as the last chapter. The art here took a major dive, and I wasn't very invested in the characters. Wonder Woman showing up was cool, but otherwise, we're working with a storyline that really hasn't been given the proper space, being frequently interrupted by smaller anthology stories that actually end up being more entertaining.

This issue was fine. I'm kind of getting over these one-and-done silly issues because I'm not getting invested anymore. It's never bad, but it could start turning that way if we don't get something to latch onto soon.
6.5
 Deadpool: Assassin #6 Oct 20, 2018
6.5
 Deathstroke (2016) #35 Oct 20, 2018

This was a letdown. Things were just wrapped up a little too quickly and without much bombast. Hopefully next issue is better.

This is fine, I guess.

There's things here I like but also things I really dislike. Not a fan of how Deadshot was written here. He just seems like a goofy Wile E. Coyote type villain.

Man, I wish this was better. It could be so much better.

Well that ended abruptly. I wish I could go into detail about it, but that would require going back to read two issues from back in March and I'm not doing that. Get recap pages, DC.

This is a mixed bag. There are things about it that I really enjoyed but there's also a bunch of stuff that was really badly written. Joker's commentary being part of the bad. I really liked the art though.

This was fine, I just wish I cared about Joker War. What it comes down to is a lack of interest, on my part. I just find myself bored while reading this. The action is fine. The writing was fine. That's all.

I really don't like anthologies, so I'm not expecting much from this. But hopefully it's not too bad. Blowback was okay. It doesn't really do much besides reiterate Batman's rogues gallery, which is... Fine. I liked the art at least. The Master Class was *fine*. I don't like Bendis' dialogue, but he writes the Batfamily with a certain brand of competence compared to his other work. Many Happy Returns was actually really excellent. Fraction nails the writing, and Zdarsky's art is very fun. Rookie was fine. It started out good, but it feels dragged out by the end. I wish it was a bit more brief. Ghost Story was pretty bad, in my opinion. I just didn't find it entertaining. Fore was pretty good. I actually think, overall, that John Romita Jr's art worked here. I liked the story. I just wish the dialogue was a bit better, is all. Odyssey was terrible. It's just cheesy, it doesn't make a lot of sense, and I was bored with it pretty damn quickly. Detective #26 was great. It's one of my favorites of the anthology. I found it really funny and it looked very good. Legacy was fine. I get what they were going for, but cancer stories rub me the wrong way right now. As Always was also fine. I liked the concept of the story, but I'm not sure I liked the execution. Generations: Shattered was okay. I really do enjoy Golden Age Batman, so I liked seeing him, however fleeting it was. I'm not *excited* about Generations, but as a small little story, this is not the worst. A Gift was, again, okay. I like the idea behind the story, I just don't think it's particularly well executed. I hope it leads somewhere cool, because Detective needs some sort of direction. Overall, this was better than a lot of anthologies. There were only two stories that I'd consider bad, but a lot of stories that I wouldn't give much deference to either. The stories worth reading are Many Happy Returns by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky, and Detective #26 by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham.

This was fine. I don't believe we'll get a really good story about Bruce's grief until the RIP one-shot that's coming.

This wasn't too bad. I feel like this series really should've had another draft or something. It's messy, but there are good ideas in there, and I know Chapman can write good stories. Maybe it just needed a bit more room to breathe.

I don't know where this series is going. I wasn't really a fan of this issue either. There were a few things I liked. Kang, for one, is just a lot of fun. And that ending monologue by Doom, finally back in his armor, was great. The rest feels all over the place.

This is written in a very archaic way, but I still somewhat enjoy the tone and feeling it is going for.

This is entirely pointless, but Greg Smallwood kills it on the art. Gerry Duggan writes a great Conan and, it turns out, a terrible Eddie Brock. I did not like how he was written here at all. Maybe it would fit more back in the 90s, but especially now as Donny Cates has really evolved his character over in Venom, it just doesn't work. So you know, this was fun, but it could've been better. Only read it if you're just that big of a Conan fan, or you're an event completionist.

I liked this more than the previous issue. I feel like the death here doesn't really feel like it matters. There are interesting elements on the fringes of this story but the focus of it is still very middling and insipid. But I'm not having trouble getting through it either. It feels like the equivalent of that TV show you only watch in the background. It passes the time.

I just think this is a really bland indie book.

This issue was filled with good moments and bad moments. Dan Slott's writing can be too goofy sometimes, and this issue is one of those times.

The stuff with The Thing was great. He's easily the highlight. But the rest was not so good. I really liked the first issue of this arc, and it's unfortunate that it couldn't be maintained.

Not as good as the first issue. I hope the rest of the New FF do actually appear. And I hope that these next few issues don't end up like usual FF is.

Not a terrible issue. Ben and Reed are the reason to read this book. They have the best chemistry of the entire cast and Dan Slott writes them both well enough. Meanwhile, the other characters just seem to be flailing around one bad subplot to the next.

I find this all a bit boring. I don't really care about sci-fi in general. This doesn't do anything to change my mind on that. It's fine, I just don't care. I barely have anything to say about it. It's sterile and bland.

I wish I could like this series more, especially as it clearly is influenced by what was happening in America a few months back, and is unintentionally being a space age Myanmar. But I just don't think it's very interesting or well-written. *shrug emoji*

This isn't the best introduction to the Infinity event. It fails to get you hyped for the event, certainly.

You know, I'm tentatively excited about X of Swords, but this teaser didn't do a ton to move me. There's a bunch of stuff you'll only know about if you've read Excalibur, and if you haven't, you're not going to be told what's happening. The Tarot card idea is neat and I'm sure once X of Swords is all said and done, those cards will make a ton of sense, but like real Tarot cards, they're just kinda nonsense for the time being. I wasn't too impressed with this teaser, but I guess I commend them for what they attempted. The second teaser is out of left field entirely. It's a tease for an out-of-continuity Marvel "saga" where characters are dealing with an apocalyptic event and also they can totally die! This is just Marvel getting Tom Taylor to do a version of DCeased for them. And look, I really enjoy Tom Taylor's work most of the time. Been a fan since Superior Iron Man. But, I felt like DCeased quickly became a cynical cash grab... And when you have that same writer conveniently enough come and make a similar story for your company, that does not help the cynicism. The story is fine, nothing special or shocking especially when you know it's not in continuity, which "surprisingly" goes unmentioned. Overall, I'm not sure that this was worth dodging a virus for. In the context of a world where everything was normal right now, I'd maybe be more forgiving. But I feel like I should judge the teasers on whether they excited me or not, and the truth is that they didn't. I'm holding out hope that next week's Venom/Spider-Man issue will be more effective.

Anthologies are always hard. The first story was okay, I didn't care for some of the art and a bit of the dialogue felt a little off. But overall, it held my attention and I do want to know what happens next. The second story felt really pointless. Like a fluff piece. I assume it's because the idea behind this book is empowerment and women... being confident, I guess. This story does that really well... It's just not that interesting. Who would've guessed a Millie the Model story would be boring? The final, criminally short, story was actually my favorite by far. It's like a nice little epilogue to Kelly Thompson's Jessica Jones and I just wish we got a third arc of that series instead of this quick story.

The first story was probably the weakest one in this issue. Not much happens, and it's just kinda boring. Plus, the art really isn't great. The second story by Tini Howard was fine. It wasn't amazing, but it was competent. The last two stories by Trina Robbins are probably the best parts of the issue. As a tribute to the female creators at Marvel during the Golden and Silver ages.
6.5
 Flash (2016) #38 Nov 6, 2018
6.5
 Flash (2016) #52 Nov 6, 2018

This was fine. Certainly an uptick from most of this Flash run. I like these kinds of stories, so I've seen a lot of them, and this is not what I'd call good. Or at least, so far. I'm a little hopeful, actually, but maybe it's just because I'm into this. But yeah, it was fine. Also, what is up with these covers? They always spoil the issue, it's ridiculous.

The writing isn't too bad. It's not great, but it's passable. I hate the art in the current timeline.

6.5
 Flashpoint: Beyond #1 Oct 2, 2022

This is fine. I don't know why Hitler 3 had to tell the Freedom Fighters about the bomb. Guess it's hubris. I don't know, this doesn't make me feel the American spirit. Guess I'm a ratzi.

White Fox's origin is pretty standard, but nothing bad. It was competent. The second story just wasn't worth reading though. It was just fluff to pad out the issue.

I actually liked this one a little more. It made a clearer case for its parody. I really don't think we should be assuming Mark Russell's character through this book, that's extremely immature.

This isn't a bad issue, it's just kind of boring. And the backup is super annoying because it's a reprint from the recent Batman: Black & White miniseries. Why not just make the issue cheaper, if all you're using the backup for is completely unrelated reprints?

This conclusion was fine... I really don't think this title has justified its existence yet.

This is... about the same as last issue. I don't really like reprints for backups btw. Just cut them out and cut down the price. The Next Joker sure is something.

Some of the character work is unfortunate.

Don't know what I just read, but I certainly didn't love it as much as last issue. Didn't hate it either.

I'd be lying if I said I knew what was going on at this point. I know the broad picture, but not the details. So this issue was pretty much fine, but confusing sometimes.
6.5
 Green Lanterns #48 Nov 6, 2018

This was fine. It could lead to something interesting but it's a one-shot.

This is fine. At least Harley isn't annoying.
6.5
 Harley Quinn (2016) #43 Jul 19, 2019
6.5
 Harley Quinn (2016): Be Careful What You Wish For Special #1 Jul 19, 2019

This is just an exposition dump but a mildly interesting one...

I think the pacing is what kills this book for me.
6.5
 Hellblazer (2016) #19 Jul 19, 2019

This isn't bad, but it could've been a lot better. It just doesn't give itself enough space to tell a compelling narrative, instead cramming way too much into itself.

This was alright. It was a lot of fighting and that's about it.

Man, after some really cool issues we get one that's *just okay*. I think it may because what we get to see of Lillian before she goes bonkers is someone I wouldn't get along with. So when she succumbs to her inherited craziness, I can't help but not really care. And the concept alone is not interesting enough to carry the issue.

This was better than the first issue, there was some actual emotional weight to Emma Frost's story, which is not something you get from the White Queen often, and it probably saved the issue for me.

Not great, but I didn't hate it.

This was alright, I don't think it gels as much as they think it does.

6.5
 Injustice: Year Four #7 Sep 14, 2020
6.5
 Injustice: Year Four #9 Sep 14, 2020
6.5
 Injustice: Year Four #11 Sep 14, 2020
6.5
 Injustice: Year Four #12 Sep 14, 2020
6.5
 Injustice: Year Four #16 Sep 14, 2020
6.5
 Injustice: Year Four #21 Sep 14, 2020

This was fine. There were some cool moments, but ultimately it's not very engaging and it's possibly too quick. Something to note, I find Joker's apprehension towards the Nazis weird, at least how it's presented here. I get why he'd dislike fascism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, since those adhere to a strict order and require a subservience to a greater power, which I think someone as chaotic and, ahem, "free-spirited" as the Joker may find intolerable. But I don't see him being too concerned with his national identity or being a bigot. But hey, maybe it was all a joke.
6.5
 Iron Fist (2022) #4 Oct 13, 2022

This is fast paced and its writing is okay, but I'm not very invested in it.

I wish I were more invested in this. There are good moments, but this side of the Marvel Universe hasn't ever really spoken to me.

This is tiring. We all knew this was going to happen. Let's wrap this up now.

A fine issue. I didn't like how Doctor Strange was written, however.
6.5
 Journey Into Mystery: The Birth Of Krakoa #1 Jul 20, 2019

I'm really bored with this. Only one more issue, until the next thing. Ugh, I feel like it's 2017 and Metal is still going.

I've simply got no reason to be invested in what's happening here.
6.5
 Knight Terrors: Wonder Woman (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
6.5
 Knight Terrors: Zatanna (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
6.5
 Legion (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019

I wish there was more happening here. I don't like Lois and Clark's relationship. I find it very odd, considering Rebirth. But I guess Rucka can't help but deal with it. The political stuff is fine, I guess. Just outdated by now. I don't really have an opinion on it outside of that. The stuff with the Question would be more interesting if it was Vic Sage, let's be honest. Hopefully something more exciting happens in issue two.

Not as bad as I expected it to be. The Widow and the Clockwork Heart by Gail Simone had an interesting idea and a great twist. Heartbroken From Beyond by Margaux Motin and Pacco Dorwling-Carter was simple, yet sweet. French Quartered by Dennis Hopeless was probably the least inspired of the bunch. And Gone Like the Wind by Jon Adams was a very cynical take on robot love. It worked more than it didn't. But it still was a bit much. All in all, it did a good job showcasing how a romance comic can be twisted into very different stories.

This was okay. Started out strong, but got less good once the superhero stuff started playing into it. Also, Nakia was written kind of annoyingly here. I can't tell if she was joking or not, or if it was even written as a joke since I've seen some choice tweets from Saladin Ahmed. Maybe if I didn't know he was a bit crazy, I'd be less annoyed by it. But this dude is calling out racism in things that don't even begin to be racist unless your worldview is completely warped. And yet, he has a character that is talking about white people in a way that, if it was about any other race, would be considered racist. And it gets to the point where it doesn't even make sense in the comic itself. She sees drooling obvious zombies: "Crazy white people, you guys, onto the next restaurant." Besides that, though, the interpersonal drama is on-point. I just wish we could stick to that and not zombies, plus two of Kamala's worst villains.

This is slightly enjoyable. I could go without it.

More Mars, more problems.

The Namor story was very hokey, but I liked the other ones.

The first story was fine enough. The second story was annoying to read, with the drunk dialogue. The third story was the best. Written simply and really great looking.

The Wolverine story was good. The Mr. Fantastic story was very dull. And the Gorilla-Man story was okay. Anthologies are hard to get right.
6.5
 Marvel Rising: Alpha #1 Jul 20, 2019

This was fine but it felt like even the writer had no interest in this story.

The whole point of this Marvels Snapshot series is to give us more of a common person's perspectives on the Marvels, like the original miniseries did. This issue continues that trend, and I find it obnoxious that some reviewers haven't figured it out. But the story itself isn't anything spectacular. The art left a lot to be desired. I think it should be criticized for that instead of its lack of focus on Spider-Man.

This was fine. An improvement upon the last few issues, in my opinion.
6.5
 Mera: Queen of Atlantis #1 Jul 20, 2019
6.5
 Mera: Queen of Atlantis #6 Jul 20, 2019
6.5
 Milk Wars: Doom Patrol/JLA Special #1 Jul 20, 2019

I was kind of out of it when reading this one. It was not bad, but not good.

This was a messy issue. I'm kind of just waiting for it to end now.
6.5
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #31 Jul 20, 2019
6.5
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #33 Jul 20, 2019
6.5
 Moon Knight (2017) #199 Jul 20, 2019
6.5
 Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. #5 Jul 20, 2019

This wasn't bad, but I hate that we're getting an amnesia plot. The issue up to that point was entertaining enough. That's a shame.

This wasn't the worst of these anthologies I've read. I'm not going to go through each and every story, but there was no story that I thought was outright bad. Instead, I'll just make a humorous observation - Eric Esquivel is listed as a writer in the online credits for this comic. I was surprised since, if you didn't know, he's been accused of being a sexual harasser. It got his Vertigo comic, Border Town, cancelled immediately (To everyone's benefit). But it turns out he doesn't have a story in this anthology. While relieved, because he's a bad writer, I wondered why. DC clearly doesn't care that much, they keep Scott Lobdell around, after all. But I think Christos Gage's story has the answer. In it, Calendar Man describes an ancient Aztec ritual that paints their culture in a negative light. That must have been it. In Border Town, Esquivel tried to the spin the line of bullshit that the Aztecs were almost Utopian. Gage made him quit, and we should all be thankful for that.

This was fine. It didn't really stand out and I probably could list a few issues with the story, but I mean, it's just supposed to be a small Christmas story. I don't expect anything much from that. I hope this is the end of this run though, and that we can start fresh in March.
6.5
 Nightwing: The New Order #6 Jul 20, 2019

This was kinda messy, and not in a fun way.

Issue three is slightly better than the last onen, if only because getting through the slog has actually made me begin to get invested. In that way, I guess this issue is a success, but I couldn't recommend it to someone in good faith. Also, if you have to ask why a woman on Themyscira would be afraid of a patriarchy, you're very dense. One, let's take patriarchy to mean literally men: the entirety of Themyscira is an escape from men's world, an escape from patriarchy. Of course a literal refuge from a harsher world would fear that harsher world. Two, let's take patriarchy to mean what it actually does, a set of systems built into society to oppress everyone, and you can see why a historian would be weary of patriarchy no matter their location.
6.5
 Old Man Logan (2016) #47 Jul 20, 2019

This is fine, but nothing more than an action issue.

I never read this, and ultimately, I didn't need to read it this time around. It fleshes out the backstory a little, and that's fine, but it's not the most interesting thing to read.

This was fine. Just a ton of set up and not incredibly endearing characters. I assume, like Basketful of Heads, it'll get better.

Like the previous issue, this was fine. The characters are still rough, especially the comic relief. Really hope this one gets going soon.

Nothing scarier than math.

This was a fine ending. The monster was cool. The story was nothing special though, and the last two pages made me roll my eyes, honestly.

This was okay, but nothing special.
6.5
 Punchline: The Gotham Game (2022) #2 Jan 12, 2023
6.5
 Raven: Daughter of Darkness #5 Jul 21, 2019

I wish this series would explain why Norman is back to normal, but I guess that's someone else's job. You can feel the stretching here. This story could've been really cool. It had the potential to be a fun, schlocky horror comic. But I think it took itself too seriously, while also having way too much on its plate. There's a lot here and for it to be reduced to just monsters taking over the asylum... That's wasted potential. But hey at least Punisher is here, right? He's cool?

The first story was a bit odd because back during the Red Goblin arc, Norman never hesitated to kill. But it was fine. The second story was probably my favorite as it actually tied into Going Down Swinging and it had the best writer on it. The third story was probably my least favorite. I just thought it was bad from the art to the writing.

Man, this was so close to a good comic. I could feel it. But the pacing was off, and that meant everything in this issue. It's a shame, but I commend them for what they were trying to do.

This is the weakest issue of the trilogy. I'm interested in the miniseries coming up, though.

The main story by Al Ewing is ridiculously complicated, but also manages to make a lot of sense at the same time. It's interesting. While not as strong as the previous Arachknight issue, I did enjoy the crazy ride. The back-up, it seems, is like almost all the others. It doesn't really live up to the potential these characters have and doesn't necessarily tell a great story. I feel like, again, the Arachknight issue was better in this regard. Jim Zub's back-up was on par with the main story and just as fun. This issue's back-up brings the score down a bit. It just has trouble finding its voice and everything ends up a bit awkward and muddled as a result.

As always, anthologies are hit or miss. The standouts for me were the first two stories. Nightmare Mist and The Footsteps of Old Worm. The rest varied from bad to mediocre to just alright.

The black suit story was pretty generic. I can see why they didn't go with this story originally. The back up was pretty nice, for the most part. It was standard Spidey until the very end, even though that fits Spidey very well.

So still, we're just stuck with a bunch of exposition and world building. Unfortunately, the world isn't very interesting. This is a very slow comic and I just really hope that next issue finally has something big happen in it. I could feel Tom Taylor desperately grasping for the reader's remaining attention with that last line, but it didn't work for me. This is a very mediocre comic.

I forgot this came out. This was fine. The ending lands kind of like the one from issue... two, I think. It feels like Tom Taylor is trying to hold the reader's attention, but it comes up short.
6.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Frankenstein #3 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Zatanna #3 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Shade, the Changing Woman #1 Jul 21, 2019

Not the best issue, but not aggressively bad either.
6.5
 Sideways #4 Jul 21, 2019

This week's Rick Grimes 2000 chapter was probably my least favorite. Too much happened for this parody not to overstay its welcome this time. The Murder Falcon story did not land for me at all, as I have not read that series, and I don't know any of the characters... or what's happening in this story. The Science Dog story was fine, I wasn't hooked by it. The Assassin Nation story was fun, I liked it. Again, the stories I liked most are the ones I've read the series of.

I'm really starting to not care about this title.

I'm just sort of over this premise. I don't care about this anymore. The monsters are fun, but that's not enough to get me excited about yet another order of assholes and a self-insert in an indie book, you know?
6.5
 Spawn #285 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Spider-Gwen Annual (2023) #1 Nov 9, 2023

I'm hoping this run ends soon. I was thinking that with Master Matrix cleaning up everything from the last 20 issues or so, that we'd get a fresh start, with both of the new status quos for the characters being acknowledged. But instead, this is just marching along with its too-long story.

A fun issue, but nothing special.

This was fine but it's not Spider-Man Noir.

This could've been so much better.

A ton happens, and it happens fast. The pacing is a little too brisk here, and it seems like they shoved a couple issues worth of material into this one issue. Which makes sense, as the title is being canceled next issue. But man, this was a bit much.
6.5
 Suicide Squad (2016) #34 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Suicide Squad (2016) #38 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Suicide Squad (2016) #39 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Suicide Squad (2016) #41 Jul 21, 2019

Oh, Ambush Bug is kind of annoying, and this isn't a very interesting story.

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6.5
 Supergirl (2016) #15 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Supergirl (2016) #19 Jul 21, 2019

This issue wasn't as good as previous ones. I think the pacing issues are starting to catch up with this series. Not enough happens and what does doesn't allow the characters to shine.

Despite basically retelling the abysmal Superman #12, this issue manages to have a lot of heart. It's still not great, but boy does it try.

Leviathan? I hoped we could be done with Bendis after Rogol Zaar, but no such luck... And I'm glad that murder is okay as long as you're family.

This isn't a poorly constructed comic, but holy shit does Ruthye's narration get old. This is not an exciting book. I appreciate what Tom King pulled off at the end there, but it does not make up for my slogging through this one.

The main story is teetering on the edge of interesting, but something is not clicking. This happens a lot when writers go back to the "odd culture" tropes that are reused so often. The backup was better than last time, but still not amazing or anything.

Thank God Bendis didn't write this solo. His parts are the worst. The rest is okay to pretty good. I'm all done with Superman for a month, I think. I've had enough.

Some of these were good and some were bland. My favorite was the story by Dan Watters and Dani Strips.

The story with Ma Kent felt weird to me, but I see what it was trying to do. The story with the Superman of Earth-2 was a lot of fun. The story with Lex was also fun. The story with the little girl was cute but felt aggressively for children, so I had trouble getting into it, and that last story with Cyborg Superman was a wash. I didn't like it.

This was a bit too messy for me.

6.5
 Teen Titans (2016) #18 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Teen Titans (2016) #19 Jul 21, 2019

This was a little overstuffed, but still not terrible.
6.5
 The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #2 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #4 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 The Curse of Brimstone #2 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 The Curse of Brimstone #3 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 The Demon: Hell is Earth #4 Jul 21, 2019

This is fine. I just wish I could care as much as everyone else seems to.

This really wasn't a great issue of Tynion's Joker story, and Punchline was still incredibly bland.

This was fine. I wasn't blown away. This was mostly a character issue, but the problem, as it is with so many of these types of comics, is that the characters aren't that interesting. They're fine, just like this issue. I don't feel the need to find out what happens next, but I'll keep reading for some reason.
6.5
 The Maxx (1993) #20 Sep 13, 2022
6.5
 The Maxx (1993) #28 Sep 13, 2022
6.5
 The Maxx (1993) #32 Sep 13, 2022

Not big on this ending.

Sorry, after some reflection and seeing a lot of contradictions to my original review in the comic itself with fresher eyes, I have to change this review. I was pretty wrong about how this issue capture the tone of O'Neil's Question. I blame the art. The smoke and mirrors, if you will. The character work was not akin to O'Neil's run. It was pretty astoundingly off with characters like Myra, and how I somehow managed to ignore that, I couldn't tell you. My original review will stay below this one for posterity's sake, as shameful as it makes me feel. Original Review (Original score - 8/10): This felt a lot like classic Question, but I feel like it was maybe a little by-the-numbers. I think next issue will be better, but I do appreciate that the creative team really managed to capture the tone of O'Neil's Question.

I've never been an Ultraman fan. I don't know the character at all. 8 don't know if this comic is accurate to the established canon, or if it's something new, but I found myself waiting for a hook that never really came. The story is fine. That's it. I'm not sure I'll continue reading this. The most intrigue actually came from the back up. I don't know, this just didn't click with me.
6.5
 The Silencer #1 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 The Silencer #3 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 The Silencer #6 Jul 21, 2019

Not the worst, but not the best.

Eh, this was fine. Very quick.

A little bit better, but this series is still disappointing.

This is fine, I wish it were better. It would be way better if the writer was okay with a conservative lie like Brexit, that upheaved the economy, took Britain down several pegs on the world stage and cut them off from the rest of the much-better European nations. I wonder why anyone would dislike the direction of their country after such a big-brained maneuver.

Not that bad, but man do I wish I was more invested in these characters.

This was fine, I guess. I was pretty confused by what was happening, honestly. I felt like I had skipped an issue. But it made enough sense by the end. Can't say I'm very excited about the cliffhanger.
6.5
 Titans (2016) #20 Jul 21, 2019

This was slightly better, but wow nothing happens here.

Not great.
6.5
 Venom: First Host #2 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Venomized #4 Jul 21, 2019

This really didn't need to exist. It should've just been an arc of Suicide Squad. Making it this weird non-event did nothing to elevate Thompson's run. All the tie-ins are essentially in name only, none of the characters from those tie-ins meaningfully impact the plot. It should've just been the Suicide Squad teams.

Not the best, but fiiine enough.
6.5
 Weapon X (2017) #14 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Weapon X (2017) #20 Jul 21, 2019

Not great, but easy enough to get through.

6.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #41 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #44 Jul 21, 2019

I wasn't as into this issue has the previous ones. The dialogue and story felt a lot more clunky this time around, but the art improved.

The pacing here is odd at times and I'm not really feeling the weight of the emotion. I think this series would be better served going back to a monthly schedule, so each issue is more comprehensive.

The main story was fine... I feel like this run is losing steam fast after exiting Asgard. Which is a shame because I really thought this would be the run to get Wonder Woman out of her bland funk she's been in since Rucka's Rebirth run. The backup is really boring. I just do not care about young Diana or her adventures.

Not as good as issue two, but I feel like there's something here.

Maybe this series will get on its feet with the next arc.

This issue is really muddled. I'd be more into it if I had liked the previous issues more.
6.5
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #22 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 X-Men: Days of Future Past - Doomsday (2023) #2 May 8, 2024
6.5
 X-Men: Days of Future Past - Doomsday (2023) #4 May 8, 2024
6.5
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #20 Jul 21, 2019
6.5
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #36 Jul 21, 2019

I am extremely fatigued by all of this.

This was okay, but a little rough around the edges.

This is still not that good.
6.5
 Young Monsters in Love #1 Jul 21, 2019

This suffers from trying to do too much without the page space necessary to do it. It brings down the entire book because Matt Rosenberg isn't able to really put voice into any of the characters. Their dialogue needs to move the plot along, so there's no time for that snappy wit that Matthew Rosenberg's comics usually have. We see shades of his voice coming out with the inclusion of ridiculous concepts like UltiM.O.D.O.K. But it's not enough to make this issue seem like anything but an average miniseries that didn't have the time it needed to tell a story that was largely unnecessary and only exists to be a cash grab tie-in.

Not much happened here, and what did happen was rushed, but I didn't find it offensive. I just wish there was more space to breathe with this one.

This was a pretty good issue that was clearly being affected by the page limits of a two issue miniseries. The ending was just rolling by the end there. I don't know if I made it known in my last review, but I remember thinking that this wasn't going to matter, but I'm thinking it might matter now. That tag for Iron Man 2020 #5 gave me hope, I guess. This may be one of the better tie-in series to the Iron Man 2020 event.

This was one of the better anniversary anthologies from DC. Maybe it's because I haven't been reading a ton of comics lately, but this felt more engaging than DC's other recent outings. It wasn't amazing, but it was solidly okay. I can't say it made me a big fan of Aquaman, but I did selfishly come up with ideas for if I would write Aquaman. I will not share them here.
7.0
 A.X.E. One-Shots: Iron Fist #1 Oct 13, 2022

Eh, it's a Scream comic.

This is about the same as last issue for me. It's a Scream comic. I don't expect much of anything.

This mini lost me as it went on. Even with some sense of real characterization, the writer couldn't help but really turn Waller into a mustache twirler.
7.0
 Absolute Power: Task Force VII (2024) #7 Oct 14, 2024
7.0
 Action Comics (2016) #995 Oct 9, 2018
7.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1001 Oct 9, 2018

I do not find the House of El future very interesting. It kind of reminds me of that alien race from the most recent Superman arc, also written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson. It's just a whole lot of information about these new(ish) characters and no reason to care. The best thing about this issue is Cyborg Superman's inclusion, and that should say something.

A fine story, but nothing to praise really.

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7.0
 Adventures of the Super Sons #3 Oct 9, 2018

I liked this issue a little more than the last. The largely mediocre main plot takes a back seat, save for a page or two, and we get an alright done in one story about Damian and Jon trapped in an alien version of the House of Mystery/Secrets... And it's fine? There's not much to say about it, to be honest.

This issue was better. I wasn't completely bored by it. And at least the main arc is finally getting attention again.

This is fine, it's just not all that interesting. It falls into the trap that the previous Age of Conan miniseries fell into. It's so by the numbers.

This was fine. There were only two ways this series could end, and I honestly never anticipated the second way. But I think that's more indicative of where I placed this series in my mind. I didn't expect this ending because I thought this was going to be strictly by-the-numbers and obvious. In the end, I don't regret reading this, but I just question the purpose behind this series. Did Meredith Finch really have a story she wanted to tell, or was Marvel really insistent that they have another Conan book on the shelves?

Overall, I enjoyed this issue. I think things are just moving way too slow here. Not enough is happening to hold my interest and the world itself is becoming less and less interesting the more we see it.

This has an interesting premise, but I wasn't very into the execution. The art was too rough for me and I feel like some of the characterizations were rushed, if that makes sense. Also, it's odd that Blob is much more reasonable here than he was in NextGen. That type of disparate characterization could be the downfall of this type of event. Let's hope this gets on track with issue 2.

This wasn't too bad. I feel like this series just became so disjointed after issue 3. I do think, despite that, this has the most solid ending as any of the miniseries ended yet.

Better than issue one for sure. Still not that into it, however.

It's a shame because this is a fairly well-written, if heavy handed, issue. The problem is that the art cheapens everything. The art in this series in unacceptable, especially for a visceral horror series like Alien is. I just don't understand why we haven't gotten an artist change yet. This criticism isn't unique to me or new. Everyone seems to agree that the art sucks. Marvel should improve their product.

This has a lot of potential to be a really intriguing story. The idea of a cult-like religion surrounding the corporate commodification of the xenomorph sounds really rad. It sounds like something Ridley Scott wishes he could write. However, every moment is hampered by the art. I cannot stress this enough. This could be a great comic if not for Salvador Larroca's art. I don't mind being harsh about it, either. Larroca is known for tracing his way through issues, and has been serving up barely competent art for years now. He should stop tracing and actually draw his comics (which he used to do) or he shouldn't have a job in this industry.

I really don't know what to say here. Or at least, what new things I could say. The same problems persist, and it's almost solely on the art side of things. Larroca kills this book, in a terrible way. Horror is all about tone, and that means there needs to be strong artwork to grip the reader. Larroca may as well be a stock image search. It really takes me out of what is a pretty solid Alien story. And I know Alien as a horror concept is kind of objectionable, if only because the series continually tries to be more than that. But the pseudo-sexual, black bug monster is outright terrifying in concept, and you can't just sap out the horror inherent there... but you can try, and it's safe to say Larroca might be trying to. The twist is pretty obvious, but again, PKJ is doing a solid job.
7.0
 Alien (2022) #5 Jan 23, 2023

Nothing much to say. PKJ's run on Alien ends on a whimper. That's a shame since this guy is fully capable of building worlds and epic stories, and that's not present in this run.

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I mostly agree with AmericanHealthcare here, although I'd be less harsh to the Conan stuff from a few years back. I think Alien just isn't a good fit for the sensibilities that Marvel has at the moment. Alien needs good pacing, for one, and Marvel's constant breaking up volumes is not helping that. Maybe the key here is to give this title to someone who's extensively well-versed in horror comics? And please, for the love of everything that is holy, do not get Tynion on Alien. I mean anyone but Tynion. Please.

The Utopia story continues to be the most engaging thing here, and it seems obvious why Marvel chose it as the ongoing story of this run. Otherwise, Paul Jenkins writes a surprisingly hacky story and Stephanie Williams simply isn't given enough space to create a satisfying story.

Utopia kind of loses itself in this installment. There was a lot of commentary on hierarchical structures that now seems gone. Gear in the Machine is an unfortunately tiring story we've seen play out multiple times in these comics. It's like the first idea any writer has when approaching this franchise, and I'll be happy to never see it again. Lucky is a very cute story. I liked it.

Utopia manages to mostly stick the landing by inverting the concept fully on its head in a pretty unexpected way. Hide & Seek and Mother are more examples of how limited writers seem to be when it comes to coming up with story ideas for this franchise. It all seems so rote.

It's probably been over a decade since I've seen Aliens, but I don't think my opinion of this comic would be better if I had seen it more recently. At least the art isn't abysmal like the main series.

This is better than the first issue. I think it's still written in too goofy a tone for the story it wants to tell. Hopefully it continues to get better from here.

This is an interesting idea, but the execution is lacking.

Not as big a fan of this issue as the first, but it was still fine.

Okay, now we're getting into the part where young me became more interested. I knew the Vulture! Not my favorite villain, not anyone's favorite villain, but a classic villain. And his debut is filled to the brim with 60s comics nonsense:
The Announcement of the Transfer: This would not happen. No company would announce and make a public spectacle of a transfer of highly sought after commodities like diamonds. Especially not with a crazy, unstoppable winged old man roaming the skies. Vulture's Outside of the Box Thinking: While this is admittedly clever in a "It's so stupid that it must work" sort of way, there is no way that the police wouldn't have a ground presence larger than a few guards. And how did the Vulture know they'd walk right over the manhole? There's a frightful lack of anything in the panels in this particular sequence to derive any idea of where these people are and where they're going, but I guess I'm not as smart as the Vulture. No Noise: Apparently, the Vulture makes no noise. He doesn't have to even flap those wings. It's more like falling with style. They're there to guide him rather than provide any sort of lift through the manipulation of air pressures. Harnessing Magnetic Power: Look, we get a single panel explanation of this. Stan Lee didn't understand how magnets really work. It got us cool characters like Magneto, at least. Same with transistors or... Chemicals. Really, anything scientific that you learn from these comics, just throw that knowledge out. They're all based in the most rudimentary knowledge. Stan Lee probably would've stuck his face in Tricho machine, let's be real. I don't understand what the thinking is here. Does he mean that Vulture is manipulating geomagnetism with his wings? Is it more localized than that? Does Stan Lee think the ground is so magnetically charged that one could repel themselves from it with the proper device? And what is an anti-magnetic inverter? How do you invert anti-magnets? What is an anti-magnet? It'd make more sense as a regular magnetic inverter right? What must repel, now must attract? And how does that work? Did Spider-Man's device send a surge of electricity through Vulture's wings somehow reversing the polarity of Vulture's wings?? And how does vulture maintain that polarity when he's battling in the skies of New York and doing "Fast Loop-The-Loops"?? This doesn't make any sense.
With that out of the way, we get some small continuity inconsistencies already. J. Jonah Jameson now works at Jameson Publications/J. Jonah Jameson Publishing, and publishes NOW Magazine. Also, I guess between issues, Aunt May warmed up to the idea of letting Peter shoulder the weight of their financial woes after secretly pawning jewelry last issue. But let's not only focus on the discontinuity! We get some big developments here! Peter finally has his job as a Newspaper (Magazine) photographer. Keep it up, Pete, you'll never retire! Spider-Man also adds extra web cartridges to his repertoire, and of course, his camera. All that's left is his Spider-Signal! (Spoilerz!) Also, while they aren't given much of a spotlight, Liz and Flash are still decidedly Peter's supporting cast now. I love how that posse of asshole kids all bully him and yet, they're the closest he has to friends. They even invite him to hang out with them and vow to protect him! Now that's friendship, at least as far as I've ever known it! This was a solid story for Spidey, despite everything. You know what wasn't though? The second story in this issue, introducing the Tinkerer. It seems as though Stan and Steve were unclear about where the ASM title was going to go. At the time, Marvel's lineup was still very caught up in the genre titles that preceded the superhero boom. Every issue had some sci-fi element, and that is decidedly not something associated Spider-Man. Now, to the chagrin of at least... five disgruntled Spidey fans, sci-fi definitely has a place. Spidey's whole origin is a sci-fi nightmare. And so are his rogues. But I feel like that becomes a harder pill to swallow when his rogues are an unnamed throwaway conquerer alien race, and the issue ends with Peter holding up a Scooby-Doo mask and vowing to never tell anyone about it. There's a lot of possibly more stupid wackiness here. I won't give it the time I gave the Vulture story because it... honestly, does not deserve it. I will say that airholes work both ways. And more Spoilerz, but I'm much happier that Tinkerer isn't actually an alien. That's so out of place and a product of early day uncertainty about the title. This story doesn't have the benefit of progressing the character forward like the Vulture story. It is a quintessential back-up. The story ends with a panel of Spider-Man just standing there awkwardly like, "I don't know what that was either, but please come back next month!" It's just too goofy for a book about magnetic old men hovering over a city gripped in fear. Quote of the issue: "Take a Bonus and Go Out and Buy Yourself Some Twist Records!"

Hey, look at me, I'm reading this issue and writing this review within the original timeframe that I provided myself... Give or take a few hours! I'll try to maintain my speed. For reminders, it's supposed to be "a story arc per day," otherwise I'd be doing this for a thousand plus days, and a three year (or more!) commitment is just too much for me. Just ask any of my exes! Of course, during these early days, a lot of these issues tell a complete story on their own, so it's a bit slow so far. But with my lack of accountability, it's probably a blessing in disguise. Now, as for this issue in particular, I find myself both liking and disliking it. It's a finicky position I'm in, one called fence-riding. I'm noticing a pattern in my opinion, which is that my enjoyment of these early issues tends to depend on how much these issues involve Peter Parker's life drama. I know that is a very common opinion to have, but I've never said that I am a trailblazer. This issue has a little bit of that. Ned Leeds leaves for Europe, which makes Peter interested in Betty again. He seemed very okay with Ned and Betty in the last issue, but I guess time and opportunity make us all more desperate. However, that's about it for the Peter Parker side of things. I noticed that the page count of this issue is 20 pages. That's two pages short since.... I want to say issue 12 or so. And that page count remains consistent at least through the end of the Lee/Ditko era. I didn't investigate further than that because I'm too lazy to get the next few collections off the shelf. Why is this important? Well, because pacing is something that can make or break an issue. And losing two pages is a bit rough, especially during this time where two pages can cover a whole conclusion to an issue. This issue is super straightforward and it all happens at a breakneck speed, and I found myself wanting to slow down for a second, but I couldn't. That really hurts Mac Gargan, the Scorpion, as a villain. You never really get a reason to relate or at least care about the guy, aside from his incredible strength and inherent threat level to Spidey. Let's focus on Mac Gargan for a second. Now, I've kind of grown to really enjoy Mac Gargan, in a more modern context. Things like his time as Venom, as controversial as that was, really helped elevate his character, in my opinion. Here, he doesn't even have a cool costume yet. He's severely in need of a stinger, at least. Maybe they couldn't get away with a sharp, super strong stinger back then. Or perhaps they just didn't realize that a tail with a stinger is a defining feature of a scorpion, I don't know. Mac Gargan's sole motivation is money. And that's fine, I guess, just not very compelling. This man is willing to undergo unproven and extremely dangerous experimentation for $10k. And yes, adjusting for inflation, that's around $82k or $83k. It's not quite so preposterous. But I do really think less of him for it, you know? Maybe if it were a million dollars or something. This is life-altering, never change back experimentation. Mac Gargan is a dunce and deserved to be played by JJJ. The only victim here is Scientist Stillwell, may he rest in peace. I guess this marks as an interesting chapter for J. Jonah Jameson, now that I think about it. He creates something much worse to deal with Spider-Man. His morality is right out the window. I remember seeing this post somewhere about how decent a person JJJ is in the comics, and how much of a shame it is that he may become an Alex Jones type in the MCU. But issues like this really are going a long way in convincing me that he's truly a piece of shit. He's relentlessly shitty here and, yeah, he has some scruples at the end, but he turns it around to make himself right. JJJ, as a good person, is more of a modern convention. He was pedaling false narratives, using his platform to demonize regardless of the facts and reality, and unleashed more than a few dangers into the world. He's exactly like Alex Jones, he's just doing it through the Yellow Press instead of a crappy internet live show. That all being said, he's still a loveable monster. He's one of my favorite Spidey characters, and I stand by that completely. But let's not kid ourselves now that modern writers want to make him more sympathetic, JJJ was formerly a horribly dangerous and destructive rich man whose personal vendetta has led to several deaths, and more to come. Quote of the issue: "I'll Polish Him Off Later, When My Hand Stops Hurting!"

This issue wasn't going to get a good rating. It was hardly going to get a passable rating. But then those last four pages happened. I like how heavy the continuity has been the last few issues. That always makes reading these stories more rewarding. But aside from the costume stuff, the Molten Man stuff was pitifully dull. He's just not much of a character or a villain. The saving grace was Peter Parker's graduation, the much needed development of Liz Allan, and of course, ol' JJJ. I loved the last four pages of the issue, but the first 16 weren't quite so engaging. Quote of the issue: "Ahem...Unaccustomed As I Am to Public Speaking, I Shall Nevertheless Tell You About Myself, When I Was Young.. to Inspire You to Reach My Pinnacle of Greatness...!"

While it is cool that we finally see MJ and the bank robbery subplot is fun, I don't think that John Jameson is a compelling villain. I don't have much to say about this one, unfortunately. Quote of the issue: "Face it, Tiger... You Just Hit the Jackpot!"

7.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2015) Annual #42 Oct 9, 2018

This was fine. I really want more overarching plot here. The done and one issues are fine, I guess, but I want something more to latch onto that makes me excited. Say what you will about Nick Spencer's run, but I was always reading ASM as soon as I could. Now, I'm slowing down a bit. Which is a shame.

This is just sort of boring. Everything here is competent. The characters are fine. I just don't care about this in and of itself. Its contribution to the larger Beyond narrative seems to be negligible as well. I don't need every issue I read to feed into a larger tapestry. If something is fun and enjoyable on its own, that's enough. This is... borderline not fun. I'll say it, a lot of these reviews are definitely the result of lowered expectations because this is a Slingers comic. And you can't convince me otherwise.

This is probably the worst issue of this entire run for me. And maybe that's unfair, but is that really so harsh an assessment when I'm still giving it a seven? I just really think this arc needed to be split into two different arcs. And this is the issue that was going to make or break the entire thing, for me. I really don't think it landed. I didn't necessarily have a bad time reading this one, but like, it's hard to ignore that it didn't seem to matter in the end. The Clairvoyant is disposed of. Teresa's whole arc that's been building through this run for the past 2 years really ended up just putting her back in a more nebulous space after Zdarsky confirmed she was actually Peter's sister. I don't think that's worth it. I don't think the Foreigner and Ned Leeds rivalry is very interesting. And why is Ned Leeds back with a pregnant Betty Brant? That's just so much to lay at the reader's feet so close to the end of this run. I'm just really disappointed with this one. I really hope some of this stuff gets more payoff in Sinister War because otherwise, I just don't understand the point. We'll see. At least Taskmaster and Black Ant will be back for Sinister War. That's always a plus when Spencer is writing them.

This comic took a turn that I don't like very much. The pacing really needs work, and I feel like all the real story is happening in other books.

Okay legitimately nothing happens here, and what we get wasn't very fun to read. The best part of the issue was Mary fucking with Spidey and She-Hulk.

Gang War is kind of a bust for me. I don't think anything I've read has been outright bad, I just really couldn't care less. The difference between this arc and that first Tombstone arc is the intensity and focus. This doesn't have that.

I've been harsh on this event, mostly because I just don't care. It's not interesting. I wish I could say otherwise.

Nothing about this ending made me feel anything. In fact the only thing that got my ol' ticker going is reading the letters page and finding out this is simply the end of Phase Two of this ASM run. Stop with the events, Lowe and co. You're not very good at them. Dark Web and now this. I will defend this run for a lot of things, but the events aren't one of those things. I just want to move on to something fresh.

This is a tie-in that I had a lot of hesitancy towards in ASM 49 due to what I feel is a lacking editorial standard. That continues here, because while I didn't mind this story, I have issues with it stemming almost exclusively from editorial mishaps. The biggest one being Peter's incoherent characterization. One of the strong points with ASM 49 was Peter's empathy for the vampires, and his being very conflicted on how to go about saving people while not hurting or killing the vampires, who are mostly innocents who'd just been turned. This issue just sort of throws that away. While the Lizard and Misty Knight brutalize and murder their vampiric enemies, Spidey says nothing. It isn't until the end of the book where Peter again starts to take moral umbrage with the concept of mindlessly killing these vampires. A good editorial team would notice this essential reset of the main character's arc, and rectify that, but this editorial team seems more invested in tying back into the Beyond arc. Will we get any follow up on that epilogue from Beyond where Morbius had the Lizard chained up, and wanted to make more Chimeras? Does anyone reading this even remember that plot point? I hope it comes up, with all these call backs to a story from over two years ago.

This is interesting, but some of the dialogue is off.
7.0
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #21 Oct 9, 2018

Not sure how I feel about this newest origin, but we'll see. It beats the last one, at least.

This wasn't the strongest ending, but I thought it was okay. I think this sets up a manageable status quo for a character that definitely needs it.

This wasn't the most exciting issue yet. I feel like some of the characterization is taking some leaps so that we can wrap things up quicker.

Not sure whether this is the end, but it was fine. This whole series was fine. I think there's some issues with the premise that are exemplified by this ending, but at the same time, there were definitely fun moments.

While I was mostly positive, if conflicted, on last issue, this issue really started to scratch at the cynical side of me. This felt like way too much was shoved into it. And yet, at the same time, not that much happens in this issue. I liked the callbacks to the series, sure, but I need less filler and more meat on this bone, if you want me to let go of my preconceptions about these characters. I hate to be one of that type of fan that rejects any variation on something I enjoy, and I do my best to come in with an open mind, but I can feel the grab-bag nature of some of the references and callbacks. Maybe I'm wrong and Cantwell has this all planned out perfectly and it'll all come together, but I'm really concerned about that not being the case.

This series is so weird. I like parts of it, such as the literal shit demons, but other parts just come out of nowhere. The whole subplot about Lorne and Andrew being a couple in an alt-universe, only to have it really disgust Lorne in this universe... What even is that? And now we're bringing in more and more from Pylea, and it's just like... what is the end goal here? I really can't tell you. This isn't a fun version of not knowing what's going to happen. This is concerning. I really want to like this, but I'm worried it's never going to hit its stride.

This was probably the weakest issue of this whole event, which is a shame as the lead up to this was actually really good. And I've made jokes about the point of this event, or rather the lack of it, but that feels extra ironic now that there really isn't a point to this. But hey, at least they didn't kill Richard Rider again after just bringing him back.
7.0
 Ant-Man & The Wasp: Living Legends #1 Oct 9, 2018

I wasn't expecting much from this, but the Detective Chimp story was actually pretty good.

The good will of the first issue doesn't last. This isn't bad but man, did I just lose a ton of interest in it.
7.0
 Aquaman (2016) #32 Oct 9, 2018
7.0
 Aquaman (2016) #36 Oct 9, 2018

Not as into this as last issue, but it's still not bad. I just need more to latch onto here. And when all the old gods revealed themselves, I immediately knew I would not remember their names, so I'm hoping it isn't that important. But the three pages dedicated to their names and brief explanations of who they are say otherwise.

I mean, yeah, this was fine, I guess.

I don't care about any of what's happening. But I guess the fight scene was cool?

I was having a good time until the random sister reveal, honestly.

I'm already not as into this as I was. Maybe it's because I'm biased towards Nick Spencer and all his many works, but I suppose that it's really because I don't like "perfect" characters like Katy Keene. Now, I know that's the point, but that doesn't help. I'm sure she'll be taken down a notch. Maybe her skating outfits are called out for looking like 80s McDonald's wear next issue? Who can say? All I know is that Archie's songs are terrible and it's that small town sympathy that's keeping him from being noticed, not Katy Keene.

This was fine, much like the rest of this series. It was a bit rushed, but I didn't have a bad time reading this.

I was expecting much worse from Orlando, if I'm being honest. This was competent for the most part, without being bogged down in inscrutable lore like his Marauders or Wonder Woman runs. It just hasn't gotten very interesting to me yet. I do really like Romeo's motivations here. Minority groups have to stick together, because the groups that want them dead never just stop at only one group (and even if they did, don't be a coward). I feel like everyone brought up the kiss so I'll give my take: I don't really care. Bold, I know. I saw some people assume it could be that Bobby and Romeo are in an open relationship, but honestly, I don't even think that's necessarily important. It's a kiss. Maybe it's not what you're into, to kiss a stranger now and then. Personally, I try to avoid seeing my partners' faces altogether, but I'm not here to moralize. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
7.0
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #9 Oct 9, 2018
7.0
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #11 Oct 9, 2018

I'm not sure how to feel about that reveal. I mean, it doesn't really matter in the end. I'm honestly more interested in seeing how the finale ties into King in Black, which has plenty of dragons in it.

A bit rougher than last issue.

Pretty rough still.

I thought I'd read this just to finish out the volume. It's not related to anything Hickman was doing, it's just a neat Christmas story. It's fine. It's not as fun as it wants to be but there's good moments.

This was probably the weakest issue of the arc. Most of it was fine, it was just a little too decompressed and the dialogue didn't help. Black Widow's comment makes no sense in context, for instance. It's hard to care about the Starbrand as an entity but putting it in a baby is pretty interesting. An instance of the dialogue being good, Black Panther's question at the end really hammers home the potential of this. We'll see where it goes.

Man, this is another issue that's a bit off. I really am disappointed by that. I was so excited for this arc, and it just really bothers me that I bought the hype. That being said, there are some really great lines in this book. It's not enough to make up for the pacing of the issue or so-so characterization of Moon Knight, but it did lessen the blow significantly for me. Also, I gotta say, I'm not digging the art. It's as off as the writing.

This was slightly better than last issue but I still have problems with the characterization. Moon Knight seems to understand he's in the wrong here, yet continues to side against the Avengers, at least for now. Also, Tony is acting very weird. I understand the reason why, but I just don't think that's how Tony Stark would react. Also, the pacing in this arc is just so weird. This is definitely a fumble for this run, and I hate that its the arc with one of my favorite characters at its center.

People seem real upset about the end of this issue, and I'll just say, I'm not upset. It's not the first time they've changed so-and-so's parents, and it probably won't be the last. As for the rest of the issue, it was fine. I wish I could say I had fun, but I didn't, really.

Part of me wants to let go and have fun with this arc, but I have such a nagging feeling in my head reminding of what's wrong with the arc. Its pacing is really bad. You could cut some of these issues, easily. Nothing cool or interesting is being said about the characters. It's a tournament comic, but not a very fun one.

There are parts of this issue that I like. Gorilla-Man's suicidal tendencies; the brief bit with Blade. But this is just like... shockingly inept at being engaging. It's not incompetently written, it's just bland.

This issue feels disjointed as all hell. The Avengers taking a backseat and working in the shadows is a neat idea. But none of this has been explained, and I don't care about anyone they're helping. If you're going to do it this way, make me care.

I really enjoyed the prehistoric Avengers spotlight issues in the past, and this is similarly good in that regard. It is not, however, a conclusion to this arc. This arc had horrible pacing, nothing much happened, and I wouldn't even say it had a structure. And this conclusion issue just caps it all off in the same regard. I hope Avengers Assemble is better, but I doubt it will be.

Why would you spend most of this issue on a fight that clearly didn't need to happen. This should be setting up the story, and it only does that in the slightest way.

I want to like this more but there's just a ton going on, and the art really isn't helping things. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

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Jason Aaron doesn't really get Tony Stark that well. After seeing Kieron Gillen deconstruct the character much better over in AXE, I'm all the more letdown here.

They really need to figure out how to make this all feel like it matters.

This was fine. I hope the next few issues are better.

This is like a fast food comic. It's quick, easy and I like it despite myself. It's fun, but not really something worth reading. It feels like the Old Man Logan universe is finally, completely tapped out.

This was a slower issue, where not much happens.

It is cool to see SPEAR, but aside from that, this issue felt slightly lacking. Which is surprising, since I really enjoyed Nick Spencer's Captain America run. But it is what it is.

Alright... After me just praising the character work in this series, we get two issues that are much more about plot than character. I should've waited...

Man the art got rough. The story was also rough. We just see the Next Avengers handle everything. That's nice and all, but what about all the heroes we know that we've been following?

Again, the art is not good. I don't have as much interest in the Ascendant compared to the Euroforce, but it was a nice attempt.

A nice break from the main event series. This is fun, but it feels a little rushed, probably because it's only a two issue arc. There's a lot that happens here and some of it could've been given more time to breathe.
7.0
 Bane: Conquest #9 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Batgirl (2016) #21 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Batgirl (2016) #26 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Batgirl (2016) #27 Oct 10, 2018

This was an alright issue. I still hate Wyrm as a villain. I find them stupid as hell. Nothing from Ben Percy's horrible Nightwing run should be used. But I guess it has to be since editorial cut his run short in favor of what is close to being just as bad a run as Percy's. Aside from that, there's the predictable cliché of the villain turning good at the last minute. I guess that's the only way Batgirl would've found that bomb. There's some genuinely good moments between Jim Gordon and Babs. We need more of those. I can't say I'm excited for what's next, but this is definitely an upgrade from the last run where I dreaded reading each issue.

Eh, not too bad. I liked how Batgirl failed for once. Still, I wasn't invested in anything in this arc, so a surprisingly downer ending isn't enough for me.

While not the greatest run, it was certainly better than anything since Rebirth started. I hope the next team can at least be as good as this.
7.0
 Batgirl (2016) Annual #2 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #19 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #20 Oct 10, 2018

This issue works better than I expected it to. They really just put waaay too much into this arc, and I'm hoping that next issue provides a conclusion to some of this stuff, and that the next arc can start fresh with a better constructed story. There are some problems with this issue. Chiefly, the entire circumstance of the cliffhanger shouldn't have happened. Oracle literally pulls records on Tutor, and yet doesn't know who his psychologist was? How did that happen? I guess it slipped past the writers, as they juggled 18 other threads they decided to shove into one story arc.
7.0
 Batgirls (2021) #7 Sep 27, 2022
7.0
 Batgirls (2021) #8 Sep 27, 2022

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Batgirls was a series that had its ups and downs. I feel like there's a lot that could be said about this series' tone. It really wanted to feel fun, and fresh, and hip and that was fine until they tried to invoke more serious emotions, which ended up falling flat. I can't know the behind the scenes of this comic, or how it came to be, but I do think it falls victim to a rather sexist mandate of sorts that I feel DC often employs for their female-focused comics. There's almost an insistence that these comics have to be light reading; more focused on fun and simple storytelling versus complex characterizations and plot. This sort of editorial insistence was also why dreadful Batgirl runs of the past like the Burnside era happened. This comic isn't nearly as bad as that, but I feel like the struggle was constant here.

Lots of build up and without much pay off. I'm interested to see where this story goes, but I can't say this issue excited me.

A four month delay does a lot to kill the momentum of a comic book story. I went into this issue having completely forgotten the plot beyond vague memories and, while reading this issue did bring everything back into focus, I can't help but feel disconnected from where this series is going. There's a lot to be said about the tone and pacing here. Things feel off, and I trust myself enough to assume that these problems became more prevalent with this issue, and I wasn't just blind to them before. The story suddenly has a ton of speed and ramps up while previous issues were methodical and built Harvey's turn to Two Face up. I mean, there was a whole issue that basically took place in Harvey's head. But suddenly, we're on issue five, and things are just happening so much. And in that frantic shift, I have lost whatever connection I had with the characters previously. As much as I would like to say that it is solely the blame of unfortunate delays caused by unforeseen conflicts, I don't think that's the case.

This came out way too late. What started as a surprisingly good mini just became a chore to read.
7.0
 Batman (2016) #44 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Batman (2016) #49 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Batman (2016) #51 Oct 10, 2018

Well, this was definitely playing to my sensibilities. To see things start to connect is nice, because up until this point, I was thinking it was just bullshit that Tom King has a plan. Maybe it still is, who knows? I don't know why Bane would set up Mr. Freeze? I'm sure that might be explained, or we'll be forced to just accept it. Never know with Tom King. But just the idea that maybe, maybe there's some plan here makes me more optimistic. I'm annoyed that Penguin isn't dead, but I blame editorial on that one. I think the death of Penny was forced. Why should that resonate with anyone? Penny didn't exist before this. And I don't think Penguin's men are the time to kill themselves on command. I think with Joker running around, all the crazies roll with him and the normal henchmen stick to the other villains. Especially Penguin, since he's probably the most business-oriented and legitimate one. The Shakespeare poem was a bit much. The more I think about this issue, the more I dislike it, so I'm just going to stop. Make of that what you will.

Huh, I didn't hate this issue. Weird. I see the problems. The repetition. The fact that we have yet another issue about Batman and Catwoman's past. The fact that we've known that Bruce can have something outside of Batman. This is his big moment where he finally puts together that maybe something influenced his wedding. But Bruce could take this two ways. He could take it the way that a normal person would which is, maybe they don't know each other as well as he thought. Or he can... decide Catwoman was led astray or was lying in her letter? That's a leap. But he should've made whatever judgement he was going to make right after the wedding, since he himself knows that this idea that Batman is an icon and above the rest of the heroes and all the rest of the masturbatory ideas that have been created in his mind are all bullshit. Why are we only getting this questioned now? Also, this series has just straight up fetishized Batman and Catwoman's relationship. It has never felt incredibly genuine to me and this issue just goes on and on about the physicality of their relationship. That isn't helping. So... I cannot tell you why I don't hate this issue. Is it because Question was used cleverly? Is it because he wasn't a placeholder character like Constantine in Batman #63? I guess so. I don't know how to feel about his appearance overall. I don't think he should be a smoker for character reasons, but the fact that he is isn't exactly against the character. But he was a clever device for the story, even if the story doesn't do anything new or interesting. I think it comes down to the cleverness of this issue... and I'll take what I can get.

Note to self: replicate study for the office. I don't know, this is fine. I don't think it's great or anything. Moderately appealing, at best. I guess that would excite *someone* for Joker War.

This was fine. It was all fine. I don't have much interest in where this is going. The pacing contributed to a story that didn't leave a desirable emotional impact on me. Things that should have been slower were rushed. The art is all over the place, and neither artist is great. Maybe James Tynion IV should be commended for writing a comic that is only fine, even with all the flaws it has. I'm not very excited for Joker War. Not at all. I'm not dreading it, either.

Nothing here is bad, per se. It's just not very engaging, unfortunately. It feels like Tynion is going through the motions rather than telling a story he truly wants to tell. But it can't be that, right? The narrative is focused on two characters Tynion himself created. I don't know, it just seems like there's another story Tynion would rather be telling.

You know, I really liked the mood at the beginning. The art, the coloring, the writing, all came together to create what was essentially a horror story, and I like Batman in horror. Unfortunately, that mood isn't maintained. Things went downhill with Harley and Ghost Maker. That whole part stuck out, in a bad way. And who is the rose woman? Is that an Ivy acolyte or something? Can we please slow down with the subplots and tell a coherent arc. I like those. I genuinely like the Scarecrow stuff, so the Unsanity Collective just drag the issue down for me. More Scarecrow and his strawmen, please. As for the back up, I didn't like it. The art isn't really my style. The lettering, which is something I don't really talk about, is also bad. It's sort of a thing where if it's good, you don't notice it. If it's bad, it sticks out really badly. And plus the villains are so bland and unimaginative. I know it's become a meme to talk about how Tynion just keeps on shoving new OCs into this book, but I feel like he's just doing it for the sake of doing it, and is starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel of villain ideas.

I liked the Unsanity Collective stuff. It wasn't the most engaging, since it's kind of just the "We Live in a Society" meme. I feel like it's at least brushing up against the socioeconomic troubles of current society, which is not something I see in Batman comics often. One could gripe about the way these issues are often simplified, and I just did, but it's not a bad story. The stuff with the Magistrate is very boring. I do not care about Simon Saint or Peacekeeper-01. The Ghost-Maker backup was annoying to read. I don't like the story (what little there is), the art or, worst of all, the lettering. I mentioned this last time, but lettering is super important. If it's bad, the entire comic is made lesser by it. I don't understand the choices behind the lettering. It's just annoying to read and it's hard to describe why unless you look at an example.

This issue feels like padding in a lot of ways. Also, aimless. I can't believe we're only five issues in. It's felt like an eternity, and yet so little has happened. At least it's well rendered? Once again, I hate the Ghost-Maker back up. Go away with your terrible fonts and even more terrible storytelling.

This wasn't as good as the first issue of this event, but it wasn't terrible. The stuff with Ghost-Maker is pretty stupid if you've ever looked into what anti-social disorders actually are. I feel like a lot of Tynion's work takes these base, cheesy tropes and tries to mesh them with a form of commentary that does not fit together. This is kind of relevant here, and a whole lot more relevant in that Miracle Molly one-shot that I'll get to. I kind of don't care about this event so far.

This was a definite downgrade from the front half of this crossover. Not a ton happens here, and what does happen isn't very interesting or exciting. The death of Respawn comes across very forced. I mean, he was a mystery character in Robin, we only just got his backstory in Deathstroke Inc right before this event, and now we're supposed to care that he's dead? I don't. And also, he's possibly and probably not dead? He's got Slade's DNA in him right? He's got the healing factor. He'll be fine. Probably. The backup seemed pretty lifeless. I really don't like the backups in these books. I think they're a waste of time and money, and this backup in particular showcases how the page constraints hinder these backup stories. I hope next issue picks things up a bit.

Williamson's run ends on a whimper. I think Shadow War was a huge derailment for a pretty good Batman run, and I just can't help but feel like it's all been a wasted opportunity.

What are we doing? Why do we care? Two questions that will not be answered.

This will probably read better in trade, but as its own thing, it's just... Messy. Sure, these things do line up. There's an overarching narrative. But I feel like the capitalization of the three timelines thing isn't worth the messy feeling it produces. If it were handled better, if each story managed to work in tandem to produce a whole greater than the sum of its parts, it wouldn't be a problem. And this issue is definitely trying that, I recognize. But I'm kinda left just shrugging my shoulders. Not exactly excited for what comes next, but not disliking what I've read so far. It's fine. Which is an improvement over last issue... And the entirety of King's Batman ongoing series... So, I guess you could call this a positive review.

This was not a great start to this arc but maybe it'll get better. I don't like Nick Derington's art here.

This was fine, fun, whatever.
7.0
 Batman and Robin (2023) #1 Mar 14, 2024
7.0
 Batman and Robin (2023) #2 Mar 14, 2024

Di Meo's art is really hard to follow at some points, and the script is serviceable.

For the first time ever, I'm happy Janin is doing art on an issue of a bat title.
7.0
 Batman and Robin (2023) #10 Jun 13, 2024

This was pretty good, but nothing special.

This was fine, but I just feel that I'm not fully invested in this.

This was fine. When it was mostly action, it was even good. The dialogue is a big issue here.

This was okay. There's just not much of worth here, especially with the extended page count.
7.0
 Batman and the Signal #2 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Batman Beyond (2016) #20 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Batman Beyond (2016) #22 Oct 10, 2018

This was alright. I had an okay time reading it. There's a lot of stuff in this issue that isn't really about the Joker's return. Jurgens' pacing is very relaxed. Sometimes too relaxed. And this is a case of that. The stakes don't feel real yet.

Not as good as issue one. I thought the issue was too wordy.
7.0
 Batman Incorporated (2022) #2 Nov 15, 2022

This series has been pretty messy. The massive cast and expansive plot really hurt this issue. The Knight has a great design though. That's literally been my only thought about this series the past four issues.
7.0
 Batman Incorporated (2022) #5 Feb 26, 2023

I mean, I like Professor Pyg as much as the next guy, but I really think this book has too many characters in it, and not enough compelling things to do with them.
7.0
 Batman Incorporated (2022) #9 Mar 14, 2024

This was a rushed ending of a slightly enjoyable series. I have a lot of trouble getting invested in Ghost Maker or Clownhunter, I think they're very poorly constructed characters, and this series exploring them further didn't change that conception for me. I really like The Knight's design. That's my biggest takeaway for this whole series lol.

This is really well written, and it's just a shame that Damian is regressing all over again. I just can't get past it.

There was an uptick here. The story moved a bit further in an interesting way, but the pacing here is so off. I don't understand it.

Not a bad issue. There's a lot of talking and detecting, rather than a ton of action like previous issues. I'm ambivalent but what can you do?

I wish I could say this issue worked for me as well as issue one did, but I just can't. The contrivance of Jack existing in Bruce's head - but not - may be seen as a welcome addition to the story, because everyone loves Jack, I guess. But I don't care about Jack, and I find this sort of thing lazy, same as I did when Arkham Knight did it. I really liked the concepts presented in issue one, and what I guess I'm realizing is, the more Murphy ties it to the previous miniseries, the less interested I become. I hope issue 3 bounces back, but considering that ending, I doubt it. Murphyverse Harley is what happens when you take a neat idea, and then run it into the ground with increasing confidence that the initial twist can support the rest. It can't. This is glorified fan-fiction, and I don't say that as necessarily a bad thing. After all, all Big Two comics are essentially fan-fiction. But the term does carry a negative implication with it because it normally refers to stories written by people who don't know how to write, and just want to shoehorn their ideas into characters without regard for anything that may conflict with that. Of everything in White Knight, Harley Quinn is the most fan-fiction aspect of it. I just don't really think she's all that entertaining. She is an idealized, sanitized version of the character that the writer always believed she should be. And now they're dropping this cliffhanger on us? It's actually just funny at this point. I don't see how one could take it as seriously as it seems to want to be taken.

While I've liked this story more than the previous ones, I feel like this finale exemplifies my issues with the whole White Knight universe of books as a whole. It feels like fan service. Fan service is completely okay if it's done well. When it's used to guide the story and characters forward. Avengers Endgame is the definition of fan service, but I feel like it also was an effective story in its own right, that wrapped up the Infinity Saga very well. This is not that. This is more like SGM wanted to have all these indulgent moments, but really didn't have the space for them. So they happen, fast and loose, almost scattershot, and I'm supposed to care. If I was SGM, or one of his, no doubt, numerous clones, I would be... hooting and hollering, and shotgunning Bud Light with every moment. But that's not me. And I can't find myself caring that much.

This is a mixed bag. The first story by Tom King and Mitch Gerads is... Something. I don't have much affinity for religion, so these stories Tom King keeps doing that are tied to religion kinda makes me roll my eyes. It would be profound if it weren't so stupid, you know? But that's just me. When it comes to these comics with limited color palettes as a gimmick, I try to judge the art on how well it takes advantage of the gimmick, and Mitch Gerads doesn't do anything with it. In fact, I noticed so much repetition in the art that it really took me out of the story. I just didn't enjoy this one. The second story by Sophie Campbell is cute and definitely does use the gimmick to full effect. The third story by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko is pretty good. Again, the black and white gimmick isn't used to great effect here, but I thought the story was neat. The fourth story by Dustin Weaver was my favorite of this batch. I really fucking liked this one. I would not complain if we got more of this. Genuinely a 10/10 story for me. The fifth story by David Aja had really great art, but I didn't really think the story was all that good, which is a shame because the art is so good.

This miniseries is another in a long line of Batman black label books that don't really justify themselves. Nothing here is bad, and the art is fantastic. I just don't think the story is all that interesting.

This ending was a bit off. But I really enjoyed the mini as a whole, so I'm not too concerned about it.

This wasn't the strongest start, unfortunately. I can tell what Devin Grayson is going for, but the way she approaches it makes it less effective. The back-up by Warren Ellis suffered from the art, shockingly. Jim Lee's art does not work in black and white.

I thought this felt very at home with Tamaki's Detective run. If the multiple references weren't enough, the overall quality was. It was fine. I knew where it was headed almost immediately. They lampshaded it in the issue, so I wish Tamaki, knowing it was predictable, did something unexpected, but that just didn't happen.
7.0
 Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Nightwing vs. Hush #1 Oct 10, 2018

Clownhunter isn't an engaging character. I hope this cliffhanger isn't followed up on. Ed Brisson is a capable writer, so this isn't terrible, but I just... do not care.
7.0
 Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #3 Mar 14, 2024
7.0
 Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #4 Mar 14, 2024
7.0
 Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #5 Mar 14, 2024

The Pygmalion story wraps up very nicely. This was a super enjoyable read. Wild Dog part 2 was a lot better. It feels like the writer really got into the groove here. Aquaman continues to be very forgettable. I really, really didn't like the black and white story.

I was really enjoying The Winning Card up to this point, but I feel like this final chapter really sunk the story. It tries to say a lot about Batman, but it falls flat. It's a shame. The art is good though, despite how often I could tell corners were cut to get this story out. The Wild Dog finale was good. I would read more. Aquaman's finale really cements the idea that this story is forgettable. I won't remember it in a week. The black and white story also tries to say a lot about Batman, and kinda ruins the character a bit. The idea that Gordon in particular is letting this hulking man-child play pretend is not endearing, it's just very off putting.
7.0
 Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #11 May 10, 2024
7.0
 Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #12 May 10, 2024

This is fine, I'm not really in love with it. I saw a review saying that this wasn't just a run of the mill Batman origin story, and while I kind of agree holistically, I would say that this is still run of the mill in its tropes, even if there less Batman-specific this time. I wish I could say that I'm blown away, but this is just *another* Batman title to me.

This was fine.

I really do regret giving this issue such a low score because I immensely enjoyed the Red Hood story. That was a 10/10 for me. The Grifter story wasn't quite on that level but it wasn't far behind. The Outsiders story wasn't quite so spectacular, but still was a pretty good time. The Oracle story is what is sinking this ship. It is really, really dumb. I could get into why, but it's honestly not worth it. I really hated it. Cecil Castellucci seems incapable of writing Barbara Gordon. I don't understand why DC keeps giving her the character despite the quite unfavorable response to her Batgirl run. But yeah, that story aside, this would be a very solid anthology.

These anthology series are never consistent. The Batwoman story is fine, although I really could not care less about anything regarding Fear State. The Azrael story seems like it could have potential, but it's not very engaging as of now. The Professor Pyg story is my favorite, because I really like the horror aesthetic he can bring. The Outsiders story is a bit incomprehensible, probably the weakest link here.

This month's issue had a very inconsistent quality to it. The Zatanna story kind of trips on itself, as it falls into very familiar, uninteresting trappings. Constantine is a character I'm very particular about, and nothing here stood out as wrong, so there's that. The Wight Witch story is trying very hard to tell a rich story from elements of what may have been the dullest Batman event in a long while, Fear State. The results are mixed for me. I feel like it overextends itself, especially when read in context with other stories in the Batfamily of titles. It's hurt by its placement in continuity, that's for sure. The Kid Eternity story works better this time around as there are interesting elements here and there, but it ends before it can really get good. The entire thing feels out of place in this anthology. The Ace story is really this book's saving grace. It's incredibly well written for what it is. A Batman concerned for his dog is a Batman I want to read about.

The Zatanna story is a bit rough. I really enjoyed the Question story. I wasn't much of a fan of the new Birds of Prey. The Ace story was great as always.

I really do feel like the whole White Knight universe is the epitome of having a cool idea and then extrapolating on it so much that every little bit of it is over-explained and over-done... So the whole White Knight universe is the epitome of Star Wars. I don't dislike this book so far but I really have to wonder if it's worth exploring these things. Now, to be fair, it seems like this is mostly connected to that Harley Quinn book, which is the only White Knight book I haven't read. It may hit better with the context of that book. I do feel like the writers are still getting used to writing for comics though. Some of these pages needed to be cut down a bit. I'm going to read the rest of this, but this first issue wasn't the best. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
7.0
 Batman: White Knight Presents: Generation Joker #4 Mar 14, 2024
7.0
 Batwoman (2017) #12 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #13 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #14 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #15 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #18 Oct 10, 2018

I wish I was more excited by this.
7.0
 Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain (2023) #5 Mar 14, 2024

I don't really like how disconnected the A and B plots seem to be. Completely separating the two makes it feel like hardly anything happened in this issue. I'm sure they'll converge, but for right now, it's not great.

Still unsure of what this comic is trying to do, but I think we'll get there eventually. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
7.0
 Bishop: War College (2023) #5 Mar 14, 2024

The problem with Priest is that he has a ton of cool ideas, but he seems so intent on presenting those ideas with the worst execution possible.

This really isn't bad but Priest has not given me enough to trust his non-linear storytelling. I also keep getting weird vibes with some of the writing, like Priest is a step away from delivering a Pound Cake speech.

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An issue establishing a new villain. It was alright. Not my favorite issue.
7.0
 Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #5 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #6 Oct 10, 2018

This wasn't great. It feels like a lot of the mid-tier DC books that DC used to put out before Batman made up half the line. I'm sure some Black Manta fans are very happy, but I'm not a huge fan of this. There is a kernel of a good idea here. I really like the sequence where he kills those human traffickers/slavers and then just leaves the slaves to die. It's a cool inversion of what you'd expect, given the tone and the ongoing narration.
7.0
 Black Panther (2016) #169 Oct 10, 2018

Wasn't feeling this one. The story being told may have larger implications, but on its own, it's a bit lacking.

While I do enjoy some of the callbacks here, and while I'm glad that this issue really moved things along, it doesn't work that well as a single issue.
7.0
 Black Panther (2021) #7 Sep 27, 2022

This arc ended on a dud, unfortunately.

There are some good moments, but also some really bad ones. Particularly, I really didn't like how Cap was written in this issue.

Same problems as the previous issue.
7.0
 Black Panther (2021) #14 Feb 26, 2023

I didn't hate this run, like it seems most people did. But this final issue had major pacing problems that made it a chore to get through at points.

This ending kinda missed the mark for me. It's not bad, but if you were to re-read issue one, you'd be wondering how we got here.

Screaming Enigma said all I would've said.

This is fine for what it's meant to be, which is a children's comic that gives a nice, easily digestible version of Black Panther's origin. I wish I could rank it higher because literally the only other review for this series is from an actual racist, but I'm not going to inflate my score because this site allows racists. Tochi Onyebuchi is a civil rights lawyer turned science fiction writer. If anyone is a good fit for a Sam Wilson Cap series, it's him.

This was alright. I was expecting more here. I'm having a little trouble with Nat's characterization here. I feel like it's a bit off, especially with the hard drinking moment. Props for somehow having the most realistic depiction of the Dark Web.

This run was cinematic and it had its moments, but ultimately Bryan Hill's minimalist writing style hurt more than it helped.

This isn't amazing or anything, but it does sort of evoke that early Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibe. Before they really found their footing, and soaked their episodes in the type of drama that would pull in any teenage girl's heart (and my own, as well). Which isn't an un-fun vibe at all. I like that about it.

Eh, this was fine. I don't really find this very entertaining, but it's not bad. I prefer this Booster Gold to the Sad Boi Booster of Heroes in Crisis. I still prefer 52 Booster to this though. It could go either way from here.

This isn't bad but I'm just not loving it.

Honestly, this issue falls into the same trap that I feel that a lot of Jurgens' modern work falls into. It's a failure to reconcile modern comic book sensibilities with the tropes of the past. The 90s past, mostly. Modern comics are a lot more decompressed and breezy, and it feels like Jurgens is trying to write that way, but at the same time can't help but over-complicate the story much in the way 90s comics would over-complicate. It makes for a slog of an issue where not much actually happens. It's not terrible or anything, but I'm not in love with this.

This is a fine issue. The problem is that it feels rather tacked on? I've noticed a trend with a lot of DC miniseries lately where they read more like ongoings that are just cut short, rather than miniseries with a beginning, middle and end. Maybe next issue will tie it all together, but I really don't understand why this series wouldn't end at six issues if the final two seem relatively unrelated to what came before.

This miniseries was confusing. It's not paced like a traditional mini would be. It doesn't seem to have a real point. It's just sort of there.
7.0
 Blue Beetle (2016) #18 Oct 10, 2018
7.0
 Blue Beetle: Graduation Day (2022) #4 Mar 3, 2023

This ending felt a bit rushed. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I think the Dreaming tainted this book. I'm not nearly as into it as I was before. It's not bad yet, but I could see it going that way.

This was alright. Kinda losing interest.

Good enough, I guess.

This was fine.

A good issue, but I feel like the art failed the script.

On one hand, I appreciate this one-shot. It helps us understand Kendra more as a character, something the TV show never bothered with. On the other hand, this series has a pacing problem and we didn't need an entire issue devoted to Kendra's character when that could just be established by working it into the current storyline. This is well-written, the art is fine, but the context concerns me.

I'm not sure how I feel about giving Xander more of an Angelus role, like this comic seems to be doing, what with Xander potentially killing Ms. Calendar and Buffy revealing she may have feelings for him. But I guess we'll see. We're never going to get that foundational Angel/Buffy relationship (which may be a mistake, I'm undecided), so this may be the best way to remix those elements into the narrative. As for this issue itself, the pacing seemed a bit too tight. There wasn't enough breathing room to really leave an impact. The art is always teetering on the edge of good and mediocre in this issue as well.

I thought this issue was fine. Willow just sort of appeared out of nowhere, and her miniseries isn't even over yet, but that's fine. The character work was fine. I don't know what the plan is regarding Buffy and Robin. There's a hint that they are going to have sex, but I don't think that'll hit nearly as hard as the show. The themes the show used that experience to explore really makes season 2 great, but if we just kind of throw that potential away for the comic, I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't want a retread, but I also definitely don't want a wasted opportunity. As for Xander, I see they've definitely adopted the problematic nature of the character. His big bad scheme is seemingly just an amalgamation of some of his worst moments in the series, that suddenly don't look so kooky and fun when Xander is threatening, hurting and kidnapping people. I actually think that's a smart reinvention, which is why I have hopes for the rest of the comic that isn't really hitting the mark right now.

This feels like it's trying hard, but coming up short.

Not a bad issue, but I am reading this out of obligation now rather than actually enjoying it.

This was better than last issue, as some semblance of a plot has finally, truly kicked in. Unless the next two issues play out in some unexpected way, I think this miniseries is definitely lacking a bit of creativity. It's just been incredibly obvious so far, and that can grate on me. I liked the bit of psychedelia when Willow tapped into the collective magic of the witch commune. Magic was always an allegory for drugs on the show, and I tend to like that concept. The one thing that hinders this comic the most for me is the dialogue. I see a lot of reviews saying that the writer really captures the tone and tics of Willow, but I disagree. It doesn't have that sharpness that Buffy's dialogue always had. It's just sort of rambling, and to be clear, not like Willow's rambling. The art is good, though. It's very bright and colorful, which intentionally or unintentionally, helps the story out a bit with its attempted atmosphere. The last page stands out (and what a better page to stand out); I thought it was very cool how the silhouette of the trees turns into hands.

A lot of the emotion on display in this final chapter of this miniseries is not dependent on having read the last three issues, but rather on whether or not the reader has seen the television show. Otherwise, none of the climax to this issue will work for the reader. Anything attempted outside of that falls flat anyway. There is a death in this issue that is given space but doesn't even register at all. This miniseries was fine but Boom! really needs to figure out what it wants to do with the Buffy license.
7.0
 Buffy: The Last Vampire Slayer (2023) #2 Mar 15, 2024
7.0
 Cable (2024) #1 Mar 17, 2024
7.0
 Cable (2024) #3 May 8, 2024

I didn't like the art and some of Steve's monologue felt really off.

I don't think the writer has much to say about Steve Rogers at the moment.

This issue would be a lot better if the art held up. The emotional heft can't be felt if the characters don't emote properly. I don't like this turn for USAgent, btw. It doesn't make sense to me. And this series is already juggling so much, proven by how rushed this issue is, despite its decompression.

Overall, this issue did a lot to progress the story and explain things, and in that regard, I enjoyed it. But I don't like the retcon with Peggy. I don't know why they keep going back to their relationship, every time they do, they make it worse. Leave it be, Marvel.

I think there's a lot of intrigue to uncover with the overarching story, but as a single issue, this is not the best. Some of it is used to exposit and explain away a plot point. The rest is an admittedly fun action scene, with some classic Cap moments in it. The plot doesn't move much at all. This is honestly a problem with a lot of Ta-Nehisi Coates' comics. This man isn't writing for the trade, he's writing for the saga. That's why Black Panther works so much better collected than issue to issue. Same is probably going to be true of his Captain America run. I like the themes and ideas behind the overarching story. I think those are really excellent. But the execution needs work.

This was alright, but I really wish the plot picked up speed, especially since it was clear where this was heading well before it got there.

I already did my one rant about the conservatives with a hard-on for misunderstanding Captain America over at the United States of Captain America #1 review page, so I'll be brief here. Imagine thinking that Jordan Peterson is appreciated, or that he doesn't deserve the criticisms he's gotten as an allegory in this Cap run? Brain-rot.

I've been really enjoying both Cap series up to this point, but this alpha issue felt like it was doing a ton of work to move everything into place, and not in a satisfying manner. The art did not help, either. It's a shame. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This wasn't a bad start, but it doesn't really justify its existence outside of a possible sales avenue. It's competently written, and I could see it becoming more enjoyable. I think the art is a bit lackluster, though, unfortunately.
7.0
 Captain Carter (2022) #4 Sep 27, 2022

Not as good as the first issue. Things just take a hard left turn, as the issue focuses on another dystopia. Most of the character work present in the first issue that I loved so much is gone here, unfortunately.
7.0
 Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest (2023) #1 Mar 21, 2024
7.0
 Carnage (2022) #6 Sep 27, 2022
7.0
 Carnage (2022) #7 Nov 15, 2022

This issue reminds me of those weird one-shots that a lot of Vertigo titles would do. Not much in the way of plot progression, but really cool and interesting on their own. Except... this isn't really all that interesting on its own.
7.0
 Catwoman (2018) #2 Oct 18, 2018

Better than the trash fire that was last issue.

Not the most engaging issue. I find Judas Priest very boring. He's not a new design or a new archetype, and there's nothing here the makes his unoriginality worth it. I mean, it's not bad. I just find it very bland, and I want the plot to really go somewhere. I want Judas Priest to move on, even if that means we get sucked into the monolithic Fear State.

This is really jumbled, but still okay. I really don't think Fear State is doing anything for this book, especially since Ram V is leaving very soon anyway.

This was fine, but I don't care about any of this. It's competent, I guess.

I wasn't in love with this run, so I'm not sad to see it go. However, I am excited to see what Tini Howard does with the character. We'll see.
7.0
 Catwoman (2018) #45 Sep 27, 2022
7.0
 Catwoman (2018) #48 Nov 15, 2022

I liked this more, but... yeah, it's built on shaky ground. We'll see.

This wasn't bad, but nothing in this issue is warranting the shift in status quo. I don't mind the status quo as it is, but I just wish more interesting stories were being told with it.

The pacing definitely needs to speed up.

I'm glad this arc is done. This whole prison arc has been underwhelming, and it doesn't really make sense with how much or how little the villains know about Selina and Catwoman. Hopefully things get back on track from here. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I really want this title to have a fresh start. Even with Tini Howard at the helm. I don't think she's a bad writer, it's just that the place her run has gone is simply not that interesting to me. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Uhh, you know, I've been up on Ram V's Catwoman for a while now, but the least good thing about it has been Judas Priest (Okay, Father Valley is his real name, but I refuse). The trend continues here, unfortunately. I can't help but be bored by his backstory. I don't find the Order of St. Dumas captivating, to put it nicely. Azrael, any Azrael, is trash.
7.0
 Cave Carson Has An Interstellar Eye #1 Oct 18, 2018
7.0
 Cave Carson Has An Interstellar Eye #3 Oct 18, 2018
7.0
 Cave Carson Has An Interstellar Eye #4 Oct 18, 2018
7.0
 Cave Carson Has An Interstellar Eye #5 Oct 18, 2018

This was fine, and had some fun moments.

Feels like I skipped a chapter, but apparently not, at least as much as the solicitation tells me. This was fine, though. Nothing too exciting.

Fine, but I kinda roll my eyes at this sort of thing.

This was a fine issue for a fine series.

This was okay. It's cute.
7.0
 Champions (2016) #16 Oct 18, 2018
7.0
 Champions (2016) #17 Oct 18, 2018
7.0
 Champions (2016) #18 Oct 18, 2018

Not the best issue, but it was fine.

This was fine, but maybe a little too much.

I mean, this was alright. Wasn't his best work, but I didn't mind reading it.
7.0
 Cloak and Dagger (2018) #1 Oct 18, 2018
7.0
 Cloak and Dagger (2018) #2 Oct 18, 2018
7.0
 Cloak and Dagger (2018) #5 Oct 18, 2018

This is 2/2 on strange Thing miniseries that baffle me.

This was an alright issue... There was a ton of exposition that's trying to establish Conan and this world, and to Jason Aaron's credit, I was never bored by this. I only have a very small amount of knowledge of Conan and I never felt lost. There was a YouTube video promoting the upcoming War of the Realms and in it, they say that Jason Aaron has always been able to make a comic "new reader friendly." And I didn't really believe that for whatever reason, I just thought it was Marvel trying to sell an event based on nearly seven years worth of stories. But this Conan issue really sold me on that idea. It's extremely new reader friendly while not feeling like it's being dumbed-down or anything like that. My problem with this issue is that not a lot happens and yet we focus on that a ton. Although, what does happen is really fun and cool. It's just the pacing seems a little slow and this isn't such a bombastic opening, like we've all come to expect from comics in general. I really like the Crimson Witch, especially once she becomes a bloated corpse monster, that's real fun. In fact, I'm very excited for issue two despite not absolutely loving this issue. It's well written and well drawn, while not blowing anyone's minds.

This isn't a bad issue, but I just had such trouble getting through it.

This is nice and all, but I was promised Moon Knight, and that is why I'm here.
7.0
 Convergence: Shazam #1 Jun 12, 2024

This was just bland. I don't think this will reinvigorate reader interest in these characters, nor do I think this version of the characters will be kept up when they appear elsewhere. This is a thing that happened and I'm not entirely happy that I experienced it.

I was expecting worse from Steve Orlando. While this wasn't amazing, I didn't want to jump out a window, which I can't say for things like Steve Orlando's Wonder Woman.
7.0
 Cyborg (2023) #2 Jun 15, 2024
7.0
 Cyborg (2023) #5 Jun 15, 2024
7.0
 Damage (2018) #3 Oct 20, 2018
7.0
 Damage (2018) #4 Oct 20, 2018
7.0
 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022): The Dark Army #1 Nov 26, 2022
7.0
 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022): War Zone #1 Dec 8, 2022

Wonder Woman is such a bore. Women need a better mascot tbh.
7.0
 Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1 Oct 2, 2022
7.0
 Dark Knights of Steel (2021) #6 Oct 2, 2022
7.0
 Dark Knights of Steel (2021) #10 Apr 5, 2023

At least this one felt somewhat important. I know all the Perpetua stuff was already explained to death in JL, but when it's condensed like it is here, it's not as bad. I was literally expecting the worst here, and ended up with an alright one-shot.

I feel like the two stories here should've been swapped in order. I like the idea of the Chronicler... I mean, who isn't a fan of Uatu the Watcher? Assholes, that's who. And I like that continuity is actually being referenced. I like holding out that hope that I found disingenuous in the main series. But not much happens here, and I assume any relevant information will be summed up in a page in Death Metal #5.

This is a bummer of an ending. This entire event, despite ostensibly being a Spider-Man event first and foremost, has done its best to avoid Spider-Man and his side of the story. Ben and Janine leave this story only slightly changed by its events, in a way that can quickly glossed over if/when they come back. The X-Men plot drives the story while Spider-Man is stuck doing mostly nothing in Limbo, with an admittedly enjoyable new demon companion. The solution to Ben's problems is right there in the Dark Web: X-Men tie-in. It's the same solution as Madelyne Pryor's. Yet no one attempts to help Ben, and instead just lock him up in Limbo. One could almost call it meta. I'm glad the X of it all managed to be a good time, with a nice heartfelt story. But I'm a Spider-Man fan, and I can't help but think the last two months of story was largely a waste for the character. I'm ready to move on. I hope the Joe Kelly guest arc coming up next is fun. And the mystery box, while I couldn't care less about it, I look forward to that being revealed finally. If only so that one of the two major empty-headed complaints this run has will finally be silenced.
7.0
 Dark Web: Ms. Marvel #1 Jan 12, 2023
7.0
 Dark Web: X-Men #1 Jan 12, 2023
7.0
 Dark X-Men (2023) #3 May 8, 2024

I read this to maybe see if I could get more out of this week's Batman issue. I remember this getting a lot of praise. And it's fine. I don't think it's nearly as amazing as everyone else seems to think. But you know, it was fine. Everyone mentions the first story, but I actually think I had more fun with the second. The first doesn't really do much for me. It just exists. I understand what they're trying to go for here, but it was way too gimmicky, especially near the end where every character spouted off their catchphrase before Batman and Elmer pummeled them. The second story did just feel straight up like a Looney Tunes short and I really enjoyed that.

It really is a shame that ComicBookRoundUp still hosts open bigots like Briton. Every time either of the Big Two put out a book that celebrates marginalized people, such as this one, this racist, bigoted piece of shit has to whine about it and bomb the score.

The worst story of the bunch is definitely the first story, by Devin Grayson. The outright offensive way she wrote Damian while tacitly implying that Stonewall was bad because it was a riot, and that people shouldn't riot for their rights was... Perplexing. Don't fight for your rights if it means being violent. Civility matters more than your rights. Let's put that in a Pride anthology. You wanna talk about corporate pandering, that's the epitome of pandering to liberals. There are a string of stories that I'd call boring more than anything. But boredom is a terrible sin. Confessions, by Stephanie Williams. A World Kept Just for Me, by Alyssa Wong. Public Display of Electromagnetism, by Greg Lockard. Special Delivery, by Travis G. Moore. Are You Ready for This?, by Danny Lore & Ivan Cohen. Then there are stories that are good, but not standout. Think of Me, by Ro Stein & Ted Brandt. Up at Bat, by Jadzia Axelrod. Bat's in the Cradle, by Stephanie Phillips. Then finally, there are the stories I'd genuinely recommend be read. These are legitimately well written, and what make the anthology. The Gunshoe in Green, by Tini Howard. This was a fun, little Noir inspired story that is honestly better than Far Sector was. It takes the ridiculous concepts taken seriously in that maxiseries, and pairs them with an intentionally ridiculous Noir stylization. And it works so much better that way. The Hunt, by Dani Fernandez. I have a little bit of a soft spot for Harley and Ivy, bred from seeing DC time and again split them up. Plus, on top of being bisexual, I'm culturally a lesbian. It's true. It's why I hate women. This is a very simple story, and totally saccharine, but it works and makes me happy. And finally, Finding Batman, by Kevin Conroy. A ton has been said about this story already, so I can't add too much, but I find learning the personal histories of queer people to be incredibly humanizing. Especially the AIDS generation. That's what makes this story not only powerful, but also important. It is going to get more people to look at queer folk as people as well, moreso than any half-hearted story about a queer character existing around pride, which unfortunately, a lot of the blander stories could be summed up as.

This site needs a purge, and has for a while.
7.0
 DC vs. Vampires (2021) #8 Oct 2, 2022
7.0
 DC vs. Vampires (2021) #11 Nov 26, 2022

This was okay. I honestly wasn't satisfied with it as an ending. But I didn't hate it either. I don't really want more of this concept.

This was alright. I'm sort of stuck with this story that is well written... For what it is, and not exactly high art or something to really give much thought towards. I like that that one-shot from the original series was only sorta pointless now?

This was alright. It felt more like set-up than anything. I think the characters are written alright. I just have a hard time keeping my interest in this series. I think it's the same problem that something like Scott Snyder's Justice League had where you keep seeing the BIGGEST things happening over and over, and you sort of grow passive to it. I don't really care about deaths in this series, and so the hope that it can be reversed is... Just a big old something.

I had trouble getting through this issue, and it's not because the issue was bad. I'm just not feeling this series much. But the ending was cool.

Yeah, alright I guess.

Much like Unkillables #3, this was fine. Luckily, Tom Taylor is no stranger to the format so this was well paced unlike The Adventures Continue. I just don't really care about any of this?

I get what this story was going for. It's nice and cheerful. But I didn't feel like it was really worth my time.

This chapter was mostly just set up and exposition. This is a very necessary chapter, I assume. But it's not very interesting.

This was fine. This chapter had a cool, effective ending, but I really wish the art was better.

This was alright. I liked Martian Manhunter's death.

This was originally solicited as a 14 chapter digital series, so I was very prepared for this to be done and over with. I'm kind of annoyed that there is a surprise fifteenth chapter. I honestly don't care about what's happening here. I'm not too concerned with Wink or Pied Piper.

This was fine. A predictable wrap up to a series that... Didn't need to exist.

This is fine. It was trying to elicit a much greater response from me as a reader, but it just didn't connect with me. I'm also probably a little biased as I just found out that yet *another* series debuted just today. I liked the first DCeased, but I was pretty much done with the concept by that miniseries' end. Then this series came along and it was better than I expected, while still teetering on the edge. I guess DC will continue milking this IP dry until people stop buying it. I'm once again done with this concept.

This was an underwhelming finale. It just went by way too quickly. Tom Taylor writes very decompressed stories, so when suddenly the pace shifts to very quick, it throws off the flow of the read. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I'm not sure what to think of this issue, honestly. It was fun, but I was expecting a darker story here. Ed Brisson writes it well enough, the art is good. I like the callbacks to current continuity, Brisson knows his shit. I also like that Hawkeye and Logan are teaming up, just like the original Old Man Logan story. There's just tonally something off, and I don't think it's intentional. Hopefully this gets mitigated in upcoming issues, but the whole vibe is wrong for me.

I wasn't as engaged with this issue as I was with previous ones. I don't know if it was because of my mood or what.
7.0
 Dead X-Men (2024) #2 May 8, 2024
7.0
 Dead X-Men (2024) #3 May 8, 2024

Love the art, but the writing is really mixed.

The writing leaves a lot to be desired but I love the art.
7.0
 Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2022) #4 Feb 28, 2023

This book had amazing art, but the writing was lackluster. The pacing was all over the place, exposition plagued some issues... It really needed another draft.
7.0
 Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan #1 Oct 20, 2018
7.0
 Deadpool: Assassin #1 Oct 20, 2018
7.0
 Deadpool: Assassin #5 Oct 20, 2018

This was an alright issue. I liked the Purple Man story.

None of the stories here are particularly great. My favorite was No Spider Blues because I fully ship Deadpool and Peter. Something I noticed: In Rob Liefeld's story, there are barely any backgrounds. It's actually insane. We barely know at any point where any of the characters are in space. It will forever shock me that people like this guy's art.
7.0
 Death of the Venomverse (2023) #1 May 18, 2024
7.0
 Death of the Venomverse (2023) #2 May 18, 2024
7.0
 Death of the Venomverse (2023) #3 May 18, 2024

This is weird. Not sure how to feel about it. But I think I liked it? My opinion will become clearer with next issue, hopefully.
7.0
 Deathstroke (2016) #31 Oct 20, 2018
7.0
 Deathstroke (2016) #36 Oct 20, 2018

There's things here that I like. The writing just hasn't been as strong as it used to be.

I'm basically in agreement with Nihilist on this specific issue. Not so much on my view of the series overall. I feel like this series lost its steam around the Batman vs Deathstroke arc. I remember at the time telling a friend who was convinced to read that arc that "the series is usually better than this." And it never really recovered from there. I mean, even Defiance had some issues. I just feel like Priest's inherently convoluted storytelling leads to the uneven nature of his comics. When it pays off, it really feels gratifying, but if it doesn't, it just feels hollow... This issue is a mix of those two feelings. Priest has some very antiquated writing tropes that usually hinder his work, in my experience. Those are on full display at some points in his run. That's why it's so hard for me to really care about this story. I liked it at points, found it frustrating at others, and end up coming away from it with a refreshing sense of indifference.

This is fine, but I don't find Williamson's writing very compelling. I'm just confused why this exists so far.

This was alright. It's cute, and not in a condescending way, but like actually pretty cute. I like the art and the story is fun enough. I like the infusion of Japanese mythology in the Marvel universe. It's a unique take, and this is what the terribly-named Marvel Tsunami line should've been back in the day. I just don't have much investment in this story. It's something I would look at for the art, rather than read for the story.

This isn't bad, but it's very passive. Nothing is really connecting to the reader, it's just a pretty comic to look at.

The art here is great, but the story itself seems very all over the place.

This was fine. I really couldn't find myself attached to the narrative, but the art really does look nice, and the designs are on point. I hope what Peach Momoko does next will have a more cohesive story to it.
7.0
 Demon Wars (2022): The Iron Samurai #1 Oct 2, 2022
7.0
 Demon Wars (2022): Shield of Justice #1 Nov 18, 2022

I really like the art, but I really wish I could follow the story better.

This series has been a treat in terms of art but storywise, it left a lot to be desired. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I didn't really say anything about Batman's inaugural issue because I didn't really think there was anything to be said. Yes, it was simple, a bit hokey, and whatever else you want to say about it, but that's to be expected with a comic from 1939, right? Well, this issue exceeded my expectations for just how silly and hokey these early comics were. A big part of the Detective 27 story involved fingerprints, which stood out to me, because it was a striking bit of realism. Then in this issue, Batman decides not to use his gloves for most of the issue, with it never being mentioned, even though Batman is at odds with the police, and possibly that could lead to his capture. Also, Batman's plan is so pointless and used as a way to illicit drama, when the page count given is so small that there is no way the reader ever had time to ponder what was actually happening. Also, another thing, Bruce Wayne and Batman drive the same car. The exact same, blaringly red car. I could kind of excuse it in 27 because he never directly parks it outside of a police station and honks his horn, as he does here. This story is just so incredibly silly, and I was kind of expecting the silliness to slowly creep in. Maybe it just won't be *intentionally* silly for a while.
7.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #979 Oct 20, 2018
7.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #982 Oct 20, 2018
7.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #988 Oct 20, 2018

The opening was really good. The way Mrs. Freeze happens way too quickly brings the score down a bit.

This just feels uninspired.

Uh this is fine!

I mean, this was fine. I didn't mind it.

This was alright. It was a very quick wrap up, but I guess things had to end.

The main story lost me this week. It wasn't very entertaining. The first backup didn't really work as well as it had before either. And the final backup was kind of a letdown after all the hype built up for Mark Waid's Batman/Superman.

The main story is... fine. I'm just reading this for the backup now. The backup is really neat. We get to see No Man's Land from a new perspective.

I think the idea of this issue is really neat, but I really had trouble connecting with most of this.

Most of this worked, however it was rather clumsy. This didn't need to be a miniseries. Not at all.

This was messy. It kind of came across like a comic version of fast food. You read it, despite knowing it's low quality, and you enjoy it at least a bit. Hopefully next issue does something more interesting.

The concept of this issue was cool, but it is clear that they really didn't have another arc ready for the extension of the series.

This felt rushed. I'm hopeful for the next arc, though.

This was alright. There's stuff here that's really cool, but some of the dialogue and story here is a bit rough.

I liked this issue, but I thought it ran a bit long. The beginning with Doctor Strange describing Galactus was great. Once Clea showed up, things got a little more muddled as the comic really rushed to include these story beats, while still making its page count seem a lot larger than it was.

This was alright. I wish the dialogue was better, but I didn't have a bad time.

There are parts that I enjoy here, but some that I do not. Like the ending.
7.0
 Doomsday Clock #6 Oct 20, 2018

Mark Waid's run on Doctor Strange has had its ups and downs. Not as good as what Cates and Aaron were doing, but better than Hopeless, at least. I can't say I'll outright miss it, but it was clearly cut short due to COVID, and that's unfortunate. Maybe Mark Waid will head up the next relaunch when things get back to normal. We'll see. This issue was a little rushed, but it was fine.
7.0
 Duo (2022) #2 Oct 2, 2022

A weak ending.

I mean, this is okay. I think the pacing could be better, and the lack of communication between the main character and her boyfriend is already frustrating. But the social commentary is pretty neat, and horror needs neat social commentary most of the time.
7.0
 Edge of Spider-Verse (2022) #2 Oct 2, 2022
7.0
 Edge of Spider-Verse (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
7.0
 Edge of Spider-Verse (2023) #3 Oct 14, 2024
7.0
 Elektra (2022) #100 Oct 2, 2022

This is just a Cap story. That's all. This gets a big ol' shrug emoji from me. It has something to say, but what's being said is nothing new. And honestly, it just depresses me, given the circumstances under which this comic came out.

I liked this more than issue one, but I hate Plastic Man's humor. I just wish the pacing was a little better, especially considering the ending of this issue isn't a surprise at all if you've read Year of the Villain. And it's taken us two issues to get to the point that most readers were at before the event started.

This was a rougher issue. I'm still into the series, but this could've been done better.

I think this issue was a bit tough to get into. It's throwing a lot at you to convey a story that's honestly not that complicated. And some of the character motivations seem to be all over the place. I didn't mind this issue, but it was kind of a mess.

This could have been paced better. I also think this title is very directionless lately, and this didn't help.
7.0
 Exiles (2018) #8 Oct 20, 2018

This was alright. Not the best wrap up, but it was serviceable. This run was mostly good, if a bit wordy at points. And I'm shocked it even got twelve issues. I can't say I'll miss it, but I never hated it and I never dreaded reading it when it came out.

This is fine. I get it, the new symbiote is called Silence, you did the dramatic name reveal at least 5 times.

The art was not great, and I gotta say, the writing isn't great either. This is the type of symbiote story that Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman tried to uplift these sorts of characters from.

I was expecting much worse, but this was okay.
7.0
 Extreme Venomverse (2023) #4 May 18, 2024

This was fine but I do really just feel like I've read porn. Until the very end, at least. But I guess I'll continue to read it so that probably says something about me.

This was odd in tone. Not a fan of the super powerful kid trope. We'll see.

To be honest, I forgot what was happening in this miniseries, but this was a fine issue.

This is a fun title, but it's kind of schlocky. The best part of the issue, and an instance of undisputed good writing was Sam telling The Natural about why Steve Rogers is so great.

More personable than a lot of Lemire's work. It's like Donny Cates, but not as good.

This issue is okay. I really enjoy all the stuff with Ben Grimm. I just love how he's written. The rest is fine. It's not bad, but it really isn't on the same level. I honestly think Dan Slott would do better on a classic Two-In-One book. But hey, at least this issue finally makes a significant move in tying the story back into the FF's origin.

I don't know what to think about this one. Empyre #6 completely spoiled it for me. But the issue was fine. I wasn't quite so bored with it like last issue. But man, Spider-Man's quips were atrocious. Spider-Man should always ride the fine line between funny and not, but the quips here are painful.

This was fine. It hit some of that 60s FF camp with the flashbacks, but ultimately this wasn't a necessary story. It was fun enough. The Thor back up by Donny Cates was also fine. It was meant to usher in a new story in Fortnite, it's not anything too special. I'm not sure why it's in this random FF issue, and not a Thor issue.

I mean, this is fine, but not great. It could be with a better writer, the ideas are there.

I liked parts of the issue. It only kind of fits in with everything else, which is annoying. And Sue comes across really bad here, even though I feel like the essence of what she's doing - trying to protect her brother - is on point. The way in which she's written is very off.

This is an adequate issue of Fantastic Four. It wasn't terrible and the plot was somewhat interesting. It just doesn't hit the way it should.

I liked the part with Spider-Man, and I liked most of the Grimm Family stuff until it just became so heavy handed that it went from fun to awkward.
7.0
 Fantastic Four (2018) #42 Oct 2, 2022

Eh, it was fine. I wish these tie-ins were better constructed.

These were both okay stories. The first one felt like a by-the-numbers FF issue, while the second just felt very unnecessary. Neither were bad, though. Just not great.
7.0
 Fantastic Four (2022) Annual #1 Nov 9, 2023

I didn't like this as much as issue one, but it was alright.

There are some problems I had with this. Some of the overall contrivance is kind of bothering me. But I didn't hate this.

The Avengers story was alright. It teased a lot of what's to come, and while it all seems interesting, a lot of it is just more build up to add to the rest of the build up of the last 18 issues. And what was new, the cosmic Avengers team, confused me a lot more than it excited me. I was on board with Avengers before this, and I still am, but I'm not entirely sure how many new readers this would actually pull in. The Savage Avengers story was pretty good. It felt less like a tease and more like something that was cut from issue one. It actually made the first issue make more sense. And revealed legitimate plot points that are necessary to anyone who wants to read this title. Again, I don't know that this will bring in new readers.

I read the new story with Spider-Man India, and it was fine. I'm sure if given more space, it could've been better. But you know, anthologies are always sort of hampered by their page count.
7.0
 Flash (2016) #39 Nov 6, 2018
7.0
 Flash (2016) #49 Nov 6, 2018
7.0
 Flash (2016) #50 Nov 6, 2018

I didn't mind this issue. It wasn't a bore like the past few. The art was a bit weird. I think this issue has the only time I've ever liked Impulse. I'm glad the body snatcher bit already played out, as well.

Unfortunately, a downgrade from the previous issue.

I'm not into the hockey romance stuff. I know it's intentional and I know it's supposed to be a little goofy. Linda writing a self insert really... I don't know, it bothers me. Like, I want to believe she's a good writer and isn't just a hack? But this is saying she's a hack.
7.0
 Flashpoint: Beyond #3 Oct 2, 2022

This was mostly dedicated to a fight scene, and well, at least it looked good.

This was fine. Not much to it. It feels like the pacing's off, which is the same problem with every Venditti series.

This was fine yet again. I hope something more interesting happens soon!
7.0
 Friends of Maxx (1996) #2 Sep 13, 2022

I thought this was okay. I enjoyed most of the interactions, at least.

The Batman story was legitimately good. I want to see where John Ridley goes with that. Undeniably the best thing I've read from Future State so far. The Outsiders back up was pretty good. It flows well. The Arkham Knights back up is really, really boring. This was almost a solidly good collection of stories, if not for the last one.

I still really enjoyed the main story by Mariko Tamaki and Dan Mora, but that Red Hood story was pretty weak all around. The writing was passable but nothing interesting and the art really doesn't make sense for a superhero comic, at least one like this.

Well, the theme of using Hannibal as an artistic license continues to less stellar effects this time. I wasn't expecting much and I got a readable issue. Good enough for me with this Future State nonsense.

This was alright.

This was alright. Nothing special.

This is fine, but I could take it or leave it. I don't find it very interesting, but it kept my attention well enough.

This was a surprise cancelation, or at least I think it was canceled. The Maker is mentioned in the solicitation and yet he doesn't appear. Nothing is really wrapped up and we're going to have to wait for the next Ghost-Spider series to find out where this is headed. I'm interested in seeing that, honestly. But it kinda sucks since I feel like Seanan McGuire's run had a lot of potential. I thought these last few issues, in fact this whole half of her run, was mostly setting things up, and now it's over. I don't know why, I guess sales weren't there. I hope whoever comes next is a good writer too and Ghost-Spider can last a lot longer and we don't keep getting more volumes to tell this story. I'll miss the character while she's gone and that's saying a lot for the variant cover that she was conceived as.

I read this as part of my effort to fully catch up on the X-line, and uhhh, I could've skipped it! It's awkward.

This was fine. It's clearly setting things up for the future (and if that includes more Namor, I'm in.), but on its own, it's not much. I understand there was an artist switch that pushed this issue back significantly, so I can only assume the original artist was much more suited for this and things just didn't work out.

This was fine! The artwork was all great, but the story itself fell flat for me.

Eh, this was fine. I don't think I ever found this series scary. It was more just a way for Andrea Sorrentino to draw cool, horror shit. And on that front, this issue, this finale, succeeds. On the writing front, I don't think this is anything special. Maybe it'd read better all at once, but I don't think so.

Yet another anthology from DC. This one wasn't that bad though. I think the worst story is actually the much hyped one. Bird Cat Love by Danny DeVito is ridiculous and weird, and I wish I was saying those things in a positive way. It just didn't work, in my opinion. The next story was probably only slightly better, The Fearless Man. It tried to do a lot and didn't really land. Ophiocordyceps Lamia is probably my favorite of the bunch. I really like how G. Willow Wilson writes Ivy and I hope she continues to write the character going forward. Demon's Game was super boring. I don't think Ra's Al Ghul is a compelling character. I think he has a potential that, despite so many stories about him, hasn't yet been exploited. The Second Eye is more of the same. The Al Ghuls are just super uninteresting to me. For The Sky Is Red is actually a really fun story and I think Stephanie Phillips did a great job. The Perfect Fit was mediocre, unfortunately. I feel like the set up wasn't worth the payoff. The body horror elements in the beginning were neat though. The Happiest Man in Gotham was cute and wholesome, and one of the better stories featured here.

This was all fine. The writing is competent and stylish as one would expect. The art is similarly stylish in its tone. I just have a real problem caring about any of this. I also think it's extremely cynical. Which does have its place, and certainly fits the noir archetype, but... it's just not what I want to read right now. I don't really care for this idea that Gotham City was finally corrupted by a rich family tragedy, but we'll let that play out, I guess. I don't have many feelings about this one, just sort of by-the-numbers emptiness.
7.0
 Gotham City: Year One (2022) #4 Mar 3, 2023
7.0
 Green Arrow (2016) #41 Nov 6, 2018
7.0
 Green Arrow (2016) #44 Nov 6, 2018

This was an alright issue. I don't think the Citizen was a good villain in the end. He completely went against his own ideals when, had he not, it would've made for a more complicated problem for Green Arrow. This issue got a genuine laugh out of me when they showed Green Arrow burning his letter to Roy about that special box he had. Remember that special box? It was supposed to be important, but nothing much was ever done with it. The Benson Sisters' run in Green Arrow wasn't nearly as bad as their Birds of Prey run, but it was never amazing. I'm not particularly excited nor am I dreading whoever us taking over. I don't even know who's coming next, which shows how much I care about this title.

This was alright. I don't think it hit emotionally. And the ending doesn't get me excited at all.
7.0
 Green Arrow (2023) #3 Aug 7, 2024
7.0
 Green Arrow (2023) #9 Aug 7, 2024

I really liked Williamson's run up until the Absolute Power tie-ins. These aren't bad but they really shot this book in the foot (with an arrow) by doing this traitor arc with Ollie.

There's a lot going on here that I'm forced to accept. It feels less expansive and more like a barrage of ideas. I think that's just Morrison losing his edge a bit, as a younger him was way better at this sort of thing. But it wasn't a bad issue. It just felt clunky.

This one wasn't a mess like last issue, at least. I have grievances with the plot contrivances and the dialogue, but I don't expect a ton from this book anymore. The epilogue confused me: Is this a new threat or did I just (rightfully) forget who it was? Not that it really matters yet. We'll see.

This issue had a lot of characters explaining everything instead of just showing it and that irked me. But the stuff after that, the last quarter of the issue I'd say, was really cool and I want to see where it goes. I hope next issue has less expositing about how horrible a challenge will be. This is probably obscure, but it reminded me of the beginning of the third Ratchet and Clank game, where you have to go through a Gauntlet of Death while an obvious comedic character narrates how grueling it is. Not the best thing to be reminded of when this is supposed to be taken seriously. Or is it?

I would much rather have a series about Hyperman and Hyperwoman. Or just go watch The Boys again (since the comic sucks) or read Invincible or whatever else is on the laundry list of Supermen with emotional problems. But digressions aside, they're the only part of this issue that I found real entertainment in. As to the larger narrative or Hal's role in the story, I could not care less. The art is... Fine. I see a lot of people praising the style change to something more Silver Age, but I've seen artists do it a lot better. I think Liam Sharp's versatility would be more impressive if it wasn't so hit or miss. But not to be too harsh, this is an improvement over the last issue, thank goodness. It's just a shame not every issue could be outstanding, or at least at this level of passing.

Although not as big a miss as last issue, this issue doesn't do it for me.

This is alright. It kind of feels out of place.

This was fine. I just don't think it's all that interesting? I never really connected with any of the characters in season one, so I'm still not invested in them here. Which is a shame, because I know Morrison can write interesting characters. I don't know, this feels archaic, and maybe that's what he's going for, but it undercuts a lot of the good build up he has going. For example, when Controller Mu shows up, there's that narration that says "Mu wished for..." and then it says "But Mu did not speak. Mu no longer needed to speak." That is cool. That's a really good way of showing how powerful Mu is. But then it's undercut by Belzebeth explaining that Mu is speaking through her. We didn't need that and that line felt so archaic in its delivery... And there are moments like that all in this book and probably in previous Green Lantern issues. It's hard for me to get into this when it feels so unnecessary.
7.0
 Green Lanterns #44 Nov 6, 2018
7.0
 Green Lanterns #45 Nov 6, 2018
7.0
 Green Lanterns #47 Nov 6, 2018
7.0
 Green Lanterns #49 Nov 6, 2018
7.0
 Green Lanterns #52 Nov 6, 2018

The Donny Cates and AL Ewing stuff were well written and I'm excited to see the Universal Church of Truth in action again (outside of the Old Man universe, of course). Al Ewing's Nova story did such a great job setting things up. The Adam Warlock story was a bit clunky. I see what they were going for, but the dialogue wasn't great. The Darkhawk story felt so inconsequential compared to the rest and the art didn't help.
7.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #35 Jul 19, 2019
7.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #36 Jul 19, 2019
7.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #37 Jul 19, 2019

I wish I could say I liked this more, as the two other Milestone books have been pretty good so far, but this fell a little flat for me. I think it went on too long, and wasn't well structured. Like, I wasn't sure which side is telling the truth regarding what went down between Metcalf and Alva, and I'm not sure if that's intentional or not.
7.0
 Hardware (2021): Season One #5 Nov 6, 2022
7.0
 Hardware (2021): Season One #6 Nov 6, 2022
7.0
 Harley Quinn (2016) #37 Jul 19, 2019
7.0
 Harley Quinn (2021) #19 Nov 6, 2022

This is a back-step from what Stephanie Phillips was doing.

I really find Harley annoying again after not for some time. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Maybe I've just grown accustomed to Harley Quinn's narration, but this didn't really read that well.
7.0
 Hawkman (2018) #4 Jul 19, 2019

I didn't mind this too much. It was fine. I don't really find the ending believable in any way, but what are you going to do?

This wasn't a bad issue. I just wish I cared.
7.0
 Hellblazer (2016) #18 Jul 19, 2019
7.0
 Hellblazer (2016) #20 Jul 19, 2019

Alright.

Not bad.

I wasn't as into this issue as much. The ending was especially weird.

This was alright. There's some interesting things here, but there's also some very unoriginal and cliched things. Most explicitly, the ending. So I'm not too excited for issue two. I may not even read it.
7.0
 Hulk: Grand Design (2022): Madness #1 Nov 6, 2022

This one didn't work for me. The reveal at the end doesn't make up for a read that isn't enjoyable in and of itself. There are some cases where a confusing narrative works like a puzzle, and you as the audience derives joy from figuring it out at the end, or maybe even before the end. This is not one of those cases. It felt repetitive and annoying. Literally the only reason the score is as high as it is, is because the first four issues are really good, and the reveal is interesting and may lead to a better issue six.
7.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Mystery In Madripoor #3 Jul 19, 2019
7.0
 I Am Batman (2021) #16 Jan 12, 2023

This was okay. I'm starting to lose interest in this series. It was so very cool early on but it seems to have lost itself in telling a grander story.

This was a very fast paced, messy finale to season one. Not much to say about it.
7.0
 Imaginary Fiends #5 Jul 19, 2019

I was kind of expecting more... But that's typically how these one-shots by other creators go.
7.0
 Incredible Hulk (2017) #712 Jul 19, 2019
7.0
 Incredible Hulk (2017) #717 Jul 19, 2019

There are good and bad glimpses of stories here. I'm not looking forward to Bendis' JL, Becky Cloonan's Wonder Woman, Tim Sheridan's Teen Titans, Geoffrey Thorne's Green Lantern or Geoff Johns' Stargirl. The rest though, I'm optimistic about for now. This read much more like a previews magazine than like another DC Universe: Rebirth. But it wasn't too bad.

This wasn't so bad, but it didn't really do anything for me.

This one wasn't my favorite of this mini-issues. It does present an interesting idea about how Crises and multiversal events change and morph these characters in ways that aren't exactly obvious. I don't know, I like that.

Fun short stories without much to say.

7.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #5 Aug 2, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #9 Aug 2, 2020

I feel like I should explain the score for this one. The art is really not good.
7.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #19 Aug 24, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #21 Aug 24, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #30 Aug 24, 2020

This starts out with some mediocre writing. I hope it was just a rough start.
7.0
 Injustice: Year Four #4 Sep 14, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Year Four #5 Sep 14, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Year Four #6 Sep 14, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Year Four #8 Sep 14, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Year Four #13 Sep 14, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Year Four #15 Sep 14, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Year Four #18 Sep 14, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Year Four #22 Sep 14, 2020
7.0
 Injustice: Year Four #23 Sep 14, 2020

Year Four has been largely a disappointment for me. I just think a lot of it was poorly written and contrived. The dialogue was painful at times. I really hope the extra long Year Five is better. But before I read that, I have to read Year Four's annual.
7.0
 Injustice: Year Two #13 Sep 6, 2020

A bit of a divergence, but not really. The best part of the chapter was Joker's goons. Aside from that, this was probably the weakest of the three chapters put out this week, unfortunately.

Don't really care for a super powered Joker like this.
7.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2016) #596 Jul 19, 2019
7.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2016) #598 Jul 19, 2019

This was alright.

The concept is just a bit weird for Sue Storm. I think this is a fine issue, and I really love the art.

This had good moments and bad ones, like the rest of the miniseries.

The concepts in this are really cool but the dialogue really brings it down because it just comes across as wrong.

This issue spends a lot of time justifying the new Iron Fist rather than really continuing the overall narrative. I'm understanding of working that self doubt into the character, but it does come across a little over indulgent.
7.0
 Iron Fist (2022) #3 Oct 13, 2022

This is a mostly fun issue.

This was fine, but this series feels like it hasn't really started yet, despite us being at the halfway point.

This wasn't the strongest issue to end on, but this series really had a lot of heavy lifting to do, and I think it succeeded. It made Riri her own character after her botched introduction and now I genuinely like her as a character. So, even if this was never my favorite title, I think it was an important one.

This was alright. Some of the dialogue was rough, but overall, this read fine. Not sure that I'd want more but as is, this is the most Jinny Hex has felt like an actual character since her inception.

I'm not sure how to feel about this issue. There are things about it that intrigue me, but Joker isn't one of those things, and neither is Harley, really. I just like the type of story they're going for. The pages about famous serial killers, although I already knew everything the writer googled for them, were the highlight for me. I guess just because I'm interested in serial killers and how they work. Which is why this story is intriguing, but it loses its luster when you remember that Joker isn't a real person, and any dissection of how he works is completely based in fiction, and therefore any analysis derived from it is not that interesting to me.

Yeah, this was fine. It's just very pointless. If it was doing something new or if Lemire's writing was in top-form, I'd like this more. This is just really generic to me.

This was fine. Nothing great, but I wasn't really expecting greatness. It felt like a 90s comic, honestly.

This was fine. Nothing standout but I didn't have a bad time reading this.
7.0
 Justice League (2016) #39 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Justice League (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Justice League (2018) #5 Jul 20, 2019

This isn't too bad but there's so much holding me back on this that ties back to my enjoyment of the previous 23 issues. I think there's not much hope of this series being truly great, if you weren't convinced early on.

Wait, lol, they have to destroy each universe one by one? I was under the impression once Perpetua was super mega awesome powerful again, she'd just remake everything in an instant. This issue's first half was pretty good, honestly. The Gotham by Gaslight part was fun for me. The second half with Hawkgirl is a hard pass. I don't like Hawkgirl or her weird future child.

Alright, let's get a move on here.

This is okay... Which is pretty much all I expect from Venditti.

This wasn't as bad as I expected, but it was mostly just set up. My biggest question coming out of this issue is, "Why did Nightwing and Hawkgirl get all Metal'd out?" They presumably came straight from New Apokolips, where they all looked like their usual selves.

This was a pretty good issue. I think a lot of the issue suffers from playing catch up. For those of us that had read Infinite Frontier and Justice League Incarnate, there's not much going on here that we didn't already know about. This issue promises the Death of the Justice League and... it delivers, and that's pretty much it. I wish there was more meat to this issue, as it's basically a glorified recap with deaths at the end of it that we knew were coming because it's in the solicitation and it's plastered on the cover. The only thing that keeps me from giving this a lower score is that I thought the art was nice and I am somewhat interested in where things go from here. Also, I'm slightly concerned this spoils how Action Comics wraps up its Warworld saga, but that's besides the point. Still better than anything Bendis could have done with a final issue.

This was okay, I guess. I didn't really know Kent Nelson's origin beyond the very basics, and now I still really don't know his origin that well. I knew Constantine's, though, and I feel like the version here was a bit watered down. Just a little. I still really don't like the idea of him working for Zatara since he got out of the asylum. The Year of the Villain tease wasn't exciting because Circe's entire presence annoys me after the regrettable Witching Hour cliffhanger.

I like how in the scene between Constantine and Wonder Woman, Constantine seems to already know about Circe, but then by the end of the scene Wonder Woman has to tell him who the villain is. I don't really love this issue. I like the vampire part because vampires are fun. I don't like the look of weird bald Klarion. I also think Papa Midnite looks like a huge dork, but I guess that's better than his Blade cosplay from Hellblazer Rebirth. Not much happens here, which I think might be a problem for all three Justice League books at this point. Things feel stretched out. I also really could not care less about Circe. I don't like her. Hopefully this title gets back to being one of DC's best.

The fact that they can't even keep continuity between titles written by the same person is pretty bad. This issue was fine. I don't think we learned anything new, I don't think a full issue's story was told. But this was fine.

By the cliffhanger, things started happening that I found cool. But man,this series is sort of a slog. I don't care about Circe or the Injustice League Dark.

This is a better issue, but still not great. It's a shame this title will end on a crossover tie-in.

I thought this was overwritten, but it was a fine story overall.

This isn't poorly written, it's just very overwrought and the story isn't interesting enough for that.

This was not as good as previous issues, just because it is so overwrought. And a globe government would be a terrible idea. I mean, we're doing great now, what with our climate crisis, global supply chain issues due to a pandemic that a unified response could've stopped, and a breakdown in democracy in several countries. Dumbfuck DeMatteis.

Have to be honest, I was disappointed with this. Infinite Frontier had a lot packed into it, but it never felt overstuffed. This does, however. The dialogue here is some of the worst I've seen in a while. The exposition is exhausting. The only reason this issue is only getting a 7 and not something lower is because I've already read the next two issues, and they are worse. So it's on a curved scale.

This felt more like a setup issue, but it was fine. Nothing big happened, and I kind of don't have anything to say about this one. It's a shame because it's Zdarsky.
7.0
 Justice Society of America (2022) #1 Dec 1, 2022

I only got this for the cover. It's pretty good, and I'm glad they didn't make it into a performatively gay book. Just in case you misunderstand, I'm talking about making a comic akin to that Netflix show where everyone is super stereotypically gay, and that's it. Something that would be offensive to a gay person. I have no doubt that that bullet was dodged in part because the entire creative team is LGBTQ. This is a competent story on its own. I'm not sure if I'll keep reading it, but it's not bad.

This wasn't so bad. I liked that some stuff was resolved after the unceremonious cancelation of Scream's ongoing series. And the fight was cool. That's it.

I just think the problem here is that I don't care much for these characters.

This was fine, and simple.

This issue felt overly long, but it wasn't that bad.
7.0
 Knight Terrors (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
7.0
 Knight Terrors (2023) #4 May 7, 2024
7.0
 Knight Terrors: Action Comics (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
7.0
 Knight Terrors: Nightwing (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
7.0
 Knight Terrors: Robin (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
7.0
 Knight Terrors: Robin (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
7.0
 Knight Terrors: Superman (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

Williamson's Superman run slumps with a self-inflicted event tie-in.
7.0
 Knight Terrors: Wonder Woman (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

This was surprisingly choppy for Waid.

Again, this is very choppy. Really strange that Waid's work in this event is some of the worst of the event.
7.0
 Life of Wolverine (2024) #1 Oct 14, 2024

This is a very gay issue. I think it possibly falls into that trap where, in the attempt to write LGBT characters, it begins to feel like pandering. Like, we all know what a twink is, Chip (Twunk is a bit more obscure). But despite some of the dialogue being a bit much because of the trap writers tend to fall into, there were plenty of sweet moments that did feel genuine, so I'm not going to be too harsh about it. The story itself is fine, if a bit dry. This issue was very wordy, which didn't help either. The art didn't really blow me away, but it did its job. This issue is fine. I want and expect more from Chip Zdarsky when he's writing, one of the best ongoings out right now, Daredevil. If you're a Hulkling fan or a big Teddy/Billy shipper, you'll probably like this more than I did. I like the character(s), but definitely not on the same level as some people do.

Uh, this was fine, but I felt like the pacing could've been better. Hulk doesn't go full Maestro yet, but it's still happening in record time. I hope the next few issues work better.
7.0
 Maestro: World War M (2022) #3 Nov 6, 2022
7.0
 Maestro: World War M (2022) #4 Nov 6, 2022

I'm far more interested in the flashback story than the current story.

This was better than the previous issue, but not by much. I don't know, the writer should really focus on the relationship dynamics between these characters instead of big superhero fights.

This was fine. Not feeling the stuff with the suit.

This was a fine, brief issue. Just wish the story was better.

This issue was alright. I'm honestly hoping we can just get away from the space suit and all that, and just focus on something more interesting. I saw some tepid responses to the conclusion regarding Kamala's father, but I don't think we needed something more overt than a cane. It's still something that Kamala feels guilty over. Her dad doesn't need to be on death's door in order to make that poignant. Whether it will be, or not, is up to the writer, though.

Eh, this was fine! I wish it were better.

This is fine but held back by not doing anything new.
7.0
 Marauders (2022) #5 Dec 4, 2022

I thought this issue was better than the first. It seems more focused and I think Orlando gets his fill of weirdness with the Mars names, so he doesn't try to outdo himself and ruin this series with big and weird ideas lacking in execution. Of course, weird and sometimes annoying to read names are a trope in Orlando's writing, so he just got lucky with this one, I guess. The story is more interesting this time around, and I wasn't painfully bored. That's a big deal when it comes to Steve Orlando. I'd say I'm proud if I wasn't very certain that it won't last.

This was fine. Took me a long time to get through it.

This wasn't that bad, just not very interesting to me.

The Spider-Man story was off-putting and odd. It had good and bad aspects to it. The Avengers story felt like it was straight out of Stan Lee/Jack Kirby's run. If you're into that, you'll enjoy it. Overall, this wasn't an amazing start to this miniseries.

These were a mixed bag. The danger room story was probably my favorite, but the cannoli story was also fun. The Vision story was fine.

This was fine, and while the ending was shocking, I don't feel it elevates the rest of the issue.

This was dumb. But then again, it's 2099.

I didn't dislike any of the stories here. The Wolverine one was okay. The Captain America one was actually pretty great. And the Spider-Man one was okay as well. The only thing to really note here is that the writer kind of missed Spidey's voice here.

The Wolverine and Venom stories were good. The Nightcrawler story was a mess.
7.0
 Marvel Rising #0 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Marvel Rising: Ms. Marvel/Squirrel Girl #1 Jul 20, 2019

This was better than last issue, but still, this has some issues. Mostly with the pacing and panel layouts this time around. Some things don't connect properly. I think this is an under-discussed aspect of comics, but when something goes wrong, it's immediately apparent.

Anthologies are not my thing; they just tend to burden the stories. This anthology was fine. I feel like these could've worked better if they were fleshed out more. The Echo story especially seems like it could've used more page space. I don't get why Loki was so interested in preparing Echo, and who knows what for. Maybe this is a sneak pilot for an Echo miniseries, I don't know. I think the stories here get better as the anthology progresses. The second story with Dani Moonstar really tries to make a statement that I think, again, needed to be fleshed out more. The final story keeps itself smaller and I think that works better. But I think that story will be confusing for people who didn't read 80s Wolverine, so it's kind of a wash. But that was definitely the best story, in my opinion. I also really like Jeffrey Veregge's art.

This was fine. Anthologies can be rough, but doing things like this is nothing but a net benefit for uplifting marginalized communities. Because this is about race, we've got some racist reviews here. Briton seems to think that publishing comics that celebrate an immutable characteristic is divisive. This is not the case. It's only divisive if you have a problem with people celebrating who they are. Nothing in any of these comics is at the expense of people outside of whichever group is being celebrated. The reason it's good to celebrate these groups is because society's treatment of them is not up to par with what it should be, and these people are looked down upon for it. We need to uplift marginalized groups instead of ignoring them. Merlyn thinks it is cringe to point out how Asian people are treated. The term cringe is so overused, and it's become a blanket term to hide behind when you want to point at something and call it degeneracy or claim it is invalid, and yet any which way you do that would make you look like a piece of shit. In this case, it would make you look like a racist piece of shit. Vern isn't being racist, as far as I can tell, but they are perpetuating this super fucked up conflict between Asians and African Americans in the US. This goes back a very long time, it isn't a new thing that BLM created, nor is it a by-product of having a BLM movement, nor is the BLM movement inherently racist towards Asians. This sort of conflict is actually a product of Asians being seen as the "good minority" by white people. This is because Asians are considered hard working and smart. The actuality is that Asians fall prey to the many problems all minorities face in this country, and the scales for their socioeconomic and educational statuses are skewed due to specific immigrants that come to America who are wealthy and highly educated. Anyway, all this is to say that Asians are propped up as being "better" than African Americans, Hispanics, etc, and this creates a tension between these groups, beyond the tensions that already exist in the lower classes. Don't perpetuate this sort of thing, it's bad for everyone.
7.0
 Marvel's Voices: Comunidades (2022) #1 Dec 4, 2022
7.0
 Marvel's Voices: Wakanda Forever #1 Mar 3, 2023

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7.0
 Marvel's Voices: X-Men #1 Jun 4, 2024

This is fine. There's a nice message here, but it's Mark Russell, so don't expect greatness. And don't really expect a Captain America story. This could almost be its own thing altogether.

This was okay. A bit overwrought, but it was interesting enough for me.

This was a fine ending. It ended the only way it could since it's a prequel to Earth X. It makes sense why they connected it to the Marvels brand, but I don't know if this was necessary.
7.0
 Mera: Queen of Atlantis #3 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Mera: Queen of Atlantis #5 Jul 20, 2019

I guess for this one, I can go through each story... seems a little unnecessary, but so are most of these anthologies! "Mele Kalikimaka!" is alright. It's cute, sure. "Never Again" seems very out of place. Why bring up Genosha now? And this doesn't feel like a holiday story at all. "#Hotclaws For Hanukkah" is funny enough. "Dreaming of a Wade Christmas" is clever. "I Hate Christmas" is appropriately dark for the holidays. Credit given for being a downer. "Jingle All the Wait A Minute..." is a continuation of "Mele Kalikimaka!" and it's still alright. "The Chiche Who Stole Christmas" is just a cliffnotes Gambit story, without any heart. "White Elephant" is fine, the punchline actually kind of works with what Sina Grace is doing with Iceman, so there's that. "The Impossible Enemy" is another downer, but that's appropriate for Magneto, I guess. "Christmas Jeer"... Man, Charlamagne Tha God is petty. Using a one page story to make himself feel better about his pettiness. Also, mentioning yourself in a story you're writing is never a good sign. "Deck the Malls", a continuation of "Jingle All the Wait A Minute...", and it continues to be alright. There's a fun moment with Jubilee trying to keep her kid from seeing the evil santa hero robots... "The Giving Season" is actually really funny. Best story so far. "Christmas Cat-Astrophe!" is cute. Cats suck. "The Gift That Keeps On Giving" is heartfelt and nice. "Home for the Holidays" is alright. Probably not as funny as Al Ewing thought. Feels bad, man. "The Naughty List" is fun. I dig it. "Baby Steps" is actually kind of nice, because you know no one was going to show this reunion post-Hunt for Wolverine in any other title. "Deck the Halls" is funny but also sad. Glob is great, though. "Secret Santa" proves that someone is reading X-23. "All I Want for Christmas is You", a continuation of "Deck the Malls" is ridiculous, but y'know, comics. "The Longest Night" is actually pretty heartfelt. "Blue Christmas" wins the downer prize. That's really sad, man. "...And to all a Good Nightcrawler" shows that Nightcrawler is a dick. That really didn't come together like intended. "The Gift of the Madri" is great, it probably beats "The Giving Season". And finally, "Walking in a Winter Murderland", the finale to the Jubilee story, and it's pretty good. Arcade is a chump villain, and like all chump villains, he's fun to watch get defeated. All and all, this wasn't a horrible anthology. It was alright and an easy reading. The standouts were definitely "The Giving Season, "The Gift That Keeps On Giving", "The Longest Night", "Blue Christmas" and "The Gift of the Madri". The worst stories were "The Chiche That Stole Christmas" and "Christmas Jeer".

This was a fine ending, but it didn't have the oomph that the writer clearly intended it to have.

Oh yeah, I guess it is shitty to name a black character after the president of the Confederate States of America, huh? That was a weird one, Bendis. Anyway, I thought this issue was fine. It set up two romantic subplots, neither of which I'm interested in. But I liked the stuff with Miles and his dad, at least. The art was noticeably lacking detail, but it wasn't too bad.

This is fine. It doesn't really have an ending, but the journey there was fun enough.

I wanted to like this more than I did. The main story is obviously the selling point. I'm not a classic Milestone reader, so maybe it's just me, but I felt like there were a lot of missed opportunities here, and that the story itself just wasn't very interesting. The backups are fine. The Batman Beyond/Static team up was my favorite, and I am interested in seeing where that Blood Syndicate epilogue leads.
7.0
 Mister Miracle (2017) #8 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Mister Miracle (2017) #9 Jul 20, 2019

Meh. Hell adequately describes the monotony and boredom that comes with the life Scott Free has created for himself. This issue throws into whack all I've thought about this series previously. I really dislike the dialogue in this, but now that we know it's all fake and Scott wants this painfully dull life, I'm kind of stuck not knowing what to think. Does this dialogue feel any different from any other Tom King book? No. But this series has an excuse for it, whereas the other series don't. And since this series is basically just dialogue (yeah, big things happen, but they're always hampered down by boring home-talk), I don't know how to feel. The dialogue works for the series, but I know that it wasn't intentional. The themes are cool, and interesting, but this certainly isn't the best thing I've ever read, even on these themes. No matter what score I give it or however long I ramble indecisively about it, I'll never be satisfied that I got my feelings across. I definitely won't be picking this up in trade, and I wouldn't recommend it. But not because it fails to deliver, it's just not delivering something worth your time when I think back.

This was a bit too heavy on the exposition. I think it could've be disseminated better.
7.0
 Monsters Unleashed (2017) #10 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Monsters Unleashed (2017) #11 Jul 20, 2019

Not much to say at all, it's fine.

About as good as the first issue. Just fine. I don't think you need to read this. I sure don't.
7.0
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #30 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #35 Jul 20, 2019

This was okay... Just standard Moon Girl.

This was odd. I didn't mind it, it went by quick enough, and Spidey was in it. But it just did a traditional team up. And as Moon Girl is a child, her reason for the initial fight is so dumb that it's hard for me to get past.

A neat one-shot about time travel and the inability to change the past.

A fine issue. An interesting done-in-one. Poor Devil Dinosaur.
7.0
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2023) #1 Dec 8, 2022
7.0
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2023) #2 Mar 3, 2023

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Ann Nocenti's story really lessened the issue as a whole. And not because it was making fun of Elon Musk. Elon Musk is terrible. It was just... not very well constructed on any level.

Somehow adding Spider-Man hurt this book.

Not the best, but I wasn't bored reading it.
7.0
 Motherlands #4 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Motherlands #5 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Motherlands #6 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #33 Jul 20, 2019

This was good. Shocker was fun. It was nice seeing Singularity again. But not much happens, it ends as quickly as it began, with the real reveals all being in the last issue, not this one.

This issue went by very fast, but I can't say I'm very interested in anything that happened in it. The rating is for its brevity.
7.0
 Multiple Man (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Multiversity: Teen Justice (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022
7.0
 Murderworld (2022): Spider-Man #1 Mar 3, 2023
7.0
 Namor: Conquered Shores (2022) #3 Mar 4, 2023
7.0
 Namor: Conquered Shores (2022) #4 Mar 4, 2023

This miniseries was a bit of a disappointment for me. I usually like Cantwell's writing and while I could see what he was going for, I felt really bored by this.
7.0
 Naomi: Season Two #2 Nov 6, 2022

This one was a bit rough but I'm sure this lower point for the series is short lived.
7.0
 New Challengers (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019

This was fine. I'm sure it'll build to something later.

A very talky, wordy issue with some bright moments while becoming a little dull.

I keep waiting for New Mutants to take off. I know Ed Brisson can write good comics. Even X-Men comics (remember Extermination). But I think he needs to be on the right team, and I'm not sure this is it. I mean, it's not nearly as bad as his X-Force run from 2018, but for every good moment, there's at least 3 dull moments. It's creeping on the precipice of working, but it's just not there yet. Not to mention, Hickman hijacking this book at the start did not help things. The art is good. I love the covers. But it's just not the most exciting comic.

This wasn't bad but it was very overstuffed. Whereas last issue handled all the plots well, this issue felt messy.

This is a very interesting issue, but not because I'm a huge fan of it. I feel like it was trying to do way too much with the pages it had, and the downgrade in art is unfortunately really noticeable. But it's interesting because this feels like it's simultaneously an ending for this New Mutants arc, but also an ending to the Reign of X era.
7.0
 New Mutants (2019) #29 Dec 6, 2022

I overall liked this mini. I want more trans voices in my mutant comics because it really does provide a unique perspective.

7.0
 New Mutants: Dead Souls #1 Jul 20, 2019

This was fine, if a bit outdated.

There's something that feels very underdeveloped about this series so far. Things aren't hitting the way they should. It's perplexing because I usually love Zdarsky's work. This is just missing... something I can't put my finger on. It may be due to the noir styling, but it's unclear to me so far.
7.0
 Nightwing (2016) #39 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Nightwing (2016) #40 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Nightwing (2016) #41 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Nightwing (2016) #42 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Nightwing (2016) #44 Jul 20, 2019

This whole mini-arc of Nightwing has slowed the run down to a crawl, and made it kind of a slog to get through. I am not happy with this, and I'm glad it's over so I never have to think about it again. Inshallah.
7.0
 Nightwing (2016) #99 Mar 4, 2023
7.0
 Nightwing (2016) #101 Mar 4, 2023

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7.0
 Nightwing (2016) #107 Aug 7, 2024
7.0
 Nightwing (2016) #112 Aug 7, 2024

This series is kind of like beer. It starts off not tasting very good, but the more you drink, the better it gets. It's still a bit slow to get better, but it is markedly improving as it continues. This issue really did make me care about Nubia and Andromeda, so it is successful. I just still kind of find the sheer amount of talking to be a bit of a slog.
7.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #34 Jul 20, 2019
7.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) Annual #1 Jul 20, 2019

I thought this was alright. Certainly not what Old Man Hawkeye was. I feel like most of this issue was just character set up for pay off later, but it came at the cost of most of the issue being unrelated to the wastelands and the Old Man Logan universe, at least as we've seen it before.

This issue was a bit exposition-heavy and slower, but still not that bad.

Kind of a whimper of an ending. Nothing came out of nowhere, but it just wasn't all that exciting.

This isn't horrible or anything, although the art is rough. I just wish this felt like something that matters, and it really doesn't.

This is trying so hard to be like the show, but without understanding the show's deeper elements. It's just the humor, but done not as well as Gunn did it. And it's fine. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This is okay. I don't find it particularly engaging.

It's slightly sad that this comic came out nearly two months ago, and yet it has zero user reviews. This issue was kind of a letdown after some pretty great issues earlier in its run. I can't say I recommend this miniseries, but it had good moments.
7.0
 Peter Parker & Miles Morales: Spider-Men Double Trouble (2022) #3 Mar 4, 2023

This was kind of a sour note for this pretty good series to end on. The wrap up feels a bit clinical rather than triumphant, and that's unfortunate.
7.0
 Planet Hulk: Worldbreaker (2022) #1 Jan 12, 2023
7.0
 Planet Hulk: Worldbreaker (2022) #3 Mar 4, 2023
7.0
 Planet Hulk: Worldbreaker (2022) #4 Mar 4, 2023

Very quick and sudden ending. I liked the concepts here, and the overall vibes, but it needed to be longer, clearly.

This was good enough. Just a nice one-shot for people who like the Power Pack. If you don't care about them, don't read this.
7.0
 Predator (2022) #1 Jan 12, 2023

I didn't hate this series, but all I can really say about it is "Eh."
7.0
 Punchline: The Gotham Game (2022) #4 Mar 4, 2023
7.0
 Punchline: The Gotham Game (2022) #5 Mar 4, 2023
7.0
 Raven: Daughter of Darkness #1 Jul 21, 2019

This was fine. I wish the story was moving quicker.

This was fine, but I wish it was better.
7.0
 Realm of X (2023) #1 May 8, 2024
7.0
 Realm of X (2023) #2 May 8, 2024

I'm unapologetically a fan of Torunn Gronbekk's work, which apparently is a hot take? I didn't think this was her best work, but it had its moments.
7.0
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #19 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #20 Jul 21, 2019

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Mostly because of the stuff with Bruce. In fact, almost entirely because of the stuff with Bruce. The rest was... fine. There's more random violence which can only go so far and Jason's reaction to Roy's death leaves something to be desired. I know the character was really being shafted as of late (even in death since he died next to a way more popular character) but at least make it seem like characters are taking it seriously. And the ending reminded me of Pleasant Hill, so I'm hoping what comes next isn't just a lesser version of Avengers: Standoff.

Not much happens but at least we see what happened to Daken.

Not the worst finale. I think it was a lot better than the previous issue. Most of the expositing is done and Wolverine is just being Wolverine. And shockingly, Wolverine doing what he does best works. #PrayForDaken

This is okay. It's just passable. It's not as good as Cosmic Ghost Rider has been in the past. Marvel should learn that maybe CGR can only be written by Cates.

I really hate Ra's Al Ghul, so I was expecting a really bad issue, but it wasn't that bad. Shout out to Neck Grayson at the end there.

A lot of this issue didn't really hit right for me. The hallucination fight was a bit much and I really don't buy Talia's shift as a character. The art is also a letdown compared to the series regular.
7.0
 Rogue & Gambit (2023) #1 Mar 3, 2023

An okay issue, but not as great as earlier ones.

Until Conan, this issue was very lacking.

This is fun but not much else.

Not a ton happens in this issue, but I didn't dislike it. Conan, as always, was the standout.

This is fun, but nothing more than that.
7.0
 Savage Spider-Man (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023
7.0
 Scarlet Witch (2023) #6 Jun 4, 2024
7.0
 Scarlet Witch (2023) #9 Jun 6, 2024

This is just above mediocre to me. I don't know what it is about Steve Orlando's writing, but it seems like he's always focused on the wrong writing mechanics.

I feel like this could become something good, but it's not quite there yet. Here's hoping issue two improves things.

This was alright. I wish the writing conveyed things better.

I liked parts of this, but some of it was really odd. The dialogue was probably the biggest problem. I hope next issue does better.

This was fine. These holiday anthology one-shots are usually hit or miss. This one was written by one person, so at least there's a consistency to the writing. But overall, not worth reading unless you're really in the mood for tepid holiday cheer.

Not as good as the Soldier Supreme annual. Al Ewing's continuing Secret Warps story doesn't have the intrigue that the first part did. Tim Seeley's back up was mostly inconsequential, which is a step up for him, honestly.

Uh, this was fine. It moved along quickly, but it's Tom Taylor, so you'd expect that. It's just not the most interesting idea to me. I guess I'll keep reading it.

I'm still finding myself struggling to care here. I feel like this series is too slow.

This isn't bad but I really am having trouble staying invested. This comic is supposedly manga inspired, and maybe it's just my biases, but I can definitely see that. I don't know what to think of the characters, I just don't find them interesting.

I know a friend who will enjoy this issue's twist very much, but I'm kind of lukewarm on the title altogether. Maybe it'll click for me eventually.
7.0
 Seven Secrets #16 Mar 6, 2023
7.0
 Seven Secrets #17 Mar 6, 2023
7.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Frankenstein #2 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Frankenstein #4 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Guardian #3 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Mister Miracle #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Shining Knight #4 Jul 21, 2019

Eh, this was fine. I think the last arc of this series was very different than the rest, and that that was a detriment to the series. This epilogue issue kind of continues that path, I think? I get what they were going for. I think it's... Commendable that they ended it this way? But I just sort of lost interest in the series through this last run, if I'm honest. I'm not mourning this series like I should be and would be if it ended just an arc sooner. I think Guy is a good representation of this issue. It's fine.

This was fine. It kept me fairly entertained throughout. I don't really have my interest peaked by it or anything though.

This was fine. I wish it was paced better.

This was fine, but it didn't seem like much happened here. But we'll see.

This is an okay series. It's not yet hitting that point where I can say I truly enjoy it.

I liked the movie version a bit better.
7.0
 Shang-Chi (2021) #11 Mar 6, 2023

I haven't been really enjoying this, but it's not bad. I'll finish the rest of the run, I guess.
7.0
 Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
7.0
 Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023
7.0
 Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings (2022) #6 Mar 6, 2023

Eh, this was fine.

Eh, this was fine.

I don't know why Superboy Prime was in this at all. Otherwise, I guess this was a fine ending. I lost interest a while back and never really regained it. The next issue will probably be fun because Jeff Loveness is writing it, but then the volume will be over, and I certainly won't miss it or wish it had kept going.

Not terrible, but I really am not looking forward to the rest of this!

This is fine, but not entirely engaging.

Not really a finale to anything, and I kind of loathe that it's all setting up stuff from those abysmal Future State stories, but it's not terribly written. Maybe Tim Sheridan will do better this time around, given he's written more comics now.
7.0
 She-Hulk (2017) #163 Jul 21, 2019

I was expecting this to be a lot worse, given the fact that it probably only exists because of the success of the Black Panther film (Same with the upcoming Killmonger mini) and that this writer has been hit and miss for me. But this was alright. It gave us some much needed context for the Black Panther run and it didn't overwhelm us with dense Wakandan culture like Coates' earlier Black Panther runs. This fit really well within the Marvel universe, despite what I mentioned above.

I didn't hate this issue but it was a pretty slow one.

This was fine.

An alright issue.

An okay issue. I feel like there's some disconnect to the whole thing that makes it hard to get invested.
7.0
 Sideways #1 Jul 21, 2019

This ending wasn't so strong. Silk saved the day, but still let the villain win, and it's just sort of shrugged off. I'm fine with this sort of ending when it doesn't feel quite so rushed. I liked the miniseries overall though.

I've been reading so many comics recently in an insane attempt to catch up on my backlog, and it seems like every third arc I read has to have an exposition dump right in the middle. It slows the pace of the story considerably, and I will this formula was deviated from more often.

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This was fine. Certainly feels ripped from a different era.
7.0
 Silver Surfer: Rebirth (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023

This was alright. I'm just becoming disenchanted. I saw the "twists" coming. I need something more in my horror, I guess.

Yeah, this is fine. I don't have strong feelings about it. It's a very standard comic that I've read many times before. I can't help it if that's no longer enough for me, and the writer's voice isn't strong enough to carry it.

This was better than last issue. I really don't care about the Order or whatever. I just find that boring. I do like monsters and gore though. Those are good things. Notice I didn't say horror. This comic isn't scary. I don't think the character of Aaron is particularly well-written. It seems his allegiance changes quickly here after 3 issues of being pro-Order. So if he's dead, that's fine. I also think the Sheriff needs to move on from the fact that he has no idea what's happening. It just keeps getting hammered into the reader that he doesn't know what's happening. We get it. I don't know, I feel like this series works best when the plot is moving quickly because then we don't have to rely on as much on the clichéd characters. I feel like we've been at this makeshift morgue for centuries.

7.0
 Spawn #282 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Spawn #283 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Spawn #287 Jul 21, 2019

Kind of weird. Kaine usually isn't so extreme. With Priest, though, it's hard to judge first issues or even entire arcs until they're finished.

Not an amazing start, but sure as hell better than the last mini.

I don't know if Emily Kim was handed this assignment or she pitched this to Marvel, but it really doesn't feel like this book was made with any real passion for the character or her world. I don't think the creators dislike any of these characters, I just think you could make this a story about any character and it would not change in Spider-Gwen's absence. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

Bleh. It's still cute, I guess.
7.0
 Spider-Man (2016) Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Spider-Man (2022) #11 Oct 14, 2024

This issue wasn't as good as previous ones, but luckily this arc ends right before it started too go bad.

The satire on events was fun, as was Deadpool's breakdown at not being able to break the fourth wall anymore. But the story itself was kind of lacking.

This was alright.

This is the weakest issue so far. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
7.0
 Spider-Man 2099: Exodus (2022): Alpha Mar 6, 2023

Last issue, I was pretty bummed out by the change in Spider-Man Noir's characterization. I have to say with this second issue that that blow has softened a bit, through an fun but admittedly played out style. It's not great, but it's a good time.

7.0
 Spider-Punk (2022) #1 Mar 6, 2023
7.0
 Spider-Punk (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023

Thought this miniseries was a chore to get through. It's not bad, I just couldn't get invested.

This was a bit of an anti-climax. But I guess this series was fun sometimes.

Huh.

The plot here is very weird and convoluted, but I didn't hate it. And that Mattias de Iulis art in the back was amazing.

This was fine but I thought the issue was a bit repetitive.

This was fun but the pacing was way off.

I mean, this was fun but kind of a slog at the same time.

I thought the art was great, but I could've done with much better writing.
7.0
 Stargirl: The Lost Children #2 Mar 7, 2023
7.0
 Stargirl: The Lost Children #3 Mar 7, 2023
7.0
 Stargirl: The Lost Children #4 Mar 7, 2023

This isn't bad but I really do think it's gone downhill from the first issue.
7.0
 Storm (2023) #4 May 8, 2024

Well, Alanna continues to be the worst. I hope those T-Spheres Mr. Terrific always has recorded that whole exchange, and what will come next. That'd just... Make sense. But we'll see. Mr. Terrific is the only reason I have any interest in this book. I don't really care about Adam Strange, and Alanna is clearly being set up to be the typical strong-woman-red-herring. Or maybe it's being played straight. I don't know, and I don't particularly care. This book has me as long as Mr. Terrific gets a hefty amount of the spotlight. Also, side note, does this series have an editor? In the first issue, they didn't get Adam's daughter's name right. The second issue, Mr. Terrific solves that quadratic equation incorrectly, and in this issue numbers just start changing.

I like the ideas here, I just wish it weren't so stretched out.

This ended fine. I don't have much to say about it. It's something that happened.

The last three stories were the best.

This was fine. I'm surprised Mephisto didn't show up.

There's something missing here. As much as I want to like this series, it's hard.
7.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #33 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) #45 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Suicide Squad (2021) #14 Mar 10, 2023

This issue went off the rails in its latter half and that really brought it down for me.

I thought this issue was fine. I think there are some inconsistencies here. Like why build up the possible conflict with Supergirl knowing about Z'ndr's mom only to have nothing come of it when it's revealed?

Not the worst issue. Definitely feels rushed after so much time spent on things that didn't matter.

A fine issue, if not a bit unsatisfying. We've been building up this villain for a while and Rogol Zaar offing them within minutes is not a good payoff.

I feel bad for Marc Andreyko. It seems he's at the mercy of every single event. And it does put a damper on things. But this issue wasn't too bad, it was just brief and really takes the wind out of my sails as I realize just how pointless this entire Year of the Villain arc was.
7.0
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #10 Jul 21, 2019

Uhh, you know, this is a thing.

This was a fine ending, and that's it.
7.0
 Superman (2016) #38 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Superman (2016) #39 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Superman (2016) #40 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Superman (2016) #44 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Superman (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019

I think the writing in PKJ's story is good, but the art is a problem. The backup is really a waste of time.

This event was fine. I feel like it was built on ideas that weren't all that engaging. What makes Williamson's Superman fun is the character dynamics, and that is all but lost in the sloppy coalescence of action and overly-exposited complications seen here.
7.0
 Superman (2023) #16 Aug 14, 2024
7.0
 Superman (2023) #18 Oct 14, 2024

I mean, this all came together in the end... sort of. I think it's pretty clear that this was meant to be something it ended up not being. At this point, I'm really not sure why DC put this out beyond getting another Morrison series out there that presumably will sell well.

This is fine, just incredibly long. I think it's very simple reading, for kids, and it works as that. But, it's hard for me to get through.

To be completely honest, the only story here that's definitely worth your time is Mark Waid's World's Finest story, which I'm sure will be reprinted in one of those trades.

I'll be completely honest, this was kind of boring. Maybe next issue will be one worth reading.

Not too bad. There's still the usual tropes that drive nails into my brain every time I see King's overreliance on them, but at least this time the message makes sense for the character.

I liked the horror elements in the first story. But otherwise, this issue wasn't anything special.

Yeah... The symbiote twist really hardly works at all. Otherwise, this was a fine issue.

This was an action issue, and it was fine.

I never read the original Just Imagine books, only heard about them. They seemed very weird and wacky and maybe like a bit of fun, but not enough to actually seek them out. This anthology has some good stories and some mediocre ones, but what stands out to me is this overall sense of cynicism that this universe seems to really revel in. I don't know if Stan Lee intended that, or if that's an accident, or if that's something wholly new that just manifested in this anthology, but it makes for a less than desirable read for me.

This isn't amazing or anything but at least it's kind of clever in the end, which is more than I can say about a lot of these one-shots.

A fine ending, but a pretty crazy one too.
7.0
 Teen Titans (2016) #20 Jul 21, 2019

Not terrible but way too much is going on.

Not great, but I didn't hate it.

This is more of the same. It's really not anything special.

This is fine.

This is still fine but there's really not much to say.

This issue lost me through a few little things. First, there are so many typos in this comic. I don't know what happened. But it took me out of the issue every single time. Second, why is Batman so flippant with his identity in this? It seems like Jim Gordon, at least, should know about his identity. Third, we get the Last Laugh and Gotham Waterways explained again in this issue for no reason. Recap pages would fix the need for this. I didn't hate this issue or its story or the art, but it tried its best to make that happen.

This was fine. I think this series took a hit in its final two issues, which is unfortunate. But I still think it was overall a good read.
7.0
 The Curse of Brimstone #1 Jul 21, 2019

This has some cool ideas in it and the art is great, but it's overall overwritten. This is a problem I've had with a lot of Danny Lore's work. They need to learn to let things breathe more.

I wish I could say I liked this more than I did. I really enjoy Elsa Bloodstone as a character, but this was maybe a little overstuffed, and not all that interesting to me.
7.0
 The Demon: Hell is Earth #6 Jul 21, 2019

Unfortunately, I wasn't as big of a fan of this issue. Mostly because this issue turns Cole Turner into "the chosen one." That's a bad move for a series that has thus far felt unique.

This is an okay issue. We keep getting what feels like more and more setup without any real sort of payoff. I just want something satisfying in and of itself at this point.

I don't want to disparage the artist. I think the art here is great. I just think this issue is a tad lazy. If you look at the release schedule for this series, you'll find very little gaps. Which is rare for indie work, especially. This is because for the last several issues, we've had guest artists come in to help tell little vignettes to flesh out the world. Unfortunately, these are rather hit and miss. And with this issue, it really feels like they're putting an issue out for the sake of putting one out rather than telling a story they wanted to tell. This issue is filled with excerpts from interviews. Just plain dialogue imposed over some admittedly great art. That feels lazy to me. You could just not put out an issue if what we're getting is at this level of breakdown. I liked the issue. It's fine. But it feels like an obligation was met, rather than a story was told.
7.0
 The Department of Truth #18 Oct 2, 2022
7.0
 The Department of Truth #19 Oct 2, 2022
7.0
 The Department of Truth #20 Oct 2, 2022

I can see what it's going for, maybe too well, and god, is it slow.

This series is schizophrenic in its quality. This is a better issue.

Like the rest of the series, this was fine. It didn't really work well. It needed.... more.

Since this is the only comic I'm reading this week, as the comics industry is just beginning to resume, I wanted to really delve deep into this final issue of The Dreaming. I've had my share of problems with the series basically since its inception, and I've gone into them a little bit throughout its 20 issue run. I don't have much affinity at all for the original Sandman title or The earlier Dreaming titles. I never finished Sandman (Yet, I'm currently re-reading it in hopes that this time I won't lose interest) and I never read those other Dreaming titles. I think that was the first flaw I found with this title (If you can call it that, and not just a personalized gripe that doesn't mean anything). It's not exactly new reader friendly, and that makes growing to care about any of the previous established characters very hard for me as they suffer in tumult over Dream's disappearance, and I feel like therefore I was never truly engaged in what was happening. This is why I found the majority of the third arc most appealing, because we spent time away from the main plot with the characters I didn't care about, and more time exploring this cool world of myth and legend. That being said, the new characters weren't all too appealing either. I didn't like Dora. Again, maybe put this one in the personalized gripe category... But she's just not the type of character that is particularly endearing to me. She's rude, obnoxious and at least partially self-important (since the story makes her that way). That's not who I want to follow in my stories... at least not when their behavior is excused by the story. I can deal with an unrepentant asshole. I just so happen to love The Punisher but they never treat him as something more in his comics, like The Dreaming does with Dora. The characters aren't the only issue I had. I take a lot of umbrage with the message this comic is overflowing with by the end of the series. I don't agree with the vilification of science and technology that a lot of stories seem to love to do, and The Dreaming is no exception. I find it kind of insulting. The message that we all need to resort back to myth, superstition, religion and dreams in order to "feel" as we're supposed to is just really dumb in my opinion. I don't think these sorts of things should be celebrated, honestly. They're cool and fun stories and that's all they should be. I wouldn't harp on it as much as I am usually, but I'm constantly seeing belief play out horribly in the real world, so it bugs me. We're living in the midst of a global pandemic, yet we have so, so, so many people putting their superstitions and beliefs ahead of their own health, and really, the health of everyone else. We see people burning 5G towers because, even with scientific consensus that 5G is perfectly okay, they think it's killing everyone and it's being covered up as COVID-19. We have people going to church and proclaiming that god will protect them, and then falling ill and dying a horrible death just weeks later. We have people, right this moment, who have already made their minds up about the vaccine when it finally is available. Choosing not to get vaccinated because of completely unfounded conspiracy, misinformation, and disinformation. And when you confront any of these people with the reality of it all, you are met with derision and refuted by more bullshit, and even if you hang on long enough to disprove every little thing about what they're saying, they're still going to pretend they know better. Belief and superstition does not help the world, it only serves to keep humanity back until it's too late to save ourselves. So, all that in mind, I don't like how this comic seems to revel in the acceptance and celebration of belief and superstition. I'm past whatever optimistic phase of my life it was where I thought belief was, in any way, a comforting thought. Okay, so... now onto the positives lol. I think despite everything I said above that Si Spurrier is a very competent writer. He writes dialogue and plot well, and his narration and flowery language is on point as far as I can tell. I just wish that I could find the same enjoyment in this title that I can find in, say, John Constantine: Hellblazer. The difference between that and this is that I've read pretty much everything Hellblazer related, baring a few miniseries and the New 52 Constantine series. I know the characters very well and I don't need any help jumping into that world (which, now that I think of it, may also be hard to get into for new readers...). That series has its politics and messages as well, but they're much more in line with my own cynicism, so that doesn't really bother me. And I just think Si Spurrier is more equipped for that title. It fits his writing better, in my opinion. The art is also not bad in this book, everything fits totally and looks as it should. That's the thing, if you look at the creative team, this book looks like a slam dunk, but I just think they executed things poorly in a way that really frustrated me. And while we're at it, how is this specific issue? Issue 20? It is... fine. It's a wrap up issue that pretty much already had the conflict resolved last issue. There are some neat parallels to this issue and Sandman #7 (I believe) that were pretty cool to pick up on, but it is more of a reset issue (with some minor changes to the status quo) than anything. If I were more invested, I think this issue would've done a lot more for me, but I just don't seem to care as much as most people. As much as I'm ambivalent towards this series, I really am not looking forward to G. Willow Wilson taking over. I just don't trust that her writing is up to snuff, but we'll see. I always want to read more good comics. I never set out with the intent to hate or dislike something. As such, I'm pretty wary about what I say about upcoming comics sometimes. But I think it's fair to say that my wariness is warranted after seeing what she did with Wonder Woman last year. Plus, I've been reading her work since Kamala Khan was introduced at Marvel. I have a pretty clear idea of what I expect from her writing. But we'll see. We'll ALL see.

I'm not incredibly enchanted by this story. There was a ton of exposition in this issue. But it may have been necessary, I guess. I hope next issue has a better pace.
7.0
 The Immortal Men #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 The Immortal Men #2 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 The Immortal Men #4 Jul 21, 2019

The main story with Jim Gordon is actually well done, but I could not give a shit about that Punchline backup.

The beginning with what is obviously Texas Chainsaw Massacre was neat. The Gordon stuff is well written. The fucking backup is still so bad. I really just hate Punchline so fucking much.

The main story is good for the most part, although I feel like the pacing isn't what it was. The backup sucks. I really dislike Punchline, and not in that fun "love to hate" way that you get when the villain is really well-written. Punchline really sucks, and I can't wait for her to be forgotten once Tynion leaves.

I have some real thoughts on this one. I've noticed Tynion using tropes and archetypes from popular horror a lot in his work lately. And that's fine, I love horror too. What I don't like is when these tropes and archetypes aren't fleshed out into something of their own. Take the Sampson family in this issue. Clearly, this is all based on the Sawyer family from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, only instead of chili, it's oil. I love that movie. The franchise, not so much. But the movie is fantastic. A masterwork of horror, and cinematography and editing. But here's something that often goes unrecognized about the film: It has a lot to say about America in the early and mid 70s. There is so much legitimate scholarly analysis of that film. It's filled to the brim with meaning, and is so in and of its time. So... here's my issue with this comic. It doesn't do anything with these archetypes it is clearly ripping from a movie much, much smarter than it seems. It's offensive to me, in a way. I feel like, what's the point in doing this in a Joker book, if you're not going to at least try to have some greater meaning or theme or analysis? It is, in a circuitous way, missing the point, I feel. It's there for the sake of being there. And beyond that, this issue feels like wheel spinning. I don't know how Tynion plans this stuff out but he needs to learn how to make his stories tighter. As for the backup... I mean, it's really dumb and I don't know where it's going or when it's going to stop, all I know is that it should.

This issue is just a whole bunch of exposition that really doesn't explain much about this issue's big twist, but maybe that's coming next issue. The twist itself leads to a ton of questions about a certain character's plan, and why the hell they did any of this, but I'll wait for next issue to make or break that. I'm just mad because it kind of ruins a moment in a... genuinely better series. The backup is super annoying if you've ever been in a courtroom for any reason, which I'm sure most people have. Why would Punchline be in her costume? Why would she be paraded around the front of the courthouse? This backup is kind of a microcosm of my problems with this whole story. It feels like no one has thought this out, or really took advantage of the characters the way they could have. We could have a super interesting backup here and instead.... I don't know who the fuck this is for?

This was kind of a slog to get through. It's based heavily in Coates' Intergalactic Wakanda run, which wasn't very interesting in and of itself. So, it's not very engaging.
7.0
 The Life Of Captain Marvel #3 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 The Man of Steel (2018) #4 Jul 20, 2019

This one is a bit of a hiccup, I think. It's all backstory, and it's competent. But it's not very interesting.
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #4 Sep 13, 2022
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #13 Sep 13, 2022
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #15 Sep 13, 2022
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #18 Sep 13, 2022
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #21 Sep 13, 2022
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #22 Sep 13, 2022
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #25 Sep 13, 2022
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #30 Sep 13, 2022
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #31 Sep 13, 2022
7.0
 The Maxx (1993) #34 Sep 13, 2022

This wasn't my favorite issue. It feels like the parts with Runa are just not as interesting as the parts with Jane. It's starting to come together, but it's still kind of boring. This issue is overall just a middling chapter where important things are explained, sure, but I just don't find myself enjoying it. It's like the necessary reading you have to do to get to the cool shit.

I really don't know why this series exists. It really is the worst aspects of Jason Aaron's narrative tools, and I just really don't want any more Valkyrie.

Not the most exciting chapter. That's it.

I'm getting a bit bored of this. I read a lot of Tynion's work, so maybe it's just overload from that. I was also very tired when I read this. I just don't have a lot of patience for Tynion's tropes right now.

I wish I liked this more.

I was expecting an actual conclusion to the story, but they gave us this instead. Which wasn't bad, but it wasn't very interesting either. I don't need to read about another Tynion self-insert. Hopefully, Dead Boy Detectives gets things back on track?
7.0
 The Silencer #2 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 The Silencer #5 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 The Silencer #7 Jul 21, 2019

This was fine. I feel like there was too much to establish here and not enough time to... tell a story. I guess we can infer that the coin will infect the whole of society, and that's cool... I guess?
7.0
 The Silver Coin #12 Mar 6, 2023
7.0
 The Terrifics #3 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 The Terrifics #8 Jul 21, 2019

This series was all over the place, and while the ending definitely lines it up in continuity, it felt wholly separated until this point. If the plot was more exciting, that would've been fine. However, the plot was mediocre.

This was mostly a good issue but there was part of it that really bugged me. It was Tony's characterization! In this issue, he becomes incredibly anti-Skrull for enough pages for Doreen to make some points that Tony should've already come to reasonably but didn't. It felt very forced. Like the issue needed to get its message across and couldn't find a more organic way to do it. And it really hurts the issue for me because I usually like how Tony is portrayed in this series. Otherwise, the art and writing are still on point. I just wish that bump there didn't just completely stop the momentum. You didn't need to spell it out, guys. That's another thing, this series is obviously more for kids than adults, but it never talks down to them and is enjoyable as a comic even if you're a weirdo man child like me reading it. That moment was almost patronizing and the more I think about it, the more it begins to overshadow the rest of the issue, but I know I had fun outside of that part, dammit!

While it hasn't really grabbed me or anything, I did find this really fun at certain points.

This was alright. There are some definite pacing issues.

An alright finale, if a bit too wordy. I won't really miss this series, but I will say that this volume was certainly better than the last and some issues were genuinely great. The ones dealing with Bipolar disorder were the standouts. I wonder if Nadia's search for Hank Pym will get picked up anywhere, because Hank Pym/Ultron is dead as of the end of Infinity Countdown, which these characters wouldn't know.

I wasn't a huge fan of the Last Vampire Slayer miniseries, and I feel about the same about this special. It's not bad, but I'm not in love with it.
7.0
 The Walking Dead #179 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 The Walking Dead #180 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 The Walking Dead #182 Jul 21, 2019

I was not as perturbed by the teenager complaining about not having sex subplot... But I will be when it goes down the road it's obviously going down. Otherwise, this issue was fine. Kirkman was never the best writer so the emotions fall a little flat, and they couldn't give Rick a less brain dead look for that large spread of him crying? Also, I'm so sick of characters smiling because things are so normal, and therefore great. Almost every single issue has this, can we please stop? Making this observation once or twice is fine, but every issue? And it's always the same exact grin on everyone's dumb faces. Anyway, I hope this leads to something more fun soon.

This was not what I was expecting from this series. I was expecting more violence and death. But instead we get more speeches. I think this series may need to end soon. The speeches here don't provide any new context for this series. It's treading old ground. I think Robert Kirkman is either tired or just not that great a writer. We can only go through the motions so many times. The ending was a legitimate shock, but that doesn't just make me ignore that the bulk of this issue is the same old tired Walking Dead.

This was fine. Not as emotional as some might have expected. The problem here is that without Rick, I've barely got anyone left that I want to read about. So I'm going to give this series till issue 200 to hook me again.

This took a while to get to a place I found interesting. Literally, the last few pages. Fantasy isn't really my thing so I didn't really find the setting interesting. As for the nudity and sex, I liked what it meant for the main character and the role it served in telling that story. But I could take it or leave it. You didn't need it but it's there, I guess. I just wish it didn't take so long to get to an interesting place. I'm really looking forward to issue two because of those last pages, but if those weren't there, I'd be stuck with a competently made story that is not my thing at all.
7.0
 Tim Drake: Robin (2022) #2 Mar 13, 2023

Honestly, the people who rag so hard on this book either haven't read many comics, or just hate gay people. Just saying it like it is, as they're too cowardly to do themselves.
7.0
 Titans (2016) #19 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Titans (2023) #3 Aug 7, 2024
7.0
 Titans (2023) #7 Aug 7, 2024

Not as good as issue one, and the synergy between this series and the TV show is starting to get painful.
7.0
 Titans: Beast World (2023) #3 Aug 7, 2024
7.0
 Titans: Beast World (2023) #4 Aug 7, 2024
7.0
 Titans: Beast World (2023): Tour Gotham #1 Aug 7, 2024

This was second taste of Spurrier's Flash. It seems unhinged lol.
7.0
 Titans: Beast World (2023): Star City #1 Aug 7, 2024
7.0
 Trial of the Amazons: Wondergirl #2 Nov 6, 2022

This is like McDonald's in comic form.

This honestly isn't that bad of an issue; it's just unnecessarily jumbled. The most interesting thing about this series was Saint and the social commentary surrounding him. I wish we had just gotten a Saint miniseries. And I get it, he's literally the black version of USAgent, that's the point. But just tell a story about a new USAgent if that's clearly what you wanted to do. I'd rather not have a John Walker story if he's just a vehicle to tell a more interesting story with another character. Now, neither side of the story got the proper attention they deserved, and we missed out on a potentially great story about survivorship bias and the model minority. Those are things that are extremely interesting to me, at least. Maybe I'm alone in this.

I'm a big fan of Hickman and I've been really enjoying this run up to this point, but I cannot ignore how poorly MJ was written here. She really did not seem like a real person, with real thoughts in her head. It feels nice for everyone that she's so supportive and unquestioning and... subservient, because that 616 bitch isn't, but I promise there is a better way. We can have supportive wife material MJ *and* have her be a strong person in her own right. We should not skip over the necessary character work to get to that feel-good final page, but we do. I hope future issues rectify this, but this is a glaring misstep for me.
7.0
 Unnatural #1 Jul 21, 2019

I don't mind a more traditional Doom Patrol. I'd take that over something like what Gerard Way tried to do, where it's all the chaotic weirdness of Morrison, with none of the depth, storytelling or character to back it up. If we keep going down that road, Doom Patrol will become Harley Quinn. No one wants that. But this book is just kind of boring, and the new ideas don't seem to justify the run so far. It's only issue one though, maybe it'll get better.
7.0
 Venom (2016) #163 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Venom (2016) #165 Jul 21, 2019

This is just... not what I'm interested in. I bet next issue with Ewing will be great, but... man, this is a shame.

This is just an extra issue of Alyssa Wong's Deadpool run, and you can't convince me otherwise. I have no idea why it's a Venom annual; it should be a Deadpool annual. It is weaker than their usual output with the character, however.

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I can't decide whether this is canon or not, so therefore I can't decide whether to keep reading it or not. It's fiiine. Just not something I'd bother with if I had to be more judicious with my pulls.
7.0
 Wakanda (2022) #1 Mar 14, 2023
7.0
 Wakanda (2022) #2 Mar 14, 2023
7.0
 Wakanda (2022) #4 Mar 14, 2023

This was fine. I feel like the art really didn't help things, and most of the issue was spent on gathering the team, which isn't that interesting.

I didn't mind a good chunk of this comic, but the dialogue really needed work.

Way too many characters, but otherwise this was a fine comic.

This title isn't too bad. I just think it's overstuffed.

A little bit messy, but overall a perfectly fine comic.

As with all anthologies, this had its ups and downs. The Daredevil story and Howard story were good. The Wolverine/Punisher story was okay. The Warriors Three story was bad.

I was surprisingly a little less impressed by this one. I think it was just a little too stilted in some places for my taste.

Okay, real talk? I have no fucking idea what's happening in this comic anymore. I need to go back or something. What I could understand was neat.

This was alright. The dialogue is sinking the ship.

This is just weird. I don't know what Marvel's longterm plan is for this... initiative? But it's very odd.
7.0
 Weapon X (2017) #18 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Weapon X (2017) #19 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Weapon X (2017) #23 Jul 21, 2019

The Original X-Men one-shot did not excite me for this miniseries. And yeah, I'm not surprised it's just sort of middling.
7.0
 Weapon X-Men (2024) #2 May 8, 2024

This was weaker than issue one.

This was fine. Still not as good as issue one was.
7.0
 WildC.A.T.S. (2022) #2 Mar 16, 2023

Not great, but hopefully it leads to something better.

This was fine, but it all felt a bit obvious.

This wasn't bad, but I feel like everyone here could be doing better. Hell, Solem is a cool enough character based on his previous appearances, that even he could've done better here.

This isn't necessarily bad, but I don't find it very engaging, and it's not really delivering on the promise of Solem, in my opinion. Solem could be so much cooler than this, and he was, during X of Swords.

I wish this was more cohesive, but I'm hoping next issue is better now that everything's been set up.
7.0
 Wolverine (2020) #36 May 8, 2024
7.0
 Wolverine (2020) #43 May 8, 2024
7.0
 Wolverine (2020) #45 May 8, 2024
7.0
 Wolverine (2020) #46 May 8, 2024

A lot of this issue is spent re-contextualizing the whole Duggan Infinity saga thus far to explain away Wolverine's involvement. Turns out it was Old Man Phoenix all along! Kind of handwavy and unsatisfying, in my opinion. But whatever, Loki and Wolverine are a fun combo. I hope this will be fun.

Rather anticlimactic ending, but I didn't hate it.

Big ol' meh.

This isn't bad, but it's really a shame they can't keep the comic's obvious selling point, the art, from having to be changed. I don't know whose idea it was, but it's been clear since Catwoman that Joelle Jones can't write and draw an ongoing series, or even just a full arc, with a regularly scheduled comic. The story is whatever. It doesn't really matter to me. The pacing and the momentum this series/character had is gone by now, honestly.

I feel like I've missed an issue. This was fine, I guess.

I mean, this is fine but I feel like it's really undeveloped.

That all wrapped up very quickly and I'm not really sad to see this series go.

This was fine. Not much interesting going on.

7.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #38 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #39 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #46 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #48 Jul 21, 2019

This was fine.

This was fine; not bad.

Not bad, but definitely just teetering on the edge of boring. Those backups kill me, man.

This is a fine wrap up to the way too long first arc of this run. It started out really strong and just devolved into a really generic superhero comic. I don't understand it. But hey, maybe we can start fresh with next issue. God, I hope so.

This is a very slow issue. If you're engrossed in the plot, it's no problem, but if you're kind of iffy on it like me, this will do little to change your mind.

More happens in this issue, but this is still off. I don't know where this is headed, and not in a good way. I haven't mentioned the backups because they're fine but there's not much to say about them. This issue's backup, though, is probably the worst yet. It's just so much debate and setup for the upcoming event and I really wish it was given to us in a more interesting way than it was.
7.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #787 Mar 16, 2023
7.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #788 Mar 16, 2023
7.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #795 Mar 16, 2023
7.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) Annual #2 Jul 21, 2019

I honestly don't have much to say about this one. Not much happens and the ending really frustrated me. I'm all for subverting expectations but this issue really felt like a slog, so to have it end that way really makes that slog even more frustrating to have gone through. I don't think anyone was too out of character, aside from Yara. I've read literally every issue she's ever appeared in and her characterization here seems very off. It's way too stereotypical of the young blood archetype. But you know, King does a lot of work in stereotypes. This issue also continues the myopic trajectory of the arc, which remains frustrating because Wonder Woman still isn't really a fully fleshed out character in her own book. The backup as always is a lot of fun.

This arc ends on a frustrating note. I recognize I keep saying that about this book, how it's frustrating me. It's just not hitting the mark the way it should. It ultimately comes down to Diana's lack of real characterization. A problem with the back half of this WW arc is it becomes super myopic. The start of the run tries to show the wider reaching consequences of what's happening, and that's good, because ultimately the book is about a societal and systemic issue. But then the second half of it is exclusively focused on Wonder Woman specifically, with the wider implications just blurring out in the background. And since Wonder Woman isn't really a character, it's grating. She's a stone bust in some Greek museum, she's not a person. You could have these big mythic moments, where you show how strong she is, but what makes it hit is that we know her struggle. She seems almost blasé about the wider conflict that this series is about at points. And that's... Shitty. While reading this comic, I couldn't help but compare it to the recent JMS Captain America run. It's a way better comic, I highly recommend it. It's about a resurgence of hate in America, as it often is, and something it does wonderfully is it shows Steve Rogers' connection to his community and the people. It shows you *why* he's so heroic and iconic, and that he gives a shit. He's not great for his power, he's great because he's always willing to do the right thing at any cost. He is a man of the people. His first act in that run is to create affordable housing for his neighborhood! He's so grounded, so that when he beats the Nazi or does some grand show of strength against uncertain odds, it hits. He's one of us, he's fighting for us, let's cheer him on. Meanwhile, in Wonder Woman, we never get that connection. She does these great, powerful things but we're only told they're great and powerful, and we ought to cheer, by the villain of all characters. This is an example of agency without showing it. Which I find worthless. You need the hero to genuinely have conflict, so you can relate. And what's more relatable than having your government persecute you? It's such an easy thing to explore, but King wants to maintain that Wonder Woman is unstoppable. What makes great heroes, what makes feminist icons, is not that.

This is an issue that has a good enough idea, with a good enough premise, that is let down by the execution of said idea and premise. King just writes Wonder Woman weird. I wish there was a more profound reasoning here, but there isn't. She's an overly stoic strong female character, at her core, and that rigidity makes for an uncompelling character arc. She does lose grip and get broken down here, but the way it's done is odd. We get her comparing herself to the rest of the Trinity, which I don't think she'd do. We get an homage to her killing Maxwell Lord (which was ill-advised at the time, so I'm not sure why we're playing up the murderer in Diana). This is just more evidence of what I've been saying in these reviews. Tom King doesn't know how to write Wonder Woman. She's a contradiction, and I get that her characterization has been all over the place in her book since... Forever, but King shouldn't be contributing to that haphazardness, and should be trying to mend the characterizations together. Make them coherent. But King is ill-equipped for that, because he writes this archetype the same way every single time. Oh, and there's a page in here about how Diana grew up on western media and art, and I find that really weird. Wouldn't that kind of drastically change the context of Diana's origin? This arc is starting to become a bit reminiscent of Knightmares, and I really hope next issue bucks that trend. Otherwise, we're in for some turbulence. The backup is cute, but I'm starting to need more than cute from these backups. Oh, and why write in Diana eating a rat? That's going to be a meme.

I don't hate this issue, clearly. I'm giving it a 7. But it's irksome. I could be *really* uncharitable and mean, and make my review one sentence: "Oh, look at Diana, so caught up in her lusty womanly wiles that she can't help her friends escape prison." It's irksome. I'm trying to be nice though.

This is a mixed bag. These anthologies almost always are. There's just not much to say after a while about these color anthologies.

This was fine. It didn't stand out, but it's not a very involved read.

It doesn't seem like anyone read this, which is a shame because I actually think it was more consistent than the ongoing book. The art is very stylized, and I can understand why it's not everyone's cup of tea. It's not my cup of tea either. But the writing for the characters is good. And while this has a pretty bad ending, I have to say, this miniseries was a lot of fun to read. It's worth checking out.

This was a better issue, but I really don't know who this is for?
7.0
 X-23 (2018) #4 Jul 21, 2019

This was alright... Not much to say. Gabby is fun.

This was alllll just fine.

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7.0
 X-23: Deadly Regenesis (2023) #3 May 7, 2024

Don't see why this miniseries was made.

While better than issue one, this still feels like a rather tired, disjointed satire of social media.

I don't get what this series is trying to accomplish, honestly. I hope it finds a voice beyond some vague corporate parody. I feel like this could be done a lot better.

Less impressed with this issue. Reads like early Ed Brisson Old Man Logan. Hopefully, it gets better. I know Brisson can do better.

An alright issue. Just wish this series was better, overall.

A fine wrap up issue. Won't miss this series, but it had its moments.

While things wrapped up quickly, and maybe a bit too easily, I had a good enough time reading this one. I liked the plant body horror.

This was an odd issue.

Not the best issue, but not that bad.

Holy shit, are they actually doing something with those Weapon Plus one-shots??

This could be a bit better. It's not that bad though.

Well... that was sort of a wet paper bag of an ending. It's a shame since X-Force has been really good lately. Hopefully we can just move past this.
7.0
 X-Men: Blood Hunt (2024): Jubilee #1 Jun 13, 2024
7.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #30 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #34 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #23 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #31 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #32 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) Annual #2 Jul 21, 2019
7.0
 X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse (2024) #2 Oct 14, 2024

This is so 90s. But it's not bad. It's just... Dated.

I liked how Doom was written, but this is middling, unfortunately.
7.0
 X-Men: The Wedding Special #1 Jul 21, 2019

This wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. I'm not really on board for any of it yet. Leviathan has been building in Action Comics for a while, and I'm not a fan of that title. And that story was probably the weakest of the bunch. The Snyder story, and the Justice League story, is what I'm mostly interested in. But even that fluctuates damn near every arc. There's not much to say about the Tynion story, it just felt like an extension of the Snyder story, but more cosmic. I just hope that the execution on this is good because that's what will determine whether or not the entire line is screwed for several months.

This was fine... Not as bad as I thought it was going to be and a quicker read on top of that. The results aren't surprising, because DC fans dedicated enough to vote are pretty obvious. Of course they vote for all Bat-villains.

This was good enough. I'm not really interested in Ocean Master. I think that's why my rating is lower than the others. This is a competent issue. I just didn't really enjoy reading it.

I'm just as burnt out with this as last issue.

I honestly like this ending for Yondu.

This was pretty good, but it all felt a little rushed, like too much is being juggled and there's not enough page space for it.

This was pretty good, but also needless.

I liked this, despite some clunky dialogue. Especially the Hawkeye parts.

I liked this more than issue one, definitely.

Pretty good issue, but not the most essential. That'll probably change with the next two issues.

This was neat.

Probably the ever-so-slight strongest of the bunch. Mostly because it just feels like an issue of Miles Morales, with Carnage undertones. The ending was pretty much what I expected it to be. I wonder how that ends up playing into the main event.

This was pretty good. But nothing special.

So far this event has been better than I expected it to be. That's the power of a great creative team given a whole lot of slop.
7.5
 Absolute Power (2024): Ground Zero #1 Aug 14, 2024

Shout out to Κυανό for the most unhinged review of the year. I mostly liked this. I just wish the ending had more teeth to it. I felt like maybe they were setting up Dreamer and Jon to be an item, but maybe they're just great friends. Either way, it would've been exciting for this clash between Jon and Jay to have more oomph and consequence. Maybe they should've broken up here. Jay as a character seems like a vestige of Taylor's Superman run, carried over but not really needed or wanted. We could give Jon some interesting pathos by doing it as well, as he often seems just as stagnant. But I guess a little hand-waving and "Oh, you"s is enough to get over your mother's assassination.
7.5
 Absolute Power: Origins (2024) #2 Oct 14, 2024
7.5
 Absolute Power: Task Force VII (2024) #2 Aug 14, 2024
7.5
 Absolute Power: Task Force VII (2024) #5 Oct 14, 2024
7.5
 Absolute Power: Task Force VII (2024) #6 Oct 14, 2024
7.5
 Action Comics (2016) #999 Oct 9, 2018

This wasn't bad, but I'm having trouble being interested?

I liked the politics at the beginning of the issue. I'm just like it way more than punching, for some reason. It's my hobby, I guess. The latter half of the issue isn't quite so interesting to me, hence the lower rating. I just find that part of it... The Warworld part... pretty boring.

Eh. This was pretty good, but I have kind of disinterest in this whole plot line. I wish we focused more on the political stuff that kept the superfamily busy this whole arc. It's just so much more interesting than Warworld. The backup was fine but I'm really sick of these backups altogether. It's just a waste of time and money.
7.5
 Action Comics (2016) #1049 Nov 25, 2022

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7.5
 Action Comics (2016) #1059 Jan 21, 2024

I enjoyed the way Constantine was written in this. I'm a big proponent for the idea that Constantine should not interact with capes, however if you are going to do that, this is the way you write him. Unimpressed and annoyed.

Look, Aaron has his tropes and they're very present in this set of issues. Some other brave comic fan could probably place pages upon pages of very different comics together for comparison and notice the very apparent repetitious use of tropes. For instance, in order to establish scale, Aaron will often point to disparate locations and people and show how they react to an incident. He did it in this story, and he did it Avengers, and he did it a lot in Thor. It worked better in Thor since Aaron's prose has a sort of mythic vibe to it, which is well complimented in Thor. In a Bizarro story, it doesn't quite work as well. This isn't a bad story, nor is it nearly as exciting as I'm guessing the editors at DC wanted. It's pretty good. It's fun enough. I don't have much to say about it.
7.5
 Action Comics (2016) #1065 May 17, 2024
7.5
 Action Comics (2016) #1066 Aug 7, 2024
7.5
 Action Comics (2016): Special #1 Oct 9, 2018

I liked this surprisingly.

This was pretty good, or maybe I just really like Bullseye.

This is pretty good. I hope the story gets a bit more interesting from here, but this was a good introduction.

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This is pretty good. I don't have a bad time reading it. I just don't care about what's happening. Not even in a negative way. I feel indifferent. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

7.5
 Adventures of the Super Sons #1 Oct 9, 2018
7.5
 Adventures of the Super Sons #2 Oct 9, 2018

Wasn't expecting much. In fact, I thought this was going to suck. But I thought it was pretty good and an easy read.

This was probably the best issue of the miniseries? I don't know what happened for the majority of this series, but this issue mostly came together and told a nice story. Weird.

This was pretty good, if a bit predictable.

Pretty good issue, albeit there isn't much to it.

I generally like the writing here. But there's a few things that bring it down for me. Typically when it comes to the flashbacks. They are written from the perspective of a young Valeria, and therefore the betrayal she mentions is outright silly, yet it's treated seriously.

Pretty good wrap up.

Pretty good issue. If you like seeing these characters interact, you'll like this issue.

While rushed, I do like the idea of this final issue. Unfortunately, it didn't exactly hit the mark. This series was fun though and probably the best of the Age of X-Man stuff.

I liked this issue well enough, even if there wasn't much plot moving forward. I think it comes down to liking these characters and seeing a few of the cracks in this universe.

I like it. I find it interesting.

This was pretty good, but not as good as the previous issue. The first half, especially, really dragged. Maybe that had something to do with me reading Apocalypse and the X-Tracts before this, but I really wasn't feeling it. The second half, which was more introspective with the characters, was much more interesting. That's what I want from this title.

A fairly effective issue. I would rate it a 10 to make the homophobes mad, but I realize it's what they live for and I think they should die.

It's great to see an Alien comic with quality art. It's a shame that the writing in this issue is... a bit slow. It's an interesting idea, and maybe it'll become a more rewarding read in the future. At least now there's a potential for some really cool storytelling and art! That's an upgrade.
7.5
 Alien (2022) #3 Nov 25, 2022

As much as I think PKJ's Alien run was shot in the foot the moment Salvador Larroca was put on art duties, and never really managed to hit its stride, I'm kind of glad it's over and we're getting a clean start with a brand new take. Shalvey has always been more of an artist in my mind, but he's a perfectly competent writer as well. The art isn't amazing, but it's still an improvement. I hope that Marvel quits relaunching this title. The Alien title has been at Marvel for over two years at this point, and I still feel like we've yet to really go anywhere with the property. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

7.5
 Alien (2023): Vol. 2 #1 Jan 21, 2024
7.5
 Alien (2023) #5 Nov 9, 2023

This issue is a mixed bag, as is the curse of all anthologies, but there's some promising stuff here. Really hoping that the multi-part story echoes Lenin's bolshevik revolution and what an anti-socialist mess that turned into. 🙠The Hunt story was the weakest of the bunch. I've been listening to the No Sleep podcast recently as spooky stories tend to be my jam, and the process they have for picking stories must be pretty lax. This Hunt story reminds me of so many of those lesser stories, in that it feels like the writer had a punchy ending in mind, with some sort of moral conviction attached, and it didn't really mean much in the end. Yeah, I'm comparing this story to a Creepypasta, essentially. That's mad disrespect, I know. The Maternal Instincts story was cute though. A wholesome Alien romp. In an anthology named after blood.

This story continues its upswing, although this issue really stretches things out in a way that's lampshaded but still sorta grating.
7.5
 All-New Wolverine #28 Oct 9, 2018

Derek Landy is a writer that I'm very ambivalent on. He can churn out some quality comics, or rather boring ones. This one errs of the quality side of things. It's not amazing, and I wouldn't miss it, but it's good enough. The art doesn't help things. Greg Land is terrible.
7.5
 All-Out Avengers (2022) #2 Oct 13, 2022
7.5
 All-Out Avengers (2022) #3 Nov 25, 2022
7.5
 Alpha Flight (2023) #1 Nov 9, 2023
7.5
 Alpha Flight (2023) #3 Jan 21, 2024
7.5
 Alpha Flight (2023) #4 Jan 21, 2024

This series remained a pretty good read throughout. Not my favorite of Fall of X, simply middle of the road. I am American though, so I may just be biased against our friends up north.

I've only read the Spider-Man story in Amazing Fantasy #15, of course. What is there to say? It's a quintessential superhero origin, that almost everyone on the planet knows a version of, through the many movies, cartoons and comics that have gone over it again and again. It's very quick and while there's a sense of reverence in the editorial notes, I really am not sure that Stan Lee had any idea what he and Steve Ditko had created here. I also would like to point out just how angry Peter is in this story. I understand he hasn't yet gone through the trauma that would soon define him, but reading modern comics, I'm just so used to a grown up version of Peter that is genuinely nice and upstanding and not a resentful teen. Another thing I wonder; I've never considered this before; does Baxter Bigelow (the security guard Peter doesn't help) ever come out of the woodwork in a later story just to ruin Spider-Man's reputation a little more? I don't think he ever did. I mean, it's certainly not necessary in the early years, but that would be a cool story, wouldn't it? Anyway, there's not much here to really talk about besides the aforementioned. Quote of the issue: "With Great Power There Must Also Come-- Great Responsibility!"

I wish I liked this more, because it seems like a passion project, but I just don't. The little character inconsistencies really stuck out to me. Cap isn't necessarily inconsistent, but a lot of his character in the World War II era is just not quite as interesting as it is post-WWII. Black Widow is supposed to be super old, so idk why she's a teen in the 80s here. And maybe I'm reaching but I don't think the ASM supporting cast lines up there in his segment. This isn't a badly drawn or written issue; I just find myself less enthused than I thought I was going to be.

This is just shy of being something I really enjoy. I like the world built up but it's missing something I can't place my finger on.

Not too bad. I don't know if I like the idea of Uncle Ben betraying Peter, even if it's undone by issue's end. I assume there is more to this that will be revealed next issue.

This was a pretty good time, although I don't know what it has to do with anything happening in Amazing Fantasy.

Mary Jane does some implausible things here, but I think that's going to become more and more par for the course. I had fun with this. I'm excited to see what they do with this series now that it's been expanded.

I'll be honest and admit that I do not find Sandman to be a compelling villain. I've never really read a Sandman story that, off the top of my head, really stuck with me. And his introduction here is kind of the same way. He presents a unique challenge for Spider-Man to overcome, but he doesn't really have the enduring personality to match. He's defeated by a vacuum cleaner! I don't care how industrialized it is, that's not cool. The reason to read this issue is the Peter Parker soap opera stuff. Betty Brant was introduced in issue two, but she's finally named here. She and Peter actually interact on panel, it's quick but it's a big deal since she's going to become Peter's first love interest. On the flip side, we see that Liz Allen is willing to date Peter. She's another early love interest, and soon that sort of thing will be brought to the forefront. There's some fun here with Jameson. Seeing him standing behind his desk in his underwear is a very funny image. Otherwise, he sounds like any Conservative anyone's ever met, and Conservatives are unintentionally funny too. I said in my last review that I felt I wouldn't have enough to say about the issues I liked, but honestly this issue is proving to be more difficult. Not a ton happens in this issue, and the villain isn't as compelling as Doc Ock. So... Within the span of a single issue, we see how the longer format can help *and* hurt the storytelling. Sandman would've been a much better villain for an 11 page story. I think so, anyhow. Quote of the issue: "Ever Get Any Love Taps From a Guy's Rock-Hard Head?"

This isn't as good as the last few issues have been. It never reaches the low points of something like issue 8 or 10, but we are seeing a downward trend that I wish weren't apparent. I hope things pick back up again, although I have little hopes for issue 16, which I remember not liking. The annual, which is next, may actually be good, at least. The one thing that I can say is that Chameleon works better here. And the stuff with Betty and Liz is actually entertaining! For a few issues now, I've been getting annoyed with Betty and Flash in particular. Betty was too sensitive to Peter having any contact with another girl, and Flash was constantly claiming Liz as his girl, when that didn't seem to be the case. In this issue, at least, Betty's jealousy is more funny than annoying, and we get confirmation that Flash isn't a total douche, in that Liz is still going on dates with him. But most important to me, we get our first hint of Mary Jane Watson. Peter's best love interest, don't @ me with your Gwen Stacies and your Debra Whitmans. They don't compare! Quote of the issue: "You'll Want a Girl Who'll Make a Good Houswife--Someone Like Mrs. Watson's Niece!"

An issue focused on JJJ? Sign me up. It is a bit silly at times, but I thought it was a good time. This review isn't really much, but I'm really not feeling well, but I'll make it up eventually. Quote of the issue: "I'll Allow Him to Call Me Jonah If He Wishes!"

The highlight here was the Peter Parker stuff as always. I want more of that. Mendel Stromm is another villain that doesn't really go anywhere or become a big mainstay, much like The Looter. In fact, I would say the only interesting thing about him is his connection to Norman Osborn and just how far Norman will go to keep him quiet. Norman is the star here, and I don't think that's just because we all know who he is. I think that would true regardless. So, really, Mendel Stromm is a jobber for the real villain. And he was recently killed in Nick Spencer's run by Kindred, so the trend continues. (And now I feel dumb for not putting together why Kindred would kill Mendel Stromm until right now, but that's got nothing to do with 60s Spidey.) The robots were a cool design at least. I can say that despite some of the lackluster plotting, Ditko is drawing the hell out of these issues. Peter does walk into a wall in the last panel, but aside from that, Ditko is on fire here. Quote of the issue: "Anyone Ever Tell You You're Gorrrrgeous When You're Angry?"

The conclusion to this Green Goblin chapter is... Not as good as the first half. A lot of this issue is just Norman explaining his life and how he became Green Goblin. And that was actually pretty interesting, and I think the writing was handled well in showing how selfish Norman was as a father, unintentionally. But then we start recapping all the previous Goblin stories, excluding the most pertinent one that I felt needed a little more explanation, issues 37 and 38. It's going to bug me now that they never explained why Norman didn't resort to the Goblin immediately after issue 37, but I guess life has its mysteries. But yeah, the issue is very long winded, which isn't an issue until we start recapping old stories. We get a glimpse at what Betty is up to and that's a bit unappealing to me. I'm ready to move on to the Gwen and MJ years, alright? Gwen has been around for several issues now and MJ is right around the corner. Ned and Betty can get married and we can be done with it. I didn't mention the art in my last review because I'm not a good person, but it is exceptional. I think Romita Sr. is a better artist for Spider-Man than Ditko was. I'm not sure if that's controversial or not, because despite the love for Ditko, Romita's style dominated pop culture for decades, and is still probably the quintessential Spidey that we all think of. As the title becomes more and more entrenched in the soap opera aspect, I think the fact that Romita is so good at drawing pretty people will only bolster my opinion of his art. It's just so good. Even the grotesque Goblin looks his best here. It's like seeing pure nostalgia on the page, I love it. Also, something to mention, we've officially entered Spider-Man: Blue territory. Spider-Man: Blue is one of my favorite Spidey stories ever. It makes me weep like a baby. So, I'm thinking I'll catch up to whichever issue it finishes in, and then go and give that a re-read with the original issues fresh in my mind. If I do, I'll review those as well. I'm not sure if I haven't already done so.... If I have, I'll pull a Robert Ebert and do a re-review, and no one will be the wiser. But for now, I'm genuinely just stoked to get to more Spider-Man. Quote of the issue: "Who Cares Why You Became the Green Goblin? You Probably Lost an Election Bet or Something!"

Mary Jane is such a fun character, and I'm happy to see the supporting cast finally get along with Peter. Everything with Peter is great but the Rhino stuff just isn't. It's just boring, in my opinion. But man, those character moments. Quote of the issue: "Dad--You're the End!"

I'm very much behind on my reading, and while I could blame the holidays, that wouldn't be honest. I just got lazy. But I'll catch back up. For this issue specifically, there's not a ton going on. I like how the stakes all culminate for Peter, but there's a sameness to this issue that I wish was averted. Mary Jane continues to be a delight with her insane dialogue, all of the stuff with Peter's social life is just by far the best this issue has to offer. Quote of the issue: "Going Out With Me Can be a Whole Education in Itself!"

Okay so the fucked up thing is I read this literally months ago and just never wrote a review for it. So, uh, yeah, it's kinda hard to write about now. The way Peter misled Roswell was legendary. I'll never forget that. Shocker was a fine villain introduction. I can see why he's still around now. Quote of the issue: "Celebrations are my favorite people, dad!"

So... I read the bulk of this issue back in March. Then life happened, and I had to stop, 5 pages from the end. This puts me in a strange place in terms of reviewing this one. What I set out to do with these reviews is really delve into my fandom of Spider-Man, and give a more comprehensive form of my thoughts about each and every issue of the wall crawler. Unfortunately, writing these reviews out takes a lot of time for me, as I'm not a professional. This has led to me taking shortcuts in some of my later reviews. However, this one is a bit different because of the gap between reading. I know what happens in this issue, but I don't remember the exact specifics. And that's a shame because this issue did have some good character in it. I know, I know, I could just re-read the whole thing but... Finishing this issue and putting *something* out for a review has literally been in the back of my mind since March. March! All of this is me rambling to explain why I won't be going into so much detail here. But I do want to read more classic Spider-Man soon, and more regularly. I was looking at some 90s Spider-Man and I want to read that again really badly. But I have to get through... Plenty of other issues to get there. Quote of the issue: "Mmm Mmm! This Tempo Really Turns Me On!"

7.5
 Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #791 Oct 9, 2018
7.5
 Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #795 Oct 9, 2018

This is a fun issue, but it definitely goes on too long. It is rather important, based on the ending and future issues though, so I'm not too put off by its length.

This is pretty good, I guess, but I'm really not feeling the excitement.

I didn't dislike this issue the way it seems like a lot of people here did. I just don't care enough, I guess. Not even in a negative way. I see this issue as wrapping things up, while providing some pretense for future stories. Either you care or you don't. I am a Nextwave fan, so the Nextwave reunion was neat. The Doug scene I found powerfully unfunny. The villain epilogues do actually intrigue me, especially Queen Goblin's, so I hope those are followed up on. The Slingers section looks like it'll bring the Slingers into issue 93 in a minor role, which is something, I guess. I saw this issue as a wrap up issue, and I can't say I'm surprised by its contents. Maybe I pay way too much attention to what's coming out, and that's why I find myself kind of shrugging my shoulders over this. If I had gone into it blind, maybe I'd be more upset about it? But as far as I'm concerned, it's basically the comics equivalent of standing across the room from a slow moving steam roller, and then being surprised when it finally crushes you.

The first story was not great, and even kind of annoying. But the second story was really good. I wonder why they're keeping Nighthawk in shadow. Is it to pull a twist later and make it classic Nighthawk? And assuming that's not the case, is Nighthawk talking about the Heroes Reborn world or the world he was originally from?

This was a well-written and well-drawn downgrade. After what's felt like a lot of forward momentum into this new status quo, this issue puts on the breaks. When it comes to ASM, I try to really give each issue its due when I go to review the book. Spider-Man is my favorite character after all, and I feel like it's worth the time put forth, especially when the title is, uh, "controversial." I have almost nothing to say about this issue, though. I am currently reading all the X-titles, but I'm a bit behind on most of them, and that means I've yet to read the Hellfire Gala one-shot that this story ties into. Thankfully, the first couple pages catch any readers like me up on what happened in that one-shot, as it pertains to Spider-Man. There's never a moment where I was confused about what was happening. I do think this issue reads like it was written during the 90s. I don't necessarily mean in terms of tone or style, I mean that there's a ton of continuity wrapped up in this issue, and there's not a ton of explanations given. You won't be confused, but there is so much happening in regards to Moira and the X-Men that is simply taken for granted that the reader would understand it. It's madness. I don't know if any of this will matter past this issue. I know Dark Web also will involve the X-Men, but I really can't see Moira playing a large role in that. This issue doesn't suggest that at all, with a caption saying to watch for her in AXE of all things. The only "important" part of this issue is the brief few pages at the end where Peter and MJ attempt to talk, or rather Peter does. MJ blows him off. Revealing that the reason they can't talk is because of the vague notion of responsibility. I've been pretty defensive about the time-jump and the mystery regarding MJ. I've said that it ultimately shouldn't bother the readers that it exists, and that it's not hindering my enjoyment of the book. That is still mostly true. However, with an issue that seems as empty as this one was, they should've given us a real hint at what's happening at the end. Presumably, the responsibility MJ mentions is her kids. But who's to say that's actually what she means? Side note: I do really like Peter's attitude towards MJ in this issue. People were acting like the romance was dead when Black Cat kissed him in 900. This issue makes it very clear that he's still interested in her. Which is refreshing, because usually, they'd shy away from that. It makes me think that the relationship is actually pretty far from dead. While this issue is a bit lackluster in story, I will say that the art is great. Gleason renders everything perfectly. It looks so damn pretty. It's just a shame that he wasn't allowed to draw something more memorable. Next issue is also a tie-in, but I have a feeling this next one will have more emotional weight to it, which will hopefully lead to a more satisfying reading experience. This issue isn't bad, it just feels wholly unnecessary.

Okay so instead of reviewing this comic, because this comic is essentially just a well-rendered fight scene, I will instead use my review as a way to express how media criticism and analysis works. So many reviews for this issue are just people complaining about the characterization of Ben Reilly and simply not paying attention to what they're reading. What makes a piece of media bad is not whether it conforms to what you think it ought to be. Sure, you can develop your own ideas and stories based on what you see as a failing in this idea/story. But the failing should be considered on the media's terms. What does this comic set out to do, and does it achieve that? Complaining about Ben Reilly's characterization would be valid if this characterization came out of nowhere, and was inconsistent with what has been established. However, we had a whole run of comics that explain where this characterization came from, and Ben's new characterization is in line with that. Therefore, it's not a valid criticism just because he's a different Ben than the one that melted back in the 90s. There is some argument to be had here, but I don't want to get into the minutiae of it right now.

I don't care about the scene where Peter tries to convince Black Cat (and himself) that he no longer has the same feelings for MJ. Anyone who's reading this comic should realize that nothing about how Peter is acting in that scene cements anything that he is saying as his genuine feelings towards MJ. He's obviously trying to say what he thinks Black Cat wants to hear, which is why he stumbles with the whole "she's like a sister" thing. The last time MJ was the direct focus of this comic, he was fighting Wolverine and screaming about how he loves her. We're about to get a several issue long arc about how Peter supposedly does something really bad in an effort to save MJ... This isn't the end all, be all of their relationship. Don't be the clowns on social media slitting their wrists over this. Calm down. It'll be okay. It would be okay even if the scene was entirely sincere. I promise. With that out of the way, I have to say that this is a substantial downgrade from the last issue. It seems like the story got a bit too hectic for Kelly to reasonably tie it all together without cutting some corners. The Dodson art is a bit messy as well. I do think most of the banter is good, and I had fun reading it, but it fails to deliver like the previous issue did.

The biggest problem with this issue is the art. JRJR is mixed, usually, but his work on this series has been better than his recent output. However, this issue has some really, really bad panels. The story has barely even started. We get a lot of action without much reason to care about it just yet. I don't think this issue is bad, I just wanted more from this issue.

The second year of Wells' run starts out in an odd place. It really feels like the title is playing catch up with itself. I guess that's necessary after a storyline that primarily took place in the past, and before that, one that ended up being a giant waste of time. This would be a fresh start for the title if not for Ms. Marvel's death looming over everything. By far, the best part of this current era of Spidey is Norman's attempts at redemption, and I'm glad that seems to be taking a focus here again. Gold Goblin's shock-snap ending is finally addressed, which is good as it was very important for Norman's character, but then it's undone by this issue's ending. I'm not shocked by that. Queen Goblin was set up in this run as a villain; it'd be weird for her to simply disappear after the Hobgoblin arc. I feel like it immensely undercuts that Gold Goblin miniseries, though. And for the other plot, we finally get some sort of follow through on ASM 900. I like that the story that somehow stuck out more than Dark Web is finally being incorporated into the rest of the run, but it creates this really weird tonal whiplash. Peter and Norman are both really down right now over a death they feel very responsible for, but there's a pair of Ock arms that is in love with Peter, and Jonah's getting a taste of his own medicine lol. I wish this issue would've picked a lane and stuck with it. Go dark and have a character driven issue about grief, or do a fresh start and get away from everything for a wacky, fun Doc Ock story. The book's doing a lot of juggling, and I hope it pays off for a satisfying story. McGuinness' art is overall good, although I thought it was sloppy in places. His art is very clean but, in this instance, I don't think it helps the issue. The tonal back and forth is made worse by an art style that doesn't really have a specific atmosphere to it. You could put McGuinness on any story and it'll look very nice, but it would be on the writer to make it feel a specific way beyond that, and Wells doesn't set the tone here. Overall, nothing here is bad or poorly written, but it feels like Wells and co. don't know exactly what story they want to tell. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

My biggest problem with the last issue was the tonal whiplash, and this issue continues that trend. I expect the tone to shift around as the last two issues play out as well, given how this issue ends (With Ock implying he's getting revenge on Norman for essentially making him give up his Superior Spider-Man-ness). I don't mind this title being light-hearted - I actually wanted that after the dourness of Dead Language - but I don't think things are well defined here. Ock's new tentacles are kind of a joke, but also they can easily dispatch Spider-Man. Ock himself is a campy man but his motives are super serious, and he has the wits to back it up. I don't mind what I'm reading at all, I just wish I was more engaged in what's happening (and if the ending is what I think it is, I probably will be engaged with that). JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
7.5
 Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #58 Oct 14, 2024

This was a brutal fight, and it was fun in the moment. How next issue goes will determine if these last two were wasteful. Given Wells' track record for endings on this run... Well, maybe I'm just a cynic.

The first story was a pretty good continuation from where the Hallows' Eve miniseries left off, although I wish Michael Dowling continued to do the art. The second story is baffling and weird, and I have no idea what to think about it. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I'm... not really feeling this. It's competent, don't get me wrong. I just... don't care much.
7.5
 Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt (2024) #3 Oct 14, 2024

This was pretty good, I think. It's not amazing or anything, but it's intriguing enough. I'm glad Peter is around, at least. Not a lot to say.

7.5
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #20 Oct 9, 2018
7.5
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #22 Oct 9, 2018
7.5
 Amazons Attack (2023) #3 Jan 21, 2024
7.5
 Amazons Attack (2023) #4 Feb 29, 2024

Legit shocked this was actually six issues, not five.

I really liked the family drama for the most part. That's not something I'm usually so on board with, so it's a testament to the writing. However, I'm not sure I want to return to the Utopian Parallel? Every time we do revisit that part of America's origins, it gets a little turbulent, so to speak.

This is a just a giant retcon and I'm here for it. Simplify that origin, daddy.

I liked this more than last issue. It's hard to articulate exactly why, if I'm honest. I wasn't as bored this time around. Maybe it was the more brisk pacing, or the characters becoming slightly more than the usual stereotypes. The cliffhanger has me excited. That could legitimately be a really good issue if the execution works. My biggest problem with this issue is the art. The female characters so often look like mutant foreheads with the faces of lobotomized people. And the main protagonist looks like a squinting, beady-eyed rat. Even when he's supposed to show an emotion other than disgust, that's all his face can emote.

I didn't like this as much as last issue mostly because of some of the dialogue. It just sounded very stilted. But I'm still interested and invested in this comic now.

Overall, I liked this issue. I just think there was a bit of a leap for our lead character at the end there. Maybe it's all a trick or maybe he's just that desensitized to murder, I honestly couldn't tell you which way it's going.

This doesn't really jibe with what happened in Young Justice, but who cares about that? This was pretty good. I could definitely see it going either way. I am being a little bit nice with the number of clichés there are. But y'know, I expected to hate this and I didn't, so yeah.
7.5
 Analog #1 Oct 9, 2018
7.5
 Analog #4 Oct 9, 2018

I forgot this series was ever supposed to come back. As a return issue, this was pretty good. But I'm not very excited about anything here.

This was pretty good. Not very invested in this one anymore.

There's a lot of intriguing elements being introduced. Wolfram & Hart, Lorne, and magick. None of which is all that close to the original. Wolfram & Hart seem more like a cult dressed as a law firm rather than the evil of men represented as a law firm. Lorne seems a bit more mean-spirited than his television counterpart. And Fred being magickal is almost like the complete opposite of her scientific nature in the show. I'm willing to let this all play out, but the sheer difference of things doesn't necessarily excite me, and multiple times during the issue, I just wanted to watch the show again. That's not great when you're trying to build up your own version of the story. I overall liked the issue but I can't ignore these concerns I have.

This was a very quick issue where not much happened. What did happen was interesting enough, but I'm not completely on board for the new direction of Fred and Wolfram & Hart. I prefer the much more legalese version of the firm and the much more scientific, mousy Fred.

This isn't the best issue but it's entertaining enough.

Better than last issue, but still not on the same level of issue one. I felt like it was a little heavy handed, and that sort of came out of nowhere. It was pretty good, I guess.
7.5
 Aquaman (2016) #37 Oct 9, 2018

This was the best issue of Aquaman in a while. I chalk it up to Dan Abnett being forced to follow someone else's story, that someone else being a much better storyteller. Hopefully, Titans is similar.

Not too bad. Definitely shouldn't be the final issue, since it's right in the middle of an event, but it did what it could.

This was pretty good, but a bit confusing to me.

This wasn't too bad, but... Just have the baby and suffocate it already, like the good ol' days. This is just an unnecessary build to a story that was already built on betrayal and murder. But it's fine. Kyle Higgins is probably a better writer than Big Red. It's just so pointless.

The plot moves, that's for sure. I didn't mind this issue, probably because its pace was so quick.

This wasn't as good as the previous issue, but still pretty good.

This actually went by pretty quickly for an annual, thankfully. It was pretty good. Although, why Arthur thought that putting out a fire with a tidal wave was a good idea is beyond me. I'm sure someone will blame that on the art reference to Year of the Villain in the sky.

Merlyn didn't believe me when I told him he was a joke in this community, at least his garbage review this time led to the truth on that matter. This was a fun issue, but nothing special.

I should be honest. I have been in a very odd sleep cycle lately. As in, I've been sleeping very little. Don't cry for me, I'm already dead. As a result of that though, I cannot remember what happened in this issue whatsoever. I wrote down a score when I did read it, but... how I came to that score has been lost to time and there's not much incentive for me to reread this issue.

Wow, did everyone just decide to drop all the Aquaman series and not tell me? I thought this issue was pretty good. It's incredibly silly, but once you get into that mindset, you can enjoy yourself without too much hesitance. It's not high art, nor will it matter in the end, but it's fun.

I like the vibes this issue has, but I think it's all a bit too slow for me.
7.5
 Aquaman: Andromeda #3 Nov 15, 2022

This was pretty good. I think Arthur was written a little oddly here. If you've ever seen the Fifth Element, he reminds me of that totally-not-off-putting naive child-like full grown sexy woman Leeloo character. But the rest seems fine, I just wish it had more to it. I liked the Future State stories, so I expected more here.

This was pretty good. I really liked Mera in this, which is somewhat hard for me to admit because I usually find Mera boring. I guess when she has more agency, she's less bad... or whatever.

This ending is poorly paced but it works well enough, if I'm being charitable. The day seems saved... enough, and if I'm not being charitable, I could find fault in some of the broader political themes invoked in this issue. But... it's an Aquaman comic, no one reads these things. I guess Aquamen will make up for this rushed ending, at least if we're lucky. I can't say I come away from this wholly satisfied.

I didn't mind this issue, and I think there's definitely potential for an interesting story here, but I think the concept is a bit tired, and I wish the pacing was a bit better. While this series is an improvement over The Becoming and Black Manta, the shine may not last unless the creators up their game here.

This is not as good as I was hoping, but there's potential. The ten-eyed man is really cool, and I really enjoyed the twist with the man in bandages. The comic just doesn't have a great hook.

This was pretty good. Kid Loki's way of defeating Nebula was very Loki and also pretty clever. I don't have much to say about this issue, it's very much just a wrap up of the arc. We're going to get some Angela: Queen of Hel stuff next issue, probably, if Sera is back. I don't like that Angela just keeps making deals with Kid Loki. You used it once, it shouldn't be a recurring thing. But I assume it was for Sera.

I thought this pretty good, although some of the dialogue didn't quite hit the way it was intended to.

7.5
 Astonishing Iceman (2023) #2 Nov 9, 2023

This miniseries has been a dud as far as I'm concerned. Steve Orlando just has trouble writing compelling characters. I think this was a very solid wrap up though, for a series not worth the read.
7.5
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #10 Oct 9, 2018

Not as impressed with this issue as I usually am with this series.

Honestly, I have a little bit of egg on my face for this issue. I liked the focus on Tony. I liked the character work here. I know this won't last, I know Axis is a very bumpy ride, but for the moment, this issue was pretty good.

Still rough, but a bit better.

Just reading this for completionist's sake, but I do like Al Ewing's writing. I can usually expect something competent from him. This is a pretty good one-shot. It has nothing to do with the Incursions, but it does give us more insight into Hyperion (who ironically, I think has gotten three of these sorts of issues at this point).
7.5
 Avengers (2016) #690 Oct 9, 2018
7.5
 Avengers (2018) #7 Oct 9, 2018

I've given this issue a lot of thought. I've been very excited about this arc, ever since it was teased in issue 10. I even have the trade already pre-ordered for when it comes out in 2024. I was really, really ready to be sucked into a great story starring one of my favorite characters that just doesn't get as much of a spotlight as he honestly deserves. And what I got was... cool, I guess? I've seen a lot of people complaining about how Moon Knight operates in this issue, and I've been ambivalent ever since Conan: Serpent War. I don't know if I want a Supermoon Knight. And at least here, he starts off relatively normal-ish. I don't mind how he takes on Iron Fist, Doctor Strange, Black Panther or Thor. (Everyone complaining about Uru being moon rock can suck it. Moon Knight doesn't actually mean it was made out of a moon. Come on, son.) But it's just a principle thing. I just think something is missing that shouldn't be. I will say, this issue is supposed to be a bit of a shock. I feel like we'll get more into what this arc is going to be with the next issue. And I think I'll enjoy that more than this.

I like the ideas here for the most part, but I don't like that Howard Stark has been resurrected. Like if everything but the Tony Stark stuff was here, this would be a very exciting issue. That's the one thing that poisons the well here. I don't really care about the Phoenix stuff either. I just want this Mephisto plot front and center. I even like the stuff with Russia and the vampires. Just get to that.

This arc starts like last arc by just throwing us into the action, and unlike the last arc, it works better here. Because there isn't really anything that needs to setting up. I'm not excited for this arc, even still, but there is some hope here. The Age of Khonshu tried to do so much and it was really poorly handled. This is a seemingly simple tournament arc that has all the set up it needs done and out of the way. The Doom/Cap fight is fun, with some allusions to their Secret Wars fight in there as well. This is a fun issue, I'll admit. But it's like... This series just spent the last half of the year hitting me, I'm not just going to forget that. So, I'm not going to get my hopes up.

Honestly, the art is the problem for me with this issue. The rest is pretty fun.

Not an amazing issue, but still beats the Phoenix shit.

There's nothing really disagreeable here. I liked it. I thought it was pretty good. It wasn't super brain-melty like the last few arcs on this title have been.

I won't beg a corporation to save this title because... this was pretty good. I liked a lot of the elements, but I thought this was unnecessarily long. At least now that Orb's dead, we can officially cross out the Original Sin event entirely. That's my biggest takeaway. This was a ton of setup and some of it is fun. She-Hulk is back to normal and... I don't really care. A lot of She-Hulk fans got super triggered by her transformation in this series, but I always thought it was fine. I could see how it'd work with her character, even if it meant she was no longer conventionally attractive. After all, that's what's important about strong, female characters. And yes, that is said with the knowledge that She-Hulk's appearance is part of her character. I understand, don't worry. I just found the arguments for her not being a hulk monster to be lacking, as many fans took the wrong message from her attractiveness. They say it's empowering so they can fantasize about a mommy dommy. And that's perfectly fine, fan service has its place. But don't confuse your fantasy with empowerment. You can have your fantasy and you can support empowering characters, but crossing those streams never works out. Especially when you have to argue from that perspective. So like I said, her reverting back to normal isn't exciting, surprising and it doesn't matter much to me. I'm a fan of She-Hulk, believe it or not. The best thing about it is that she's getting a new series by Rainbow Rowell whose Runaways was fantastic, so it will probably be great. The new villain team seems fun. I like the idea of a multiverse title, but that's for the new #1, not this issue. I want to see where the stuff with the Squadron Supreme goes. I really enjoyed the dumb fun of Heroes Reborn, so I hope we get to that soon. I don't know, maybe I'd have more to say if there was some pay off here rather than mostly set up. I can't really give my thoughts on a bunch of things since I really can't tell where they're leading. I guess I'm not entirely upset I stuck with this series.

This was a bit of a letdown. I usually enjoy these sorts of one-shot issues between arcs. They're when Aaron tends to have the most fun, and it shows on the page. But this one didn't feel like he was having fun at all. It felt like he had an obligation to write it. I don't understand the change. I will say I kind of want Javier Garron off the book. His art works about 45% of the time, but it looks amateurish too often. I've had problems with his art since his debut on the run. I just can't get over how some of it looks. It feels very unpolished.

Slightly better than last issue, because I care slightly more about these random new heroes the Avenegers are helping. Aaron's script makes me care this time. I just think Avengers didn't need a less-than-straight-forward arc right now.

I don't get the hate here. It's not amazing comics, but it's not as bad as you'd think given the ratings.

This was a bit of a step down from the first 10 issues. It's not bad, but it doesn't flow quite so well, and the focus on Jarvis and Sweeney is hit and miss. This issue is mostly about having fun and not so much about progressing the overall plot, before we move into X-territory next issue. It works well enough, it's just not as satisfying as the first two arcs.
7.5
 Avengers (2023) #13 May 8, 2024

Really wish Land wasn't kept on as the artist, but the idea is interesting enough that I don't let it bother me too much.

Probably the weakest issue so far. Turns out when you make a comic about a bunch of custom action figures and how hard you throw them at each other, when it comes time for conclusions, cool action figures don't lead to climatic satisfaction. But it's a fun book. I like to compare this series and Avengers proper to what Snyder's Metal saga would've been if it were actually fun, and I can't help but feel that the hardest here.

This is a neat multiversal Black Panther. That's it. There's hardly any story. Aaron can slap together a poetic-sounding script and make this work about as well as it does.

This issue plays to some of Aaron's strengths... i.e. his ability to write Thor. So the issue was better for that. The reveal is obvious in hindsight, but unexpected. Which... is usually a sign of a good reveal. It just feels like none of this has had true buildup despite so many issues being dedicated to it.

This isn't terrible, I just wish I had a real reason to care about all that is happening. I'll wait till the final issue to give my opinion on Aaron's run as a whole, but I will say that Avengers Forever, while a bit lost as an Avengers title, did supply us with some compelling one-shot stories at times. It wasn't all bad.

I'm burnt out on the Old Man Logan universe, honestly. But Ed Brisson is a competent writer, so even if I'm not blown away, this isn't a bad comic.

This was pretty good. I like when they broach the weird side of Old Man Logan's world.

This is a fun issue, and an interesting development!

Another plot moving issue rather than a character one.

This was pretty good! I don't like how it ended so quickly, but again, only two issues. I don't know if I mentioned it before, but Marco Checchetto's art is amazing.

7.5
 Avengers: Back To Basics #1 Oct 9, 2018

There's definitely a heavy dose of nostalgia here. I like this. But I know a lot of people wouldn't.

I'll be honest, this is just a turn-your-brain-off sort of story. I enjoyed it more by not thinking about anything, and just paying attention to the character interactions, which were genuinely fun.

This was fun, but I don't really know what the point of all this was?

This continues to be a simple, nostalgia-laden fun time. It definitely has its place.

The pacing of this miniseries is very odd. The title and set up in issue one would make you think this is a Kang story (and it is) but the majority of the series has had Kang sit on the sidelines, so for him to finally make his move now just feels a bit jarring. The comic, otherwise, continues to hit right at that nostalgia we all have for that original 60s iteration of Marvel, while not forcing us to read a novel's worth of words about what's happening on the page. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

This was pretty good. Solidly written, if a bit slow and wordy.

I have some problems with some of this ending, but overall I enjoyed this. I think this series is, like, the only success out of the Hill House imprint so...

This was pretty good. I wasn't bored like last issue. But still, this series could use a little more "oomph."

Pretty good one-shot about James Gordon Jr.

Pretty good issue, honestly.

I liked this more than the backups. Which I think further validates my sentiment of hating DC's backup strategy. This was fun. I think the tone fits much better here when there's not a need to rush through as much information as possible. Really not feeling a continued use of the Magistrate, or the Seer for that matter. The sooner that's done with, the sooner Fear State leaves my mind.
7.5
 Batgirls (2021) #9 Sep 27, 2022

This title seems like it has so many directions it wants to go in, but is unwilling to settle on which. It's slightly fun, at least.
7.5
 Batgirls (2021) #12 Nov 15, 2022

Pretty good! I have my gripes with this series, but the writers aren't incapable. I just don't really vibe with the style they've adopted for this series. Luckily, it remains toned down here. I will say, going from that wonderful art from the previous issues to this... it's a downgrade, unfortunately.

I feel like this issue is trying to tie all the disparate elements of this run together, but it sometimes feels a bit unfocused and all over the place. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I'm not a huge fan of this series, but I thought this issue was pretty good, actually.

Wow, you fuckers are going full mask off with this one. Looking at you, DoorMan. I'll keep it simple, so you can understand: Socioeconomic factors determine one's ability to succeed, and unfortunately, our society has, through biases both conscious and unconscious, created a hierarchy where white people are way more likely to have and attain wealth, which is how one has power in our capitalistic society. In America, the likelihood of moving up from the socioeconomic bracket you are born into is incredibly low. This is a very real problem, and because society has these biases towards minorities, they tend to be born into these lower brackets and are stuck there. It creates a terrible cycle as poverty begets crime begets poverty. And no, it has nothing to do with race. Any poverty stricken area has this problem. Black people are just way more likely to be born in poverty because of the societal systems in place. You don't have to have white guilt, in fact if you read into any real academia on this subject, it never advocates for that. Ignoring these problems and crying like little bitches is such an insecure move. That's why these problems are never fixed. ...As for the issue itself, it was pretty good. I didn't like it as much as the first issue, and some of the writing was repetitive, but I hope next issue gets back on track.
7.5
 Batman '89 (2021): Echoes #2 Mar 21, 2024

Oh no, a comic with social justice undertones. Better cry about it.
7.5
 Batman (2016) #35 Oct 10, 2018
7.5
 Batman (2016) #41 Oct 10, 2018
7.5
 Batman (2016) #52 Oct 10, 2018

This was a pretty good first issue. A godsend after Tom King, but not all that exciting on its own. I don't know, hopefully it will pick up next issue. I was excited for this one, so maybe my expectations were too high. Also, ironically, the Joker tease in this issue makes me less excited than last issue's tease. Guess that shows how fickle I am about the character. This was an insignificant glimmer of absolute "meh" in the world where arson burned down Australia, corruption bleeds into the Amazonia and Iran can't hit anything except the send button on a sheepish declaration of even-stevens. At least we'll have moderately okay comics to tide us over while the world continues to spin on its ever-boring axis. Wink-wink.

Better than last issue, although I'm very skeptical. The ending doesn't get me excited. I just hope that there's a plan here.

This was pretty good, if not very predictable. I don't think anyone is shocked by how this all played out, and I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing? It just means I wasn't as enthralled or excited by this issue as I could have been. But it was a good time, so I can't be too harsh. Also, this is the first issue where Clownhunter actually worked for me. But alas, I still don't like Punchline.

The part of the issue I really enjoyed was the beginning where Batman escapes Scarecrow. Scarecrow can be a terrifying villain, and Tynion and Jimenez are obviously well suited to tell that sort of story. The rest is not nearly as fun for me. It's not a bad issue, but Tynion is asking a lot from me to truly enjoy this. The backup was fine, I guess.

A slight step up from last issue. I still question what the point of this story is.

What kills me most is that this comic isn't even bad. Everything's just complicated and tired. Even the art feels sluggish.

The stuff with Bruce works. The problem is everything else. I couldn't give a fuck less about Absolute Power, and Captio is an abysmal plot device of a character that I just hope is killed off quickly. If not for the stuff with Bruce where I feel Zdarsky actually works in a nice voice for him, this issue would've made me so tired.

This was a pretty good issue. I definitely like Clownhunter more now than I did before this issue. The art was really cool, and I think that helped a lot with a pretty average script.

This wasn't a terrible set of stories, but it isn't like I'm going to start listening to the podcast.

I don't like some of the dialogue here, and the story kind of gets lost eventually. But overall, I still liked it.

This was mostly good, I'd say. I just find most of the Secret Six and their motivations petty. The only one I could see having a real reason to be upset is Donna. I also think the ending was a bit contrived.

This was a pretty good, yet predictable ending. I don't know if this series has much of a place after this, but I'm getting even more burnt out on the Batman Who Laughs, so I'm open to something different.

This was honestly pretty good as long as you don't think about things too hard. And that's me, always absentminded.

This was pretty good. I don't think it was necessary, but I didn't have a terrible time.

This was a bit disjointed in terms of quality, but it was an easy read.
7.5
 Batman and Robin (2023) #8 May 10, 2024
7.5
 Batman and Robin (2023) #9 May 17, 2024

I like that we got an issue to ruminate on the team and the status quo. Sometimes, especially with team books, we don't ever get that and it begins to become a drag for this reader. I just wish this book wasn't forced to tie into Year of the Villain. I feel like that is its biggest problem. It can't just tell its own story.

I honestly think this issue worked a lot better than last few. The dialogue didn't feel quite so stilted this time around. Maybe Fallen Angels got the writer into a real zen mode where he couldn't knock the habit of preposterous and pretentious dialogue, but now that that's over, he's reeled it back a little.
7.5
 Batman Beyond (2016) #18 Oct 10, 2018

I liked this issue for the most part. Probably because it focused on the Joker making fun of how dumb Batman Beyond is. The stuff with Terry and Mel was uninteresting. But the rest was fine, up until Joker became just as dumb as everything else. Really bummed out by the ending.
7.5
 Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic (2023) #1 Mar 14, 2024
7.5
 Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic (2023) #2 Mar 14, 2024
7.5
 Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #3 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #4 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Batman Incorporated (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022

There's nothing amazing here that makes this a must-read, but it is pretty good. I just have trouble caring about all these characters that I have yet to be properly attached to. I hope Ghost-Maker pulls an original Red Hood and starts killing villains, but we know that he won't be able to kill anyone we'd miss, so that's a limited storyline. Joker Inc seems very dumb in concept, but so is everything Joker related, so it might fit. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I think I have the same problem with this book every time it comes out, but I'll reiterate here. There are way too many characters and the constant jumping around really makes it hard to stay engaged with the material, which isn't bad at all. If only it wasn't so sliced up. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This comic is starting to feel like Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch created an original graphic novel, and then DC decided to milk it, so they arbitrarily split it into twelve issues. Now, I'm like 68% sure this is not the case, but what's going on here? The action is fun. I'm just getting Moon Knight from this. But not as well drawn and choreographed. But I guess some B-grade Warren Ellis Moon Knight is still better than Batman.

This was a pretty good issue. I won't lie, I've lost a bit of the plot here in regards to the investigation, but I generally have picked it back up with a quick glance at some of the previous issues. Blame the pandemic. Blame Trump. Blame... Bill Gates? The standout moment here is Alfred. Warren Ellis writes a very sassy, fun Alfred and there is a moment in this issue that genuinely cracked me up. I'm sure it's obvious to anyone who has read it. The action scenes could still benefit from a better artist, though. Bryan Hitch just doesn't have that grit and brutality necessary to make these fight scenes pop, the way they so often need to in Warren Ellis comics. I always bring up his Moon Knight run because, if you couldn't tell, I am a big Moon Knight fanboy. But that's getting stale, so let's talk about Karnak. Karnak had an amazing artist. In fact, it was so great (and delayed) that it had *two* amazing artists. Gerardo Zaffino did the first two issues, and he nailed the fight scenes. He had very stylized art, and he really let loose with motion blurring effects. It made Karnak's fighting style unique and highlighted how exacting he could be. Then the rest of the series was drawn by Roland Boschi. Boschi had a much less fluid style, but when it came time for Karnak to fight, the action was similar to Zaffino's work, but still a bit more realistic, for lack of a better word. I bring this all up to say that Bryan Hitch doesn't really try to change his style or go crazy with the art in order to give these action scenes their proper oomph. Everyone always looks like mannequins posing rather than characters in action, and that is death for a comic that relishes in that action.
7.5
 Batman: Beyond the White Knight #3 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Batman: Beyond the White Knight #4 Sep 27, 2022

Dude, the Harley and Batman stuff is so ludicrously fanficky that it makes me laugh.
7.5
 Batman: Beyond the White Knight #7 Jan 12, 2023

Anthologies aren't really my thing. The Demon's Fist by James Tynion IV and Tradd Moore: This was a cute story. It was simple and fun. Clearly just a vehicle for Tradd Moore to do his thing. I like Tradd Moore's art more in color, but there were still some really cool images. Weight by J.H. Williams III: This is just a mask PSA, and while that may be a bit preachy, fuck it. It can't hurt. Maybe a few idiots will be convinced to care about their own health and the health of those around them if Batman says it's a good idea. It may help that the art in this story is incredible. Maybe the best of the issue. First Flight by Paul Dini and Andy Kubert: This was fine. The writing and art were... Fine. This seems like the most standard story so far. I don't think Andy Kubert's art works particularly well in black and white, which is a shame. Sisyphus by Emma Rios: This is probably my favorite story. I like the way it's written and the art is spectacular. In fact, I think it takes the most advantage of the format than any other story here. Metamorphosis by G. Willow Wilson and Greg Smallwood: The writing here wasn't the best. It was fine. But Greg Smallwood, as always, kills it on the art. I wish he was given more dynamic things to draw, but even still, I really enjoyed his art. Overall, this was a shockingly enjoyable anthology. Some of the art here is crazy good. If they took out the Paul Dini story, and maybe spiced up the James Tynion IV and G. Willow Wilson stories, this would be a great anthology. The two standouts ended up being the stories written and drawn by one person.

7.5
 Batman: City of Madness (2023) #1 Mar 14, 2024

I wasn't a huge fan of the original series. Seems this one will be about as good though. It's pretty good. I'm not loving it but it's not a chore to read either.

I think the ending would've worked better if it didn't need the most contrived circumstances possible to happen. Otherwise, I liked this.

I liked this one, although I thought it was a bit slow. I don't really care for the Knightfall stuff. Bane can't catch a break lately, it seems. The Azrael Batsuit looks slightly less dumb than it did in the 90s, so that's something. I'm on the edge of not caring, but there's enough here that I remain slightly invested.

This was a pretty good ending. Not really looking forward to a sequel or an entire line devoted to this universe. That wouldn't be worth reading.

This is pretty good. It's serviceable. I honestly think Bane is a joke of a character, and this issue kind of reinforces that. Which is fine by me.

This is a fairly standard but fun story. I hope next issue delivers on the promise of the cliffhanger. The art will look great, I'm certain. I can't stress enough how simple this story is, and I'm surprised that anyone has become confused by the premise here.

Honestly, much better than I expected from a Peacekeeper-01 one-shot. He's actually got a character that, while full of cliches, still manages to endear him to the reader. I really doubt we'll see him post-Fear State, though.
7.5
 Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #2 Mar 14, 2024

The first story was the highlight here. It has some frustrating lettering, but aside from that, I found the writing and art really enjoyable. The Stormwatch story ends with a very lengthy, talky chapter. I was never very interested in this story, and this ending just sort of fizzles out. More Amanda Waller build up I couldn't care less about. The Harcourt story is really shoddy. I don't recommend reading it.

This is pretty good. I'm not in love with it, or anything. I mean, it's yet another Batman comic so... As long as DC decides to publish so much Batman, the individual impact of each miniseries tends to wither a bit, at least in the moment. Maybe this will be a classic collected edition that is looked back on fondly. But... I doubt it will. Also, Merlyn still doesn't have reading comprehension. Yawn.

This was pretty good, but I'm having trouble staying invested. In response to Asger's review, I don't see how this story "dismantles the idiotic claims that Bruce Wayne should just throw money at Gotham, and fix it that way as if that would work." The only hint at that we really get is Leslie Thompson saying he should do that, and him saying no, and providing a very unconvincing reason for it. And then the rest of the issue, Batman is trying to hunt down an imposter that is murdering people, presumably at the behest of rich types participating in white collar crimes, which are not being addressed by Batman whatsoever.

This was pretty good, although I have some issues with the execution of this story. I hope the movie is a bit more tightly written. Shout out to Merlyn obsessing over men's lips and asking himself if they're soft and feminine and kissable or not.

It's been a looong time since I've read Long Halloween, so I may not have picked up on everything here, but what we got was pretty good, I guess. Nothing mindblowing. Tim Sale's art is definitely not on the level it once was, but they still manage to make some cool images across the one-shot.

I was surprised this was as good as it was. However, I don't have the will to go through each story. My favorite story was the Russian one. My least favorite story was probably the Chinese one. The idea of private enterprises taking over a street of small shops in China being somehow against the norm, as though that's not currently happening through their state capitalist measures is funny, I guess. The Japanese story had a very cool Batman design. The United States story was weirdly written, but the art was great. As an American, I'm offended Azzarelo is representing my country. I won't explain why.

Better than issue one, by far. Still weary of where this is going because trusting Bendis would be a mistake.

I liked this issue more than the last. But god, some of the dialogue feels like parody at this point.

I really liked the Red Hood and Grifter stories, as per usual. The Batgirls story... I can't remember a few hours after reading it. It felt extremely short, and I did not like the dialogue at all. Marguerite Bennett is one of those creators that just does not work for me. The Tim Drake story was okay, I actually kind of liked it. But it's not on the level of the obvious main attractions here.
7.5
 Batman: Urban Legends (2021) #19 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Batman: White Knight Presents: Generation Joker #2 Mar 14, 2024
7.5
 Batman: White Knight Presents: Generation Joker #3 Mar 14, 2024
7.5
 Batman: White Knight Presents: Generation Joker #5 Mar 14, 2024

Not a big fan of the White Knight universe, and I didn't love this miniseries. But it was okay.

Weird that this mini exists but I think it might be better than the series it is spawned from.
7.5
 Batwoman (2017) #11 Oct 10, 2018
7.5
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #16 Oct 10, 2018
7.5
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #24 Oct 10, 2018
7.5
 Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain (2023) #4 Mar 14, 2024
7.5
 Beware the Planet of the Apes (2024) #1 Mar 14, 2024

I'm not sure where this is going at all, it just seems like a mix of a bunch of ideas. But we'll see.

This is a fun issue two. I'm not sure about the overall story, but this is entertaining.

This series is typically pretty good, and this issue is no different, but I can't help but ask myself why I'm still reading this title. I might drop it soon, but that's really not the book's fault. At least, not entirely.

I like this comic, but it's always on the edge of me not reading it. Next issue is the conclusion, so I'll make sure to get that one. But I don't know if I'll come back for another arc or a sequel series, if any of those are planned.

A pretty good ending to the first arc. This is where I step off the train though. It's just not good enough to justify my continued buying and reading of it, sorry.

Bishop is one of those X-Men characters I've never really understood. Pretty much any time traveling X=Man is lost on me. This issue didn't do much to help me understand better, but it was pretty good.

I don't know what this comic is really trying to be. It seems like they had two very different pitches, and then jammed them together, which means that regardless of the quality of either, neither is given the time to breathe properly. It's not a bad series, but it's congested. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

The plot is a bit meandering, but the story Adam tells was somewhat interesting.

This was fun.

This was a fun book and not much else.

I'm sad that this book is going on hiatus (which probably means canceled for now, but with an eventual relaunch), but I guess COVID really did a number on Marvel's catalog. The overarching story isn't wrapped up here, it ends on a character introduction, and there's a tease in the back for King in Black, so I'm hopeful that the series will return soon enough. I don't think this was the best issue to end on. It wraps up this mini arc with Iron Man, but it's mostly just fighting, rather than showcasing what's best about this series. But I had fun, at least.

This issue was a bit too expository for my tastes, but that ending was pretty cool. I don't have much to say about this one as it was so exposition-heavy. That's two in a row, so I hope next issue gets back to more of the charm that this series, and its predecessor, really did well.

This issue was kind of messy, but overall still worked for me. One of the users in these reviews, Merlyn, was made super offended by this issue. He gestured at a quote from the comic "Oh so very male." This was Dane describing how Merlyn (the character and not the user) whitewashed the history of Camelot to fit the myth and the idea of Camelot that we know today, making it puritanical, chaste, restrictive and "oh so very male". I don't understand why this triggered Merlyn so much. I guess the implication he sees there is that male is bad. But that's not what the implication is. The implication is that women were written out of the myth, which would of course be a bad thing, if Camelot were a real historical place. I think that's very obvious, but Merlyn's a bit of a baby victim with huge insecurities. He also got real mad that they showed a Nazi version of Black Knight. I don't know if I have to clue him in here, but the Black Knight character has always been about a guy with sword that feeds on his hatred and anger for power. He's been shown as villainous multiple times in the comics, overtaken by the sword. This is a theme in THIS VERY RUN. Of course there's a Nazi Black Knight. It's on one page, get over it. It's not disrespecting the character. You're just hyper sensitive because you probably have some bigoted tendencies in you and are made uncomfortable by the idea that someone could be corrupted by bigotry and hatred so much that they become Nazis, so chill out.
7.5
 Black Panther (2016) #167 Oct 10, 2018
7.5
 Black Panther (2016) #170 Oct 10, 2018
7.5
 Black Panther (2016) Annual #1 Oct 10, 2018

This issue sets everything up for the rest of this arc. It's a plot heavy issue for this series and promises big things, like T'Challa and Manifold remembering who they are. For a set up issue, it works, but what comes next will almost assuredly be more entertaining to read.

Pretty good issue. I'm just getting a little burnt out on the storyline. But hopefully, since this is the third act, it'll become more climatic, and therefore interesting, in the coming issues.

This was pretty good as an action comic. Don't worry about why all these heroes are here, specifically. I mean, it fits the theme, sure. But for instance, why is Miles Morales in Wakanda? I don't think there is a reason for it that you could find. But it fits the theme, and that's what matters most to Ta Nehisi Coates as a writer. Themes are important, but they'd hit a lot harder if the story mechanics behind them worked without flaw. The backup is kinda dumb.

This was a pretty good issue. The pacing could have been a bit better, but I enjoyed myself. The backups were not quite so successful. The first being a play on Androcles and the Lion, obviously. It was neat, but I'm not sure it was a necessary addition. The second backup... I couldn't tell you what I really think of that, it was forgettable.
7.5
 Black Panther (2021) #6 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Black Panther (2023) #2 Mar 14, 2024
7.5
 Black Panther (2023) #5 Mar 15, 2024

This was pretty good. I wasn't amazed by it or anything. But it has potential to be something really fun.

This was pretty good. This series feels a bit like a throwback to a more traditional, classic comic book style. And I can see why some people aren't into it, but I don't know, I get this sense of nostalgia from these sorts of books, even though they aren't rehashing things, but rather making something new.

This is fun to me. That's all!

This is fun, but maybe a bit long too. Too much reliance on humor, and too little plot to speak of. But still real fun.
7.5
 Black Panther: Long Live The King #5 Oct 10, 2018

If you're getting hung up on a character's lack of disguise, you should really drop this book. Clearly, you've got better things to do.
7.5
 Black Widow & Hawkeye (2024) #3 Jun 4, 2024

Liked this more than the first issue. A large part of that is that this comic, despite its dramatic nature, actually represents a vile part of the internet well. There's proof that this type of thing, or a similar variant, exists in some form or another. And after reading things like Ben Percy's Nightwing, where instead of making some sort of cogent point, it just went off the rails into complete nonsense that was cut short due to editorial mandate, I find it a little refreshing that at least they're not doing techno-gentrification and basic bitch technophobia.

This is mostly just an action issue, and it's pretty good. I don't think it was great or anything, and it was mostly predictable.

A satisfactory conclusion. It may miss a few beats, but I think it does a good job with the characters.

Kind of a slow issue, but still pretty good. I read this pretty much right after seeing the movie. I don't have much to say about this issue in particular, so I'll just review the movie here, fuck it. SPOILERS, of course.





Black Widow is a movie that I had little to no expectations for. It's been delayed so much, and it's a flashback movie more or less. So what could happen that's all that astounding? But I really fucking enjoyed it. I came away from it liking MCU Black Widow more than I did previously. I thought Marvel did a great job with her family too. I know we'll see more Yelena but I definitely want to see more Red Guardian as well. Both of them were great. Yelena, especially. She's my favorite character in the entire film, which is great news for Marvel, since she will be de-facto replacing Natasha as the Black Widow character. I'm super hyped to see her return in Hawkeye. The action was good. The story was far more intimate than I thought it would be, while still being a good action flick. The only *real* complaint I had with this one is the way they handled Taskmaster. I don't give a shit that they turned her into a woman. I just wish she had more to do, and had a real character more like the comics version. Maybe she'll be back in the future, but I don't really care either way. And I really hope the post credits scene means we are getting the MCU version of Dark Avengers. God, I want that.

This was pretty good. The Twins, as a concept, are pretty cool. There's not much to this issue, however.

This is a very quick action issue, and for what that is, it's pretty good.
7.5
 Blade (2023) #2 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Blade (2023) #3 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Blade (2023) #4 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Blade (2023) #5 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Blade (2023) #9 Mar 21, 2024

This is what I expect from an anthology. Hawkeye's story was a bit off tone-wise. The JJJ story was a lot of fun. And Dagger's story has potential.

This is fun, and that's about it.

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This still gives me lots of Buffy vibes, and that's what's keeping me engaged with this book. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This had some fun moments but overall, I'm having trouble being invested in this story.
7.5
 Blue Beetle (2023) #1 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Blue Beetle (2023) #2 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Blue Beetle (2023) #3 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Blue Beetle (2023) #5 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Blue Beetle (2023) #6 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Blue Beetle (2023) #8 May 17, 2024
7.5
 Blue Beetle: Graduation Day (2022) #2 Jan 30, 2023
7.5
 Blue Beetle: Graduation Day (2022) #3 Jan 30, 2023

This miniseries is losing some steam and I just hope that the ending is okay.
7.5
 Books of Magic (1990) #3 Sep 24, 2020

This was a pretty good issue. I'm just not sure all the separate plots here really gel well together.

I feel like this issue is good overall, but it's constantly playing tug of war with my feelings towards it. Like, for instance, Willow and Xander are gone. On the one hand, I really like Willow and Xander, so I wish they were still in the book. But on the other hand, I mean, this just further differentiates this comic from the show, which is something that I ultimately want. And there's this whole multiverse element that I'm weary about. Not enough has happened to make me definitely decide I don't like it, but the idea itself is something I'm put off by. This series seems like it has no real direction right now, but it clearly does at the same time? It's just a weird book.

I mean... I just want a cohesive storyline here. This issue is fine and good, I enjoyed it for what it was. But I couldn't tell you what the direction for this series is.

This is pretty good but there's just so much going on.

This was pretty good. Each story is about on the same level. Masterful work for an anthology.

Anthologies are hard and often even good writers fail to do something meaningful with their pages. This was not bad, though. The first story by Nilah Magruder, who I only know from that most recent Marvel Rising miniseries (which was not good), gives us a glimpse of that other Buffy from the Hellmouth event. While I'm not sure it's important and, as I said in previous reviews, the idea of a multiverse isn't a concept I think works well with Buffy, the story was okay. I didn't love it but it wasn't offensive. The art could've been a lot better. The second story from Morgan Beem and Lauren Garcia was probably my favorite. It was very different, but it worked. And the art was fantastic. The third story from Caitlin Yarsky was a little rough in the beginning, but the idea of an asylum run by vampiric nuns at the behest of Angelus is just too cool. I really liked that concept a lot. And the art was great.

Huh. This is a weird event and I don't know what it's going to lead to. It's just very weird. Angel for best trans character 2020, I guess.

This was a very quick finale, but it served as a good wrap up to the first year of stories, at least for Buffy. Angel sort of gets the shaft in this regard, and it makes me slightly annoyed that Angel even has a title yet. He should be part of Buffy's cast, but instead he's got a whole team in Los Angeles that don't appear here and he gets about three lines total in this issue. It makes me question the point of even doing a crossover. Why not just make this a Buffy event and leave Angel out of it? Will there be consistent crossovers after this? Or was this more of a stunt to tease Angel and Buffy's first meeting? I've got issues with the editorial decisions here. But the book itself, without meta reading, is pretty good. I hope year two of the reboot is great. I really *do not* want alternate universes to be a thing, like that "post credits scene" suggests. That is a bad idea. Just continue fleshing out this world first, please.

This was pretty good. I felt like some of Willow's inner monologue was a little much. Like, "Oh my goddess." Don't think that was ever a thing for TV Willow, and it doesn't really add to her witchiness. The set up is intriguing enough, though, and the art is mostly solid, if a bit too cartoonish for my tastes.

Don't understand the hate for this one. It's not amazing or anything, it's not classic Buffy (is that even possible in comic book form), but it's pretty good. I had a good time. I prefer it over the ongoing at this point.

Not sure why this one is getting a lot of criticism, mostly because I refuse to read comic book reviews. But I liked it. It's a bit overstuffed, which leads to some poor pacing, but I like how the characters act and interact, and the art is nice.

This is a weird comic. I feel like I say that a lot when it comes to these Boom Buffyverse comics. They are truly trying to do something and the results are very mixed. This is a pretty good issue, though. I think the characterization is on point, more or less. There's just a disconnect somewhere in here, where I stop enjoying what I'm reading because the stakes are removed by the scenario in which these characters are being written, and those stakes are not being replaced. It's hard to explain, but if I wasn't the only person on Earth reading this, the other hypothetical readers would get it.

This is more fun than not, but I think it overstays its welcome a bit. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
7.5
 Buffy: The Last Vampire Slayer (2023) #1 Mar 15, 2024
7.5
 Cable (2017) #154 Oct 18, 2018

This was a fun issue, but I could feel my eyes starting to glaze over with all the Cable clones. But it is Cable, so...

Not much happens, but it's written well.

This was a pretty good issue, but I wish more happened here. It feels like this series is spinning its wheels so much, despite ending in two issues.
7.5
 Cable (2024) #2 Mar 17, 2024
7.5
 Captain America (2017) #701 Oct 18, 2018
7.5
 Captain America (2017) #702 Oct 18, 2018
7.5
 Captain America (2017) #703 Oct 18, 2018
7.5
 Captain America (2017) #704 Oct 18, 2018

I liked this issue. But it didn't have that oomph some of the previous issues had. This is the first one of the arc that felt like it didn't have something to say. It wasn't bad, but I don't know, I came to expect something more from this title.

Pretty good issue, but some things were unclear to me.

Pretty good table setting issue.

I liked getting Steve's POV again. This was a pretty good issue, but I'm waiting for the ideas to finally come together for more oomph.

I like the ideas here but man, this series needed better artists. The lackluster art just hurts everything this book is trying to do.

This is a sneak sequel to Falcon & Winter Soldier. I think the tone here is a bit better than that series. I liked it. It's a pretty good time.

This is a fun series with some good character moments.

I like the ideas present in this issue. Like that superheroes hold a ton of power and they can be more dangerous than helpful. If you're at all cognizant about power balances and hierarchy, the idea of super powered individuals is concerning, if it were somehow made real. This issue doesn't *really* explore that too much, but it's there and that's neat. Poor Fifty-One.

This is a pretty good finale to a miniseries that felt more unnecessary than fun. It seems like the writer had something to say about the bias in power structures on display in superhero comics, but at the end of the day, had to basically concede that it's just a necessary function of superhero comics. Which is okay, I guess. But if that's the grand answer - it is what it is, and we have to make the best of it - that's not very strong, no matter if it's coming from Captain America. But regardless of that, this miniseries often felt overwritten and all over the place. It's fun at times, but I can't help but feel like it's a placeholder for Captain America's editors to figure out what to do with the character.

The writing is super antiquated but the tribute artists are mostly good. There's not much to say about these tribute issues. It gives people a chance to read these very old stories, and that's nice.
7.5
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #4 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #9 Jan 30, 2023

This was better than the kick-off issue, but I"m still not completely sold on this event. I really hope part three not only justifies this event, but makes it more engaging as a whole. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
7.5
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #14 Mar 17, 2024
7.5
 Captain Carter (2022) #2 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Captain Carter (2022) #3 Sep 27, 2022

I really don't mind fun issues like this. There's not much to discuss about it! It was a fun time, nothing more.

I don't like the Life of Captain Marvel retcon, but I guess it's the canon so what can you do? Building off of that is maybe not what I would want, but it's kinda integral to Carol's arc in Empyre. Anyway, this is a bit jarring, I won't lie, and I feel like it hurts the issue a bit, but this was still pretty good. I liked the art.

This issue was pretty good! Most of it is just expounding on this future AU, and that was just teetering on the edge of interesting and not so interesting. I still liked all the character work here despite that.

This was pretty good, but there was a ton of exposition, and the comic was a bit wordy in general.

This was a fun issue, although the ending is really out of left field.
7.5
 Captain Marvel (2019) #40 Sep 27, 2022

This arc was a bit iffy, but still pretty good.
7.5
 Captain Marvel (2019) #43 Nov 7, 2022

Captain Marvel is consistently pretty good, and this issue continues the trend.
7.5
 Captain Marvel (2019) Annual #1 Sep 27, 2022

This was actually pretty good. I don't usually expect these one-shots to be good, since they're made to capitalize on the movie. But this one managed to tell a nice story that does a pretty good job of encapsulating the character.

7.5
 Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest (2023) #2 Mar 21, 2024
7.5
 Capwolf & the Howling Commandos (2023) #2 May 17, 2024
7.5
 Capwolf & the Howling Commandos (2023) #3 May 17, 2024

This mini was shlocky and fun. I didn't know what to expect from it, but what we got was a good enough read.
7.5
 Carnage (2022) #3 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Carnage (2022) #5 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Carnage (2023) #6 May 20, 2024
7.5
 Carnage (2023) #7 May 20, 2024

I liked this run and I'm sad to see it ending so soon, especially since its second half felt so rushed. But hopefully, the miniseries coming up manages to be a fun read as well.

This wasn't a bad collection of stories. Dan Slott's story was my favorite, but the other two were original, to varying degrees of effectiveness.

This was pretty good but I don't feel invested in anything this series has done yet, so an issue completely unrelated to the rest of the series so far is definitely not a good way to bring people in.

I'm just reading this because of the apparent push for an X-Menifying of the Bat titles at DC. I just assume that this will be important in the long run. I hope so, anyway. This issue was pretty good. I definitely liked it over the last few I read. I have some problems with the logistics of some of what happens in this issue but I'll let it go.

I liked this issue, but seriously the preacher assassin is dumb and I wish Ram V would get rid of him.

Not a bad issue, but slow to get going for me.

This was a pretty good issue, but I felt it was a bit disjointed. The whole concept of this issue, asking "Who is Catwoman?", just seems... pointless. What did Judas Priest learn that he didn't already know about Selina Kyle? Maybe it'll work better in the greater context of the arc, but as a standalone issue, it is just kind of confusing.

Okay, this has nothing to do with anything, but this issue reminds me so much of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Catwoman is Buffy, of course. Detective Hadley is Xander. Batman is Angel. And Father Valley... is evil Angel, but like... okay, it doesn't hold up fully and maybe it's just the element of one guy who clearly loves a girl going to a stronger guy that the girl actually loves, and the big sword fight, but... I'll just put it out there, Ram V watches Buffy. I'm convinced. As for the issue itself, it was pretty good. I'm ready to move on from Father Valley, he kind of sucks.
7.5
 Catwoman (2018) #44 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Catwoman (2018) #46 Sep 27, 2022
7.5
 Catwoman (2018) #56 Feb 29, 2024
7.5
 Catwoman (2018) #60 Jun 15, 2024
7.5
 Catwoman (2018) #62 Jun 15, 2024
7.5
 Catwoman (2018) #63 Jun 15, 2024

This is pretty good. With all the Magistrate shit going on in the mainline continuity, this miniseries doesn't stand out nearly as much as it should, but it's competent. The art is good and the writing is on point. I just have some trouble connecting with it.

This was cute.
7.5
 Champions (2016) #21 Oct 18, 2018

This was pretty good. I felt a very... 60s vibe in the beginning with the narration explaining everyone's power as they trained and talked to each other. It felt like an early Uncanny X-Men issue. I don't know if I liked that or not. Part of me was into it but another part of me thought it was very dated. I do like where the narration went with Spider-Man, though. That part worked. I also like all the continuity callbacks here to X-Men Disassembled. The stuff with Kaldera felt very out of left field, but I guess it's cool to see that plotline from the Nova tie-in for the Infinity event come back into play... I don't know, this issue felt very jumbled but I was into each part of it well enough not to mind.

This felt a bit rushed, but he had to wrap up over a year's worth of story, with many more years initially planned. So, I think he did an okay job.

I've been lukewarm on this series so far, but aside from the scenes inside the C.R.A.D.L.E. detention center, I enjoyed this issue. The Viv scenes were the best, but I also really like the Champions proper, so I enjoyed seeing them on the run. And that ending was actually really cool, in my opinion.

Some of the narration got confusing because it switched perspectives without any indication. But overall, it was pretty good.

Pretty good, but not my favorite. I'm surprised this is seemingly ending with issue six. Also, Joresti, it's really funny that you use the comicsgate "Get woke, go broke" phrasing when you positively reviewed Static with a 9/10, a book full of wokeness and literally written by the same person.

This is fun.
7.5
 Clobberin' Time (2023) #4 May 7, 2024

Not the best story, but still pretty good.

Pretty good, fun read.

This is pretty good. I'm so ready to move on from this Nightstar saga. So, so ready. I lost interest a while ago.

Pretty good, but nothing special. Read it if you like good art. If you don't, you're not missing anything but a Conan story told time and time again.

This was fun. I like that someone remembers Ben Reilly is still around. Seems like this was written after a few too many Twitter arguments though.

This was not as good as issue one, but still pretty good. It felt more like a middle issue where not much can happen yet. Which is weird as this is a four issue miniseries, I believe. Zub writes Moon Knight pretty good. I'm not in love with it, but there are some solid Moon Knight moments in here.

This issue somehow feels like filler, even though it's clearly not. I enjoy it but I'm not feeling the weight of what's happening.

I liked this, but I'm a Moon Knight fan, so I'm blind.

Pretty good.

The art here was distractingly bad whenever a female character was on the page. The artist does not know how to draw women, so it just looks like a bunch of drag cosplay. At least Moon Knight seems to be the key to everything. I support that.

Maybe this was slightly rushed. But you know, I just enjoyed Moon Knight, you know? He's too good for us.

This comic is a breeze to read, and it's not unentertaining, but it feels like the pacing is already way too slow for a five(?) issue mini. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

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7.5
 Cosmic Ghost Rider (2023) #4 May 7, 2024
7.5
 Cosmic Ghost Rider (2023) #5 Jun 15, 2024

This was better than issue one, for sure. I actually like the characterizations for Owlman and Superwoman, so that's probably why I'm more positive on this one. However, Owlman's origin is super ridiculous and I legitimately laughed at it. I don't know if that's a new origin or if that's always been his origin, but man... It's powerfully ridiculous.

Not a bad first issue but the narration might get annoying.

This was cute, but this really doesn't feel like an 8 issue miniseries. The pacing is all over the place.

Fun issue.
7.5
 Cult of Carnage: Misery (2023) #2 Jun 15, 2024
7.5
 Cult of Carnage: Misery (2023) #5 Jun 15, 2024
7.5
 Cyborg (2023) #3 Jun 15, 2024
7.5
 Cyborg (2023) #4 Jun 15, 2024
7.5
 Cyborg (2023) #6 Jun 15, 2024

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7.5
 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022) #2 Oct 2, 2022
7.5
 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022) #4 Oct 2, 2022
7.5
 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022) #6 Nov 17, 2022

Pretty good, but I can't help but feel this was thrown together quickly.
7.5
 Dark Crisis: Worlds Without A Justice League (2022): Green Arrow #1 Nov 17, 2022

God, the seething and cope coming off of these reviews is almost too much to handle. This isn't the best comic ever written, but it does get at the heart of why blind nostalgia and yearning for "simpler times" is not only damaging, but it's also completely inaccurate to what the past was really like. This comic calls out the crowd that pitifully wanks itself to the idea of a comic that never existed. These same people will go on to support and send so much money to poorly produced projects that they may never even see, being sold on a false nostalgia. It's sad, and I think this comic does a good job exploring those themes.

So many assmad people.
7.5
 Dark Crisis: Young Justice #6 Nov 17, 2022

I actually liked the green man twist lol. This was a pretty good issue, but I can definitely feel the momentum stall here.

This is pretty good. The character work is fun, and the twist is... neat?
7.5
 Dark Knights of Steel (2021) #8 Nov 17, 2022

This is a fun little story. Really don't think it was necessary though.
7.5
 Dark X-Men (2023) #1 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Dark X-Men (2023) #2 May 8, 2024

This miniseries was fun but ultimately didn't justify itself. It could've been a Hellions but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

I was surprised that I liked this as much as I did. It's hard to get a new character off the ground, but I think this succeeded.

This issue is so much different than the first. In tone, writing and style. It tells its own story, as well, with the only things left over from the first issue being written out early on. Jed MacKay is a weird writer. He has no form or reliability besides the fact that you know you'll get something different every time. I don't know if that's intentional or not... As for the issue itself, it was pretty good. My favorite part being Taskmaster.
7.5
 DC Beach Blanket Bad Guys Summer Special #1 Oct 20, 2018
7.5
 DC vs. Vampires (2021) #7 Oct 2, 2022
7.5
 DC vs. Vampires (2021) #9 Oct 2, 2022
7.5
 DC vs. Vampires (2021): Hunters #1 Oct 2, 2022
7.5
 DC vs. Vampires (2021): Killers #1 Oct 2, 2022

Grief's Quiet Name: This wasn't bad. It wasn't spectacular or anything. It was decent, even. Urban Legends: The writing here was fine, but the art was actually very good and that definitely bumped the score for this one. The Shadow Over Coast City: This was fine. I don't really like Riley Rossmo's art a lot of the time, but it was fine here. Inner Demons: Again, this story was fine. This anthology is shaping up to be pretty mediocre, all things considered. 7 Days: I actually liked this one a lot. Not sure why. From Humble Roots: I liked this one as well. Maybe this anthology isn't a wash after all. The Hunt: This was okay. I have a little bit of a soft spot for Cassandra Cain, but there wasn't much here. Follow the Water: This was fine. Nothing more, nothing less. Beast Boys to Men: I thought this was pretty good. It was very light reading. Baytor VS Darkseid: This was a lot of fun. A highlight of the anthology, probably.

I overall liked this more than I thought I would. Not sure I like how Constantine is portrayed here, unfortunately.

There's a lot going on here and I struggle with that a little bit. This is a pretty good issue, but I'm getting increasingly burnt out by this series.

I guess this is where the plot of this Digital First miniseries kicks in? I honestly didn't realize this wasn't just going to be an anthology, which made the idea of a Tom Taylor's Original Characters centric chapter a bit of an eye roller. But it was interspersed with some pretty effective emotion scenes cut straight from the original DCeased miniseries, which we know has nothing to do with where this miniseries is leading, so I guess it was there to prevent my eyes from rolling too much. It was a pretty good chapter. I can't say I'm too interested in the plot, but these chapters go by so fast that I'm not really sweating it. I will say, though, that the art here did not work. I think each chapter has a different artist, so that's not too big of a deal.

Tom Taylor writes the characters well here. But a general lack of a plot and some truly ugly art really hurt this book. But bless him, Tom Taylor is doing his best.
7.5
 DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #3 Nov 18, 2022
7.5
 DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #6 Feb 28, 2023

I'm about ready for this to be wrapped up.
7.5
 Deadpool (2018) #3 Oct 20, 2018

I mostly liked this. It really was the art that did it for me. And the promise that there will be an ongoing plotline. This is less of a complaint for this issue and more of a question for Marvel: When are you going to explain how Mephisto got out of his prison in Vegas?

This was pretty good. I think the humor worked more than it didn't. The art, as always, is really good.

I didn't mind this issue. It was mostly just a fight, but the art is pretty great so that's just fine. I don't really like the Weasel thing, but if we can just swerve into that Duggan run sadness, that'd be great. I don't expect much to happen for a while though, since War of the Realms is next.

Not a ton happened here, but I like how Kelly Thompson writes characters, so that wasn't too much of an issue.
7.5
 Deadpool (2022) #7 May 7, 2024
7.5
 Deadpool: Assassin #3 Oct 20, 2018

Honestly, I thought this was pretty good. I thought these were funny and dumb, with the Tom Taylor story taking itself the most seriously. Deadpool is a very hard character to write, but I think everyone here does a fine enough job.

This is not a bad set of stories to round out this miniseries. The Chris Yost story is my favorite. I thought it was funny. The Deadpool: Samurai story wasn't really worth reading, and the Mike Allred story just looked fantastic.
7.5
 Death of the Venomverse (2023) #4 May 18, 2024

I'm still enjoying this Young Avengers reunion with Hulkling, Wiccan and Kate Bishop. Oh, and Death's Head is there too.
7.5
 Deathbed #6 Oct 20, 2018
7.5
 Deathstroke (2016) #27 Oct 20, 2018
7.5
 Deathstroke (2016) #32 Oct 20, 2018

I really enjoyed most of this issue. The parts I didn't care about were the parts with Jericho, Wintergreen and Rose. I didn't find it compelling at all. But the short bit with Devpool and everything with Slade landed for me. It's got a nice amount of crazy, but not too much to the point where there's no way to tell what's happening. That's usually a pet peeve of mine. Making sure there's some sort of method to the madness because without that, there's no way for a reader to get their footing. Anyway, subplots tend to be the least interesting part of this series, so I hope we get more focus on Slade himself.

Well, I liked having Deathstroke comment on how shit the Teen Titans are...

Pretty good issue. I don't have much to say about it but I really hope Rose accomplishes her goal.

This was pretty good. Yup.

This was a pretty fun issue.

Despite being an issue that's heavy on exposition for a character from another series, in a rushed set up to a crossover event, I think this has been one of the best issues of the series so far? This series still needs to justify why it exists and, while it seems like that's not going to happen, as long as we get breezy issues like this I won't have many issues with reading it.

Similar to the rest of Shadow War, this is a mostly solid issue. The problem with this issue in particular is the art. It is just ugly to me, and I feel like it's a major tonal shift from the more consistent styles featured in the Alpha issue and Batman and Robin. I don't like how it looks. Deathstroke Inc. continues to be the ugly duckling of the bunch, even when it's literally telling the same story.
7.5
 Deathstroke Inc. (2021) #9 Oct 2, 2022
7.5
 Deathstroke Inc. (2021) #10 Oct 2, 2022
7.5
 Defenders (2017) #8 Oct 20, 2018
7.5
 Detective Comics #27 Nov 6, 2022

I thought this was pretty good. I really don't think the villains would've ever done what they did here, though.

Not as cool as last issue, but still pretty good.

I liked this more than any other Bat-Books. Am I taking crazy pills? Probably. But I'm right, so what's the bother? I typically like Tomasi's take on Batman and I typically like odd stories like this one.

This was pretty good. It's passable. That's probably enough, right?

Just more Two Face stuff, but with better art and Joker, which is someone that Peter J. Tomasi writes well. The inclusion of the Talon is an eye roll, and I already can't place the where this issue fits in the timeline since Batman knows Joker is planning a war. Not a bad issue though.

This was a pretty good, simple one-shot.

This was slow, but overall pretty good.

Maybe I was too harsh on last issue, or maybe I'm just in a better mood today, but I thought this was a pretty good issue. I liked how it played out for the most part. Odd.

I enjoyed this, though it was mostly set up.

This is pretty good, but... honestly, Fear State is dragging every bat book down with it, it feels like.

This was a slower issue, and not really necessary, but for what it was, it was well written, and I liked the art.

Imagine reading a comic full of a whole cast of characters, one of which is a woman who has been frequently abused by the story beats (Huntress) and getting ass-mad that one character doesn't have enough to do because *obviously* the writer hates men. Merlyn is having a real one. This issue is better than last but we really need to pick up the pace here. I'm so sick of Dr. Wear's scheming and this fucking Arkham Tower. Dr. Wear could be a very fun, slimy villain but he's just boring. I just want this title to move on, fuck the resolution. The backup is the main reason to read this book. It's really well done. Rosenberg knows how to write, and apparently, knows how to pace a lot better than the main team does.

Pretty good, but I'm starting to lose interest in this story.

This isn't bad, but I really don't find the new villains interesting at all.

I want to like this more, but Ram V seems intent on keeping the pace glacial. The ideas are interesting enough that I'm not hating on the issue, I just really want more to happen. I want to feel like each issue is unskippable. I don't feel that way about a lot of these issues. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This was a fun annual. This is the Batman that I know, and I haven't seen this Batman since... before Rebirth.

There's a little bit of a nonsensical nature to this, but it is just Ock being Ock. That is fun, I don't care what you say.

This was pretty good, I think. I've never read Dial H before and really didn't know what to expect, especially after Sam Humphries' recent work. But I liked it.

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I like the rapport that Doom and Kang have here. This was enjoyable.
7.5
 Doctor Strange (2015) #381 Oct 20, 2018
7.5
 Doctor Strange (2018) #6 Oct 20, 2018

Pretty good issue. One thing that bothered me was the fact that the villain couldn't be revealed because of some dramatically convenient spell Mordo used. It felt particularly throw away.

This was pretty good. The main story was easily the best and legitimately great. The rest were alright, but clearly meant to pad out the special 400th issue.

This was pretty good. Glad Kanna got over being mind wiped and manipulated.
7.5
 Doctor Strange (2023) #5 May 8, 2024

I've never been a fan of these D&D stories, which writers seem to love to do. I've read so many of them. The invocation of swords and sorcery just irks me, I guess. I didn't hate it though. I just wish we had all these fun characters that MacKay writes very well in a setting that I find more compelling.

The story and plot got a bit jumbled here, but the art was impressive.
7.5
 Domino (2018) #1 Oct 20, 2018
7.5
 Domino (2018) #3 Oct 20, 2018

Everytime Domino got shocked by Morbius' evilness, the score lowered.
7.5
 Domino (2018) Annual #1 Oct 20, 2018
7.5
 Doomsday Clock #5 Oct 20, 2018

Not as strong as issue one, but I'm still interested to see where it goes.

This was pretty good. But I wish it was better.
7.5
 Duo (2022) #1 Oct 2, 2022

I only read this because of the title, and fortunately, the comic itself is pretty good. I'll keep up reading it. I hope the rest of the miniseries is a tad less predictable though.

The first story by Peter David and Greg Land was fine. The whole point of this series, really, is the art. Greg Land doesn't make good art. The second story by Al Ewing and Rod Reis was actually very neat, although I have some problems with how it was lettered. White on white literally doesn't read. The final story by Greg Smallwood is the best part of the issue. I read it digitally so none of the art changes were present, thankfully. Greg Smallwood's art is top notch and it's really fun to see him draw a yokai.

Yeah, this is just a Fantastic Four issue with hints of Empyre in it. And luckily for me, I like the Fantastic Four, so I had a fun time. Unlike the Avengers issue, however, this doesn't seem nearly as relevant. Also, I don't mean to be that guy, but The Profiteer doesn't fit with how the Elders of the Universe are said to work. They're all supposed to be the last member of their race. Meaning, none of them should have siblings. But here's the thing, I trust Al Ewing wholeheartedly, so I'm not dissuaded by this issue. I know that Dan Slott can be hit or miss and I expect his solely written tie-in issues to be about the quality that his comics usually are. Al Ewing, however, can spin pretty much anything into gold and I have no fears about the co-written main series. I think a lot of the reviews for these prelude issues are slightly misplaced. With Avengers, we got a ton of expositional information, something necessary for an event like this, in my opinion, and that issue got shit for that. This issue, we get a fun adventure that is just *literally* what happens to the FF before the main event. A prelude in the most literal way possible. Yes, it ties into the conflict of the event, but it doesn't serve a real purpose. And this issue is getting shit for that. So hopefully people will like the main event more, unless it doesn't constitute what an event should be... Whatever that is? This is a fun issue but not a necessary one. If you like Fantastic Four, you'll enjoy it.

This was a pretty good ending, but nothing truly unexpected.

This was just a history lesson, but it works pretty well.

This was fun. The dialogue could've been better but the pacing was quick enough to move us through the issue without many problems.

This is the best issue of the event. With any luck, we can end on a middling strong note.

Alright, this is starting to take shape. I will say, I'm not a fan of how Iron Man is written here. It's partly due to that Civil War burden of registration he's got going on, but otherwise, he seems a little off. Maybe that's why I stopped reading this, who knows. But I'll keep going this time because I want to see how this goes.

This is still good but I admit it felt a little dry at times.

This was pretty good, although I felt the dialogue and pacing were off at times. I'm still invested in the story though.

This was a pretty good issue, even if I feel like the pacing is a bit off here. The characters remain strong, and the ideas here are good.

This is fun and that's as much as I expect from this title.

The story was a bit slow, but enjoyable.

Pretty good issue. I liked the stuff with Betsy a lot more than the stuff with the rest of the Excalibur team.

This issue has a lot of moving parts which aren't all compelling as a whole. It's not my favorite issue of the run, but there are good moments. I was actually super surprised by the response to this issue here on CBRU. I expected a lot of maulding over the Brexit analogue, but maybe it was too subtle. Instead I'm seeing a lot of dislike for how Tini Howard writes Gambit, which I don't understand. What did he say that was so offensive, I'm genuinely asking? And also a whole bunch of people who see this as filler. I don't know what to do with this complaint. This is clearly moving along several plotlines from Excalibur. Is everything filler that isn't telling you, "Hey idiots, this is important!" This isn't like subtle moves in plot, either. This is obvious. It's genuinely baffling to me.

This is a rather abrupt ending, but it's continuing in a new title in a few months, so I'm not too concerned.
7.5
 Exiles (2018) #7 Oct 20, 2018

Pretty good. This series is very weird with its pacing. Caliph Doom was great though.

This issue felt like an extension of the recent Cable run from these very same writers and so I think people who read that will get more out of this. This doesn't spoil Extermination at all, it just deals with how Cable's death affected his family, which is something I think was necessary. The backup feels out of place, but I guess there was nowhere else to put a story about Cable's earliest memories. I liked both stories overall, this issue was pretty good.

Surprisingly okay for Steve Orlando. It was pretty good, as long as you turn your brain off. And it's not only symbiote shit, it's Carnage shit, so that's basically a pre-requisite.

I really like the dark humor of the Agony character and that's enough to get this over the hump of mediocrity for me.

This was a fun, funny book that's a bit rough around the edges.

This was really fun.
7.5
 Falcon (2017) #3 Nov 6, 2018
7.5
 Falcon (2017) #8 Nov 6, 2018

As a finale to this particular miniseries, it's not incredibly satisfying. Powers and X-Men 700 will most likely provide a more satisfying conclusion. The X-Men fight and blow up Orchis. It's the smashing-action-figures side of this storyline. Rise was handling the more cerebral, existential stuff, and I have high hopes for that series' end.

There's a lot of cool ideas here but the art isn't helping things and a lot of what's going on with Psylocke just feels like Katanna B-sides from Batman and the Outsiders. But I'm hopeful that things will turn around with issue 2.

This was pretty good. Reminds me a lot of... Here's the thing, it doesn't remind me of anything in particular. It just feels Indie, you know? It's all Indie here.

I didn't like this issue as much as the previous ones because there's not much exciting about the Fantastix. The stuff with the heroes returning home was more interesting, honestly. Getting the Future Foundation out of the way is a step towards a more classic Fantastic Four, which is definitely my favorite Fantastic Four. It seems things will finally settle down after this first arc and the wedding and we can get to more exciting FF stories. I'm excited for the wedding, of course, but I'm probably more excited for what comes next. Although, is it really this issue at fault? What comes next is Doom vs Galactus. You can't get much better than that...

This issue was pretty good. Some of the dialogue was rough, though.

A nice tie-in that actually spends most of its pages building on the character arcs that have been previously established. Definitely important to read if you're reading FF. But it's not essential to WotR at all.

Fun issue, but I don't know that people who aren't interested in the family dynamics of the FF would feel.

I didn't hate this one, but really, if I kept thinking about it, I'm sure I would end up with a less-than-positive impression about it, so I'll stop thinking about this one.

This wasn't a bad issue. I liked the main story, it was very fun, and the Mark Waid retelling of the origin was really good. It just suffers from maybe going on too long and the Romita Jr's art.

This is pretty good. It feels like a 90s Marvel event, in some ways, for better or worse. It's very stuffed, and you may or may not care about all the threads here. If you've been reading FF, there's a shit ton of pay off, which is nice. We'll see where it goes.

Honestly, despite only being moderately good, you can tell that Slott is really giving this one his all, and really spent time building up to this. I'm having fun reading Fantastic Four. It's not the best comic out there, but it is quality and enjoyable.
7.5
 Fantastic Four (2018) #43 Oct 2, 2022

This was not the place to introduce a new character, but Slott had to wrap his run up fast, I guess. It was a pretty good issue, all things considered. Slott's run had a lot of ups and downs, and I hope the next run manages to be unambiguously good.
7.5
 Fantastic Four (2018) #48 Nov 18, 2022

The Gail Simone story was fun, but was getting a little gross when Alicia started undressing a stripper because she's blind. It was weird. The Dan Slott story was actually great. It felt the most like a Fantastic Four story. The Fred Hembeck story was fine. It was definitely a way to fill out the last few pages. That's it. I mean, it does take a tour through continuity, which is fun but otherwise it doesn't do much.

Pretty good one-shot. Nothing special, though.

I mean, this is definitely kind of clunky, and seems to come out of nowhere (even though, we all know it didn't). But it wasn't bad. I just feel like... why now?

I managed to snag the slipcase edition to support everyone's favorite monopolistic distributor, Diamond! I think when it comes to this original graphic novel, the draw here is the art. There's no reason to be coy about it: It is fantastic. Alex Ross' typical style is great and all, but it can sometimes become rote as his cover work becomes more and more prolific. I never want to be the guy that looks at a piece by Alex Ross and doesn't react, but that has become a reality. Thankfully, Ross is entering an experimental phase. The art in this book maintains his realistic edge, while upping the coloring, the pulp and the pop. I fucking love it. It makes even the most standard pages look exciting, dramatic and dynamic. It just works. I'm glad he's continuing to use it in his cover work. The thing that kind of brings the score down here is the writing. Ross isn't a bad writer, and he mostly understands the voices for these characters. Sue is a character he needs to work on. This whole thing is a big homage to Lee and Kirby's run, but Sue shouldn't have been written the way she was. She needs more agency, and more independence. Here she's just fretting over the boys. And while that's classic, Lee/Kirby Sue, I do not care for it. But characters aside, the plot here is simple and loose. It felt more like a vehicle to deliver these awesome images, and it succeeds in that. It does manage to hit the classic feel it's going for, but I could've used a tighter script, with a little less exposition-as-dialogue. It's not bad, it's just not as good as I wanted it to be.

This was pretty good. Seems to be ignoring the original canon, opting for a mostly wholly original story, unlike the original Spider-Man: Life Story that adapted the biggest stories of each decade for the story. Which is... Not as cool to me, but let's give it a shot.

Only read the Buffy the Vampire Slayer story, it was pretty good. Not a lot to it, but I hope it leads to interesting things.

Better than the first issue if you ignore who the characters are supposed to be. I don't think this series is reducing all men to rapists, as others have said. It's clear what the message is and it's not a bad message, honestly. Some abuse their power and authority over others in horrendous ways and those victims can face backlash and worse for saying anything. It's the execution of that message that hurts this series. The setting and characters just don't fit. What made this issue better was that there was no ridiculous bake contest or any other tonal flubs, it was consistent in how shitty the entire situation is. I have no clue where this series is heading, but I'm kinda interested?

As much as I was praising Flash Year One, this issue kind of brings down the tone a bit. I'm not saying it's because of fish people, but it's almost certainly because of fish people. This is a breather issue and it's fine, but that's all it is. Fine. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
7.5
 Flash (2016) #42 Nov 6, 2018
7.5
 Flash (2016) #44 Nov 6, 2018
7.5
 Flash (2016) #48 Nov 6, 2018
7.5
 Flash (2016) #51 Nov 6, 2018

Huh. I liked this one?

This was not a bad issue, honestly. I've been critical of this run, but I actually did have a fun time with the vintage Legion of Doom segment, and I thought the bit with Wally and his daughter was nice. Of course, they had to bring up Heroes in Crisis, which isn't a great way to endear readers, I don't think. I still have my problems with the "main" artist. The one with semi-realistic art, where every character is outlined. I just don't like it. Oh and I guess I liked the beat with Linda, speaking of. Who knew I'd turn around on this one?

This is pretty good, and I'm honestly glad we're done with this arc. A lot of it relied on good characterization, and that mostly worked, but I want good characters and an engaging plot.

This is just another issue of Flash. I expected this to actually be integral to the War for Earth-3 stuff. And I guess it is, since something important does happen here. But if you're not reading the Flash, you're going to be very annoyed with the majority of this issue focusing on what's going on in Flash. This really reminds me of the tie-ins of old, for better or worse.
7.5
 Flash (2016) #781 Oct 2, 2022
7.5
 Flash (2016) #782 Oct 2, 2022
7.5
 Flash (2016) #787 Nov 18, 2022
7.5
 Flash (2016) #788 Nov 18, 2022
7.5
 Flash (2016) #789 Mar 3, 2023
7.5
 Flash (2016) #792 Mar 3, 2023

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This was fun and definitely better than the actual Flash run. Barry is best when it's not really his story.

Pretty good issue, just wish it was longer.
7.5
 Friends of Maxx (1996) #1 Sep 13, 2022

Overwritten, but overall enjoyable.

Definitely moved quicker than issue one. I'm digging it.

I thought this pretty good, if a bit wordy.

There were some obvious problems here, mostly due to this being the abrupt final issue that it is. Character arcs are rushed, Lyja gets a run down of her history in the middle of the issue, because I guess that had to be addressed. Rikki and Julie hook up, like we all knew they would... I actually still kind of liked this issue. I like the interactions between the characters. Maybe I'm too dumb for comics, but I didn't mind this issue at all. I won't miss the series, though. I don't think it would maintain its quality, like any other Jeremy Whitley comic I've read.

This was pretty good. It's certainly kinda engaging.

This played out pretty much like the recent Catwoman issues. It was pretty good.

This one is pretty good, which means it's better than most of future state.

I honestly didn't mind this issue, but as Nihilist pointed out, it's definitely not supposed to be the finale. But oh well.

I actually really enjoyed the Diana Prince story this time around. Much better than part one. The Nubia story was okay, but a bit wordy.
7.5
 Gambit (2022) #1 Oct 4, 2022
7.5
 Gambit (2022) #2 Oct 4, 2022
7.5
 Gambit (2022) #4 Nov 20, 2022

The first thing you realize right out of the gate with this one is... It's not Immortal Hulk, as much as we all want it to be. It may be a bit unfair to compare it to Immortal Hulk, but it's spinning directly out of it and features more than a few of the same characters. My hope is that this mini finds its footing. It's not a bad issue, but we can't help but compare it to one of the best Hulk runs ever. It's tough competition.

This was pretty good. Doesn't hit the levels of Immortal Hulk, but still compelling enough.

This is a pretty good conclusion. I wasn't sure about getting the trade of this to go with my Immortal Hulk trades, and I'm still not sure. This isn't the best miniseries, and certainly doesn't reach the heights of the series that spawned it, but it is still good enough, and I think some of the disdain the series get is just because of how great Immortal Hulk was.

The art changes bothered me, but I honestly didn't mind this. It's fun.

I thought this issue was pretty good. I'm interested in the larger picture here, even if some of the smaller character moments aren't for me. That's mostly because I've never been a huge Ghost Rider fan so my knowledge of their histories is cursory at best.

I had a fun time. I have a bit of a problem with how the conclusion to the arc doesn't really mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but it's not enough to ruin the issue for me.
7.5
 Ghost Rider (2022) #3 Oct 4, 2022

Good enough. This is a weird conclusion. A bit rushed, and oversized despite that. Felt like the book was cancelled, and then they changed their mind at the last minute. Or maybe this was a sneak maxiseries turned ongoing.

Man, for an arc about Danny's return, it's fascinating how he has yet to return.

Hey, Danny finally shows up and he... feels consistently different from the last run. This issue is all about catching up with him, and it's pretty good. I'm more excited by what could come from this rather than what this is on its own. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ
7.5
 Ghost Rider (2022) #15 May 8, 2024

This felt like a pointless crossover, but it was never boring, at least.

This was a pretty good breather issue that we didn't really need.

Man, let me tell you, I do not care about Earth-65 Sue and Johnny Storm at all. But everything else is really interesting to me. So it's like 2/3 a really good comic, and 1/3 a boring one. I hope they can do better next time.

If you want to laugh, you'll maybe like this. Not sure I like what they're doing with some of the characters, though.

Again, read this one in bulk, so I won't be giving my thoughts on each individual issue.
7.5
 Giant-Size Little Marvels Infinity Comic #2 Oct 28, 2021
7.5
 Giant-Size Little Marvels Infinity Comic #3 Oct 28, 2021
7.5
 Giant-Size Little Marvels Infinity Comic #4 Oct 28, 2021
7.5
 Giant-Size Little Marvels Infinity Comic #5 Oct 28, 2021

This is a cute series that no one needs to read, honestly.

Still cute.

This is, uh, pretty good if I'm being nice! I don't know, it happened suddenly, but I'm losing interest in this series. I still believe it's because there's too much talking in these past few issues. Especially this one, where we had the cop talk cliché *and* the "you called me so-and-so" cliché. It's indicative of the whole, I think. The dialogue is not great and we don't have enough cool drawings from the artist to help. Consider this 7.5 a legacy score, built on how much I was once into this. If this downward trend continues, I probably won't be so nice.

This was pretty good, although I find myself uninterested in the overall plot, and Andrea Sorrentino isn't given much to work with, so it's not a visual treat like usual either.

I'm so ambivalent on this series. Parts of it I like, parts of it I loathe. There are tropes in Noir storytelling, specifically how women are portrayed, that really make me roll my eyes. They're problematic, and Tom King is leaning into them hard, instead of trying to subvert them. And honestly, that trend is present in basically every Tom King book sans Supergirl. It's getting a bit tiring.
7.5
 Green Arrow (2016) #37 Nov 6, 2018
7.5
 Green Arrow (2016) #39 Nov 6, 2018
7.5
 Green Arrow (2016) #40 Nov 6, 2018
7.5
 Green Arrow (2023) #10 Aug 7, 2024
7.5
 Green Arrow (2023) #11 Aug 7, 2024
7.5
 Green Arrow (2023) #13 Aug 7, 2024

Really wish this focused more on Ollie.
7.5
 Green Arrow (2023) #15 Oct 14, 2024

I didn't like this issue as much as the first. I don't know if I'm just getting a little burnt out on comics for today, since I've read a good amount. But I had real trouble getting through this issue. Some of the dialogue quirks were not helping things. I kind of find those annoying. But the story is still compelling, just something about it felt off.

This was a pretty good issue, even if not much happened. I liked the narration about Sinestro. I'm so happy John is off that planet. I really did not care about that, and I hope we move onto something more engaging.

This was pretty good. Not as good as issue two, but better than issue one. This series was unbalanced, but it had its moments. Kind of like Green Lantern Season One. Hopefully Season Two is better.
7.5
 Green Lanterns #46 Nov 6, 2018
7.5
 Green Lanterns #51 Nov 6, 2018
7.5
 Green Lanterns Annual #1 Nov 6, 2018

This was a pretty good issue. I feel like the tie-in slowed things down a bit, but hopefully things get back on track with next issue.

I liked this for the most part, aside some from dialogue choices.

Liked this about as much as issue one.

I thought this was nice. It had some good moments, while further addressing all the differences between various versions of the character. I'm glad she's a mutant now, also. Or is she? I guess we'll see. Overall, this was an odd miniseries. It definitely had its problems, with possibly too much focus on Gwenpool's cringiness. And I understand that's part of the point, but it's a hard sell for most people. I think the ending worked, despite feeling like there wasn't much build up to it. This series was a net positive, surely, but one that I'm conflicted about.

This is probably the weakest issue so far. It's not bad, but it's hard for silent issues to hit correctly, and this one was only mildly successful.
7.5
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #41 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #49 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #50 Jul 19, 2019

I am shocked that this was as good as it was. Not to say it was amazing, but Erica Schultz and Michael Dowling took maybe one of the worst new concepts to come out of the Big Two recently, and spun it into... if not gold, at least a cromulent brass.

I wish I knew these characters a bit better, because I don't completely know who is who at this point. Overall, a pretty good issue. Nothing to complain about much.

I may just be going insane, but I'd say this issue worked pretty well.

Not a bad issue, and I think Riley Rossmo's art works here. Harley isn't nearly as annoying as she used to be, and she actually has a somewhat interesting character.

This wasn't the best issue, and it felt like they needed to establish Fear State shit for the next arc. That aside, it was still a pretty good issue. I just wish this series wasn't going to tie into Fear State.

Eh, it seems like this Fear State tie-in is going to be a bit rough. It's not bad but I much preferred the first arc.

This is not queerbait. Queerbait is hinting at, but not explicitly showing, a same-sex relationship or some other form of LGBT representation. They definitely show the gay here. I'm not in that "take what you can get" mindset but let's be real, DC only recently started showing Harley and Ivy actually kissing on page again. I get the frustration of yet another break up of this couple, but this time, it didn't seem nearly as corporate as it did in the past. Not to say it wasn't, as this is almost certainly DC freeing up Ivy for her own stories coming this year. I just think the writer did a better job than most when it comes to this unfortunately common story.

7.5
 Harley Quinn (2021) #14 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Harley Quinn (2021) #15 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Harley Quinn (2021) #17 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Harley Quinn (2021) #22 Nov 20, 2022
7.5
 Harley Quinn (2021) #25 Mar 3, 2023

Bit of a weird ending. This run has had its ups and downs, but it has been such a relief after the Rebirth years. I cannot stand Harley sometimes, because they insist on writing her as profitably crazy, which consists of terrible humor and annoyance. I like when she's an actual character, and Stephanie Phillips gave us that.

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7.5
 Harley Quinn: Harley Loves Joker #2 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Hawkeye (2016) #13 Jul 19, 2019

This is a pretty good first issue. I tried to go in with as little bias as possible, being a big fan of what Thompson did with the character previously. We get, what I could only call, an approximation. I know that sounds bad, but I don't necessarily mean it that way. Kate has a voice and it's coming through, that's all.

About on the same level as issue one. I'm not having a bad time.

This was pretty good. It moved quickly, and it was fairly entertaining.

There's not a ton to say about this one. It's just a rather fast paced race towards a conclusion, which maybe exposes a pacing problem with this miniseries.

7.5
 Hawkman (2018) #1 Jul 19, 2019

Pretty good issue. I thought it was interesting enough, while not being so burdened with boring exposition, like the first arc. Although, essentially nothing happens in this issue, and it's hard to ignore that.

This was pretty good. It's like on the level of Constantine: The Hellblazer from Tynion IV. The art is pretty good. The voice of Constantine is pretty good... It's all pretty good. I'm sufficiently whelmed. This is shaping up to be a book that I don't remember in a few years.

This is not worth the price whatsoever. You can read this in a minute. These are cute, simple stories. Not much to say about any of this. My favorites were the Cap and Venom stories. But yeah, don't buy this.

This is not my favorite issue. It pulls from the least good aspect of Aaron's Thor run, which is the crude, dressed-up in slight pomp humor. In small doses, it's fine. But when your entire event is about a pastiche of the JLA, and each character is kind of a joke in one way or another, the crude humor is amped up when gods are involved. I did like the fight between Thor and Power Princess, but like, this is probably the least good issue of the event so far. It's fun. This event is super fun. I just think previous issues have been *more* fun.

This was pretty good. I think Vita Ayala does a good job creating a familiar, yet very different version of these characters. But I think it actually hurts the issue in the end, considering just how different these characters are. Look, it's been a while since I read 616 Gwen Stacy, but I don't remember her being like this, but maybe I just need to do a re-read to find the seeds that they used to make this version of the character. As for Flash... Yeah, that's crazy. I don't agree with that, even without Spider-Man and all the fan clubs that come with. I just don't see how Flash becomes that, I don't know. I'm not going to be too harsh though, because after all, it is an AU.

I was expecting this to be something very SJW, without anything else. While it gets there at some points, and that is ostensibly the message, it manages not to be awful. It's nothing amazing, but I didn't mind it.

This was better than issue one. Interesting things happened, but I can't help but think of the Marvel Zombies Secret Wars miniseries which did this but with one of my favorite characters, Elsa Bloodstone, and really cool zombies. What I'm getting at is the weird unoriginality that permeates this entire series. There's obviously plenty of creativity in this, but it's just telling a story I've seen done better elsewhere.

This is a bit slow to get going, as it is literally telling the reader how to read a comic book, but it is a fun little meta story.

I have some worries about the pacing. Why was there a whole issue dedicated to this made up sport? If we didn't have a finite number of issues left, I'd be less concerned. It was fun though.

I feel like it shouldn't be a shock to say that found footage doesn't really work in the medium of comics. I mean, the artist probably had fun drawing all those angles you rarely see in comics, but aside from that, it didn't really work. The sneak peak of PKJ's run looked fun. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

While this is an achievement in graphic design, I feel like, with all of these Grand Design series, that the actual story/writing content isn't very engaging.
7.5
 Human Target (2021) #8 Nov 20, 2022
7.5
 Hunt For Wolverine #1 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Hunt For Wolverine: Claws Of A Killer #3 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Hunt For Wolverine: Mystery In Madripoor #2 Jul 19, 2019

I think this would've worked a lot better if the art was more competent, which we'll definitely be getting since I believe Olivier Coipel is working on the series proper. I don't like how John Ridley uses "Trolls." This is a nitpick, for sure, but it seems out of touch and childish to me, for someone who is usually a bit more on point with their social commentary. I would try to push back on the other reviews here, but they literally either just say it's bad without explanation, or they complain about the politics. If you're mad about the politics... I don't know, go bury your head in the sand. it's safe there, children. But if it's not about the politics, I welcome any of the people here who gave this a bad review to comment on mine and explain their reasoning. And fair warning, if you say something I take issue with, I will push back against it. I know that's hard to handle for a shocking number of people online.
7.5
 I Am Batman (2021) #12 Nov 20, 2022

The bad ratings are from racists

This is a weirdo issue, and it's not really for me. But I can see the skill behind it, if that makes sense. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

I didn't like this as much as other issues. It was just sort of a mess, and with the narrative, that should sort of work but it barely does.

This was interesting, but not as good as this series can be. It was fun, that's all.

This issue is pretty good, but I think it could have been executed better.

This was pretty good. I thought the pacing was a bit off, but I didn't hate it.

This is pretty good but there's a lot going on and it doesn't all seem to sync up properly.

I thought this was pretty good. The plot and the characters were engaging, but a little messy and predictable. Hopefully, next issue straightens things out for a satisfying conclusion.

This is a bit all over the place, but as someone who has been reading this Milestone revival, I'm digging it.
7.5
 Imaginary Fiends #3 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Imaginary Fiends #4 Jul 19, 2019

Not a necessary one-shot. Jeff Lemire's Immortal Hulk is *serviceable*. Although, I really don't think he should be killing as much as he does in this story. In the main series, I only remember him (intentionally) killing once and there was a huge point made of it. The art is great though.

The first story is really, really good. The second story isn't so good, but I like whenever Marvel uses their Scarecrow, because I'm weird.
7.5
 Incredible Hulk (2017) #714 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Incredible Hulk (2017) #716 Jul 19, 2019

I like these characters a lot, honestly. I hope they have big role in DC coming up.

This is a really unnecessary one-shot but it was written well. It's probably a warranted retelling of Drax's origins, since most people may not know it. It's nice that Drax gets a happy ending. It's tying up a loose end from All-New GotG. The Thanos Copter was fun too. I don't know, this was written well enough.

Things wrapped up a bit too quickly.

Since it's been leaked that there's a Year Zero coming, I figured I'd give Injustice the old college try. I probably won't be writing things for each of these chapters, but I'll score them. This first chapter was pretty good. This isn't the first time I've read these first few chapters and I know what happens to kick all this off, so the shock isn't there either. But it's pretty good.
7.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #6 Aug 2, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #7 Aug 2, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #10 Aug 2, 2020

Just a quick check in. Diana is probably the biggest reason for the scores not being higher than they are. Why is she continually the worst?
7.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #18 Aug 2, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #20 Aug 24, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #22 Aug 24, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #25 Aug 24, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #26 Aug 24, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Four #2 Sep 14, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Four #10 Sep 14, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Four #14 Sep 14, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Four #17 Sep 14, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Four #19 Sep 14, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Four #20 Sep 14, 2020

The ending was an appropriate jolt in the story, but I just want to note here: You should just censor Constantine. You should not have him say "Motherlover" instead of "Motherfucker". It doesn't seem natural and it has taken me out of the story every time it's been used thus far.
7.5
 Injustice: Year Three #6 Sep 7, 2020

I'm not sure about Brian Buccellato yet. He is certainly more wordy. But this chapter was pretty good. It is honestly surreal seeing my two least favorite characters in the franchise, Wonder Woman and Sinestro, about to fight over who was the better Superman squeeze. Maybe this will redeem Wonder Woman from Year One for me.

Okay, well, I guess Superman isn't as stoked on Sinestro as he's been portrayed lately... I mean, it's a plus, but also a big shift.
7.5
 Injustice: Year Three #20 Sep 7, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Two #5 Sep 6, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Two #6 Sep 6, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Two #7 Sep 6, 2020

Not entirely on board with how easily Sinestro is manipulating everyone.
7.5
 Injustice: Year Two #12 Sep 6, 2020
7.5
 Injustice: Year Two #14 Sep 6, 2020

Again, not really buying the Sinestro stuff.

Alright, this has been bugging me this entire run. Sinestro is so unconvincing, yet everyone falls for him. It's honestly really bugging me now. If not for Dinah and all of that, this chapter wouldn't be getting the score it is.

This is a pretty good start. The art is good and the story, while not really getting started yet, was fun for the small moments. Like Barry and Jay eating popcorn while watching Batman get punched out in slow motion.

I thought there were some funny moments, but that's about it.

This is a good chapter, but I just don't know if the plot is all that interesting to me.
7.5
 Invincible Iron Man (2016) #595 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Invincible Iron Man (2016) #597 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #14 May 8, 2024

Something I really loved about this run is that in spite of it being directly tied to X-Men, it remained an Iron Man comic. You could feasibly read this and not any of the X-Men stuff, and still get your fix. But this issue kinda fucks that up. And while I'm sure next issue will rebound, I'm slightly concerned it won't.
7.5
 Iron Fist (2017) #79 Jul 19, 2019
7.5
 Iron Fist (2017) #80 Jul 19, 2019

I wonder if this website will ever stop allowing racism. Probably not. This issue is pretty good, especially if you've been following the character since his debut and have been painfully aware of just how underwhelming he is. With that in mind, this reinvention works very well. It makes the character more interesting. Is it a great book? No. However, I support the inflated review scores because it's the only thing that can push the racist reviews out of the spotlight as nothing will be done about those. Imagine thinking this is all the result of a controversy from what, six years ago? One that was pretty much disregarded by the comics community. Danny Rand has always been a token white savior, it's part of the character at this point. Iron Fist is a mantle, however, there's been many of them. I love how Merlyn acts like Marvel should have developed this character on his own with his own title. Buddy, there was a 10 issue series that no one read called Sword Master. Know how I know? I read it. It is so painfully obvious that the problem has nothing to do with a mantle change. It has to do with the character being non-white. Nothing will be done about these reviews or these attitudes, but at least take solace in this: These racists will die forgotten and left behind by society. Despite how much they hate it and how loudly they whine, the world is at least progressing on that front. It's far from where it needs to be, of course, but we're slowly escaping the hatred of bigots. The people hating on this book for racist reasons all come from hotbeds for bigotry though, so they're even further behind. Merlyn is eastern European. Old Soviet bloc. That basically means he is a Nazi, it's a birthright there. Sup3rsa1yan1990 is Brazilian, I'm guessing. They're having a hard time over there. Briton is... well, British. And really British people aren't actually people, so much as deviants, so. You ever need to figure out what to think about a social issue, just ask a Brit and think the opposite.

This was pretty good, but there was a lot of set up. And the reveals weren't exactly revealing, at all.

This was pretty good but it's just not living up to the expectations I had. On top of that, not to get all nerdy on you, but a lot of these robots wouldn't qualify for the same rights as humans. That would, or should, happen when a machine can pass the Turing test. Most of the AI revolution's minions are simply incapable of that. This is a gripe I have with Dan Slott's understanding of machines. When you focus on it so much, it starts to wear thin for me.

7.5
 Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor (2022) #3 Nov 25, 2022
7.5
 Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor (2022) #5 Nov 25, 2022

Like with last issue, I was surprised by the quality of this issue. It was pretty good, honest.
7.5
 Justice League (2016) #34 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Justice League (2018) #4 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Justice League (2018) #8 Jul 20, 2019

This was good enough. Although, I found it very predictable.

Yeah... This is why you wouldn't get Joker to join your fruity little club. This issue was pretty good. I was not a fan of the art, it looked like pseudo-manga art. Not a ton happens in this issue. It's basically a hype issue for The Batman Who Laughs. And it's pretty good... There's not much at all to talk about.

I thought this issue was pretty good. I like the idea of the vaults and the idea that the entire universe is a lie. I thought the way the heroes got into the vault was clever and fun. If I had to criticize anything, it'd be the dialogue. I think Tynion wrote the dialogue? It certainly fits him, but seeing as how he's sort of a protégé of Snyder's, sometimes it's hard to tell which is which. Either way, the dialogue has a ton of exposition thrown in there. Like an obscene amount. And almost every issue has this problem where new ideas are introduced so inorganically, it's crazy. The characters stop being themselves and become exposition bots. It's very clunky, even in this pretty good issue.

I'm sure the ending is a fakeout, but I don't like it. The rest of the issue is mostly fine. I just feel like this story has been done before, and better then. This is a really simple story, when you get down to it. And that's good, I guess. I just expect more from a title that's supposedly the best thing in comics at the moment.

This was pretty good, I guess.

This was pretty good. But I'm really bored of all the components in this story.

This was pretty good. I just wish it grabbed my attention more.

This was a pretty good issue. I'm having trouble being invested.

This is just a table setting issue, and it's a pretty good one. It's not incredibly exciting, but rather just necessary.

I liked this but there was just way too much exposition and the ending had me sighing, when they clearly were going for excitement.

I never watched Justice League Unlimited, because I'm not an animation cuckold. But I do like JM DeMatteis' writing most of the time, and I thought this was pretty good.

I liked the social commentary, but I don't have any nostalgia for the cartoon, and I found the narration overwrought, which is a common problem in JM DeMatteis' writing for me. It's not even poorly written, I just don't see it as necessary a lot of the time. Also, America in 2021 holds plenty of bigoted rallies. I don't know why people prefer to ignore reality. It just comes across as liking the bigotry and wanting to excuse it so that it can become normalized.

Better than last issue, but still, I wish the story were more compelling.

This was pretty good, but... it's slowly morphing into the mush that DC cosmic events have been lately. Please don't be Metal 3.
7.5
 Justice League: No Justice #4 Jul 20, 2019

This was pretty good. It didn't make me insecure in my masculinity like other reviewers here. I just don't understand who was asking for this one?

This is a pretty good issue but I have trouble being invested in Ka-Zar, I'll be honest.

A pretty good conclusion to a series I'm not sure anyone asked for. This series didn't always hit the mark, but it had its moments.

I don't mind the retconning of Black Knight. No one's doing anything with him anyway. I'm more shocked by that fact that Si Spurrier brought in elements from Aero, and moreso Sword Master. That's crazy, and I feel a little less upset about reading those very generic comics. I liked this issue.

I can't imagine why migrants seeking asylum would want to go to Canada over the US, especially in the timeframe in which this was written. This issue isn't a must read, but it's a fun enough issue of Marauders.

This was cute. And honestly, King in Black needed more space shit.

There's a few good moments but this is about Reptil so...

This was pretty good. It wrapped up all the plot points from the Ghost Rider ongoing, and that was nice.

While some of the character motivations are a bit skeptical, I had fun reading this.

The art here is spectacular.

I liked this issue more than the last. It felt more necessary.

Honestly, this wasn't a bad issue to end on. I do not want to see a continuation of this though. I was mostly disappointed with this miniseries. It's unfortunate.

This was pretty good. Can't say I'm too excited for the next miniseries though.

The disrespect for Foolkiller smh.
7.5
 Knight Terrors (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
7.5
 Knight Terrors (2023) #3 May 7, 2024
7.5
 Knight Terrors (2023): First Blood #1 May 7, 2024
7.5
 Knight Terrors: Batman (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
7.5
 Knight Terrors: Green Lantern (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
7.5
 Knight Terrors: The Flash (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
7.5
 Knights of X (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Knights of X (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Knights of X (2022) #3 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Knights of X (2022) #4 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Lazarus Planet (2023): We Once Were Gods #1 Mar 3, 2023
7.5
 Lazarus Planet (2023): Legends Reborn #1 Mar 3, 2023
7.5
 Lazarus Planet (2023): Next Evolution #1 Mar 3, 2023
7.5
 Legion of X (2022) #3 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Legion of X (2022) #5 Dec 1, 2022
7.5
 Legion of X (2022) #6 Dec 1, 2022
7.5
 Lockjaw (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019

I feel like these last two one-shots are so incredibly necessary to understanding the antagonists of the Empyre event, and I'm so perplexed that this isn't really explored in the main event. This was good. Very necessary.

I was really into this book when it started, but the first arc ending with so few answers left a bad taste in my mouth. This next arc offers some twists, but I really need it to divorce itself from the tropes of romance comics a bit more if I'm to stay invested. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ
7.5
 Luke Cage (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019

This was a fun issue. I have some problems with how Tony Stark is written, but nothing major. The last page reveal bothers me. Gwenpool better not just be Deadpool next issue.

Gwenpool was written a bit off here, but the use of her powers here was clever and fun. This issue was pretty good overall.

This was a fun miniseries. I mostly come away from this thinking M.O.D.O.K. is kind of a sad character, when you get down to it.

I liked this issue. Things are picking up.

This was pretty good, but there's nothing revolutionary happening in this story.

Fun.
7.5
 Maestro: World War M (2022) #5 Dec 1, 2022

This was pretty good. I'm glad we're getting away from the alien stuff, though. Ms. Marvel works best on Earth with its established supporting cast. Speaking of which, the ending probably means an entertaining next issue.

This definitely should've come out sooner. This whole Outlawed status quo was shredded by the pandemic. This was a pretty good issue, despite how outdated it feels. I liked Kamala struggling a bit. I'm not sure I'm interested in this status quo yet. We'll see.

This was pretty good, but I doubt Kitty is dead.

I see a lot of people are happy about Kitty's bisexuality finally being canonized (Clairemont always intended it, but wasn't able to go all the way with it due to Marvel's editorial at the time, so there was simply a ton of subtext.), and that's all well and good. Also, Duggan brought back Kitty's Star of David necklace, which I hope puts to rest that whole ridiculous uproar regarding Marvel somehow erasing Kitty's Judaism in the last issue. I'm excited to see what Emma and Kitty do to Shaw. That aspect of the book, the politicking, is honestly my favorite part. But I just have to say... Those tattoos are fucking dumb.

This was pretty good.

I'm not as sure about this series as I once was. It just feels super directionless lately, but maybe that's because of the upcoming Hellfire Gala. Regardless, this is a competently written issue about how cool Storm is. It's pretty good.

This was a pretty fun issue, and that's about all there is to say about it.

This was fun. I don't really get the hate for this series in particular, beyond some loose plotting. I feel like the argument of filler is what these reviews should be about, but that's a lot of work when you can just say it's been bad forever.
7.5
 Marauders (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Marauders (2022) #6 Dec 4, 2022

The best issue so far. This was pretty good. I think a lot of that has to do with there being no Mars. Although, the ending does not get me excited. I dread next issue because of it.

This was pretty good.

This was a strong issue to end on, but this anthology was all over the place. The art usually managed to impress, but the storytelling was sometimes lacking.

This was pretty good. I wonder where this 2099 stuff is headed, because there's no way we're getting Knull 2099 in 2099 Omega, right? There's got to be more than just this. Or we will and it'll be cool, maybe.

Shocking as it is to say, I think Charles Soule's Wolverine story is the weakest one here. It's just too little to really feel worth the read. I'm sure it'll read much better collected, but on its own, it's unsatisfying. Tim Seeley's Deadpool story is full of nostalgia and 90s parody, and crazily enough, I had fun with it. But the best story is Ed Brisson’s Danny Ketch Ghost Rider story. I really hope this one has something to do with the Ghost Rider related comic Marvel has been teasing.

This issue wasn't as good as the previous two, and I don't think it's the writer change up. I think it comes down to the pacing. We learn a few things about this mystery, mainly that some sort of machine might be causing this. And we get some fun looks at changed Marvel characters. Tony Stark being a self-help Kingpin type works because he's an egotist and without going through what he did when he became Iron Man, he's just become worse. Donald Blake/Thor being a cop sure is something, I don't really get it. Loki being a vandal works. Scarlet Witch is weird. It's not necessarily a good thing or a bad thing. Just very weird. Punisher's coming to terms with himself is something that could've worked better if it wasn't in the middle of a miniseries where there needs to be plot developments. And I think it could've been presented in a much more tragic way. I don't hate this issue, or even dislike it, I just think it's poorly paced within this miniseries.
7.5
 Marvel Rising: Squirrel Girl/Ms. Marvel #1 Jul 20, 2019

Pretty good finale. It was fun.

This was pretty good, but I could feel myself losing interest as the issue went on.

I'm so glad less people stuck around for Marvel's attempt at a Pride anthology. It means I don't have to make quite so long a review this time. Blah blah blah *insert sexuality here* blah blah. "Introduction" by Luciano Vecchio and Mike O'Sullivan is probably one of my favorite stories from this anthology because I think it shows why I like Marvel as much as I do. I do not think you could get so much out of DC's history the way you can with Marvel's, and I think that's part of why Marvel can be so much more relatable. "The Vows" by Allan Heinberg is cute. I like Wiccan and Hulkling as a couple and their vows are cute. That's all. "Under the Stars" by Mariko Tamaki is alright. I feel like it doesn't really get itself across that well, but it's not terrible. "Something New Every Day" by Lilah Sturges is odd. I feel like they couldn't decide whether to be super respectful to trans people or say whatever trans-related witticism they could come up with to fit the situation. Which is why they have characters say it, and then point out how it's kind of not cool. Or like pointing out how trans people don't know each other but then they totally do. It is neat how it mirrors Dr. Charlene McGowan's origin from Immortal Hulk #31, at least. "When a Black Cat Crosses Your Path, You Give Them the Right-Of-Way" by Leah Williams kind of falls into the trap of being a story that could exist in any anthology and it wouldn't really matter. But I live for it because people have decided to die on the "Black Cat is not Bisexual" hill, which is totally normal and not a sign of any bigotry. "Totally Invulnerable" by Crystal Frasier is one of my favorites of the anthology because I feel like it does a lot to humanize trans people, which is something that the DC anthology didn't even attempt, and they're an important part of the queer community that have been the target of so much bullshit lately. "Colossus" by Kieron Gillen is probably my favorite story in the anthology. I think it has a great message of being open-minded and being willing to see new perspectives. Like I mentioned above, we need to humanize queer people, because society is constantly otherizing them, and the best way to do that is to be open to their experiences and their perspectives. We've seen very famous homophobes change their tune when someone in the family turns out gay, for instance. And I know this story is more about David coming to terms with his bisexuality, and that's important too, but I think this story, intentionally or not, tapped into something really great here. "Good Judy" by Terry Blas is okay. I mean, the message is good, but I really think it's hindered by some of the dialogue. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about that tongue" shouldn't be something people say, in my opinion. But maybe Daken is beyond people. "Early Thaw" by Anthony Oliveira is a really good story. I really like how it's an overt tie between mutantdom and gayness. I like the idea that Magneto, even at his worst, was willing to comfort someone who emotionally distraught over who they are. Good job. "The Man I know" by J.J. Kirby is.. fine. I really don't like how sinewy and muscular the art is here and that's really the only thing I can say about this one. "The Grey Ladies" by Tini Howard is really good. I am a Mystique/Destiny stan, I can't help it. "You Deserve" by Vita Ayala is a cute little story about someone finally realizing they deserve some happiness, which I think will hit home with some queer people who find themselves filled with self-hatred and guilt over who they are, which is unfortunately very common. "Man of His Dreams" by Steve Orlando is really weird. I have a feeling this man will not abandon his family who thinks he died for Krakoa no matter how much Daken and he shared in a lifetime dream once. "Love is Love" by Jacopo Camagni is a nice piece of art, I wish there were more characters in it though. The Alpha Flight excerpt that shows the first openly gay hero come out is not bad. It's just very dated, and I've never been a fan of Scott Lobdell. Now for the complaints from the bad people who I feel like have some personal problems to work out: This is more reserved for the people who I feel like genuinely have homophobic attitudes, or generally are against progressivism and have outted themselves to be terrible. Briton was pretty much disregarded in my review for DC Pride, but luckily, he’s just as dumb over this issue. He says, “The comics industry continues to cut its own throat by backing identity politics. Very few people will actually buy this comic. The print run will be shipped out to schools to poison and confuse children.†So, one, the comics industry isn’t dying. If you look at the numbers - just released in easy-to-read graphs just today actually – the comics industry is on an upswing. Doing better than it has in a long time. Also, I’m not aware of any concerted effort by Marvel to put this issue in schools. Comic books cannot poison, silly. They are made of perfectly safe materials. And what’s confusing here? It’s just a collection of stories about characters that are queer. Kids know what that is. If anything, this clears it up for them! Maybe Merlyn’s comment can clear it up for me. Merlyn commented, “I'm all for tolerance and acceptance but indoctrinating children... yeah, that doesn't fly well with me, sorry.†Hmm, I’m still not sure what this means. This is literally just an anthology of stories of people being okay with who they are. There’s no indoctrination in this comic, unless you consider any material representing queer people in a positive light as a form of indoctrination. Which would be super fucked up, huh? The only reason one would think that is if they were homophobic. Indoctrination of children usually involves fear, like say when a Christian church tells them they will burn in a lake of fire for all eternity unless they accept the almighty. But let’s not take Merlyn seriously, you guys. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about and is severely stubborn. I actually happened to see him commenting on a Newsarama article and I clicked on his disqus account, and man, he is complaining about this issue on other websites too. I’ll go over it now! “Since when was Union Jack gay? Are we just making stuff up now? Oh, and Black Cat still isn't bi, sorry, she's always been straight, regardless of how much Marvel and crazies online want us to think otherwise. And why are Captain Marvel and War Machine in the "Love is love" splash page with all the other LGBT characters? Oh wait, the feminist and the black guy have to be there too, of course. :)) Also, the amount of flags out there is ridiculous, one, maybe two was more than enough, it's not like we're talking about nations here.†So, Union Jack was made officially gay in the Citizen V miniseries by Fabian Nicieza in 2002. Nicieza did this after noting apparent subtext in the original Invaders run, specifically Invaders #34 from 1978. Black Cat is bisexual and has been since Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do #1, published in 2002. This was later hinted at in Jed MacKay’s Black Cat run, and then outright stated. And now she’s appearing in Pride anthologies. The horror. Guess who owns the character? Marvel. Guess who has the say of what a character is and isn’t? The owner. She’s bisexual. Get over it, you weirdo. Captain Marvel and War Machine are not in there because one’s a feminist and one’s black. Thanks for the glimpse into how your mind works. Love is love, Merlyn. Even heterosexual love. That’s why they’re there. I don’t know why you’d be so heterophobic like that. Openly, too! There are an appropriate number of flags. There are flags to represent each letter of the alphabet people. Like, what would be an actual unnecessary number of flags would be, like, what you see at a Donald Trump rally. You know? Flags upon flags upon flags, just like they did at Nazi rallies. I think we can all agree that that is way worse than like 12 flags spread out over a massive crowd of people. So, there you go. I feel like Marvel did a better job at this than DC. I feel like it was more representative of queer people, and that Marvel is definitely multiple steps ahead of DC in this regard. But hey, DC is trying.

This was less about the Fantastic Four, and more about Johnny Storm. As someone who's read all those early FF adventures and Strange Tales, this was a nice time. I don't think people who aren't as well-read on the Human Torch will get nearly as much out of it as I did, which I don't think was a problem with the last Sub-Mariner issue. We'll see, though.

While some of the dialogue from Jenni is a bit "old man trying to write a teen," the intent here is pretty good. I liked it well enough.

This was pretty good, but I feel my interest waning.
7.5
 Mera: Queen of Atlantis #2 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Midnight Suns (2022) #1 Dec 4, 2022
7.5
 Midnight Suns (2022) #2 Dec 4, 2022
7.5
 Midnight Suns (2022) #3 Dec 4, 2022
7.5
 Midnight Suns (2022) #4 Mar 3, 2023

This was a fun little miniseries. You can take it or leave it.

This also felt rushed, like Doctor Strange #11, but I liked the character moments more. I wonder why there was no mention of Secret Empire and the fight Miles had with Hydra Cap. No bad blood between Cap and Miles, I guess. Kind of refreshing, honestly.

This was a pretty good issue, I feel like the pacing is weird here though. And my knee-jerk reaction to the final page isn't a good one.

This is a pretty good issue. Nothing outstanding really, but this is solid.

Extremely quick read, but written well for what it was. Also, uh, I'm pretty sure the symbiote dragons are just symbiotes? Not actually dragons controlled by symbiotes? Don't know how that got confused here.

Just a nice breather issue. Was pretty good.

This is a fun issue. Miles' clone saga has actually been pretty good so far. Shocking everyone, I assume. It's actually a nice jolt to a series that I felt was just losing steam ever since the Ultimatum arc. I hope Saladin can stick the landing, and we'd finally have a good Spider-Man Clone Saga arc. (Clone Genesis from the 70s was okay, I guess.)

A pretty good issue, but this feels like filler rather than the next big arc for this run.

This was better than last issue, but I'm still not loving it the way I should.

This was a pretty good issue, but it did seem like filler. I too enjoyed your Exiles run, Saladin.
7.5
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2018) #37 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2018) #39 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2018) #40 Dec 4, 2022
7.5
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2023) #3 Mar 3, 2023

I went back to read this after it was cited in the new Static issue. I thought I had read it, but it turns out I had only read the DC Fandome portion of it from waaay back. This is a pretty good starting point. I like Static a lot. I don't have quite so much affinity for Icon and the rest. I will say, I was never a Milestone fan. I just never read the comics and I saw the Static Shock cartoon on occasion, not realizing it was based on any comic in particular, and not realizing it was a DC property. So this is my introduction. I'm aware of Static's original comic origin, as I remember some backlash over this revised version made me look into it. But again, I don't have any nostalgia for any of this, so I actually think the new origin is good, especially given how topical it is. As far as I can tell, Milestone was always about creating relatable black superheroes, and there's not much quite as relatable as the events in this comic. The new material is much better than the original Fandome material. I remember being underwhelmed by that, I just never reviewed it because it was never listed on this site.

7.5
 Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham #0 Dec 4, 2022
7.5
 Mister Miracle (2017) #11 Jul 20, 2019

Much better than the Future State back-ups, so of course people with bad taste dislike it.

Glad to see Merlyn pretending like race doesn't matter by making his review all about race.
7.5
 Monica Rambeau: Photon (2023) #1 Mar 3, 2023
7.5
 Monica Rambeau: Photon (2023) #2 Mar 3, 2023
7.5
 Monica Rambeau: Photon (2023) #3 Mar 3, 2023

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

7.5
 Monkey Prince (2022) #7 Dec 4, 2022

This is a competent finale. I feel like the story in this miniseries was very expansive, and trying to wrap it up just made this feel underwhelming.
7.5
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #26 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #28 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #29 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Moon Knight (2017) #194 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. #2 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. #3 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Motherlands #1 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Motherlands #2 Jul 20, 2019

Pretty good wrap up issue. Nothing groundbreaking, really. Just nice.

A fine enough ending. I can't say I'll miss this series, but it was fun.

This was fun. That's all.

About on the same level as issue one. I'm having a fun time.
7.5
 Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace (2024) #1 May 8, 2024

Well, now we know what her mutant ability is... and that it probably won't ever be activated. Which is good. Less overt synergy with this character and the MCU would be nice after we've seen its worst elements with her death. This mini isn't bad but it lacked cohesion, and felt more like an ongoing jammed into four issues. I hope whatever comes next is allowed time to breathe.
7.5
 Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant (2023) #1 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant (2023) #2 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant (2023) #4 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Murderworld (2022): Avengers #1 Dec 4, 2022
7.5
 Namor: Conquered Shores (2022) #2 Dec 6, 2022

Not as enjoyable as the first issue, but still pretty good. The pacing could be better and I don't know how well this small a story will work in the long term.

I'm going back and re-reading this. Hickman's current stuff got me in the mood. I hope it holds up. This first issue is off to a pretty good start. I know where this series and Avengers lead, so I'm not worried that this issue isn't perfect, but I was surprised by how quick it moved.

We get to see the Black Priests, and they're very cool. This issue has some really bad art, in my opinion, and that hurts this issue a shocking amount. Unfortunate.
7.5
 New Fantastic Four (2022) #2 Dec 6, 2022
7.5
 New Fantastic Four (2022) #3 Dec 6, 2022
7.5
 New Fantastic Four (2022) #4 Dec 6, 2022
7.5
 New Fantastic Four (2022) #5 Dec 6, 2022

This is pretty good, but I hope it gets better.

There's a lot going on in this issue, and I'm interested in all of it, but it does make the issue seem a little all over the place.

Pretty good issue that I think handles so many different plots very well.

Not my favorite issue, but I really want to see what happens with Gabby, especially if they're found out. Side note to belinda_sanchez: New Mutants has featured other characters besides the ones commonly associated with the title before. Titles change meaning and story and cast.

There is a lot going on in this issue, and it mostly all works. I hope something more comes out of Gabby's resurrection. Seems like it should be a bigger deal than it is.

This was pretty good, although a tad confusing at times. I want to see how it wraps up before the pseudo-relaunch though. I do have a gripe here, and it's the info pages. Maybe they were simply there because it's a staple, or maybe they were there to give the artist a break, but having your info pages be literal script pages seems a bit off to me.
7.5
 New Mutants (2019) #25 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 New Mutants (2019) #28 Dec 6, 2022
7.5
 New Mutants (2019) #31 Dec 6, 2022
7.5
 New Mutants: Dead Souls #2 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 New Mutants: Dead Souls #4 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 New Superman #18 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 New Superman #19 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 New Superman #23 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 New Superman #24 Jul 20, 2019

This was pretty good. These types of stories are typically a slow burn, so I'm hoping next issue picks up steam.

This is a pretty good issue, but I'm not drawn into it like I am with Zdarsky's other work.
7.5
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #10 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Nightwing (2016) #37 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Nightwing (2016) #38 Jul 20, 2019

Man, I was really enjoying this issue. I liked the way the characters are written. I liked the pacing. But then they had to pull that twist, which I hate. I really don't have anything else to say about this one.
7.5
 Nightwing (2016) #91 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Nightwing (2016) #98 Dec 6, 2022

The only really great thing about this is that one scene with Dick and Bruce.

I really want to like this more than I do. It's okay. I just find it kind of boring. Not a ton happens in this issue, and nothing really goes wrong for the heroes at any point, beyond what is necessary to have some form of light conflict in the narrative. And that's... boring. This title has been fluff for a long time, and everyone likes fluff. But if it's all fluff, it gets boring. Taylor has been writing this series since issue 78 and I still feel like I'm waiting for the run to really kick into high gear. It's not like nothing has happened during his tenure. A whole lot has happened, but it's been almost an afterthought in favor of feel-good, easy-reading issues that have relied more than a few times on artistic gimmicks. Are those issues fun? Sure. I just want more than fluff now.
7.5
 Nightwing (2016) #106 Aug 7, 2024
7.5
 Nightwing (2016) #110 Aug 7, 2024

Oh god, finally, some real stakes. Some real conflict. Only took the entire run.
7.5
 Nightwing (2016) Annual: 2022 Dec 6, 2022
7.5
 Nightwing: The New Order #5 Jul 20, 2019

This was pretty good, but I hate the pacing. I really think this could be great if they just slowed down, but I guess that's just not the comic we're going to get.

This was a pretty good conclusion to this series that really felt like a ton of build up with less convincing pay off. It went quickly, and I did like Medusa, so I can't complain too much.
7.5
 Old Man Hawkeye #8 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Old Man Logan (2016) #31 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Old Man Logan (2016) #35 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Old Man Logan (2016) #41 Jul 20, 2019

At least I still like this series.

While not exactly reaching the heights of Old Man Logan and Old Man Hawkeye, this is still a fun read.

A really fun issue with a cool ending.

I didn't mind this finale honestly. Definitely the weakest Old Man series of the three. But never so bad that I dreaded it, you know?

This takes a very long time to get going, but once it does, the story told is good.

I'm reading this as part of my re-read of Hickman's Avengers run. I know it doesn't really play a huge role in that, but I'm kind of a completionist. I thought this was a pretty good issue. I guess they needed to give the Watcher more character before they killed him off.

I'm starting to see some of the struggle with this event. There's cool ideas and scenes, but then the pacing is bungled with a bit of overwriting.

Better than last issue. I know exactly where this is headed. I hope it's more interesting than I remember.

A bit rough in the art, but the writing was mostly solid.

This was pretty good. There was some iffy dialogue, but not where it really matters, so it's almost a nonissue. I wish this wasn't just an inciting incident. I wish was more meat here. I thought the congressional hearings were a lot more compelling than the inciting incident itself. So, I'm hoping the effect of this issue leads to a more compelling status quo in the Marvel universe, even if the issue that kicks it off isn't amazing.

I don't watch the Pennyworth show because... why would I? But I gave this a shot. I have no idea how it lines up with anything, or if it's technically canon or not. But it was pretty good. I wish it was a little less wordy though.

This is still pretty good, but predictable.
7.5
 Peter Parker & Miles Morales: Spider-Men Double Trouble (2022) #1 Dec 8, 2022
7.5
 Peter Parker & Miles Morales: Spider-Men Double Trouble (2022) #2 Mar 4, 2023

This was a cute, little children's comic. Fun, while not deep at all. Doesn't do much for me, being a grown ass adult though.
7.5
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #297 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #309 Jul 20, 2019

This was good but there wasn't much to it. I'm not sure if the writer gets Peter's voice right and Morlun is not even close to my favorite villain. So a big fight with an off Peter and a villain I don't care for isn't my thing. But luckily, J. Jonah Jameson's involvement saves the issue for me. I like everything involving him so I'm sure next issue will be better.

A minor hiccup. I don't understand the point of this plot diversion, but it's written well enough.
7.5
 Planet Hulk: Worldbreaker (2022) #2 Mar 4, 2023
7.5
 Plastic Man (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019

Not as into it as I was last issue but it's still much better than it was a few issues ago. I'm honestly interested in seeing how this all plays out.

This was pretty good, but man, so many words.
7.5
 Predator (2022) #5 Jan 12, 2023

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Not the best issue, but I really loved Rosenberg's run.

This was pretty good. Nothing amazing. Just Punisher being Punisher.
7.5
 Punisher War Journal (2022): Blitz #1 Jan 12, 2023
7.5
 Punisher: The Platoon #3 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Quicksilver: No Surrender #5 Jul 20, 2019
7.5
 Raven: Daughter of Darkness #2 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Realm of X (2023) #3 May 8, 2024

Didn't expect much from this, but it's good.

This is pretty good, but I hope the story gets more interesting from here on out.

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7.5
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #18 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Redneck #14 Jul 21, 2019

Basketful of Heads was probably the most successful miniseries out of the first round of Hill House comics, so I was kind of interested in reading its sequel. I was a bit put off by it not being written by Joe Hill, but Rio Youers does a fine job. Horror comics are hard to do, especially issue ones, as it's all about build up. This comic succeeds more often than not.

This wasn't too bad.
7.5
 Rise of the Black Panther (2018) #6 Jul 21, 2019

I liked this one. The cliffhanger seems, ironically, not fun.

This was pretty good but that cliffhanger is like an anti-excitement vacuum. I do not like Ra's Al Ghul.

This is pretty good. It's a fun tournament arc story. That's all.

Pretty good. This book is a little confusing to me. There's plenty that I should find boring about it, but there's a brevity to it that doesn't let me collapse into that boredom quite so easily as I would normally.

I really don't care about the Al Ghul stuff, but this held my attention, so that's gotta count for something?

This issue was pretty good, but it feels like an afterthought compared to the previous 10 issues. Obviously, the important bits of this issue are the Al Ghul bits, to set up Shadow War. The rest feels like Williamson needed to give Robin and co. something to do while he did his set up. It isn't bad, and certainly, I've seen Williamson do way worse, but it isn't as engaging as the tournament arc was... which is saying something.
7.5
 Robin (2021) #14 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Robin (2021) #16 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Robin (2021) #17 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Rogues (2022) #1 Mar 4, 2023

Not what I expected but I had a fun time reading it.

This is about as good as the previous issue. This isn't high art or anything. It's schlock, for sure. But it's fun and cool.

I liked the first volume of this run, but I found myself not really getting excited about this new issue. The reason became apparent when I started reading. This is a pretty good comic. The characters are all nicely written and mostly fun. But that's it. It's not blowing anyone away. It's not Kelly Thompson's best comic out right now. But she's a great writer, so the competition is tough, I guess. This just feels like sort of an easy-reading, quick story and not something to really parse through, and that's okay. It just hampers my excitement, is all.

I didn't realize this came out last week. Oops. This is about as good as issue one, for the same reason as issue one. I don't have much to say about it, but it's not unenjoyable.

This is pretty good, but I have a hard time being invested. I'm not sure I'll stick around for the teased third miniseries.

This is a pretty good issue. It's a lot of table setting, which is fine and I know it leads to a lot of cool stories, but on its own, it's not an amazing issue. Just a necessary one.

A quick but enjoyable read.

There's just so many ridiculous action beats and I like it.

This was pretty good, but nothing too amazing.

This series is always better when it has Conan content. This was pretty good but nothing amazing.

Really wondering about the continuity here, but this was fun. The scene with the bars made me laugh.

This was pretty good. I'm glad the symbiote stuff from the first arc is firmly contextualized now.

Not bad. Fun.

Kinda like Cable, another series written by Duggan, this feels like wheels spinning. I thought this was a fun issue that did not need to exist.

This was fun. Like every issue of this title.
7.5
 Savage Avengers (2022) #1 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Savage Avengers (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Savage Avengers (2022) #5 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Savage Avengers (2022) #7 Mar 6, 2023

The main problem I had with Non-Stop Spider-Man was the pacing and the art. The whole theme of the series was working against it, and creating a slightly nauseating experience for the reader. This works better. The pacing is still very fast, but I feel like Sandoval's art works a lot better. I am slightly optimistic to see where this goes.

A predictable one-shot. It's Conan so you'll like it if you like Conan. It's just not groundbreaking, or anything like that.

Frank Tieri doesn't write Conan quite as well as the others have. It's not a huge dip in quality, just a slight one, but there's a dip nonetheless. The art was great here, at least, and I didn't have any trouble getting through this issue. I won't really miss Savage Sword, as it was an anthology book, but I will say it was a fun series.
7.5
 Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver (2024) #1 Jun 6, 2024
7.5
 Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver (2024) #2 Jun 6, 2024
7.5
 Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver (2024) #4 Jun 6, 2024

I'm still not convinced by this title, but this was a good issue. I hope it only gets better from here.
7.5
 Scarlet Witch (2023) #10 Jun 6, 2024

I'm more into this than I should be. I guess I'm just a sucker for this type of horror.

This was pretty good, honestly.

I thought this was pretty good. This title is growing on me.

Still pretty good.

This is a fun story that I don't think should've ended on a cliffhanger...

The Ewing story was a lot of fun, Alchemars is great. I just feel like this story doesn't have the right structure. I guess the idea is that the Soul Stone is slowly breaking and it's causing all these events, but it just feels scattershot. The Kibblesmith story was less good. I didn't really like the dialogue. I honestly wish that the backups for these annuals weren't a thing. They don't add enough to warrant their inclusion (and bring down the score, too) and I'd much rather just read a longer version of Ewing's story, or maybe just pay less for a smaller issue.
7.5
 Secret Warriors (2017) #11 Jul 21, 2019

This was a surprisingly good bunch of stories.
7.5
 Sentry (2018) #3 Jul 21, 2019

This was better than I expected. I hope this series doesn't go back to how rote its first arc was. I'm ambivalent on the art. I didn't really like the pencils but the coloring was on point.

This was pretty good. I don't know what is with this series. I want to like it more but it's never that interesting. I'm reading it out of obligation to a friend who seemingly wants to keep reading it. I guess I should ask them again if they do.

This was a pretty good issue, but like always, this series is having a troubled time keeping my interest.
7.5
 Seven Secrets #14 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Seven Secrets #15 Mar 6, 2023

This was a turbulent series for me. Never quite excellent, but never bad.
7.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory #0 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Frankenstein #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Klarion The Witch Boy #3 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Sex Criminals #12 Jan 7, 2020
7.5
 Sex Criminals #24 Jan 7, 2020

Well, everything wrapped up very efficiently and I think we agree that was passable. I wonder if issue 69 will be better.
7.5
 Shade, the Changing Woman #2 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Shade, the Changing Woman #4 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Shade, the Changing Woman #5 Jul 21, 2019

Pretty good start, but nothing special.

Somehow missed this one, but it's pretty good. I think this model of different heroes fighting Shang-Chi each issue might be good for sales, but it really makes it hard for the reader to become engaged with the actual main characters in this book. It is for me, anyway.

This was better than last issue, but the whole backstory is just kind of boring. Especially if you've seen the movie.
7.5
 Shang-Chi (2021) #9 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Shang-Chi (2021) #10 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023

This was fun, and since I'm not really interested in the story we have been getting, I didn't mind the interruption.

I wasn't expecting to like this, but this was actually a pretty fun issue.
7.5
 She-Hulk (2017) #162 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 She-Hulk (2022) #8 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Sideways #2 Jul 21, 2019

It was very brave of the writer to use so many cat puns. This is a fun book, but don't expect a phenomenal story.

This was fun.

This was pretty good but I wish it was better.

This was pretty good. I'm wondering what the gameplan is with Silk at Marvel. It seems like there isn't one.
7.5
 Silk (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Silk (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023

This miniseries was pretty good. Nothing special, but not bad at all.
7.5
 Silver Surfer: Rebirth (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023

I liked this. It was nostalgic, while also being modern enough to where current sensibilities won't reject it.

Certainly a mixed bag. I liked the Rick Grimes 2000 story. I like seeing them basically parody and take the piss out of the Walking Dead. I read it all, so I gotta read this. The other stories weren't really making me want to read the series they were promoting, but none of them were bad by any means.

The Rick Grimes 2000 story gets a little better here, but it's still Kirkman taking the piss out of the original series while trying to put way too much of that story back into this one. There just isn't enough space for what Kirkman's trying to do. But hey, I guess we'll see how it wraps up next issue. The Excellence story didn't really work for me. It was written fine, but even the context page is not enough for me to know who any of these people are and why I should care about them. It probably works a lot better if you're aware of the series. The Sea Serpent's Heir story was neat. I can't promise I'll read more of that series, but I was intrigued enough to think about reading it. The Redneck story was my favorite and that's probably because I really enjoy that series. The idea of Bartlett running into and getting high with Guns N' Roses is... very funny.

Wasn't as into this as I was, not sure why. It was still pretty good, though.

This was a pretty good issue. The more this goes, the less I seem to like it. I'm just so sick of these types of stories, honestly. I feel like there isn't much original here. It's written about as well as it could be, but that doesn't make it the best horror comic of 2019.
7.5
 Spider-Geddon #0 Jul 21, 2019

I expected to hate this, but luckily I didn't. It's definitely a continuation of Renew Your Vows, although I think you get enough here that you don't need to have read it.

This issue was about on par with the first. It incorporates more elements from Renew Your Vows, so I'm not sure how that plays to people who didn't read Renew Your Vows. Especially since this issue seems less focused on the Inheritors and Spider-Geddon than resolving, or at least progressing, the plot threads that Renew Your Vows left hanging. As a tie in, it may be a bit lacking, but as a story about the characters involved, it works well.

7.5
 Spider-Gwen (2015) #26 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Spider-Gwen (2015) #31 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Spider-Gwen (2015) #33 Jul 21, 2019

A lot of this issue is spent building this new world that probably won't matter after Spider-Geddon so that's a little frustrating. But the world is interesting, at least, or how Gwen reacts to it. There's a lot of exposition here, but at least it wasn't the fifth time in this arc that we get this unlike some other series. Not as good as the first issue, but still pretty good.

Sort of like Man Without Fear #2, this issue really needed better art. This issue deals with the aftermath to Spider-Geddon, mostly mourning the characters who died. Karn gets a weird spider funeral on Loomworld, I'm not sure it really worked, what with each spider shooting their webs on him. But the rest of the issue works well emotionally, I think. We get plenty of Gwen just being so sad about those deaths and that really gives them some sort of gravity. Spider-Geddon didn't really focus on them. But in this issue, we get Gwen going to the universes of Spider-Man Noir and Spider-UK and breaking the news to the people that cared about them so that they won't have to go on not knowing. And Gwen gets these rad new costumes to blend in. And they didn't focus on them at all, but honestly they should have because those were cool looking. Seeing how they react is sad. This is a very somber issue. And at the end, Gwen gets a pep talk from 616 Peter Parker and that's a great moment. Because really, who better to give the other spiders advice than the original? If the art was better, this could've been a great issue, but unfortunately, I can only say it was pretty good.

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Not as good as the last issue, but a fine enough conclusion.

This is fun and cute. Not worth reading unless you are looking for that. It's not canon or anything like that.
7.5
 Spider-Man (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Spider-Man (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 Spider-Man (2022) #6 Mar 6, 2023

This was a fine ending. I don't have much vitriol left in the tank for Spider-Verses anymore. I don't think this story was necessary, but it didn't overstay its welcome. I don't mind the implications of Spider-Boy, as I know they'll be resolved in future issues. I had a fine time. I do think this issue kind of misses what makes Spider-Man such a great character, which is weird since Slott has nailed that in other stories. It's such a celebration for this icon, yet it feels hollow. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

This was pretty good. It went very quickly. It was cool to see how they used the fourth wall. But not much to say otherwise.

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7.5
 Spider-Man 2099: Exodus (2022) #1 Mar 6, 2023

This was pretty good. I don't know what to expect from the rest of this series, but if it's just glorified one-shots, I'm game.

I wasn't as enthused about this issue as everyone else seems to be, but it had its moments for sure.

I mean, this is messy, but not bad?

Oh, this issue is messy, but I don't hate it. It's not, like, annoying. But please. I want the fun issues back, this Marchand plot is like a numbing rot inside a tooth.
7.5
 Spirits of Vengeance (2017) #3 Jul 21, 2019

This is a pretty good issue, all things considered. It just really feels like Johns doesn't know what kind of story he wants to tell.

This was a pretty good start. I actually like the characters and I feel like in a few issues, I'm sure to be invested in their drama.

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Pretty good, but I feel like this comic is still trying to establish things that it has already firmly established, which slows the pacing down a bit.

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This was pretty good but I'd be lying if I said that I was still as enthusiastic about this series as I was.
7.5
 Strange (2022) #6 Mar 8, 2023
7.5
 Strange (2022) #8 Mar 8, 2023

This was surprisingly strong. I'm not fully into it yet, but I didn't expect to like any of it.

Hey, I went into this expecting something bland, but I actually liked this issue. Wasn't amazed by it or anything, but it was a good time.

This was a pretty good conclusion to the arc, but nothing special.

I thought this was pretty good. The story is interesting enough, and the dialogue isn't really like what we've grown to know from King. It's actually evolved a little and that's what I've been clamoring for, for so long. I want King to evolve and this is the right path towards that. My favorite part of the issue may be an unorthodox one, but it's the stuff on Rann. It reads (hopefully, intentionally) like a silver age comic without the overbearing amount of words. I tend to like when writers pay homage to that era. But, I will say that this book isn't groundbreaking or doing something incredibly new here. I didn't expect that and I had a better experience for it, I think. Don't let the hype get to you.

Not a bad issue but I'm not invested. Genuinely, throughout reading this, all I could think about is how everything with Alanna could easily just be put into a Tulsi Gabbard comic.

This was a pretty good issue.

This was pretty good. That's all. I don't really have a strong connection to this series at this point. I'm very fine with this ending at 11 issues. I think it's because this was a sneak Revolutionaries pilot, but they're not written poorly. I was just here more for Suicide Squad.

Not bad, I just wish more would happen.

There was an abruptness to this issue that didn't sit well with me, but aside from that, I was into it. I don't really like Ambush Bug still, but I'm invested in the plot, so I let some of those moments of unfunniness slide.

This is pretty good. I'm excited to see where this goes.
7.5
 Super Sons (2017) #13 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Super Sons (2017) #15 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Super Sons (2017) #16 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Supergirl (2016) #22 Jul 21, 2019

This wasn't too bad. I'm just surprised that Marc Andreyko isn't writing this book anymore. His run ended on a cliffhanger for another series, while the story he was building is ended prematurely for crossovers-sake. I wouldn't be surprised if he quit... But anyway, for Jody Houser's first issue, this was pretty good. Still caught up in that Year of the Villain/Secret Six boringness, but it does its best.

I don't see the point in criticizing this issue for apparently being influenced by what you think Tom King's wife is like. That's some parasocial cringe shit right there. Delusional, too. The issue was pretty good, but I thought the narration was overdone. I don't know if I'm on board with this series yet. I just don't have much interest. I also don't see the reason to wait till the end of the issue to reveal the aftermath of the end of the first issue. I guess it was just to give this issue some semblance of a cliffhanger and something to hook the reader into buying issue 3, instead of letting it play out chronologically and having little to nothing happen in this issue, plot wise.

This is pretty good but man the narration is not worth the effort. I get the point, and the journey to that point is a detriment to it. But you know, the concept of the issue is cool, so there's that. I liked the art, of course.

I'm conflicted on this ending. I feel like there was a good message in there, regarding female empowerment in the face of a world that so often brings them down. I also feel like that message is a bit unearned. If you wanted to make the book about that idea, maybe don't have Kara's feats be so much of generalized heroism, right? The only thing that makes it different is that Supergirl is a woman, but that's a very basic way of looking at these struggles. I don't want to say it feels like an afterthought, because it clearly wasn't. I think it's just a difference in perspective. But I do appreciate the message, buried in a book that I didn't hate, but I wasn't amazed by.

Not as good as issue one, but still pretty good.

This was pretty good. The pacing was fine, as much as I'm uninterested by Braniac.
7.5
 Superman (2016) #43 Jul 21, 2019

The best part of this book is the Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane parts. So I'm actually kind of excited for those miniseries now. The rest wasn't too bad either, just less entertaining. For once in a long time, Bendis writes something where things actually progress and his writing is better for it because we're not stuck on the same plot point for too long. The Supergirl stuff by Marc Andreyko probably means more to people who've read the Steve Orlando run, not Andreyko's run, so it's odd that he focuses on these mostly absent characters. And it's fine, I guess. Not sure why I should care, honestly. Overall, not as bad as I thought it would be going in, which is a blessing because 80 pages is a lot.

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7.5
 Superman (2023) #5 May 7, 2024
7.5
 Superman (2023) #8 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Superman (2023) #10 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Superman (2023) #11 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Superman (2023) #12 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Superman (2023) #13 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Superman (2023) #14 Jun 6, 2024
7.5
 Superman (2023) #17 Oct 14, 2024
7.5
 Superman (2023) Annual: 2023 May 8, 2024

This was pretty good but I really don't know what the point of this miniseries will be. Where does it fit in continuity? Is it even in continuity? And like, just how many Constantine clones are there? I feel like DC has at least 18 clones of Constantine. It's really distracting, honestly.

This wasn't as bad as I was expecting, I suspect that is because Sarah Beattie is the one scripting the issue, rather than Seeley, and that helps a lot.

Slightly less good than this title can be. Running out of steam on these jokes, to be honest.

I was just going to read the new story by Fraction and Lieber, but I ended up reading the whole thing. Lucky for me too, because the new story is one of the weaker elements of this anthology. I actually liked the two 70s reprint stories the most. They were fun, charming and nostalgic. Based on the small selection here, it seems as though modern comics tend to make Perry more serious and respectable as a newspaperman, and that creates a very different sort of tone for the character, and maybe impedes just what types of stories can be told with him. But that's literally based on just this collection, I have not read any Pre-Crisis Superman aside from the two stories here.

I genuinely can't get over how much of a crybaby Merlyn is in his review. You should really get some therapy if one panel makes you go off like that. Sadistic? Lmao. The stories here are mostly pretty good. Fetch is really cute. I really like how G. Willow Wilson writes Clark in De-Escalation. Your Favorite was fine but not... my favorite. Red Sun...Blue Dot looks great and Generations is heartfelt (and not at all sadistic, you weirdo).

This wasn't a bad batch of stories. The first story was really cute. The second story was probably the least good one here. It just felt too long. The Special by Tom King almost worked for me until I started thinking about how very sad this old lady's life must have been that she works in a diner her entire life, with seemingly no ability to move upwards from her station, only downwards, since I doubt diner work leads to retirement. But that's on me, not the story, I guess. The Son of Farmers story was good. It was brisk, which made me appreciate it more. Ally was fine, I think it was a little hamfisted, but it's fine. Oh, and calling out a dumbass in the user reviews. One, get over yourself. Two, intersectionality is the idea that every immutable characteristic you have can impact how you are treated by people, and by society. That's all it is. It's not some verboten topic, like you obviously wish it would be. It's common fucking sense.

This issue wasn't as good as some of the others I've read, so let me attack a child for thinking differently than me, because I'm confident in my beliefs.
7.5
 Superman: Son of Kal-El (2021) #10 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Superman: Son of Kal-El (2021) #12 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Superman: Son of Kal-El (2021) #13 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Superman: Son of Kal-El (2021) #14 Nov 6, 2022

If you think this is the death knell of DC, you clearly haven't read anything from the last 30 years of DC. DC has bounced back from much worse. This is serviceable. It's fine. I don't understand the marketing strategy for this run. Should just let it go another six issues, but I guess there can only be two mainline Superman books at a time.

This is pretty good, but I'm just not getting why I should care.

Again, this is pretty good, but I don't really care about what I'm reading.

This is pretty good, but full of exposition. I kind of want to see where it leads, but I really should go back and at least skim the other issues, as I don't really know what the throughline for this series is. It seems so disconnected at times.
7.5
 Swamp Thing (2021) #12 Mar 11, 2023

Pretty good.

I didn't enjoy this issue as much as the last.

I was going into this thinking that I'd hate it, but what I got was a pretty fun Spider-Man issue? I'm sure the next 4 issues will be ample time to disappoint me though.

I guess I should've expected these characters from... You know, the cover, but for some reason I didn't. This was fun. I really couldn't stand Greg Land's art at some points (the fuck was that child?) so that was a bummer. It seems like somehow whatever Knull does in King in Black reverberates through time? Not sure how that works, but I guess we'll see. Peter not knowing his symbiote is a sentient living being has already stretched credulity in the previous miniseries, but now he's presumably going to fight against the God of the thing he's wearing, so that might break the illusion completely. Again, we'll see.

I liked this more than the Knightfall issue. I just wish the ending was less rushed.

This was pretty good, but this whole series seems pointless when it can't even deliver stories worth their price and page count.

This definitely has a classic feel to it that will drive away certain people, but I enjoyed it for what it was: A pretty good comic.

This is a pretty good start. I have faith that Matthew Rosenberg will make it a lot more fun as it gears up. Also, what the fuck is Merlyn smoking? This dude is legitimately insane. Holy shit lol.
7.5
 Teen Titans (2016) #15 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Teen Titans (2016) #17 Jul 21, 2019

The main story with Crush and Djinn was actually pretty good. The writer somehow made me care about Crush. Must've had something to do with that emotional backstory. The back-up about Roundhouse, however, falls completely flat because his character is so annoying. He's very unfunny. He's written horribly. I don't care about him or his sister. Crush fares better because she's not just a burden on the reader, you know?

This was honestly pretty good. I wasn't expecting that with how Lazarus Contract turned out or how the lead up to this event was going. But I'm glad I didn't hate this. I will say, the ending did feel forced. I feel like Wallace and the others should've found this prison much sooner if all it took was someone walking, or running in this case, in.

This honestly wasn't that bad of an issue.

This was better than issue one. I think this might grow on me more, like Strange Academy did over at Marvel. Similar concept, so it somewhat makes sense. I actually kinda care about the Red X mystery now, and that is a triumph after how much they tried to make me not care with those abysmal Future State issues.

The plot isn't the most engaging, but some of the character work is cute. I like Stitch. The writer manages to thread the needle between obnoxious and fun with that character very well.

Slightly better, but still this series seems like it's struggling a lot.

Pretty good.

A pretty good collection of stories. My favorite was probably Cantwell's, just for what it could mean.

Pretty good issue. No real complaints. Nothing much to say either.

Much better than last issue. B.A.T. man is stupid though.

Pretty good final issue. I just wish it had blown my mind. Instead we get about what you'd expect from this story. And that's perfectly okay. But maybe not if you want to tell a story that will be remembered on its own.

Some of the charm is lost here as the character being focused on, Black Swan, is perhaps the least interesting member of the Black Order, despite being the most developed of the bunch.

This is pretty good. I like when writers show how vulnerable Tony Stark can be, instead of making him a tech bro or something.

I think Spurrier cut off a little more than he could chew with this one. It's not bad, but this feels like a couple issues worth of story crammed into one slightly longer issue. It is basically a continuation of that solid Black Knight miniseries he did a while ago. On that front it works. Jacks and Dane really do work well together here. Jacks, the bull-headed action hero, and Dane, the often-neglected hero who knows what he's doing and saves the day in the end. I like that mentor dichotomy. There's just too much feeding into this issue to really keep the pacing nice. I would rate it higher, if only.
7.5
 The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1 Nov 18, 2022
7.5
 The Demon: Hell is Earth #5 Jul 21, 2019

After last issue, I was sort of despondent about this series. I really want to like it, and I think there are some neat, cool, interesting ideas on display that have led to some really dope issues in the past. This third arc has come across as filler to me. I would have much rather had the series go on break, as indie series tend to do, to give the main artist time to draw what comes next. Instead we've gotten several issues from guest artists. While those artists are all talented, don't get me wrong, the writing side of things felt uninspired, listless and obligatory. Each issue felt more and more like a reiteration of the same concepts while not giving the reader new, or interesting, information. This issue does, in some ways, continue the trend. There is a lot of reiteration, but we do get a slightly more interesting twist on it, undoubtedly uplifted by Fornes' art. I was going to drop this series with the end of this arc, but I'm willing, maybe against better judgment, to continue onto arc four.

I think I liked this more than issue one, but it's not without its problems. I cannot stand characters like Jenny. They're just so unrealistic and frankly dumb. And that was a major problem as it sort of tanked Alice's story. Like, with issue one, I couldn't be bothered with Joseph's story, but this time around I was way more interested in that than Alice's story. Unfortunately, that leads to an uneven reading experience. That's a shame because I can see there's greatness here, but I can't see past the shoddy execution.

7.5
 The Dreaming (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 The Dreaming (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019

The stuff with Judge Gallows and Cain was genuinely interesting. I could not give a shit less about Dora. She's completely unlikable as a character and no tragic backstory will change my mind. She's easily the worst thing in this comic each month. I'd like for her to go away. Otherwise, the issue was pretty good. Last issue was kind of a fluke. I guess we can't just have Judge Gallows, featuring the Dreaming. Even though that'd be way more interesting.

I thought this was good. I'm interested to see what happens next. Which I think may be a first?

A pretty good issue. I feel like Wan isn't written like it should be if we're going for realism (in a comic book, yes, I know) and that sort of bothers me. It's incongruous with its established nature, if that makes sense. But otherwise, there's some neat things here. That ending is kind of lame though, not gonna lie.

This was pretty good. Not great. I get it, technology bad. I'm uninterested in a lot of this. And I'm pretty sure we've already had an issue like this. I'd know for sure if this series was more memorable.

This was pretty good. Definitely better than I expected. I'm not very interested in it yet, but I guess the main character is sorta, kinda relatable. Also, idk, I know a few women in academia and at least one of them doesn't really think academia is harder for women. I don't have much to say about the issue, so I figured I could artificially lengthen it by calling bullshit on a whole 4 panels.

This issue kind of meanders a bit, but it's still pretty good.

This was a pretty good ending. I hope the rest of this series continues to interest me.

Well, this is a turn. But I think I like this protagonist and her problems more than the previous one. This is a fun book.

Not a bad issue at all.

This was not bad. It had some cool moments. However, I'm kind of just waiting for the series to end now.

I liked it but I know a lot of people won't.

I liked this but I can see why some don't. It's almost abrasive in its writing.

The main story continues to be one of my favorites. I just think it's very well written. I feel like I'm just waiting for Tynion to put this sort of effort and energy into the Batman book, which reads like a mess. The backup story continues to suck. This time it was super quick and barely anything that's not boring happened, so I'll fill up the rest of my review with a text rant about Punchline I sent a friend early one morning instead of sleeping: "... because it's basically like, Punchline was turned into a Joker sycophant because he's just so fucking cool. And isn't society baaaad. But her character is basically just some lowbrow super immature critique of society. She's literally just Jared Leto's Joker saying we live in a society over and over again. As one of those weirdos who's apparently just on the edge of murdering someone myself, like the comic continues to imply, since I read and learn about serial killers, I know how serial killers get their fangirls. I just think it could be done so much better. There's a reason typically women fall into these sort of groupie scenarios with killers. It depends on the dynamic of the woman and the killer. Like, if the killer is loose, and he's forming groupies while being active, the women around him are going to be poorly educated and poor, or even homeless. Look at the beatniks that formed the Manson Family, for instance. Then there's the much more common variety that springs up after a killer is caught and in jail. In that scenario, women have the power. The killer is in jail. He can't cheat on them or do much of anything without them. They can give him stuff to make his prison stay better. They can change him. They can make him good again. And maybe, he didn't actually do anything wrong and he's been framed?? There's a phenomenon of "pet" serial killers. Middle class women who become groupies of serial killers and treat them like a pet that they nurture and take care of. And a lot of why women are attracted to these people is because of our media. Think of how often in movies, the woman falls in love with the bad boy who is actually so nice and sweet if you get to know him. You could dissect all of this and really deconstruct this phenomenon. What do we get instead though? A bad plot about indoctrination that Tynion himself has done better elsewhere. They tried to take the killer groupie thing and turn it into a political indoctrination story. At least, in that one-shot. They kind of forget that's where it started in the backups. But that doesn't work with the Joker. It ignores a fundamental part of indoctrination, which is the normalization of the abnormal. Something that has to slowly take place. You don't just decide to fall in with something like the Joker."

I thought the main story, while a complete detour from what we had been getting, is really good. I like the idea that Joker's mere existence is enough to drive people mad. Seeing Matthew Rosenberg working on this was a treat because I really, really enjoy his comics usually. And I'm glad to see his involvement didn't hinder what Tynion was doing. The backup, like always, is such a missed opportunity. I do not want a female Joker. That's all Punchline is. One Joker is enough! This could be such an interesting story and yet... we get nothing.

This was a pretty good issue, but was a bit rushed for my taste. The director's cut portion was a lot more fun though.

Gordon lays out his theory and... that's it. This is the most straight forward chapter of the run.

This was kind of muddled, but it wasn't bad. The art could've been a lot better.

Surprisingly competent for a throwaway synergy issue.
7.5
 The Life Of Captain Marvel #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 The Life Of Captain Marvel #2 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 The Man of Steel (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019

Yet another issue primarily focused on setting up more backstory for a new character. I'm a sucker for the way Kurt Busiek plays with the lesser known toys of the Marvel Universe. I enjoyed this issue, but I can't help but feel that the pace is remarkably slow for a series that I have a feeling isn't going to continue much longer.
7.5
 The Maxx (1993) #3 Sep 13, 2022
7.5
 The Maxx (1993) #7 Sep 13, 2022
7.5
 The Maxx (1993) #9 Sep 13, 2022
7.5
 The Maxx (1993) #12 Sep 13, 2022
7.5
 The Maxx (1993) #14 Sep 13, 2022
7.5
 The Maxx (1993) #17 Sep 13, 2022
7.5
 The Maxx (1993) #23 Sep 13, 2022
7.5
 The Maxx (1993) #29 Sep 13, 2022

This was pretty good, but I had trouble finding interest in it though.

I wish this ending was a bit more solid, but overall this was a really enjoyable miniseries.

A good chapter.

Still pretty good.

Pretty good, but maybe a little too wordy.

This was pretty good and short.

This went by extremely fast. I'm hoping next chapter has more substance.

This was a really quick issue, and I hope the crazy fast pacing isn't indicative of this story being prematurely wrapped up. Also, Bats20832 doesn't seem to understand what nuance is... Or what the act of redemption is, conceptually? I swear, he sounds like a more unhinged Steve Ditko.

I'm almost tempted to give this a higher rating just to push back against the unhinged review.
7.5
 The Nice House on the Lake #8 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 The Nice House on the Lake #9 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 The Nice House on the Lake #10 Dec 6, 2022

This was a pretty good wrap up, although I felt like the tease for more really just takes away from the entire story. I probably won't be reading the next cycle.

I didn't quite like this as much as issue two, but it was pretty entertaining to read, even if I feel like there really isn't a way to put the mystery together as the reader. But maybe it's just been too long since the first two issues.

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7.5
 The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives #1 Mar 5, 2023
7.5
 The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives #2 Mar 5, 2023
7.5
 The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives #3 Mar 5, 2023
7.5
 The Silver Coin #9 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 The Silver Coin #10 Mar 6, 2023
7.5
 The Terrifics #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 The Terrifics #4 Jul 21, 2019

This was actually pretty good. I actually cared about the characters for once. We need more of this and less aping of Fantastic Four and crazy plots that lead nowhere.

I didn't mind this issue. I have more hope for a Gene Luen Yang written Terrifics now. He did well on New Super-Man, but not even Jeff Lemire could make me care about this team.

The first two stories were good. Although, the ideas presented in the first story were not fully realized and I wish they weren't glossed over. The second story was the best though, I didn't have any issues with it. The third story, however, I thought was extremely boring. If not for that, this would've been a great annual. I don't think it's coincidence that the story most directly associated with the main title's story is the boring one. That's my biggest issue with this series in general. It's boring and forgettable.

Overall, I liked this but I did feel it went a little long. Like, did we really need that part with Robert Frost's poem?

I liked this, but it was a bit too wordy at times.

This was a bit slow, but not bad. I think the next issue will work a lot better. What's most interesting to me about this miniseries, is that it was supposed to be an Empyre tie-in, and is now a King in Black tie-in. I'm trying to find the seams in the comic here. Did they redraw/rewrite the miniseries, or did they just replace the vague plant enemy with a vague symbiote enemy? In this first issue, it's hard to tell.

This was cool. We get to see that Nadia might be just as mentally unwell as Hank was. And that's an interesting place to take a character that has essentially been a "perfect" smart teenage character type that has flooded comics in recent years. We get a really genuine look at someone who is bipolar. And the writer actually researched it and consulted with doctors. It's nice to see stuff like this, especially when other comics and writers don't take the extra effort to do this.

This issue was pretty good. There's some stuff in here that I can relate to, at least, and I want to give the issue a higher score because of that, but there's still something that's not putting this title over the edge for me. It has something to do with the side characters, they were all introduced as very one-note. And they haven't yet gotten much depth, so some of the scenes here don't hit like they should.

This was fun.
7.5
 The Walking Dead #174 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 The Walking Dead #178 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 The Walking Dead #183 Jul 21, 2019

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7.5
 The X-Cellent (2023) #4 May 7, 2024

Like the Spider-Man & Venom miniseries awhile back, this is a very cute issue. I probably wouldn't recommend it, but it may be good for young kids.

This was cute.

A fun tie-in, with big moments, but ultimately feels less than essential.

This is such a weird issue. First, the art change is incredibly jarring. Second, the pacing just gets destroyed here. Gronbekk's run on the title has been so good that it's kind of shocking just how off this issue feels. I don't know what happened, and I hope the next one gets things back on track.
7.5
 Thunderbolts (2022) #1 Mar 13, 2023
7.5
 Thunderbolts (2022) #2 Mar 13, 2023
7.5
 Tiger Division (2022) #1 Mar 13, 2023
7.5
 Tiger Division (2022) #2 Mar 13, 2023

This was a perfectly fine wrap up. I ended up liking these characters a lot after not really connecting with them at all previously. So this mini did its job, didn't it?
7.5
 Tim Drake: Robin (2022) #1 Mar 13, 2023
7.5
 Tim Drake: Robin (2022) #3 Mar 13, 2023

I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, and what we got was... Neat. The Kang story is competent, but what this comic really serves to do is tease the next year of Marvel storylines. As far as that goes, I mean, it's fine. I'm excited to see where some of these go. Also the final tease is big if true. I wonder if they'll get Gaiman to do it, or if Cates will do it as he's a huge fan of the character.
7.5
 Timeless (2021): 2022 Mar 13, 2023
7.5
 Titans (2016) #25 Jul 21, 2019

So Abnett finally realizes that maybe the reader should care about the Titans so all the drama that's been building between these characters is finally cut out like the cancer it was. Just in time for plot to actually progress. I'm not exactly anxious about the next issue for once.

This is a pretty good flagrant comic book synergy tie-in to the terrible Titans show. Beast Boy is kind of annoying here, but otherwise the character work is fine.
7.5
 Titans: Beast World (2023) #1 Aug 7, 2024

The best thing about this issue was Tony. The rest feels a bit inconsequential. But I'm glad Gail Simone didn't write an ongoing I usually look forward to down the toilet.

About as good as the last issue. Feels just as inconsequential, though.
7.5
 U.S.Avengers #12 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Ultimate Black Panther (2024) #5 Oct 14, 2024
7.5
 Ultimate Black Panther (2024) #7 Oct 14, 2024

I thought this issue was pretty good, not much happens beyond a big fight. I've noticed a lot of hate for this series in certain fan communities and I mean, a lot of it is nitpicking. Like severe nitpicking. Anyway, this issue plays with some big themes, like generational mutants. The children and grandchildren of the X-Men have been feeling like the X-Men regard them less and less. And Legion/X-Man posits that it's because the X-Men are afraid of them. And that's the same reason Anole gives away the mutant vaccine. Fear. Also, apropos of that nitpicking I was referring to earlier... there's a large portion of fans who think Beast is being written poorly here. But I simply disagree. He flat out says that he understands why Anole did what they did, but it's a naive thing to do because they just gave the government a weapon. Where is the inconsistency there? Beast has always struggled with his mutation, but it's clear what the government intends to do with it. Another one was that Kitty didn't get the senator far enough away. They were on an island, she got him as far away as she could. What is the other solution there? Get him a raft to row away like Multiple Man did? Anyway, I almost want to rate this higher just in spite of that ridiculous nitpicking. But I won't. I'll give it the score it deserves.

I'm disappointed that the ending of the last issue is undone by this issue. It was a cool idea, but I guess it was unmanageable as well. I was expecting a bigger ending to this, but I guess not. I hope Hickman's relaunch is great and doesn't ignore these last X-Men stories.

I was initially not going to read this because I'm hardly a fan of Scott Snyder's writing, but then I heard a podcast where Charles Soule and Scott Snyder discussed it. And it sounded like a really cool idea, and that idea kinda sorta exists in this first issue, but it's hardly there. I'm sure that won't be true with the next issue, as it had to have some set up. But yeah, this first issue is pretty good. It's not amazing or anything, and I don't think it's the political commentary marvel that critics seem to think it is... but then again, I'm not a brain dead zombie feasting on buzz words that make me feel smart.

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7.5
 Venom (2021) #6 Nov 6, 2022
7.5
 Venom (2021) #11 Nov 25, 2022
7.5
 Venom (2021) #23 May 20, 2024
7.5
 Venom: First Host #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Venom: First Host #3 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 Venom: Lethal Protector (2022) #1 Mar 13, 2023
7.5
 Venom: Lethal Protector (2022) #2 Mar 13, 2023
7.5
 Venom: Lethal Protector (2022) #3 Mar 13, 2023

I was a bit disappointed by this miniseries. But I realized I've been a fool. As much as I like Michelinie, 90s Venom, which is what that miniseries is based on, is a character that simply refuses development or depth. So it made for a competent miniseries, but nothing that stands out.
7.5
 Venomized #2 Jul 21, 2019

I think I may be starting to regret my decision to read this series. I feel like there is a whole lot of backstory that I'm missing out on. It's detrimental. I can't figure out whether this is a sequel to something or not. It's fun, in a schlock kind of way, but I'm not really sure if I want to read more.

Genuinely, I barely know what's going on, but it's a lot of fun despite that, so my rating may be a bit generous.

Pretty good. This has great art and pretty good writing, and yet I don't really know what was supposed to be said with this series.

This is a lot of fun, but I can't act as though it's high art or anything. The art is great looking though.

This anthology was a missed opportunity. I feel like only the first and last issues really gave us what this title should have been. It's a shame.
7.5
 Wakanda Forever: Amazing Spider-Man #1 Jul 21, 2019

I don't know who this is for, but I think the political intrigue could become more interesting in the future issues.

Didn't like this as much as the previous issue, but it wasn't bad.

Overall, I'd say this was pretty good. I liked seeing the old western heroes that Marvel doesn't ever use anymore.

A little muddled, but overall enjoyable.

The Daredevil and Doctor Doom stories were good, but the She-Hulk one fell a little flat.

This is pretty good all around, but I wonder how it fits with... all that comes after it.

A nice little prequel to the Old Man Hawkeye series.

This was maybe a bit bloated, but it still maintains this series' rather stable quality.

For a comic that introduces all its characters here, that ending still had somewhat of an impact. That's commendable. Overall, like most of this series, this issue was pretty good. Nothing special, but you won't have trouble getting through it, and may even enjoy yourself.

I find myself kind of at odds with this series sometimes. It feels very expansive and wide-reaching, but not in the way where I feel like I'm on board for the ride. It's more like Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo know what's happening, and the rest of us are just getting the occasional glimpse of story-derived lucidity. But when I get those moments, it's fucking great. So I guess, take the good with the bad, and you've got a pretty good comic. It has the potential to tie itself together and read much better in the future. Honestly, it's Al Ewing, so I guarantee if I put in more time to wrap my head around this series, I wouldn't regret it.
7.5
 Weapon H #6 Jul 21, 2019

This was pretty good. It gave me my fill of ridiculous comic-y comic stories.

The shift in this issue works really well. It takes what could be a very run of the mill story and gives it an interesting angle. Jane Howlett, while obviously not the most creative, is probably my favorite character in this miniseries.

I really don't know what the point of this miniseries was. Will we ever get a follow up?

This felt rushed, but there's enough good in this to make me overlook some of this issue's flaws.
7.5
 What If...Miles Morales #1 Mar 16, 2023
7.5
 What If...Miles Morales #2 Mar 16, 2023

The majority of this series is fine, it's just a matter of wondering what the point of its publication was. What force is driving this? Nothing worth the trouble, I can tell you that.

This was pretty good. I wasn't expecting much of anything beyond some MCU mandated synergy, but it wasn't a bad read.
7.5
 WildC.A.T.S. (2022) #1 Mar 16, 2023

This finale was pretty good, but like most of this series, this felt rushed. This really could've used a fifth issue, to give some story elements some time to breathe.

This was pretty good, but not the best issue of this run.

This isn't the most exciting issue, but every time they go back to X of Swords, I get excited again.

Not a bad issue at all, but I wish more happened.

I thought this was pretty good. I haven't found the whole Maverick plotline that compelling, but it was serviceable.
7.5
 Wolverine (2020) #24 Feb 6, 2023
7.5
 Wolverine (2020) #37 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Wolverine (2020) #39 May 8, 2024
7.5
 Wolverine (2020) #44 May 8, 2024

I liked the way this issue ties up the character beats from the Sabretooth miniseries that this story arc spun out from. Having Sabretooth essentially learn nothing is quite on brand for him. As for the plot, it's kind of meandering. Glad it's wrapping up.

I am typically not a fan of anthologies, but I'm hopeful about this one because it doesn't seem quite so random. The Beast Within Them is a visual feast, while telling a pretty common Wolverine story. It's the art that sells this one. I Shall Be A Wolf is pretty fun. It isn't amazing but it's a good, predictable time. Cabin Fever is also fun. I think it makes the most use of the color palette of the three stories, but is probably the weakest written. Overall, this was a fun time. Nothing crazy good, but it's just a whole lot of Wolverine.

All of these were pretty good, but not outstanding.

I liked this batch of stories. Not sold on the gimmick of these series yet.

This has so many callbacks and plot threads taken from the Krakoa run that you'd think it's written by Ben Percy, but it's not.

This is pretty good. I am hesitant to get excited because I remember Catwoman, but we'll see how it goes.
7.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #36 Jul 21, 2019

I thought this issue was pretty good. Some of the dialogue doesn't work but I wasn't bored out of my mind, like I have been for almost every run post-Rucka so maybe I'm being nicer because of that.

Well, unfortunately, this issue wasn't as good. But I still have hope, damn it. Also, why are we only on issue 3 and there's already a fill in artist?

I hate the Faeries but this was pretty good. I'm ready to move on to new story ideas though.

This was a little better than the last few issues. I liked the visit to the fifth dimension, but I'm very ready for this to end.

Slightly better than the previous issue, but this story still seems like it needs to pick up the pace.
7.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #789 Mar 16, 2023

I wonder why DC Fan of Sorts didn't include the male writer of the writing team in his comment. Curious. EDIT: I was hasty to make fun of DC Fan of Sorts. He did include the male writer in his comment. In an effort to remain transparent, I'll leave the original review above. From here on out, I'll just make fun of all the other aspects of his character. ðŸ™
7.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #794 Mar 16, 2023

Finally caught up on this title. Wonder Woman is a very hard character to nail down, historically. Even great writers tend to fuck it up. This is not a bad run. It's just... iffy. The writers want to do all this stuff and clearly don't know how to effectively utilize their page count, so it feels messy and the pacing is so off. But the ideas aren't bad. I'm interested in seeing what's going to happen next through that Lazarus Planet miniseries and the remaining four issues of the run.

The final arc of Cloonrad's run has been one of the best parts of it, but I can't help but feel like this run was yet another missed opportunity for this character.

I like Stephanie Phillips so I was excited to read this series, and... it's pretty good. It's not quite as good as I thought it would be, and I'm very put off by the style Mike Hawthorne is using. From what I can remember from his other work, this is not just how he draws, this is stylized.

I liked this a little less despite the art continuing to improve. I just don't feel the ending.

While I don't think this issue was as strong as the last, I do think the emotional beats here are good.

Fairly standard end to the arc that you probably saw coming. It wasn't bad though.

This was pretty good. I feel like going straight back into clones is a mistake. There's not much that I find interesting with this plot. The characters are why you should read this issue.

Pretty good ending. Can't say I'll miss this title. But I never had a problem with it.
7.5
 X-23: Deadly Regenesis (2023) #1 Mar 9, 2023
7.5
 X-23: Deadly Regenesis (2023) #4 May 7, 2024

A lot of potential, but a bit slow to start.

This was a smaller issue, but I enjoyed it enough.

This was a pretty good final issue. It felt a little cramped due to having to wrap up the series and the Hellfire Gala, but I had a good time. Hopefully, The Trial of Magneto is also good. It looks like it's basically just going to be X-Factor again, but elevated to an event status because... it's probably important to the overall narrative and shouldn't be missed. I hope they retcon Scarlet Witch back into being a mutant.

Better than the second issue, but still not great. It's pretty good, but it could be a lot better.

I liked this issue more than the previous ones, but that's because I find Kid Cable interesting and the convoluted time travel stuff is neat to me.

We get away from the time travel stuff and actually spend time with some of the characters, and it greatly benefits this series.

Not the best issue, but there were some cool ideas and visuals.

This was a pretty good issue. Unlike many, I like the character turn for Beast, so I want more focus on that aspect of his character. The Russia stuff was not as interesting.
7.5
 X-Force (2019) #30 Feb 6, 2023
7.5
 X-Force (2019) #42 May 7, 2024
7.5
 X-Force (2019) #43 May 8, 2024
7.5
 X-Force (2019) #46 May 8, 2024
7.5
 X-Force (2019) #48 May 8, 2024
7.5
 X-Men '92: House of XCII #1 Feb 6, 2023
7.5
 X-Men '92: House of XCII #2 Feb 6, 2023

This is a very 90s issue, and also out of left field (kinda), so I get why some people didn't like it, but I did so... I guess I'm just smarter and better looking than the rest of you.

7.5
 X-Men (2021) #14 Feb 6, 2023

Way too much is happening in this issue, and while I don't dislike any of it, I am sort of lost as to what the broader point of this arc will be, if there even is one.
7.5
 X-Men (2021) #24 May 7, 2024
7.5
 X-Men (2021) #26 May 8, 2024
7.5
 X-Men (2021) #27 May 8, 2024
7.5
 X-Men (2021) #28 May 8, 2024
7.5
 X-Men (2021) #34 May 8, 2024
7.5
 X-Men (2021): Hellfire Gala #1 Feb 6, 2023

I don't think this is a bad issue, but I'm plagued with the knowledge that every creator involved here is capable of something better.
7.5
 X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic (2021) #5 Oct 28, 2021

Gerry Duggan isn't as good as Hickman, but he writes a pretty good story about climate change and murdering people, so I can't complain too much.

Not the best entry into this arc, but this is okay.

Similarly to last issue, this one wasn't quite as good as the earlier parts of this story arc, but it's still worth the read.
7.5
 X-Men: Blood Hunt (2024): Magik #1 Oct 14, 2024
7.5
 X-Men: Blood Hunt (2024): Psylocke #1 Oct 14, 2024
7.5
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #15 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #18 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #20 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #21 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #26 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #27 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #31 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #33 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 X-Men: Days of Future Past - Doomsday (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

This issue is weaker than the rest, mostly due to the art feeling a bit unfinished. This is essentially a wrap up on what Si Spurrier was doing with his various series. This issue in particular really feels like they had written most of FoHoX/RoPoX and then realized that there were storylines that didn't really conclude, and they needed to fix that.
7.5
 X-Men: Gold (2017) Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019
7.5
 X-Men: Legends (2022) #1 Feb 6, 2023

This issue felt rushed, but I still liked it. I think this series did a lot for making Jean Grey likeable again. At least for me it did.

This was a pretty good issue that has a lot of weird character moments for Magneto, that I'm sure will be explained in the next few issues.

This was pretty good. I don't understand some of the complaints about the story suddenly not making sense or the hyperbole of this being the worst issue ever. Users on this site need to get better at paying attention to what they read, or at the very least not continue to read things which they deem bothersome, while those things make up the majority of what they read, or at least rate here. This issue is about on the level as the other ones. It gets even crazier when you see post hoc justification for hating earlier issues because of the writer, because this issue was not good. This community really makes me roll my eyes sometimes.

I didn't dislike this as much as others seem to, but it is paced poorly...

This was a pretty good one-shot. Definitely didn't expect anything close to this.

This issue isn't too bad, actually. Probably the best of the bunch. Yondu's origin, while not exactly original, was entertaining, as was the conversation between the two Yondus.

This was solid. Not sure it'll actually matter in the end, but honestly that's probably for the best.

Probably one of the biggest issues of the year. You can tell by how some people have reacted poorly to it. I even saw some people outright lying about the issue to hate it more. Wonderful. I liked it. I do have some bothersome worries about it. That epilogue was quite a sour note to end on, especially after what I thought was a really satisfying twist at the end of the issue proper. It makes me question things a bit. We know from All-In that this is a universe where Darkseid wins and everything is topsy-turvy. Heroes have been stripped of everything, and villains seemingly are doing pretty well for themselves. And that makes me think two things: 1, Isn't this just another attempt at the Dark Multiverse, but boiled down a bit better? And 2, is constraining your new universe to this dichotomy, as this issue presents it, ultimately going to limit this universe's potential to stand on its own?

I liked this. I thought it was a fun one-shot. I wonder what this Weapon Plus stuff will inevitably amount to, it's pretty odd. But I can't say I'm not excited for what's next.

Lol, fuckin' Demogoblin. I'm sorry, Demagoblin.
8.0
 Absolute Power (2024) #1 Aug 14, 2024
8.0
 Absolute Power (2024) #3 Oct 14, 2024

Desperate for real Waller characterization. Absolutely starved.
8.0
 Absolute Power: Task Force VII (2024) #1 Aug 14, 2024
8.0
 Absolute Power: Task Force VII (2024) #3 Aug 14, 2024
8.0
 Absolute Power: Task Force VII (2024) #4 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Action Comics (2016) #998 Oct 9, 2018
8.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1000 Oct 9, 2018

Not a bad issue.

This was a better issue. I really like the tenseness of the stuff with the super-family and Atlantis. I would read a comic like that every week. The stuff at the Fortress of Solitude is way less interesting. It just doesn't match that feeling I want from this title. The backup is... crazy, and I'm glad it's almost over.

This is a good issue, but it didn't hit as hard as the last one. Even though, by any measure, it had bigger moments in it. Also, petty drama, Merlyn is legitimately stupid. Like, sure that could be assessed through much of what he's said, but like... oh my god, his review here is... very telling. That one should go on the subreddit.

This is a good issue, but I can't help but think it's a slight downgrade from what's come before. It mostly has to do with this issue focusing mostly on Midnighter. The hopeful side of this story isn't really present, because Superman isn't. Part of what makes this story work is that despite how grimy and dark, and depressing everything is, that hopeful element is still there. Without that, the story just feels a little bit empty. It's still well-written, and the art is nice, however. The backup isn't worth your time. It's a very boiler-plate superhero story about Martian Manhunter. I'm not sure why DC is insistent on backups in these titles, when they're so often not worth it.

There are some great character moments here for Superman that make up for a story that doesn't move forward much. I really loved the art though. I think the backup was fine, but I really can't get behind backups as a concept still. Not to be a broken record, but after more than a year, I still feel like these backups are wasted time and money. The stories have to be small, or oddly structured, to work within the constraints of the format, and it leads to very safe, and rather boring stories. I'd rather just get a normal issue.

This is a solid issue of Action Comics. PKJ manages to tell an engaging story that I didn't expect. The art change is done well. There's not much to say. The backup is also much better than the last one. I'm fine with backups as long as they serve the story being told, such as here.

A slight but noticeable downgrade from the last issue. While I am still enjoying the main story, it was a slight bit of jumbled this go around. I did really enjoy the ending though, and I hope it delivers next issue. The backup was really enjoyable. It had a nostalgic feeling to it for some reason, even though it's supplementary to the main story. It just hit the right notes for me, random as that is.

Not quite as great as the last issue, but still solid.
8.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1052 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1053 Apr 5, 2023

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8.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1057 Nov 9, 2023

I usually find Bizarro stories annoying to read, as the Bizarro speak is almost never consistent. It was here, as far as I could tell, so points up for that. It's about what I'd expect from Aaron, lots of entrenched lore references that don't really require any real knowledge, and a sort of epic feeling. That makes me sound like I disliked this, but I didn't.
8.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1064 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1067 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Action Comics (2016) #1068 Oct 14, 2024

This brief stint by Simone and Rowell made for a very solid set of Superman stories. There's a nostalgic beat to Simone's story that I really enjoy and Rowell's story, while slightly dragging in the middle, does what Rowell does best: delivers on that juicy character drama.

I really like Waid's voice on this first issue. It feels very confident. The backup by Tamaki poses questions, which are somewhat interesting, although I'm not hooked.

This was a well done annual. With the benefit of hindsight, there is a question of what the overall point of this annual was. I understand it as a singular piece but as part of the Warworld Saga, I haven't felt its importance. On its own, I think that both stories are well written, with the slight edge being given to Mongul's story, actually. I just felt it was more interesting, even if it fell for the usual savagery tropes that you typically see. Not to say Clark's story is remarkably worse. I do have a question though: Is Martha having cancer a new wrinkle in the canon, or is that something brought back from a now-forgotten story? I felt like it was weird how much it was both the catalyst for the story, and also how much it felt glossed over, like the reader should already know. Like it isn't a new development. That's why I ask, I'm not incredibly familiar with Superman's history. The art is great, of course. Both sides manage to tell their stories deftly.

I guess I was the only slightly disappointed by how rushed this final issue for PKJ's run was? I liked it, it was good, but I don't think the ending was supposed to come this soon.

A surprisingly good Acts of Evil annual.

This was a solid issue. Although, I prefer a more unhinged Moon Knight. This feels like Moon Knight at his most straightforward.

I thought this was good. I'm more intrigued about this event now. Before I was pretty uninterested, but this dystopia caught my interest. Props to the writers for making me care a bit.

I enjoyed this first issue. It was pretty neat how it fits with Marvelous X-Men and X-Men Disassembled. I really like Glob so I was very okay with a slower issue focused on this poor, poor dude.

Solid first issue. Nothing really made me excited, but I had a good time reading this and I have no real problems with it.

About as good as the first. I really thought the ending was neat.

This was a really solid finale. It felt like an actual ending. I'm hopeful for the Omega issue a little more now.

This is good. I'm excited to see where this leads, although I'm pretty sure it'll only end badly.

I know some people find it boring, but I like this miniseries. The characters are fun to read about.

This was good. I don't think this idea was executed to its full potential but it did enough to keep me reading. Overall, this miniseries was just like the event itself. They didn't really know what to do with it and so we get a lot of great ideas but mediocre execution.

I liked this issue. I found the characters interesting enough, even if some of the dialogue felt off. And I like that they're not just ignoring the Betsy body-swap from Hunt For Wolverine and that it's still having a lasting effect on the character's mental state.
8.0
 Alan Scott: The Green Lantern (2023) #1 Jan 21, 2024
8.0
 Alan Scott: The Green Lantern (2023) #2 Jan 21, 2024
8.0
 Alan Scott: The Green Lantern (2023) #3 Jan 21, 2024

Noting that Tim Sheridan is the writer behind the clusterfuck Red X reveals over in Titans Academy really shows how much better they are at breaking down reveals and twists now in this book. It's still a bit cliche and this story isn't anything you haven't seen as much as people whine about how it's ruining comics or whatever, but it's an enjoyable issue, I think.

This was a solid miniseries with some good representation. It was never a top series for me, but I didn't have a bad time reading it. Don't let the clearly hate-inspired reviews throw you off. Give it a shot.

Okay, art aside, this is a good story. This is something that was, frankly, missing from the first arc. It gave me legitimate feelings of dread, and even the abhorrent art couldn't stop it. PKJ nailed this one. That being said, the art is trash and I'm so glad Larroca is gone. I'm not familiar with the name of the artist taking over, but I pray to Weyland-Yutani that they're better than Larroca. It shouldn't be hard to top him, right?
8.0
 Alien (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Alien (2022) #4 Jan 9, 2023
8.0
 Alien (2023): Vol. 2 #2 Jan 21, 2024

Love the cover of this one. I think the stakes were raised a bit too fast, ironic given the slow speed this story has been unfolding thus far. But the reveals here are neat, and I'm having a fun enough time. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Aliens: What If...? (2024) #4 Jun 6, 2024

When this mini started, I really did not like it. Obviously, that's changed as the series has gone on. The character voices are exceedingly strong, the script is funny, if a bit basic, and I really wouldn't mind a sequel.
8.0
 All-New Wolverine #27 Oct 9, 2018
8.0
 All-New Wolverine #35 Oct 9, 2018

This series has a lot of issues on the conceptual level, and the art leaves a lot to be desired. But I really think Derek Landy managed to at least extract some great character moments from these issues, especially this one. Landy gets Spider-Man. He's quippy, light-hearted, but also not a total joke. He's able to hold his own with the Avengers, mostly due to his intellect.
8.0
 Alpha Flight (2023) #2 Nov 9, 2023

I've been super busy with work and life lately, so I've been very slow to read much of anything comics related. I don't think that busy will change, but I hope I can adjust enough to somehow claw my way back to being up to date on comics. I may drop some things but for miniseries like this, it really seems dumb to drop them at the finale. Plus, I already paid for it. This was a good finale. I don't know if the ending makes up for Ben's betrayal. I don't know if I like the idea of an afterlife such as this. It cheapens things, I think. But the story was fun and pulpy, and the ending with Peter is good, even if overall, the narrative kind of crumbled. Look, I went into this expecting a shitshow after last issue, but we got a good, solid comic, and I can't be mad about that, can I?

Anthologies are always a bit rough, so when a publisher manages to put together a mostly cohesive, quality one, it's nice. I'll quickly run through the stories: "Just Some Guy" is a fun, cute little story that I think captures some of why Spider-Man is who he is. "Sinister 60th" is actually my favorite story here. Call me a softy, but when all those people lined up to see Spider-Man on his deathbed, that made me a little emotional. "Spider-Man Vs. Conspirition" is probably my least favorite story here. It just doesn't really feel like it matters or says anything about Spider-Man as a character. "The Kid's Got a Good Eye" is a quiet story that is nicely subtle. I enjoyed it. "In The Flesh" is a wacky horror story that actually has a lot to say about Peter and how he deals with guilt and trauma. I wouldn't call it subtle, but it did take a second to click for me, which is unusual. And you get some wicked images too. I really enjoyed this one. "Slaves of the Witch-Queen" is really weird. There's a big, flashing question of "Why?" but it's by Busiek, so it's at least well-written. It's not something I would've put in this anthology, but it's not bad. "You Get It" is weirdly mean-spirited. I don't really like the message here, even if it isn't entirely wrong. The way it's presented is off to me. "With Great Power..." is Neil Gaiman's secret Spider-Fan origin, and it's well written. It's sweet. A little self-centered, I guess. "Along Came a Rhino..." isn't meant to be part of this anthology, and is taken from the middle of a story we probably won't ever see in full, but it does have a nice message about Spider-Man and his heroism. I liked it.

I thought this was fun, overall. I especially liked the introduction of the new crew. I didn't expect to see Screwball in this as she's... lame. But I guess it would make sense that she's the new production manager. And Master Matrix, I wasn't entirely sure was a canonical character after Spider-Man/Deadpool's ending, but here he is, still trying so hard. This is a definite improvement over issue two. Oh also, Weird Science Marvel Comics is wrong in their review. Mary Jane does plenty, to the point where she's almost too heroic. Think Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11, but maybe even more Mary Jane than that.

I've decided to very slowly do a read through of Spider-Man! I've done it before, but it's been years and years now. I'll do my best to read each and every issue across Spider-Man's many titles. I'll try to put a relevant quote from the issue at the end of my reviews, for fun! In this instance though, I'll do two since technically this review covers two issues. Something to note as well, as I go through these early issues: these are early 60s silver age comics. They are antiquated. That's just how it is. I will be rating these on a "Product of its Time" curve until I hit a sufficient point in Spidey history wherein I feel that the curve is no longer necessary. Therefore, I won't be as harsh on expository dialogue, wacky plot developments/contrivances, or outdated social content (For instance, the Red Scare and Commie hatred prevalent in early Marvel comics). We get two "Feature-Length" stories in this issue. I'll let you all onto a little secret. The first time I read this issue waaay back in the day (Through the *amazing* complete collection CDs Marvel put out. They'd never do something like that now, but those disks are still relatively available if you want some moderately rough PDF scans of the first 400 or 500 Amazing Spider-Man issues.) I was unimpressed with this first issue. I thought, the spoiled kid that I was, that this was an uneventful issue. Spider-Man fights gravity and then Chameleon, a villain I didn't really care about. But now that I'm old and more grateful for my nostalgia-drenched colorful picture books, I find myself appreciating this issue. It does a lot of things. It introduces everyone's favorite newsman, J. Jonah Jameson, firmly establishing the rivalry between Spider-Man and JJJ. It introduces John Jameson. It introduces Flash Thompson. It really hammers home the heft of the responsibility that Peter faces in the aftermath of his uncle's untimely death. Oh and I really appreciate the Fantastic Four appearance in the second story. If you've ever read the formative years of Marvel, you'll know that the best titles are ASM and Fantastic Four. For whatever reason, Stan Lee just really brought those characters to life in a way that he couldn't do for, say, Ant-Man or Iron Man. Not to say those other books were bad, or that they had no place, but FF and ASM were just on another level. So whenever the two interact, it's always great. Also, it's so nice to have a cohesive universe here. I cannot stress enough how important that is to Marvel comics, even today. The universe feels lived in by the time Spider-Man swings onto the scene, and I appreciate that as a comic book reader. It makes going back to these issues akin to visiting family you haven't seen in a while... Except you like them. So yeah, this issue does a lot right. It establishes many important things that will definitely develop more over the course of the next few issues. It doesn't take long for Spider-Man to get the classic feel... And no, I don't mean that faux classic feel invented by the Sam Raimi films. Quote of the issue: "A Tough Time Cashing It, Eh? Well, We'll See About That!"

In this issue, Spider-Man faces off against an established FF villain that some of you may know. It's Doctor Doom. Real talk, I really like what Doctor Doom becomes as the universe goes on, but I find him a bit hokey in the early days. Just a few issues ago, I commented on how great Doc Ock's introduction was. How he exuded an ego in just the right way. Early Doctor Doom honestly comes across more like someone with an ego without the smarts to back it up. His plans are very juvenile and easily thwarted. I don't think he really comes into his own until they lay out his origin in FF Annual #2. His plot in this issue is so poorly thought out, strung together and executed... It just really makes me doubt God King Doom, you know? But let's not focus on that. I want to focus on something a bit more clinical for a second. The pacing in this issue is very good. It kind of follows the structure of issue 3, but better. I can feel Stan Lee and Ditko getting more used to the format and really getting the most they can out of an issue. For instance, last issue felt a bit barren in terms of plot. Sure, a story was told with a beginning, middle and end, but there wasn't a lot to pour over. This issue, however, doesn't really have a dull moment. Things just keep happening and the plotting is tighter. The narration in this issue is very sarcastic, at one point 12 pages in saying, "Let's face it! You've struggled through one of the longest introductions you've ever read!", showing that they're very aware of the deliberate pacing. It's been a while since I've reread these old issues, but I hope that future issues work as well. The one big thing I kind of struggle with here is the plotline with J. Jonah Jameson offering a thousand dollar reward for Spider-Man's identity. I know that's pretty much just a vehicle to get Doom interested in Spider-Man, but it's not necessary and I don't think it's brought up again after this. I could be mistaken, we'll see. Peter's frenemies playing attempting to play a prank on Peter with a fake Spider-Man costume is honestly the highlight of the issue for me. It doesn't work, it doesn't even happen, but the idea is just so much fun that I have to mention it. Continuity wise, big things happen here. Specifically with Betty Brant. Peter realizes he likes her after she stands up for Spider-Man, conveniently. And Betty seems to like Peter too. A romance, oft forgotten, is blossoming. And Spider-Man is and always has been a big ol' soap opera. This is the good shit. This is why you read every issue. Forget Doom, he's not impressive. But what is impressive is the fight between Doom and Spidey at the end. The second half of that sarcastic narration above promises fireworks, and it does deliver. The Doom fight is the biggest and deadliest to date. Doom isn't fucking around, and I'm sure it was even more impressive back in the day. This issue promises a lot and mostly delivers. It's just that Doom's plan is so preposterously dumb. That's the only thing holding this issue back. Quote of the issue: "Silence, You Cringing, Sniveling Coward!"

There was an ever tiny break between me reading this issue and the last. The reason for this is mostly because life gets in the way and I had other things to read as well. But I also have to admit that I have an involuntary negative reaction to this issue. It's actually one of the first issues of Spider-Man I ever read. I was introduced to Spider-Man comics through my dad's old collection and he had old Marvel Tales reprints of some classic Spider-Man issues, including this one. And I just never really liked it? Having just finished it for the first time in years, I have to say I'm not sure why I'm so involuntarily negative about this issue. This issue doesn't do a ton for the ongoing Spider-Man narrative. Betty and Peter get closer to dating, but not much and Liz Allen falls for Spider-Man, thus breaking it off with Flash and Peter. That's it. And I'm not even sure that last bit lasts beyond this issue. Most of the issue takes place down in Florida and that makes for a very straightforward issue. It has to be quick and to the point. This may work in the issue's favor, as it keeps the pace very brisk. You want exciting comics, not boring ones, and because of how Marvel comics were written back then, those were kind of your onky two options. The best thing about this issue is J. Jonah Jameson. I love how on the nose Spider-Man is about getting Jameson to hire a photographer to go down to the Everglades. It's just so blunt and you have to question how Jameson didn't connect the dots. And at the end, Jameson asks Peter where he got the photos of the Lizard. And Peter has apparently forgotten their deal that JJJ never asks him that because he instead tries to explain it away by saying he got them from an native guide near the everglades. Not only would Jameson be unable to use those pictures, but he also immediately assumes they're fake and tears them up, meaning Peter doesn't get paid. Good going, Peter. Great going, Jonah. Quote of the issue: "Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue... I'm Still At Large, So Phooey to You!"

Look, this issue is super silly. Green Goblin's plan doesn't make a ton of sense, B.J. Cosmos is a nutty character, and Green Goblin can't even count. It's ridiculous, and I'm not sure why it's *so* ridiculous. We're Stan and Steve trying to create Spider-Man's Joker and leaned into it too hard? I'm not sure. Whatever the reason, it doesn't really affect my opinion of the issue. I liked it. It's not as solid as the last few issues. It uses the Enforcers again, after all. But it's still of a higher quality than the earlier issues. JJJ is still great. And we never find out if Peter got those pix for him! Quote of the issue: "But One Thing He Didn't Count On is My Power of Chest Expansion!!"

While this issue is a lot less silly than Green Goblin's first appearance, it's still kind of silly! At least it gives Green Goblin more of a menace to him. The love triangle is in full swing, and that's just in time for Aunt May Health Problemsâ„¢. I would go more into this issue, but I desperately want to catch up! Quote of the issue: "Spider-Man Turns Chicken!!"

Not as good as last issue unfortunately. I just really dislike The Enforcers. What we get is a fairly standard Spider-Man, which I guess makes up for such a different tale last time. Assuming things go to plan, this should be my last short review. I'm caught up for at o least a few hours. I'll be much more inclined to do full reviews. Ned Leeds is formally introduced after appearing last issue. He's a big time Spidey character, so that's exciting. Plus there's the love triangle between Ned, Peter and Betty to look forward to, even if Pete seems so cool here. Quote of the issue: "Not Again! I Can't Be Wrong Again!"

I read this last night and unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to review it. It's extra unfortunate because this is genuinely a good issue, and that's a relief after a few mediocre ones. However, because it's been almost a full day since I've read this issue, I've lost most of my specific thoughts regarding it. I do like how Green Goblin has gotten more and more conniving, and is becoming a bigger threat. They keep building him up and soon enough, we'll see that reveal we all know is coming. And in fact, we even see Norman in this issue, looking unassuming as could be. Other things of note: I liked Peter calling Aunt May during the middle of an action scene. I was spending all this time shitting on Betty for being such a paranoid, annoying girlfriend, but here we see that Peter is just as bad as she is. Also, Frederick Foswell returns. He's an oft-forgotten supporting cast member from Spidey's early days, but I think he's neat. Quote of the issue: "I Hope He Gets Enough Exercise!"

We finally see Betty and Peter officially break up, although Betty will not be MIA for a hundred issues like poor Liz, so while it's an end to era... Not really. This issue has a shit villain. But that is okay because this issue is all about the Peter Parker drama. That's what matters here, and it makes the issue for me. Totally worth it. Quote of the issue: "I Want Him to Remember I Was Holding Him When He Wakes Up!"

This is a momentous issue in Spidey canon, and while I don't think it reaches the height of the Master Planner trilogy or even the Master Planner arc, it is just nice to see such a major moment unfold finally after such build up. I did a little reading on the Romita Sr. era of Spider-Man, and there was apparently a concerted effort to turn Spider-Man's supporting cast more positive towards Peter. That's almost immediately the case. Everyone treats Peter better here. I don't know whether the heart-to-heart Peter and Harry have was part of that effort or just a necessity for the sake of the story to hold more weight, but nonetheless, it is nice to see Harry and Pete finally click and soon the rest will too. The idea to make Peter have a stuffy nose for the first 2/3 of the issue is probably something I wouldn't have done. It's kind of annoying to read. The sequence where Green Goblin baits Spider-Man into a staged robbery probably went too long, but seeing Peter (in his civvies) actually fight Green Goblin was a treat. I really wish I could've ever had the mindset of a reader reading these issues as they came out. Because of pop culture, I've always known who the Green Goblin is, and by the time Peter starts recapping issue 37, I can't help but feel the identity of the Green Goblin had to be obvious. But I can't ever experience this issue from that perspective. This is a good issue but not a great one, which is kind of a shame because these moments are such a big deal. Quote of the issue: "The Green Goblin!! You--You've Found Me!"

I didn't realize this issue was part one of a three-issue arc. It's weird that this series has started having arcs, more frequently at least, but this arc isn't constructed like one. Each issue is self contained, but they're all very closely related. My goal when I started this re-read was to read "an arc per day," knowing that for a while that meant a single issue per day. I thought the arcs came a little bit later than this. It takes me about 30 minutes to read each issue, so a full arc like this one takes up a good chunk of time. Luckily, the writing and storytelling is getting more modern, but it's still going to be time consuming. For this specific issue, we get the reintroduction of John Jameson which is interesting, and we get Rhino's first appearance, who isn't very compelling. The rest of the issue is great. Quote of the issue: "I'm Just a Big Bundle of Good-Natured Jelly!"

Haha, I'm so behind. This issue was better than the last, but not by much. It takes a bit to get going. But when it does, I'm really enjoying it. I wish there was more Peter Parker stuff, but I can only assume we'll get more of that soon enough. Quote of the issue: "He's Just the Least Little Bit Square-- But, Outside of That, He Really Turns Me On!"

I'm hopefully going to make it through issue 50 soon, if everything works out. Picking up from last issue, Spider-Man is searching for Kraven, and all he gets is... the terrible second Vulture. Raniero "Blackie" Drago. A character that most people would forget existed if not for Spider-Man: Blue and Ultimate Spider-Man featuring him. I think he has two whole outings as Vulture before hanging it up? I remember as a kid seing, in passing, this weirdo hook-faced Vulture and being in some slight awe over the legacy and continuity of comic books. Once you're tuned into them, at least as a kid (The magic quickly dissipates as you grow into a teenager, and later an adult, and cynicism and insider Wizard magazine information about the comic book industry creeps in and you realize regular people write these things), comics seem like this huge albatross of interconnected storytelling that only becomes more impressive with age. To realize the reality of it - This is a failed attempt at creating a legacy character that hardly lasts over a year. We get a fakeout early on that Adrian Toomes is going to die, but luckily for everyone involved, they made sure not to go through with it entirely. I'll be honest, I can't recall when this plot point is resolved/retconned. It can't happen but so long after this. Maybe it's next issue. I can't say for sure that the intent was to kill Adrian off, in that case. We'll see. Spider-Man gets a cold in this issue, which is something Stan Lee seems to rely a ton on to raise the stakes in this series. I wonder if a writer has ever taken advantage of that in order to tell a story about Peter having an auto-immune disease as a result of the spider bite. I can't say it'd be a good story, but it is an idea. And Spider-Man will always need more of those. But you know, I wasn't around in the 60s, so maybe colds took more out of people back then. But to me, it seems like Spider-Man has something worse than a cold. Maybe even a flu. Now, I don't go swinging through the skies and fight costumed villains when I have a cold, but I have a feeling if I was a super-powered person, it'd be akin to the regular exertion that I do day-to-day when I have a cold. Unless maybe his super powers also turn his cold into a super cold. Another idea for the Spidey writers. There's not a ton of stuff in this issue. It's mostly just picking up where the last one left off. Something becoming more and more noticeable in this series is the continuity. We don't necessarily have arcs yet, but you can no longer just hop in anywhere. I'm waiting for the day where they start numbering issues as parts. It can't be too far away... err, aside from the "Destiny" arc from the Ditko era. I'm surprised that Kraven doesn't actually appear in this issue. We know he comes back next issue, but this is what I mean by there not quite being arcs yet. Things are connected, but loosely. Something that this issue has that I wish writers were a bit better about now is how it manages to have every person in Spider-Man's supporting cast show up. A lot of times, this is done through some fourth wall breaking narrator pointing out how flippant it is to the story. Regardless of intent, it keeps these characters on the mind, and you never tire of seeing MJ or J. Jonah Jameson, or even Gwen and Harry. It may be brief, but these moments are very nice. Spider-Man gets killed forever at the end, obviously. Quote of the issue: "I Just Had an Economy-Sized Brainstorm!"

After a less-than-stellar middle chapter to this brief saga, I think this finale holds more water, pun fully intended. It doesn't really answer my concerns brought up in last issue's review however. There's no fortification of Kingpin's character; Peter's supporting cast still mostly takes a back seat. However, I think a forceful thrust towards resolution really helps minimize those concerns. It's not all perfect though. I find some of the plot contrivances here a bit egregious. I mean, I've been fiddling with early Batman a little bit and that has really opened my eyes to how garish early comics writing can be, but Stan Lee was definitely a traditionalist of some sort if this comic is something to go by. It's not that it doesn't work. It works the way an obscene amount of duct tape holding a radiator together works (I've been having car trouble). Things had to happen, and I'm sure Romita Sr. had it all flow well with his art, but Lee had to throw words in front of his own feet to trip himself. It reeks of simplification, if I'm being harsh about it. We can't have a major upset to the status quo. JJJ must hate Spidey after this is done, after all. The death of Fred Foswell is something that I feel like is largely overlooked by creators and fans, and it's gotta be because the character was too separated from Peter's day-to-day to leave a real, defining impact. Sure, he was the proto-Kingpin and it was fitting that he die here, but now he's not even remembered for that. Peter's supporting cast gets a bit more play here, but nothing terribly interesting happens. Flash returns from military duty and has some pretty standard Lee Dialogue with MJ, Gwen and Harry, and that's it. The interesting stuff will come later. The most interesting part about this segment of the story is that the general tone regarding the Vietnam War is still largely positive. This was early 1967 so I'm genuinely wondering when the shift in sentiment will change in the comics because a year from this comic's publication, the majority of Americans would be against the war. I don't want to make it seem like I dislike Stan Lee, by the way. I've been quick to criticize him these last two reviews, but I think that his legacy sort of deserves that treatment. He will always be Stan Lee, the good and the bad. An incredibly charming personality that did some awful things. Quote of the issue: "We don't need a blasted Huntley-Brinkley Report!!"

This is a big, beefy comic and I have almost no time to write a review for it, as I'm comically behind once again. I think the story here is big and fun, but it feels like the most obvious choice. Another thing, I'm so used to being able to follow villain appearances in these early comics because they always explained where the villains were and how they came back. None of that is here. We go from Kraven going to the Congo (in South America, somehow) to him being right back in New York. It's less congruent than I'm used to. I don't usually bring up the art much, because I usually don't have much to say, but this annual is filled with huge one page splashes and pin-ups, and they're fucking great. And not just because they eat up the page count that I'm so desperately watching with each turn of the page! They're really well done and I love that they did those. Something that kind of got on my nerves was the cameos. I understand why they were done, but it really became trite after the second one. They just felt so out of place and shoehorned in. Honestly, the best part of this annual is only technically Spidey-related. The backup of how Stan Lee and Steve Ditko create Spider-Man is very funny, and very self aware. Especially as the controversies of who deserves what credit for which things continue to rage on. I liked this annual. It wasn't the best story, but it was a lot of fun. Quote of the issue: "Don't Just Hang There...Give Me The Message!"
8.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #794 Oct 9, 2018

This was more of a filler issue, but the overall plot does progress. This issue was all about the characters, so if you like the characters, you'll like this issue. The art is heavily stylized and I know some people may dislike it. For me, it can be hit or miss, but it worked fine here.

This is a bit of a slower issue. I gotta say, I'm not a huge fan of Sara Pichelli. Her art is serviceable, in my opinion. Kelly Thompson does a pretty nice job on the writers' side of things but there's a little too much going on in some of the dialogue, especially with Maxine Danger. She doesn't really work for me. I hope we trend away from the obvious business villain trope. Maybe it's a red herring, or maybe the character will be developed more later on. Overall, the issue is good but I was on such a high with the last issue that this one pales in comparison.

This was weird. I think Kelly Thompson did a good job with the writing, but the way Morbius was dealt with, with the security system, was very odd. I don't know what Ben thought would happen if he lured a crazed monster man towards his apartment, with its security. I guess he thought since the Beyond Corporation are such good guys, there would be some containment thing for Morbius, or something. I think that's the implication, but it's kind of confusing. The scene with MJ, Felicia and Peter is great. Best part of the book, by far. I hope this isn't the case, but it might soon become apparent that Ben Reilly's adventures just aren't nearly as interesting to the readers as anything going on with Peter. Maybe I'm in the minority on that one, though. The actual problem with this comic is the art. Sara Pichelli, for whatever reason, has been lacking the last few years. I don't know why. Maybe it's because Justin Ponsor used to color all her work and he unfortunately passed away from cancer back in 2019, and the colorists now just can't seem to figure out how to compliment her artwork. It's never bad, it's just disappointing. I really don't know what to expect from next issue. I'm not familiar with the creative team, but I hope it's good.

This is not really a Spider-Man issue, so beware, although I'm sure the ending will probably come into play elsewhere. But this is Jed MacKay and he's a competent writer who writes a pretty fun version of the Daughters of the Dragon, so if you're into that, you'll like this.

This was a good issue. I feel like the frequent creative changes might end up hurting this Beyond run. It just seems like not enough page space is being given to really further the main plot. Maybe that's coming soon and this is just to introduce the different teams and really set everything in motion here. But for now, I'm wary of whether this run will keep its momentum or not.

This was good. I wish I was more excited for what's happening, but these are simple, fairly standard Spider-Man stories with the added Beyond twist, and that's fun, but it's not the most engaging thing. At least we get some insight into Ben here that I hope is explored further.

I liked this. It's another done in one issue with Peter, and it looks great. I enjoyed it for what it was. I'm not sure how much it'll matter in the end though.

There are a lot of cool ideas presented in this issue. As the single Spencer fan, I'll give extra points for continuity between this run and that. I think the biggest failing here is the art. It's just not suited for the action in this issue. Luckily, Mark Bagley is coming in for next issue to hopefully deliver on the action goods. This issue is solid, but I'm hoping more excitement is to come as the Beyond era reaches its conclusion.

This issue is solid. Which is kind of a disappointment after the heights of the previous issue. I think Kelly Thompson might be the weakest writer of this Beyond era, and that pains me to say because I love her work, but something just seems off. Maybe she was rushed. Sara Pichelli is similarly disappointing. Her art is serviceable, but noticeably less good. Nothing here is bad by any means, it's just not what you'd expect coming up on the finale to this run.

The problem with this issue is... the backups. I don't know what possessed Marvel to put a Jimmy Kimmel guest starring story in this anniversary issue, but I don't like it and I don't want it. The other backups are fine, yet completely unnecessary. I don't like paying for mediocre fluff. Give me excellent fluff like Nightwing does every month. With that out of the way, the main story has its ups and downs. The overall premise of this story is great. The idea of *who* Spider-Man is beyond his identity is great fodder for an anniversary story. I really enjoyed that. The idea of Peter ruining his own party by doing the exactly right thing of showing up on time is peak Spider-Man. I love it. His team up with the Sinister Six was fun and I wish it wasn't confusingly spoiled on the cover. I saw some hate for the characterization of the Six and their lack of development, but from how I read it, Wells seems perfectly aware of their development, as am I, and I didn't see anything to egregious, characterization-wise. The Sinister Adaptoid is a ton of fun. Using quotes from the Lee/Ditko era was so effective. Those early issues are burned into my brain, so it made my mind bring me back to reading those old issues again and again. That is great for an anniversary issue. It gives the reader a sense of nostalgia and growth. Making Ock's arms into a dog-like creature is really, really funny, and I have no doubt someone's upset about it. The use of The Living Brain was actually pretty neat. I'm not what you'd call a fan of his. Check out my review of ASM #8 if you want to know more, but I do applaud Wells for attempting to do something with that super wacky story. Ed McGuinness kills it dead on art. Everything looks so pretty. As for the downsides, the interaction with Flash at the party comes across as a legitimate case of characterization being ignored. It's written more as Flash being unaware than purposefully rude, but it stands out. Luckily, later in the story, his character is redeemed a bit. The other big issue for me is Felicia and Bobby being catty assholes to each other for no good reason. As someone else pointed out, that's really just a sexist trope. It doesn't work and it's unnecessary. It's not even fun. I can handle fun sexism. Oh and Anna Maria should not be okay with Ock coming around. The second Superior run softened their relationship a bit (no one read that so they think it's probably much worse than it is), but it still wasn't approaching cordial like it does here. Those are my issues. They aren't giant problems, but they did hinder my experience. Oh, and the ending? I'm totally fine with it. I support it even. Felicia is great.

Big fight go boom.

This issue is good, but the plot points were easily predicted and it feels like there isn't enough here for Zeb Wells to insist on stretching the event out for as long as it has been. Which is weird, since the event is really short anyway. I really didn't like the Rek-Rap thing from the previous issue, but it was more fun here.

I'm sure there may be twists and turns from here, but we finally have a pretty solid idea of what happened between the end of the Beyond run and the start of the current run. It's nothing too unexpected if you've been following along. Now, I just hope people will stop complaining that we aren't getting answers. Now, they'll just complain about what the answers are. As for the issue itself, we get a lot of exposition about this new (old) threat and it's fine. I don't really care about it yet. I do think the way the story plays out from here is, again, pretty obvious if you have been following along. I just hope there's enough besides the beat-by-beat to keep this arc intriguing for me, personally. It's not a bad issue, I've just been on the side of "Who really cares what happened?" and... this arc hasn't made me care yet.

I liked this issue. I thought it was an enjoyable read. That's not what I really want to use this review for. I've liked most issues of this run, and even the ones I didn't like, I didn't hate with a passion. Anyone following my reviews can assume I'll probably like this and future issues, barring any craziness. I want to use my review to point out something about the Spider-Man fandom that I find troubling. It's super sexist. I'm not making a joke, I'm not being hyperbolic. It's just the worst. By the end of this issue, we know basically nothing more about the MJ/Paul/Kids situation and yet, this is the issue where so, so, so many Spider-Man fans decided that MJ is a slut who couldn't keep her legs closed, and cucked Peter with Zeb Wells' self-insert(???) Paul. Now, this issue could've ended with Peter busting in on MJ and Paul, mid-coitus, and this would still be extremely hateful nonsense. It has nothing to do with whether *factually* MJ let Paul hit it. It's got everything to do with what the perception of "facts" allows people to get away with and say, and the narratives that they can form around it. They are justifying a misogynistic attitude and tendency by the actions of a fictional character, who... by the way, was written to do and act a certain way by a man, and drawn doing and acting that way by another man. I've got no patience for this, genuinely. It is not okay to hate women. Bold stance, I know. To all the people who were a little shocked by the response to this issue, who up until this point were right there with the Outrage Brigade (coined by KittyNone), this is your moment to take a step back and re-evaluate what you're saying and how you're saying it. For all the outright misogynistic fans who slut shamed a female character because of their attachment to the idea that their self-insert-able favorite hero owns that pussy, there are so many people who aren't making the connection of how their being super upset about obvious bait and switches in comics leads exactly to the misogyny in question. It's all feeding into the same sort of thing. Outrage culture is just a step below right-wing politics. And you can't convince me that slut shaming isn't right-wing politics. That's like half of their rhetoric on Roe v Wade. Lawmakers shape and damage the lives of millions and millions of women based on the same rhetoric that Spider-Man fans are now using because they don't like a plot point. That'd be a joke if it wasn't so upsetting. Outrage culture is a cancer, and we need to cut it out. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I think most of what I wanted to say about the state of things regarding ASM, I said with the last issue review. I'll just give some general scattershot thoughts about this one: Firstly, the art by Kaare Andrews is great. I'm glad to see that they will be involved with future issues. When Romita comes back at the end, it's not bad but I was more distracted by the reuse of multiple pages from issue 24. I don't think that was necessary at all, one or two would've been fine to get the point across that this is where everything converges. It's like they were short a few pages and just added more from 24 to fill the gap. Not a fan of that. Secondly, the story: Nothing here is that surprising. I think the kids being a Rabin plot rather than true blue children was very cathartic to read for me. Just so the misogynists could shut the fuck up about MJ being a horrible, unfaithful slut. That, coupled with the insinuation that Paul is impotent really makes me think that Marvel is doing their damnedest to make it clear to readers that MJ and Paul don't fuck, which brings me to a theory I've had about comic book relationships. It's not so much a theory as a statement of fact: Comic book romances are very simplistic, and the almighty orgasm determines all. Think of it as though all of comic fandom is in a room and there's a bedding ceremony taking place in front of all of us. It's as archaic and repulsive as that. Since sex in comics became a thing that we could allude to, it has been the key to defining relationships in comics, especially superhero comics. It's not real till the characters come together. Relationships in comics are almost purely about the physical, not only because that's way easier to write, but it's also way easier to sell. Do I really want an issue of my cape of choice sitting down for a nice meal with their romance of the issue, or do I want 17 pages of action, and then five more pages of *action*? I'll leave it rhetorical, but we all know which brings in more numbers. And I truly do think it's been beaten into us fans to use sex as a way to identify whether a relationship is truly valid or not. Which is why, despite 20 something issues of Paul and MJ with kids being a thing, it was not until we knew (or thought we knew) the exact details that all this misogyny about MJ's "betrayal" of Spidey came pouring out. Also, the backup is really cute. Rainbow Rowell does cute slice of life comics really well. Check out She-Hulk. Or... don't, most of the people reading this would probably be real toxic about that book. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. All the leaks were impossible to avoid for me, and presumably, for everyone else too. So we all knew that Ms. Marvel was going to be killed off in this issue, in a title where her technically being part of the cast could be chalked up to glorified cameos. This issue doesn't do a terrible job justifying her death within the text. She is a hero and wants to save MJ. That's enough motivation as far as I'm concerned. I don't think there really needs to be more than that, motivation-wise. As far as the plot, it doesn't come so far out of nowhere that you wonder if it was made up last minute, but it does feel like they could've done a whole lot more to set this up. There are pages here and there, but that's not enough. The accusation of fridging could definitely be made, but I don't think this necessarily fits that. Fridging is about a lack of agency, a character (typically female) being made a plot device in service to the protagonist's (typically male) pathos. I think the way in which Ms. Marvel is killed gives her character a lot of agency, especially compared to what we all expected. She decides to help MJ, and she decides how she's going to do that. She's not made to be a victim. But I'm sure some people will disagree, and that's fine. It's not a smart decision by editorial or by the writer, just in terms of optics and, frankly, satisfying storytelling. Aside from that though, we get some payoffs here. The heroes are done being mad at Peter/Peter being mad at them, and that whole conflict is ended with the amount of ceremony that I think is appropriate (ie none). We find out who Paul is, which... isn't very shocking at all. MJ makes a comparison between Paul and Peter that I think a lot of people are misconstruing. She's not saying Paul and Peter made similar choices, committed to the similar actions, etc. She's simply saying that they both have a lot of guilt that drives them to be better people, because of events spurned by their having power, yet no responsibility for it. It's not the cleanest comparison, but it works a lot more if you think about it for more than a second. The kids are gone now, which I'd say is a step in the right direction for all the Paul haters. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is going to be a turning point of sorts for Paul. I see the MJ/Paul relationship fracturing from this, and probably some tired Felicia/MJ/Peter love triangle drama. Seeing all the leaks as they came out and seeing all the responses to those leaks really was an experience. Especially when the leaks about the kids came out. It really feels like on one hand, a lot of Spidey fans do not see the man behind the curtain, so to speak, but on the other hand, know exactly who to rage at and threaten when things don't go the way they think they should go. The absolute bipolar response to the kids being disappeared versus the MJ comparison between Peter and Paul is astounding. I don't even know what to really analyze from it. It's just... rabid. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Lots of stuff was jammed into this issue. The bachelor party stuff was a lot of fun. Both sides of it. For very different reasons. The breakup with Black Cat was understated, but it makes sense given what they've done with it. Peter got into it as a rebound to get past MJ, made a very poor attempt at trying to legitimize it (the sister page) and then continued being a downer since. It was ill-fated from the start. Could they have done more with it? Sure. Could you argue it was pointless? I guess. I could go on a tirade about how there's been a shift in how comics are read for the 999th time, but this time with a focus on large scale storytelling. I don't want to, though. It used to be that writers would just do things in comics and sometimes they stuck, and other times they were written out. Not everything was essential to the master plan, if there was a plan at all. Black Cat and Spider-Man getting together falls into the latter category. The wedding itself was not incredibly exciting to me, even when it went sideways, but I do want the title to continue in that direction, it's where Wells does his best. The story with Kamala was nice. We can wrap this up and never mention it again, but it was nice. I saw some people get really mad about Peter saying he only unmasks for kids with uncurable diseases. Like it was some sort of blasphemy. I feel like it's a big tell that you're a cynical asshole if you project your tone onto the character you're reading to such a degree that you disgust yourself. Peter isn't as miserable as you, even with his problems. It's a tough look. Now for the teases and preludes: The Doc Ock one was fine. I don't really find his motivations that engaging or interesting. Whatever they can do to make him Superior again. I'm sure it'll be fleshed out more in Slott's stuff. The MJ story is actually really well written, even if I'm a little uncertain about her becoming a second-rate superhero. I hope she and Paul continue to grow apart (maybe that's why Black Cat is only now breaking up with Pete. I am shocked.). The Spider-Woman story is actually very intriguing. I'm sold on that series. That last page was rough. The Spider-Boy story teasing his origins is weird, and I'm not really into it. I haven't read that Edge of Spider-Verse issue yet, so maybe that fills in some more gaps? The story about the guy with a rescue kink is so weird, but funny. The goose story was cute. The tease for the next arc actually looks pretty great. I liked the writing from Wells, and Gleason on art makes anything and everything worth it. Take my money. And the last preview for Spider-Man Reign 2 was... gross and crude, and yeah, that's Spider-Man Reign. The art is really good, but it's depicting really gross, uncomfortable things. Really not sure why they're doing a sequel. All-in-all, a good issue. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #34 Nov 9, 2023
8.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #35 Nov 9, 2023

Yeah... Rek-Rap is fun.

Rek-Rap fans stay winning. I know people are mad about Rek-Rap but I can't personally muster it. I think this issue solidified the concept behind Rek-Rap, with the shift to a more classic comics tone of art. Maybe it's just because I've read some classic Lee/Romita Sr. ASM lately but Rek-Rap works for me because Wells somehow manages to make him say nonsense that accurately reflects the tone and timing of Lee-era Spider-Man. It's actually kinda uncanny, and I'm not even fully convinced it's on purpose. But it works, and it's fun. The villain is also really neat. This issue is loads of fun, which may be annoying to people who wanted more fallout from the Spidey Who Gobs (we get the tiniest of tastes of that when Norman appears, ruder than usual) but I am not super upset about it. The biggest drawback to the issue is the Gang War interlude. It shouldn't be here. I know they need to keep setting it up, but it doesn't fit. I can't remember where I heard it but someone told me that they were *only* interested in the Gang War pages for the last couple issues, and that's baffling to me on many levels.

This is better, but I'm still waiting for something to truly grab me.
8.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #40 Jan 21, 2024

The solicits lie once again, as does the cover. But what we got was enjoyable enough, so it's fine. It's very weird how often this run manages to tie up plot threads without ever actually pursuing the narrative opportunities they offer. We saw it with Black Cat, we saw it with the Spidey Who Laughs, and we see it here with Aunt Anna. Now, I didn't think the idea of Aunt Anna going crazy was very good to begin with, but imagine you're reading this run all in one go at a later time when it's all wrapped up. This plot thread is introduced in an annual by a different writer, is never mentioned unless it's in extreme passing, and is then resolved with all the work to do so being done in another title that's not even a Spidey title. Why was it ever a plot thread to begin with? Why are we spending a whole issue on it now? What is the impetus that made Nick Lowe and Zeb Wells decide this is what needed to come next? I remember the Nick Spencer run having similar issues with plot threads being dismissed and then brought back in these sort of "catch up" issues that aren't necessarily part of any one story arc, but rather serve as a refresher for the reader. I very much think this is a Nick Lowe problem rather than Wells or Spencer. We do get a solid outing here despite my metatextual problems. I think the characterization is on point, Peter is a peak empathetic here, the script is focused, and we end up with a rather complete feeling issue, which is *very rare* for modern Spidey, especially since the two-week schedule came into effect. My favorite moment of the whole issue was actually Pete and MJ meeting up in costume, and the awkward moment where they both have to change out of their costumes. It was cute. I want more of that. Also, Carmen Carnero is a great comic artist. She was great on Captain Marvel and is great here. I really hope this issue and the next are not the only time we'll see her on the title for the foreseeable future. She makes a great addition. I was bummed out on Gang War (and I still am), so it's nice to read an issue that reminds me of the good this run has to offer after being beaten down by its worst elements in the previous arc.

I liked this but I'm not very convinced that Wells will stick the landing since he couldn't land the last arc. Or Gang War. Todd Nauck's art is... competent. It's not something I want to see on ASM, if I'm honest.

Hey, this mostly stuck the landing. I assume Peter's gap in his memories highlighted in this issue and with that phone call a few issues back is just setting up that he's got some Goblin in him, since we all know what's coming. I'm sure the Winkler device will be involved as well. If this is where Ben and Janine's story ends in ASM, I'm fine with that. I'm sure we'll get a more concrete conclusion in the Chasm/Kaine miniseries coming up.

This is a good issue, with baffling editorial decisions behind it. Wells does his best with what he can do in the space of one issue. One of the best things about Wells' run is how he writes Peter's empathy and that comes out in spades in this issue. JRJR's art isn't terrible but there's a fine line between awkward and dynamic, and Romita keeps falling into awkward in this book. I don't know why this issue exists. Why end this book on a cliffhanger leading into a separate miniseries? Usually with these sorts of tie-ins, it ends with a vague "See what happens next in the main event", and that's fine enough. You can tell your small story and get out, and readers won't wonder how it all plays out. In this case though, you have to read a separate miniseries to get the conclusion to your story. It's frustrating. And the best reason Lowe can give is that they just couldn't stop the Goblin story? Bleh.

I was not expecting this issue to go the way that it did. That was a pleasant surprise, in all honesty. I'm really not sure what to make of the subplot in this issue, or what the larger plan is regarding Osborn. While previously I've been happy to see the return of plot threads throughout the run, I thought some of the returning threads in this issue were more worrisome than exciting. We'll see. Wells' run is ending soonish, so I expect the next few issues to be the final word from Wells for some of these threads.
8.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #53 Aug 7, 2024

I didn't expect this to go this way. I wanted to like the big hero moment more than I did. I'm kinda jaded, I guess.

There are so many parallels to the first arc in this issue that show just how much Peter has changed since this run started. Positively changed. I just wish the run was better about showing that journey, because this would've hit a lot harder had it.
8.0
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #15 Oct 9, 2018
8.0
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #16 Oct 9, 2018
8.0
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #17 Oct 9, 2018
8.0
 Amazing Spider-Man: Venom Inc.: Alpha #1 Oct 9, 2018

This is charming and fast moving. I really like Mary Marvel as written by Josie Campbell, so honestly I hope that she is the main focus over the actual amazons. Sue me.
8.0
 Amazons Attack (2023) #2 Jan 21, 2024

A solid ending to a miniseries that I wish would've had more of an impact. It doesn't really have much of a purpose besides adding more commentary on a status quo that Tom King doesn't fully take advantage of in his Wonder Woman run. The commentary is good but you wonder if it's worth a six issue miniseries where things more or less end where they started, status quo wise.

I was kinda dreading reading this, mostly because the 2017 solo series America Chavez had was abysmal. I know that's a bit unfair to the new creative team, but we've all got stigmas. Luckily, this was actually good! It's not my favorite thing in the world, but it's solid and I'm actually looking forward to seeing how this series reconciles all the retcons the character has been through, and hopefully streamlines her a bit.

Probably the strongest issue so far. The cliffhanger was resolved in a way I didn't expect. I think the pacing was best with this issue. Never did I check the page count or become bored. I don't think this series is that interesting of an idea, though. So I'm not very enthused about it, even when it doesn't have any immediate problems.
8.0
 Analog #3 Oct 9, 2018

This was a solid, albeit quick issue. I don't have much to say about it, unlike the previous issues, simply because not all that much happens. Especially not much that requires analysis through the lens on the show this book is based on. But I had a good time reading it, despite that.

Another solid issue.

I enjoy Spike in this, although I wish things were a bit clearer with where his character lies. He's been odd since the reboot begun, and I want some clarification on his history. I'm interested in seeing how Angel and Spike interact in the next issue, which won't be out till late February, unfortunately. That'll be a painful wait. As for the other characters, I'm still not sure about this incarnation of Wolfram & Hart or Fred. There's a ton to be explored here.

I just wish this wasn't so short.

This issue does a lot of table setting, and it is all pretty interesting even if it's so very different from the show. Too much for my lazy ass to even cover. Maybe my unwillingness to dive deep is a sign of my waning interest in this title. Or, more likely, I've got much more to read today.

So, I read this and the next issue back-to-back, and I will try to keep that from altering my initial thoughts on this first issue. Overall, I liked it. I'm a super big fan of the Angel television series, I must've rewatched it 10 times over because I'm nothing if not a mid-2000s goth chick. The last attempt by Boom to create an Angel comic soured me a little bit. With this series being premium-priced for whatever reason, I was very reluctant to try it out, but I have enjoyed Chris Cantwell's work over at Marvel, so I gave this a shot. It's... weird. And the fact that it mostly lands despite the insanity inside this issue is a testament to Cantwell's ability if anything. I don't know if I'm cool with this direction though. It's just wacky and different, and I wouldn't have even suspected a story like this would ever be thought up with these characters. Seeing it laid out though, I can definitely source the inspirations from the show. So, none of what I said was me trying to say Cantwell disregarded the show, or doesn't understand it. You can tell he does, and he's just choosing to go crazy with it. And I guess after the failure of the last series, Boom was willing to green light anything. A less cynical take would be that they're trying to broaden this whole Buffy multiverse idea through more and more out there series.
8.0
 Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) #3 Oct 9, 2018
8.0
 Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) #4 Oct 9, 2018

This was solid. A lot of fun.

This is just a really enjoyable series. I think Macrothrax is a cool villain. Some of the dialogue here was a bit much, but I'm excited to see how this ends.

I liked this issue. I wasn't expecting to, at all. But I've got higher hopes for this run than I had with Abnett's run now. It managed to not bore me, despite introducing a whole new status quo and characters.

No clue what's going on yet, but this is a lot of fun. I expected something a little more serious, but I'm pleasantly surprised by this one.

The two miniseries leading into this run were lukewarm at best. They ended on low notes. But this new number one is actually good. The characters don't feel off, the pacing is good, the plot is interesting, and the art is really well done. It's solid, and I hope this series lives up to the expectations this issue set.

This felt very short.

I was expecting a more definitive ending, but maybe this means Nick Spencer, the whole reason I'm reading this, isn't leaving the title altogether. I hope he's just leaving for the next arc... I'm willing to give it a shot, though. Maybe it'll be as fun as this was.
8.0
 Art Brut #1 Jan 12, 2023
8.0
 Asgardians of the Galaxy #2 Oct 9, 2018

I thought this issue was good. We're slowly getting to know these characters more. Kid Loki has become the best character in the comic. The biggest strength here is the continuity.

One of the better issues. Maybe direct tie-ins are this series' strong suit.

This was a fun issue. I found it humorous and the art was great.

Really fun. Dave and Fuck are the best.
8.0
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #7 Oct 9, 2018
8.0
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #12 Oct 9, 2018

So this finally got interesting. It's ridiculous that it took... 12 Agents of Atlas issues, plus 12 back-up stories split between two tangentially related series. But now that we're there, I'm actually a little bit curious where this goes next.

I can't believe I'm actually into this series now. That just shows that endurance and perseverance yields results in the favor of the people who are taking advantage of you.

A good start to Avengers. There's some nice continuity with New Avengers here that's obvious in hindsight, but I wonder if people caught it by the time New Avengers #3 came out. As for this issue, this was big. I liked that they started with the movie cast - probably a mandate - and teased a bigger, infinitely better roster at the end.

This whole inspiring Avengers World idea is rather sinister in context. This issue was fun. The highlight was Spider-Man's recruitment. And Hickman's love for Sunspot is apparent, even back then. I honestly completely forgot about the builders beyond their role in Infinity, so I relearned a bunch here. I understand why I forgot about the builders...

Solid end to the first arc, with some cool parallels.

It's hard to get me super invested in Starbrand and Nightmask, tbh.

This was a fun one-shot.

This was good. Hyperion is becoming a standout character in this run.

A strangely abrupt ending, but Infinity is here.

There's a ton going on here and I'm not sure that the art managed to capture it all. But this issue was solid.

The politicking of the Galactic Council isn't the most interesting thing in the world, but I see how all of this is necessary to not only inform the event, but also inform Hickman's entire narrative.

This was a bit slow to start, but once it got going, I enjoyed it more.

This was a solid wrap up to an uneven arc. There was definitely a reason I didn't remember it.

A very slow table-setting issue, but by the end, you're interested. Reading the Before Time Runs Out arc of Avengers World before this kind of took away some of the excitement regarding how Hickman reveals this new world to us, but it's still written well.
8.0
 Avengers (2016) #675 Oct 9, 2018
8.0
 Avengers (2016) #680 Oct 9, 2018

This was a solid, yet simple story.

This issue is a whole lot of fun. Pure action-figure fun. Not much in terms of story progression. But what we get is fun. So, it's better than a lot of things. Fun.

This was good. I'm interested in where it's headed.

After a string of bad issues, I actually liked this one. I like the geopolitical nature of this Avengers run. That's what excited me in the first place. So, it's no surprise. This was also barely a tie-in to King in Black, thank god. I honestly expected an issue where Blade and his vampire army fight symbiote dragons, while Blade monologues about how much he hates it. Luckily, it wasn't that.

I had fun with this one. It's ridiculous but in a good way. Your mileage may vary.

This is a solid, fun issue of Avengers. There are attempts by Aaron to heighten the script, but at the end of the day, this issue is a lot of action figures hitting each other. But you know, it's fun. It's not high art, but it's not fast food either.

I don't mind it when Avengers is just a bunch of cool shit happening to characters I like. That's all this issue is. One of the reviews here really stuck out to me, and I'm under no obligation not to mention it. There's a review here that's oddly personal, and it's not from the usual suspects. They claim that this issue is just Jason Aaron dealing with his unresolved religious issues, and that the comic suffers for it. I'd call that a personal attack if it wasn't so fucking weird. I definitely don't see their point here. One, even if this was the case, art has never shied away from the big questions, such as faith. Two, if you think Deathlok's nihilistic ramblings is a deep introspection on faith and not just metal hype-up shit for the *next* epic Avengers installment... I mean, you're probably reading far too much into it. I'm sorry, this comic is not that involved. And if this issue is all it took for this vague criticism to come out, then maybe Avengers is too hardcore, idk lmao.

I'll be honest. A lot of this issue has shoddy construction. It mostly comes down to Javier Garron's art just not doing its job. I don't understand why he's the de-facto artist on the run. Issues like this, which actually do have a pretty competent script for a change, just show that he needs to refine his storytelling and style a bit.

I honestly think that Brandy is a character with a ton of potential that Jason Aaron never really did anything with, so I'm not happy about her probable death at the end of all this. I thought this issue was solid, but the problem with the arc and this title for a while now, is it all feels so disjointed. Issue to issue, I feel like there's no real progression, and nothing really matters. I'm hoping the Avengers Assemble event is more narratively satisfying, but my hope for that is slim.

This final crossover has been very middling so far, but I think Aaron has a good voice for Tony Stark and since he narrates the issue, this issue is better for it.

This issue plays to Aaron's strengths of writing the Thor corner of the universe. It's good. I can't (read: I can) wait for the mindless action to continue next issue.

This was good for what it was. Jed MacKay is a capable writer. Multitude seems like a fun character. As a prelude to the current Black Cat arc, it's alright. I'm enjoying that arc, but I'm not sure we needed all these annuals to build up to that.

I like that the Avengers are finally fully getting involved with the Krakoa stuff, but if you aren't reading that, you can still enjoy this.

With a whole new team, this book takes on a very different vibe than the first 14 issues. It's good, but different. I think MacKay has a great voice for Steve Rogers in particular.
8.0
 Avengers (2023) #15 Jun 13, 2024

Much like Avengers #51, this is dumb fun. I'm looking forward to issue two. The art here is great. I wonder where this all goes.

I didn't mind this issue. I had a fun time. Jason Aaron connecting his Thor stuff to this run actually is interesting to me, because it gives me this added hope that Jason Aaron has a plan and this isn't *just* spectacle. Eventually, especially with comics, spectacle runs out and you have a very lackluster story on your hands. I will say, this issue does feel disconnected from the last three, and it felt like Aaron didn't actually want to follow up on the end of the last issue (which, honestly, I'm thankful for because that did not excite me), however it makes for a disjointed reading experience.

All I really need from this series is a bit more of a connection to the ongoing narrative. I just need to care a little more. This series lives and dies on whatever the newest issue decides to be about. It leads to a very uneven run.
8.0
 Avengers Forever (2021) #11 Nov 25, 2022
8.0
 Avengers Inc. (2023) #3 Jan 21, 2024

This was a satisfying wrap up to the trilogy of Ant-Man/Wasp/Avengers Inc. I just wish this would go on longer. Ewing seemed to be having fun here, and so was I.

I've never read Avengers World before. But since Hickman co-wrote the first five issues and the last five serve as a prelude to Time Runs Out, I figured I'd at least read the pertinent issues in my re-read of Hickman's Avengers run. However, I am a huge fan of Nick Spencer, so I'm willing to read 11 non-essential issues for fun. This first issue was solid. I wasn't blown away by it, but I had a good time.

This actually expands on Starbrand really well. This really helps me connect to the character. Could've used this back during ANAD Marvel and that Legacy one-shot, eh?

These character pieces are pretty good. Nick Spencer usually nails character, so he was great for this. I've never read this before. I wish I had.

Marco Checchetto is a godsend. Switching between this art and the other issue's art is rough. But I actually enjoyed this one, even if it's more about Euroforce than Avengers.

Somehow a wrap up that works. I don't really care about what happens with the Next Avengers. But I wouldn't mind seeing the other new teams introduced play a role somewhere. Now I can get back to Hickman Avengers proper though, and that's nice!

Now we're finally getting back to the plot. While not exactly Hickman proper, this is a very nice change of pace after all that Axis nonsense. The art is amazing and Barbiere is actually a good writer. I've never heard of him outside that New Avengers annual and this series. I will definitely see what else he's done once I'm finished with this.

Solid first issue. I like the chemistry between the cast. I hope the villain becomes more interesting. This was mostly set up, so I'm expecting more in the next few issues.

This was good. I think Nyx and her children have an interesting backstory, if a bit unoriginal. I think they're really cool looking. If anything, that's why I like them. Also, that cliffhanger was amazing. Immortal Hulk is the best thing about this series, he's just so good.

Not as good as the previous issue, but still pretty good. Spectrum is an interesting character so seeing her perspective was cool.

A good issue, if a bit disjointed. I'm hoping the finale can end things strongly.

This was a good issue, but mostly just set up the finale.

This issue harkens back to the classic Avengers comics of the sixties. It really manages to keep those trappings and tropes, while not falling for the era's less endearing qualities. It's nostalgic, fun and the pace is very brisk. This comic is oversized, but I honestly didn't notice the extra page count.

This continues to scratch that weird nostalgic itch for 60s Marvel comics. It's a lot of fun. Light reading too, especially compared to the real deal 60s comics.

This is a consistently fun time. I could say some nitpicking I have about the pacing and overall plot structure, but honestly, the more I think on it the more I realize that the comics this series was trying to capture the feeling of often had weird structures and pacing. It's very fun. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I honestly should have re-read the first sixteen issues, because man, I do not remember most of what has happened in this series, and that's super important to making this issue land on an emotional level.

It's kind of a shame that I didn't enjoy this finale as much as I thought I would. I think it has a lot to do with the extended delay between this last batch of issues and the ones before that. I'm sure if I went back and read all 20 issues in a sitting or two, I'd be more into this final issue. Cates doesn't usually falter on endings. This wasn't bad or anything, I just think it just lost its chance at an oomph of an ending due to the delays.

Better than issue one. Must have to do with the pacing.

This was actually good, just very wordy.
8.0
 Batgirls (2021) #13 Jan 12, 2023

I liked this. It was solid. A lot of my issues with the book previously was the overuse of narration, and its tonal quality. I've said this more than a few times, but once again, they manage to tone down the narration a bit. It makes for a more fluid reading experience, instead of before when you'd have to pump the brakes on everything, just for some mildly chaotic narration. I will say, this writing team still has pacing trouble. This issue, and many issues of theirs I've read lately, feel like they should end about 4 pages before they do. It's very jarring to read.

I really do not care about the Tim Burton Batman films. I watched them again within the last year or so, so I'm not going off vague memories when I say this. I just find them boring, most of the time, while recognizing their role in the Batman brand. The music is nice, I think Jack Nicholson did an okay job playing the version of The Joker they wanted him to play. I think Catwoman was super boring, as a character. Penguin is a great design, but as a character I found him lacking as well. The first movie is the better one. So, all that being said, I had basically no hope for liking this. But I gave it a shot. And it's good. The art is great, and the writing is surprisingly capable of keeping my attention. I've seen online that the scripts Sam Hamm wrote for both movies were very different than the final product, and this is more in line with those. And if so, I think I would have preferred more of his vision than Burton's. But that's being a screenwriter for you.

This was a good issue, but a bit slow for what is supposed to be a 6 issue miniseries. I don't know if the fakeout does enough to differentiate what we all saw coming last issue.
8.0
 Batman (2016) #36 Oct 10, 2018
8.0
 Batman (2016) #38 Oct 10, 2018

I don't know how to feel about this issue. On one hand, things did indeed happen. On the other hand, most of the revelations were not revelations at all for this reader. On some mutated third hand, I'm glad that this Bat/Cat relationship seems dead as Batman admits to himself that it was never love. I never felt it was genuine and I'm happy that feeling was validated. Unless it's just a nightmare, of course, and he will love her by the end of this. I don't know. Images of a naked Bane towering over/straddling a defensive old man aside, I actually liked this issue. Could this be a turn of the tide towards me liking Batman again? Let's give it a few more issues.

Things clicked a little for me here. This issue, Harley aside, just worked better than the previous three.

I liked this one. This run is definitely turbulent right now. But this is one of the better issues.

Perhaps I'm just in a good mood, but I liked this issue much more than the previous one. Everything felt tighter. The pace, the storytelling, the art. That one moment where Batman goes full Daredevil was really cool. Harley wasn't too obnoxious. I just had a good time here. And I hope Tynion can maintain consistency.

I liked this issue a lot more than the last one, and I think it comes down to pacing. This issue makes giant leaps forward in the story. There's a semblance of payoff with all the Harley stuff. The Batfam, even if the majority of their tie-ins suck, are finally playing a role, however minor-- despite what the cover would have you believe. I feel like there's a direction here. In the build up to get to this issue, we had two or three moments of Batman getting his shit together only for it to be another false start. But now he's actually done it and the story has become better for it.

This run has proven to be so schizophrenic in its quality. I can't trust it to be good. I can't even trust it to be average. Every issue is a coin flip on whether or not I'll like it. That's legitimately frustrating. However, I liked this issue. I thought the rivalry between Ghost-Maker and Batman played better here. I really like how Ghost-Maker gloats about how he's saving Gotham, and by the end of the issue, Batman turns it all against him. That was well done. I was less enthused about Harley Quinn and Clownhunter. Harley Quinn wasn't annoying or anything, really, but I did not need pages dedicated to her talking out her easily implied feelings with a plant. It felt clunky. Clownhunter is... Fine. The most I took away from any of this was that he's supposed to be seventeen. Look, I confess to not hanging around seventeen year olds lately. I've been lucky enough not to be seventeen again for over a decade now, but Clownhunter does not look seventeen to me. I thought he was thirteen, max. He's really small and stupidly edgy. Maybe I'm just misremembering my own development cycle. I mean, that's possible. But that definitely threw me for a loop!

I want to keep myself from getting too excited, but I have to say, I enjoyed this one. I've been very sick of Batman lately, but this one made me feel a little better about it.

This is solid. I feel like I'm on a roller coaster, but not in a fun way. Like, we're headed up the hill and the drop is when Williamson fails to deliver and I go back to seeing this title as a chore rather than something I enjoy. I understand this is a very cynical take to have when my score is an 8/10. It's just a dreading feeling I've got. You notice a couple peculiar things in this issue and it's like the calm before the storm. I hope I'm wrong, seriously. I'd love to keep enjoying Batman. But yeah, something about this issue just rubs me the wrong way. The backup was a thing that existed.

This was a solid ending to a pretty engaging arc. Knowing that Zdarsky is taking over so soon kind of takes some of the wind out of this run's sails. But hopefully Shadow War is a fun crossover and not another Fear State. The art was great.

This issue continues the trend of the Alpha issue. This is a solid event. There's not a ton to talk about regarding it, but it is an entertaining read. The backup is fine, and it beats the typical backups DC puts out.

Not my favorite issue of the arc. It seems like things are ramping up a bit too much for my tastes. The backup continues to be great though. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

This is a good, refreshing reset, despite it being essentially Failsafe part 2.
8.0
 Batman (2016) #140 Feb 29, 2024

This comic isn't bad, but it's just so convoluted.
8.0
 Batman (2016) #152 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Batman / Catwoman: The Gotham War (2023): Battle Lines #1 Feb 29, 2024
8.0
 Batman / Catwoman: The Gotham War (2023): Red Hood #1 Feb 29, 2024

I'm still into this. I just hope it doesn't overstay its welcome, as the Batman Who Laughs has been forced down our throats for so long now. (I don't even think it's been that long, it just feels like it.)

Not as great as issue one, but still a very fun read. I hope the stuff with Supergirl and Robin picks up a little, as I felt it drag the issue down a bit.
8.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #6 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #11 Jan 25, 2023

This one goes all over the place and it was actually a bit of a chore to read, which is insane to say about this title. I still enjoyed it but it was bumpier than usual. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #16 Mar 14, 2024
8.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #19 Mar 14, 2024
8.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #23 Mar 14, 2024

I was turned off by the idea of going back to Kingdom Come, and it's been so long since I've read it anyway, that I was hesitant about this story. It turned out really good though. Mark Waid maintains the charm of the title.
8.0
 Batman and Robin (2023) #5 Mar 14, 2024

Williamson has definitely gotten into the groove, especially with Bruce and Damian's dynamic, but Di Meo's art really isn't working for me.
8.0
 Batman and Robin (2023) Annual: 2024 Mar 14, 2024

Solid first issue. Hope it doesn't retread Tynion's Detective Comics run too much.

This was good. Liked it a lot more than last issue, so I'm hoping that this series can maintain its quality.
8.0
 Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic (2023) #3 Mar 14, 2024

A solid start.

While the middle part of this miniseries was a little rough, I ended up really enjoying this in the end. This writers' team of Kelly and Lanzing is one to keep up with. I've been aware of them since their painfully short Green Arrow run. They're great.
8.0
 Batman Incorporated (2022) #10 Mar 14, 2024
8.0
 Batman Incorporated (2022) #11 Mar 14, 2024

This felt a bit rushed but I really enjoyed the idea behind this ending.

This was good. Some of the dialogue could be a little rough, though. The ending, though, is straight out of Warren Ellis' Moon Knight run. I'm a big fan of that run, so if we can all agree to further emulate it, I'm fine with that.

Honestly, as someone who largely doesn't care for this universe, I thought this was solid. I don't know if this story is worthy of the amount of issues this series is getting, but we'll see.
8.0
 Batman: City of Madness (2023) #2 Mar 14, 2024

I liked this issue well enough. I feel like it was a bit slow to start, but by the end I was enjoying myself.

I liked this issue, even if I continue to have gripes with certain aspects of this story, such as the budding romance between Harley and Bruce.
8.0
 Batman: Fortress (2022) #3 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Batman: Kings of Fear #2 Oct 10, 2018

I really like the art and Scarecrow's characterization in this.

This was good. I don't really know what's going on. Although, I would say that the current setting is probably my least favorite part of this so far. The beginning with Batman in Gotham was great, as was the Asylum, but then things dipped a little with this post apocalyptic wasteland. Got major Kelly Thompson's Captain Marvel vibes from the New Amazons. And I'm not sure that's a good thing, because the setting of that story was its biggest problem. But I'm hopeful that this turns more into an Old Man Logan, if we're doing this. The first two settings were so great and I was fully on board, so I can't help but be a little disappointed that we're getting something else instead.

This was good. That's it. I had a good time reading it, but I don't think I fell in love with it like everyone else seems to. Maybe it's because I don't hold the same reverence for Snyder's Batman as most people. This was a fun Elseworlds, and that's it for me.
8.0
 Batman: Off-World (2023) #1 Mar 14, 2024
8.0
 Batman: Off-World (2023) #4 May 10, 2024

I don't mind Mr. Freeze's character being altered. I kind of find him boring, usually, just because his origin has been so cemented that writers seem almost afraid to deviate from it in any meaningful way.

This continues to be a solid, fun miniseries. I think the tension built up here really works. And of course, the art here is great.

A solid, if only serviceable, ending.

This is such weird series, but I find it far more entertaining than anything else DC is doing with Batman.

The Tom King/Mitch Gerads Joker story is good. Joker is written in a much creepier manner than King usually writes him. In other stories, Joker typically plays the role of gay bestie to Catwoman. And there's nothing wrong with being a gay bestie, I recommend being both, but it doesn't work for a mass murdering psychopath. It just feels really off for all the characters involved. Luckily, there's no Catwoman here. I do have a couple of nitpicks. Gerads' art is mostly great but he really struggles with children, it turns out. The other big nitpick is the sheer amount of grawlixes in this story. I don't want to read dialogue where every sentence has a slur in it that I have to create in my head to fit the context of the rest of the sentence. It is obnoxious. It'd be better if the story were uncensored, but DC won't even allow the word "ass" in their books anymore. But even if it were uncensored, it'd still be kind of annoying. What person talks like that? The entire monologue where this criticism is spawning from is... not a great monologue to begin with. I think the type of character King was portraying was over-the-top. Not that people like that don't exist, but at some point it takes me out of the story when I know how these types would say it, and it's not that way. But those are just nitpicks, I like the vibes of the story. The StormWatch story was super boring, and I have nothing to say about it. The Superman story was a bit slow, but the art carried it and I hope it goes somewhere great. The Black & White story was fine. It didn't need to exist. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Again, the first story is the highlight. The twist was engaging and I'm very invested in how this will wrap up. The Wild Dog story is a little too comedic for my tastes, but it has potential. Aquaman was super forgettable. The Wager was interesting enough.

The Gotham Academy story took a while to get going, but I liked it more as it went along. Artemis was really good. Nameless wasn't bad but I feel like it could've been executed a bit better. Lois Lane didn't really interest me, but it's Torunn Gronbekk so I'm sure it'll become engaging soon. The Cheeseburger story was the first time that I felt like the black and white stories in this issues didn't feel like padding for the page count. Of course, it's written by Dan Watters, someone who doesn't get near enough credit despite how good of a writer they are.

I must be tripping, because I didn't hate the Tim Seeley story in this anthology. I'm hardly ever a fan of his but something about this story mostly worked. Maybe it's the overt horror influence, or maybe Seeley was a bit inspired this time. The Time Jerks story with Booster and the Jurassic League ended up being one of the weaker stories, I feel. It was fun but I ultimately didn't need to see a part two. The Artemis story ends and it didn't feel like much of a conclusion. In fact, now that it's wrapped up, I can say that I don't think this story really needed to be told. We get some good character stuff sure, but ultimately, I don't think anything happening here couldn't be saved for something else. The Invader is so weird and I actually love it. I can't wait to see where it goes. And the Perp Walk might be the first B&W story I actually really loved. I thought it was very, very well done.

This was a good issue but it's not as good as the previous issues. Maybe it's because nothing is really advanced here. It's mostly just showing the reader Bruce's relationship with Henri Ducard. Which I guess is necessary, but I didn't really feel the need to know more last issue. I will say, Bruce Wayne looks so gross in this issue. He just looks like a thumb of a man. It's great.

Not a ton happened here in terms of plot progression, but seeing Batman almost be one-upped was cool. I gotta say though, the more I look at gross hulk Bruce Wayne, the more I'm confused by the choice of making Bruce Wayne into a monster man.

The Red Hood and Grifter stories are great. The other two are fine, just not on the same level.

The Grifter and Red Hood stories were great as usual. I fucking love Grifter accidentally trapping Superman. Matthew Rosenberg, as always, is a treasure. Batman caring about Red Hood in a substantive way is something I want to see a lot more of. The Tim Drake story was super bland and the Luke Fox story was fine. I really think they just bring down the score, as the main attractions here are great.

So, the final part of the Cheer story by Chip Zdarsky is very, very well done. I really liked the characterization here. I really liked the progression as well. I think this is how you bring Jason down from his Under the Red Hood level of antagonism without making it stupid, like what Scott Lobdell did for what seemed like 35 years. And I'm sure no one took this complaint seriously, but no, Jason putting down his guns is not a political statement by Zdarsky or DC. It's called symbolism, and it's symbolizing his lessening antagonism towards Bruce. I swear, there is plenty of politics to find in fiction, but idiots always hone on to the paranoid non-existent kind because they can't actually process what they're seeing/reading/listening to. The Zealot story was a step down from Matthew Rosenberg's Grifter story, but it wasn't bad. This definitely felt more like I was reading a character from the 90s with little to no personality. I hope if Rosenberg is headed towards a WildCATs series that he gives the other characters life like he gave Grifter some. The Sum of Our Parts finale by Meghan Fitzmartin is fine. I don't find it very engaging, but I don't hate it. That would be all I have to say about this story if not for the expected and tiring backlash this story received because people are too insecure with themselves to allow a fictional character to change in a way that doesn't fundamentally matter to the core of character. Am I happy or excited that Tim is bisexual? No, I don't really care. However, I do think other people are. And I do think more representation for a group of people that is consistently erased in media because their sexuality is easily obfuscated is ultimately a positive thing. I would say I am biased because I'm a member of that group, but no, I think most everyone should understand why this is a good thing. People always shield themselves behind this idea that it's changing the character unnaturally, but the beauty of bisexuality is that it changes nothing about a character's prior sexual and romantic history. So, while the claim that one just cares about the character being changed is always illegitimate, this specific time, it is even more illegitimate. I have more respect for people who aren't cowards and stand by their homophobia over the types that recognize it makes them look like shit, and try to hide it instead. That is on a 9/11 tier of a cowardly act. You're all garbage people who don't deserve the time of day, but at least some of you embrace being scum. The Deathstroke Inc prelude by Joshua Williamson is fine. It reminds me a lot of his Flash run, and that worries me immensely. Why is this in a Batman book though? Everything else is at least partly related to Batman, and then there's this. I guess it so people buy that Deathstroke comic, huh?

The Tim story had some subtle touches in it that I really think made it work. Having Batman, Tim's father figure, accept him without any hesitation is not only exactly what Batman should and would do, it's also what so, so many LGBT kids want. The leading cause of suicide among LGBT teens and young adults is being rejected by their parents for their sexuality or gender identity. I know some people here bristle at that acceptance as something degenerate, but they can go fuck themselves. Another thing, Batman treating the people of Gotham with compassion is what we should want from the character. He's a hero, he can be a dark one, but what's the solution there? Beat the citizens into compliance? Please. The Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum story had its moments, but it was probably the weakest addition here. It just doesn't work as well as anything else. The writing is obvious and this feels like a step down from the previous issue. The Azrael story was probably the least impactful story here, but Dan Watters can write the hell out of even benign stories, so it's a joy to read. Not much to say about it, however. The Nightwing story is probably my favorite one. I feel like Tini Howard nails Nightwing's character, and this is a fun, sweet Christmas Carol story that I can get behind.

This is a solid set of stories. The Batanna story is nice and fun. The Wight Witch story is good, despite being drenched in all things Fear State. The Eternity story is probably the weakest one here. The writing and art isn't on the same level as the rest of these. But it wasn't bad, and hopefully it gets better from here. The Ace the Bat-Hound story is my favorite. That Bat-Dog part is so cute.

I don't really want to go in-depth on an anthology. I just don't have the patience, really. The weakest link here is the Eternity Kid story. It sticks out like a sore thumb. The art isn't as good and the writing is just messier. I hope the finale is better. I'm wary of the character teased at the end of the Zatanna story. I'm very finicky about them, so I hope Ayala can write them well. The Ace story continues to be the best thing I've read since Watchmen #3. And the Wight Witch is a cool Image pitch.
8.0
 Batman: Urban Legends (2021) #20 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Batman: Urban Legends (2021) #21 Nov 15, 2022

I'm most interested in The Murder Club here. That's why you buy this comic.

This series had its ups and downs. For every great story, there were plenty that felt like DC needed to fill the pages, and weren't so concerned with the quality of them. But the good was very good. In this last sort of run, The Murder Club has been the standout. I really hope it's released standalone in collections, so I can add it to my physical collection and so more people will actually read it.
8.0
 Batman: White Knight #4 Oct 10, 2018
8.0
 Batman: White Knight #5 Oct 10, 2018
8.0
 Batman: White Knight #7 Oct 10, 2018
8.0
 Batman: White Knight #8 Oct 10, 2018
8.0
 Batman: White Knight Presents: Red Hood #1 Sep 27, 2022

A really fun miniseries. DeMatteis still has it.
8.0
 Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #17 Oct 10, 2018

This is a good first issue. Maybe a little too quick, but good.

This is a good issue. It was written competently, but the standout here is the art. That's why you should read this.

A good issue.

This is a solid, quick issue. I don't really think Danial Warren Johnson is a great writer. But his art is great, for sure. So while I think the story and writing can be hit-or-miss, the art makes up for it a bit.

This was a good ending, and I thought the art was cool. I wasn't really quite as invested in the writing, but it was quick.

This was better than the first issue, but I'm left a bit perplexed by the need to tie this series to that Captain Carter mini a while back.

I think this miniseries is certainly hitting its stride, but it's almost over so that's a bit of a bummer. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Yeah, I like the Mist. This is fun, filled with neat monsters and some body horror. I only read it because I saw a preview of it in the back of Babyteeth. I expected fun and that's what I got.
8.0
 Birds of Prey (2023) #2 Mar 14, 2024

The art change really doesn't gel with Romero's work on the previous (and next) issue, but this is still really good otherwise.

I liked this. I wish the art for the main story was better, but I thought the writing was mostly solid. I will say, however, that the third story about the Black Fox was easily my favorite story, which may be bad because that story doesn't even feature the title character. It's the same writer though, so I have some faith. The second story by Nao Fuji was completely throwaway, but it didn't harm anything, I guess.

This book was a lot of fun. I really like Bats.

I liked the issue. I'm really surprised they're bringing back Black Cat's bisexuality, as it has never been a huge part of her character and is often forgotten.

This series is just a whole lot of fun.

Didn't know what to expect, since I was seeing a lot of hate for this series from others due to how pathetic it makes Dane Whitman. I think that's a bit overstated within the criticisms for this book. The typical framework for these sort of downer character arcs is that the writer hates the character. This is always an asinine assumption, and that's no different here. This was a good issue and I want to know what happens next. That's more than I can say for... Any black knight book before this.

This was another good issue. It even managed not to bore me with its exposition. And also, Elsa Bloodstone is always a plus.

Really good issue!
8.0
 Black Panther (2016) #172 Oct 10, 2018
8.0
 Black Panther (2018) #4 Oct 10, 2018

Well, this is quite the turn of events. Man, N'Jadaka has a symbiote? That made him like five times cooler, and he killed Bast? THE Bast? Well, now he's even cooler? And the way he did it? That was the coolest. This issue is very cool, is what I'm saying.

This was a solid start to this arc.

This was a nice issue. Feels like things are happening and are important.

I think I'm back into this. This story has gone on much too long, but if this final arc works, maybe I'll be able to forgive how long it took to get here. This issue was good.

I went in expecting another slog of an issue, but then this issue was a love letter to some of Black Panther's biggest moments, and I enjoyed it.

I like how Merlyn is cool with this version of Black Panther that is actively contemptuous of democracy and tries to supersede it, makes you think. I like this idea, but I expected more. I hope it turns into something great.

This is a solid issue. I don't think it quite hits the mark but I'm willing to continue to give this title a shot. I *really* hope that scene about a firm hand for Wakanda is supposed to be villainous. This series has been a little iffy politically so far. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. As easily as that scene sounds like a fascist talking, it could just as easily be a liberal trying to restore law and order. We all know when you cut a liberal, a fascist bleeds.
8.0
 Black Panther (2021) #11 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Black Panther (2023) #1 Mar 14, 2024
8.0
 Black Panther (2023) #3 Mar 14, 2024
8.0
 Black Panther (2023) #4 Mar 14, 2024
8.0
 Black Panther (2023) #6 Mar 15, 2024
8.0
 Black Panther (2023) #7 Mar 15, 2024
8.0
 Black Panther (2023) #8 Mar 15, 2024
8.0
 Black Panther (2023) #9 Mar 15, 2024

This was better than issue one. Probably because there was less table setting to do.

This was the best issue yet.

This is a really fun issue, and I'm excited for the next one. Also, the Livewires? Really? That'll sell.

I honestly liked this series because it felt like a classic Marvel series, which is a rare feeling when reading modern comics. It's a shame that it's sequel miniseries/Empyre tie-in has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, because the ending was written in that, not this, according to Jim Zub on Twitter. This series doesn't so much end as it just stops. Sure the threat is neutralized and it's technically the end of the arc, but the larger questions the series presented remain unanswered.

Not as good as the first issue, but within all the meta that's started to falter Kibblesmith shows that he understands these characters and their voices.

This issue was solid. I liked Jack O'Lantern a lot. The humor didn't fall flat this issue. The story is compelling.

This was an intriguing first issue, with a good hook. I'm not a huge Rick Remender fan, but so far, so good.

This is a solid start. Nothing that'll blow your mind, but solid all around.

I don't know, I like all the character interactions. And the ending actually has some tension in it, even if it'll probably be resolved quickly next issue.

Not the best issue, but still good!

This was a good ending to the arc, but this isn't on the level of that first arc.

A solid finale, if a bit rushed. Sad to see this one go.
8.0
 Blade (2023) #1 Mar 15, 2024
8.0
 Blade (2023) #6 Mar 15, 2024
8.0
 Blade (2023) #7 Mar 15, 2024
8.0
 Blade (2023) #8 Mar 15, 2024

Not sure why this was published. I assume it's setting up future stuff for Blade and the Vampire Nation, post-Aaron's Avengers. But for now, it seems pretty inconsequential. It's good, at least.
8.0
 Blood Syndicate (2022): Season One #2 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Blood Syndicate (2022): Season One #3 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Blood Syndicate (2022): Season One #4 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Blood Syndicate (2022): Season One #6 Nov 15, 2022

This was a fun, Buffy-esque miniseries. If you liked that show, especially its earlier years, you will find something to like in this.
8.0
 Blue Beetle (2023) #4 Mar 15, 2024
8.0
 Blue Beetle (2023) #9 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Blue Beetle (2023) #10 Jun 13, 2024
8.0
 Blue Beetle: Graduation Day (2022) #1 Dec 8, 2022
8.0
 Books of Magic (1990) #2 Sep 24, 2020

This was good. I think maybe more should have happened, but I didn't mind it.

A good issue. Not much to say about it. But I guess it was cool to see the Dreaming.

A solid issue.

This was good. Probably the best of John Constantine's cameos, just by virtue of being the largest one so far. I can't say I really care about what's going to happen with Tim, though, so it's hard to get invested.

This was a better issue, but I wish the pace was a little better.
8.0
 Border Town #1 Oct 10, 2018

The writing here manages to fit the right tone, but the art does not. The art isn't abysmal, but it really takes away from what should be big moments. It's not as bad when there are close ups, but it feels like the artist is quick to forget what these characters actually look like from a slightly further distance. I also think maybe the pacing needs a little bit of work, but hey that fits with the show as well, what with its 22 episodes to fill each season. I also figured we'd see some Angel in this issue after the cliffhanger and the FCBD story, but he's nowhere to be found, which slightly disappoints me as an Angel fan. As for the story itself though, I'm completely on board with this direction. I usually like it when reboots and adaptations do their own thing, as long as they manage to capture the spirit of the original, which this series does. If I wanted the original story, I'd just re-watch the show.

A solid issue. I'm almost certain the guy in the mask is Angel. We'll probably find out in his series' prelude issue.

A solid issue. I really have no idea where any of this is going, and that's pretty refreshing with how many comics I read, and how long I've been reading them.

This issue quickly wraps up the Xander plot (I know this isn't technically the end). It was kind of muddled, but this series has been since Hellmouth. But I guess they wrapped it up for the sake of giving this series a boost by having it interact with the TV show universe. I used to be excited about the new interpretations of the characters and the rebooted universe (you can find me defending it A LOT), but I feel like this series has way too many plates spinning and things took a turn, and my optimism was detroyed. So you know what, I'm welcoming nostalgia, even if it's a cheap way to get me to keep reading the book.

This was solid. I liked all the character interactions. I just wish things were moving at a quicker pace, and we weren't just teased for future stories. That ending, though, that's a big deal. Although, I think the show handled the reveal much better, but these comics put the characters in very different circumstances, so it had to go down slightly differently. Jordie Bellaire gets the most she can out of it, despite this.
8.0
 Cable (2017) #155 Oct 18, 2018
8.0
 Cable (2017) #158 Oct 18, 2018

I'm surprised by the reactions to this issue. To me, it's got competent writing, great art and an intriguing hook with the Spaceknights. To me, this is already more interesting than 90% of the Cable books I've read, and I've read a lot of them. I don't see the issue here.

The pacing was off, but the issue was very funny and the art was great, so I'm still on board.

Not as good as the other two issues. Mostly due to it focusing on what seems, for now, to be a side story setting up AL Ewing's SWORD title. But it'll probably fit better as the event continues.

We finally get an issue that is what everyone expected the event to be, and it was good, though I see not everyone is happy with it shockingly enough.

This was good, I wish more happened though.

Glad to see Adult Cable back. Not that I disliked Kid Cable, but I just like Adult Cable more. And Deadpool written by Duggan is always a treat.

This was a solid run, that was unfairly maligned by people who just wanted Old Cable back. This series gave Kid Cable a lot of development, and look, all the whiners got Old Cable back so it turns out he wasn't gone forever. Color me shocked!

This fits really well with classic Invaders, but that archaic nature might turn some people off. I really found it fun and nostalgic though.

A solid issue. More of an action issue than anything, but it was entertaining enough. I don't know how to feel about that one moment from Avengers being completely lifted for this issue, only instead of cops, it's prisoners. Part of me thinks there's something the writer was trying to say with that, but another part of me thinks it's just there and that's all it is.

This was actually a good issue! Coates had something to say again! And the art wasn't trash! Shame the entire run can't be like this. I bought the first trade of this run for my physical collection, and it is by far one of my most regrettable purchases simply because this run is so turbulent.

Alright, I don't mind Sharon Carter getting some space. I found this mostly enjoyable, but there was some... Interesting choices made with some of her inner dialogue. There's a page in particular that really doesn't work for me, but maybe it does for other people. Otherwise, I liked this.

The Coates story continues his run and it's... Satisfactory. It does what it sets out to do but I don't find it extremely engaging. I wish I did because I liked the last few issues, but I just didn't. I felt nothing with that ending. Nothing at all. The second story was honestly much better. I kind of despise America in a lot of ways but by virtue of being born here, I guess I find myself caught up in that patriotic spirit at times. But never for the sake of the government, only for the people. And I think that, especially in the current awful political climate that will no doubt be overtaken by a worse one in the years and decades to come, sometimes a story about Captain America being Captain America is necessary or at least fulfilling to me as a reader. It's nothing unexpected, it's been told a thousand different ways, but it's still good to read sometimes.

This was good. I'm actually enjoying this annual event more than I expected to. I was one of the five people who enjoyed Infinity Countdown/Infinity Wars, but even I was iffy on the new Infinity Watch being composed of hosts for the Infinity Stones. The Wolverine miniseries that followed up Infinity Wars (very odd choice btw), gave a hint of that and while I remember liking it, I don't remember it inspiring confidence in the idea. I do actually really enjoy that these new Infinity Watch characters are plucked from other pre-established stories. I much prefer that than entirely new characters created specifically for this event. It's a good use of continuity, and that's always a plus. The only thing that bothers me, just a little bit, is that Captain America's attitude here just feels slightly out of character. I was expecting more sympathy from him in multiple scenes, but he just doubled down on Overtime being a villain. That was a little bothersome.

This is a solid issue. There's not much to say about it, however. It's just... if you like it, you like it.

I read these in bulk so I'm not about to individually type out my thoughts on each issue.
8.0
 Captain America Infinity Comic #2 Oct 28, 2021

Cold War was an ill-advised crossover uplifted by the talents of the creators involved.
8.0
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #2 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #3 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #6 Nov 7, 2022
8.0
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #7 Dec 1, 2022
8.0
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #8 Jan 30, 2023
8.0
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #10 Feb 26, 2023

I'm back into this after issue two. I guess the last issue was hindered by too much set up, but I really liked the tone of this issue. And that cliffhanger makes me really excited for the next issue, given Rogue and Carol's history.

I liked seeing Carol and Rogue reconcile somewhat. Not too interested in Nuclear Man or Som returning, so I hope they don't. I hope the supporting cast becomes more like it was in issue one when the next arc starts, since I assume War of the Realms will be more of an event like this arc was.

Not as great as the previous issue, but still lots of fun.

The beginning was the highlight of the issue. Kelly Thompson writes these characters well. The rest of the issue is basically reestablishing the status quo from Captain Marvel: The End earlier this year, and it's not bad, but I find myself wanting more of the beginning of the issue rather than another arc that essentially bypasses the actual status quo of the series. Like the first arc, like Empyre. What we got was good, don't get me wrong. This is more of a preference thing.

This was good, but that ending felt really contrived.

This is a good, solid issue. Nothing that will blow you away or make you like Captain Marvel, if you are intent on hating her because Brie Larsen said things that your gut feelings didn't like. I don't much to say, so I'm just taking jabs. It's a fun issue. What do you want?

Big, great looking action issue.
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2019) #38 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2019) #42 Nov 7, 2022
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2019) #44 Dec 8, 2022
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2019) #46 Feb 26, 2023

This is a solid read, like this title always is. I really wonder how this will tie-in to the X-Men story. They keep acting like these things are connected, and sure, in a broad sense they are. But they also keep teasing that both books will converge eventually, and I'm not sure if I should trust that. Either way, I hope it gets Captain Marvel more readers. This book is the best Carol's been written since... 2003.
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2023) #1 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2023) #2 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2023) #3 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2023) #4 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2023) #5 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2023) #6 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Captain Marvel (2023) #7 May 17, 2024

It may seem like I've rubberstamped 8s for this run in my ratings, but I honestly haven't. This run is consistently solid, and I'm sad that it's only got two issues left. Alyssa Wong clearly had an idea for their run that they went for 100%, and that confidence really paid off.
8.0
 Capwolf & the Howling Commandos (2023) #1 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Carnage (2022) #2 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Carnage (2022) #4 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Carnage (2022) #9 Feb 26, 2023

I've been harsh on parts of Ram V's run up to this point, but things are coming together before the upcoming crossover, and they're doing so in a satisfying way.

Paknadel takes over for V here, and honestly, the comic becomes more accessible as a result. Maybe that's just speaking to my own lack of intelligence, but the verbosity with which the series once presented itself was too much, given its contents. Paknadel tries to retain some of that voice though, and does a pretty good job. I couldn't tell you which way the story is headed, but I hope it's good.

This isn't really the end of this story but it is the end of this volume of Carnage. I'll just briefly say that I feel like Ram V was overall a misfit on this title. Some cool stuff happened, but overall, the direction of Carnage post-Cates' Venom run feels like a lot of effort for small returns. I do think Alex Paknadel made what Ram was doing more digestible, for what it's worth.
8.0
 Carnage (2023) #1 May 18, 2024
8.0
 Carnage (2023) #2 May 18, 2024

This first arc of Carnage sets up some really interesting ideas with how culture tends to celebrate and immortalize violent murderers, through stuff like True Crime. They aren't new ideas, but spinning them into a book about a newly-godlike Carnage works really well. The arc doesn't really end though. It just stops. I'm hoping Gronbekk can stick the landing, and the crossover with Venom doesn't muck things up too much.
8.0
 Carnage (2023) #5 May 20, 2024

This event was fun enough.

The Carnage Beyond story was odd. I feel like it comes out of nowhere just to give the Cates' Venom run a sad ending, but maybe that's not the intent. I know Ryan Stegman and Donny Cates are very good friends and so Donny almost certainly had input on this story. The Skin Deep story was a very neat elseworlds story, I think it worked pretty well. The last story was the weakest, not a great story to end on.
8.0
 Catwoman (2018) #1 Oct 18, 2018
8.0
 Catwoman (2018) #3 Oct 18, 2018

This was a solid issue, but some of the clichés on display here were a little rough. See: The shadowy man who's a friend or... I'm just gonna call him Judas Priest... going through his super cool bible quotes.

This was a good issue, but I can't help but feel like it's just going to be a less engaging version of the b-plot in Batman, which already isn't very engaging. We'll see, though.

This is a solid issue, but I think it was a little overwritten, which can be said for a lot of Tini Howard's work. However, I do like the deliberate pacing and the character work. It's a fine line between deliberate and slog, and Howard errs on the positive side of that.
8.0
 Catwoman (2018) #42 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Catwoman (2018) #43 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Catwoman (2018) #57 Feb 29, 2024
8.0
 Catwoman (2018) #59 Jun 6, 2024
8.0
 Catwoman (2018) #64 Jun 15, 2024
8.0
 Catwoman (2018) #65 Jun 15, 2024

I liked this issue. My favorite moment was the flashback with Batman and Catwoman. I also really like Ivy's characterization at the end.

8.0
 Catwoman: Lonely City (2021) #3 Sep 27, 2022
8.0
 Champions (2016) #19 Oct 18, 2018
8.0
 Champions (2016) #20 Oct 18, 2018
8.0
 Champions (2016) #23 Oct 18, 2018
8.0
 Champions (2016) #24 Oct 18, 2018

Solid issue.

A solid issue, although you can tell the looming cancellation is coming.

This was a solid issue. I just wish the pacing was a bit tighter. The story was just a little too much of a retread. I don't really get the point of them trying to enter the Krakoa gates again. What changed between last issue and this one?

This is probably the best issue so far. Carmen's insecurities are more relatable than the other characters so far. The weird flashback, I'm curious about. The stuff with Cole and Real Unity is actually interesting. Maybe the pacing should be tighter because I feel like a lot of people may have dropped off before this issue who would've found this one more enjoyable.

Benny is a good character, relatable even. I know this is a slower story that doesn't really contribute to the larger Krakoan mythos, aside from maybe an outsider look. And I understand that that may not interest people, but I genuinely enjoy it for the characters at this point. Vita Ayala did the impossible. They made me care about new characters. Diverse ones at that! (That's a joke. I don't get automatically turned off by diversity as I'm not a pussy.)
8.0
 Children of the Vault (2023) #2 May 8, 2024
8.0
 City Boy (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
8.0
 City Boy (2023) #3 May 7, 2024
8.0
 City Boy (2023) #4 May 7, 2024
8.0
 City Boy (2023) #5 Jun 15, 2024
8.0
 Clobberin' Time (2023) #3 May 7, 2024

A solid issue.

A solid issue of Conan. Not so much the standout.

This isn't the best issue of this run. But I think this was more about the journey than the destination. It was a great run. Can't wait for King Conan. Or... Most of what Marvel is publishing, Conan-wise.

It's been a long time since the last issue, and I really needed to be reminded that Jim Zub was a good Conan writer.

This was good. I like having a normal Conan book again.

This was a pretty good issue. Pretty standard for Conan, but I enjoy that sort of thing.

This issue was a bit too wordy for my tastes. It made the start of the issue slow, and I really didn't get much enjoyment of it until we got to the revolutionaries. I liked that a lot, so there's kind of a whiplash for me.

I liked this... and that's all I have to say.

This was a good done in one, although the ending felt really disjointed from the rest.

This was good. I think Saladin Ahmed gets Conan pretty well, and the story is interesting enough to hold my attention.

This was a solid first issue, but not much has happened yet besides table setting. Please do Moon Knight justice, Zub.

This is probably the best issue so far. Things come together better here. And also, Moon Knight.

This was better than I expected it to be. A solid start.

This was good. I actually liked it. That's all.

A good issue that goes by way too quickly.

This is a solid, breezy issue. I still feel like Crush is gonna start getting annoying with that narration, but it hasn't happened yet.

I thought this was good. The writing is still a little hectic for my taste, but I did like how the story progressed here. The running gag of the Praying Mantis aliens also worked very well for me. It's rare that something in comics does actually make me laugh, but that did.

This is a good issue, but not much happens. Tamaki writes an engaging story, but I'm not sure we needed eight issues here.

This is a good issue that's a lot of fun. Hopefully the last three issues can keep up the pace.

This was a fun miniseries.

This was a fun little throwback to horror anthologies.

A surprisingly solid start. I would love if Liz got some more character to her. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Cult of Carnage: Misery (2023) #3 Jun 15, 2024

I expected this to be like every other attempt by DC to get Cyborg working as a solo character, but no, this is actually good. I'm excited for issue two! JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Damnation: Johnny Blaze - Ghost Rider #1 Oct 20, 2018

Solid first issue. I hope the rest is good.
8.0
 Daredevil (2015) #604 Oct 20, 2018

This is solid but I really feel like maybe there wasn't enough story to tell for a three issue (four if you count Elektra #100) story. At least not for the present day story. One issue ends with Kraven about to attack, and then this issue ends... with Kraven about to attack. Sure the circumstances are different, but... that felt really odd to me.

This was solid. This whole miniseries didn't really need to exist, at least as it stands now. I think it serves more as a reminder that, yeah, all this Fisk stuff that's been primarily being built up in Daredevil is coming to its crescendo now, but don't forget about this whole other subplot that's been mentioned sparingly and will soon become very important. Based on interviews I've heard, this was original supposed to be a subplot in the main title, and I can see why Zdarsky decided to make it separate. It was an enjoyable miniseries, nonetheless.

This is a solid issue. It flows well, I like the characterization. I just don't see how a story this expansive will wrap in, what one or two issues? We'll see though. This is a fun little story and I can't really complain about it.

I didn't mind this final issue, but I will say, I feel like the story was significantly rushed, especially with the tacked on moral at the end. This definitely won't endure the times the way Injustice or DCeased seem like they will (sorry Marvel), but it's a fine story. They should slap the Zdarsky What If logo on the trade, btw.
8.0
 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022) #3 Oct 2, 2022
8.0
 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022) #5 Oct 4, 2022
8.0
 Dark Crisis: Young Justice #3 Oct 2, 2022
8.0
 Dark Crisis: Young Justice #4 Oct 2, 2022

ONLY REVIEWING THE STORY BY DONNY CATES AND ELIOT RAHAL: A year's worth of time seems to have done a lot for Cates' writing. I can feel something infinitely more familiar in the prelude to his Paybacks run, which I also plan on reading soon. And while it was brief, I feel like this time around, the story used its space well. And actually hooked me to reading The Paybacks sooner instead of later.

This was good, but a little slow for my tastes. I also... don't like high fantasy, so this series had a lot going against it for me personally. Tom Taylor manages to make it good though.

This is a good issue. If I had one complaint, I don't know if I like Constantine's characterization here. He's super subservient, which is not like Constantine should be. I'm waiting for him to be a bastard and turn traitor or something. I hope there's yet another shoe to drop.

This is a step up.
8.0
 Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1 Oct 20, 2018

I was not a fan of the original Metal, nor Snyder's Justice League, so I was expecting a clusterfuck of a bad comic. I was half right. It is for all intents and purposes a clusterfuck, but Snyder pulled a Hickman and this is just Secret Wars (2015). I mean, BWL has taken over the DCU like Doctor Doom did. Remade it all in his image. The only difference is that Doom was God King, and BWL is a bitch. But what this means is that this new setting, no matter how much is pulled from before like Manhattan Wally and Burnt Swamp Thimg, allows for a fresh start. And while we do get a smattering of Snyder's typical tropes, we've literally and metaphorically have had a break from it for quite some time. What does this mean? It means despite everything that I thought before reading this and even as I was reading it, I didn't have a bad time here. And while I don't have a ton of hope for where the story is going next (Manhattan Bruce, really?), I'm not quite so jaded now. The art started getting to Romita Jr. levels at some point, so I hope Capullo didn't rush through this. His art just isn't nearly as good here as I've seen elsewhere. We'll see though. We'll ALL see.
8.0
 Dark Web (2022) #1 Dec 8, 2022
8.0
 Dark X-Men (2023) #4 May 8, 2024

This is a solid comic. I really didn't expect that ending.

This is still a shockingly good Darkhawk miniseries.

This is a solid issue. I'm rather impressed that this isn't nearly as bad as we can all say we expected.

This miniseries had no right being as good as it was. I'm definitely invested in this new legacy Darkhawk, and I actually do want to see this followed up on.

I'm not sure how I feel about the dialogue, but the rest was good

I went into this expecting to hate it, but it's actually fun.

I still think Simone Di Meo's art is not a good fit for this series, but luckily it's only relegated to the Suicide Squad scenes for some reason. The rest of the art looks good. I think the shocking reveal was legitimately shocking. I actually felt something about it, and I didn't like it, but I find that that's a sign of the story and the writing working, rather than it being bad writing or a bad story. It's good.

I mean, I like this as sort of a popcorn comic. There's a lot of flaws with what happens for the sake of the plot, but I've learned that turning my brain off is best for zombie comics. I hope this time around, things go a different direction.

I liked this one a lot more than earlier issues. While Constantine isn't in top form here, he's still very entertaining.

Hey, finally a good one. This one didn't have people being dumb and told a story worth telling.
8.0
 DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #4 Nov 18, 2022
8.0
 DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #5 Feb 26, 2023
8.0
 DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #7 Mar 21, 2023

This was good. It was mostly dedicated to a fight between Logan and the Avengers, which was fun to see. We also get everyone telling us how bad AvX was and that they have to avoid it. And that's funny to me. Also, Mysterio is a cool villain with plenty of potential, so I'm excited to see what he does now that he's no longer friendly with Ms. Sinister's group.

I thought this was good. I had a lot of fun reading this one.

Solid issue.

This was a good finale. It even managed to have some emotional significance, which I wasn't expecting. Overall, this was a fun mini.
8.0
 Dead X-Men (2024) #1 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Deadpool & Wolverine: WWIII (2024) #1 Jun 4, 2024

While I'm slightly annoyed with how this story is being told, I do think there's some excellent character work here.

8.0
 Deadpool & Wolverine: WWIII (2024) #3 Aug 14, 2024
8.0
 Deadpool (2018) #1 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Deadpool (2018) #4 Oct 20, 2018

I probably didn't like this as much as issue one, which is ironic given that critics are far more positive about this issue. (What does that tell you, huh?) This issue wasn't bad though, it was still good. But not on the same level as issue one, is all.

I was slightly disappointed to not see Chris Bachalo's art in the interiors, but the art is good enough anyway. This wasn't the best issue of the run so far, but it was a good time.

This was a very 90s looking issue, and was pretty fun!

This was enjoyable and funny. Definitely didn't expect that from Alyssa Wong, to be honest. But I'm glad I was wrong.

Still a solid, enjoyable Deadpool comic.
8.0
 Deadpool (2022) #3 Jan 30, 2023

This is a fun time.

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A rushed ending, but Deadpool can't seem to keep a run going anymore no matter who they throw at it. I liked this run overall, it was fun. I think it was a mistake to group it with the Krakoa titles, because it literally has nothing to do with anything else, and that's frustrating when the pretense is that it's inherently involved.
8.0
 Deadpool (2024) #1 Jun 4, 2024
8.0
 Deadpool (2024) #4 Aug 14, 2024
8.0
 Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan #4 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan #5 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Deadpool: Assassin #2 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Deadpool: Assassin #4 Oct 20, 2018

It's nice to see Duggan writing Deadpool again, however this is very wacky.

A bit slower than the last few issues and not as quick with the jokes. It's still pretty good, but not like it was.
8.0
 Deathbed #4 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Deathbed #5 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Deathstroke (2016) #28 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Deathstroke (2016) #30 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Deathstroke (2016) #34 Oct 20, 2018

A solid issue. First one of those in a while.

I'm glad the plot is moving along promptly.
8.0
 Deathstroke Inc. (2021) #11 Oct 2, 2022
8.0
 Deathstroke Inc. (2021) #14 Nov 18, 2022
8.0
 Deathstroke Inc. (2021) #15 Nov 26, 2022

A good issue. I'm excited to see what the next issue does.

This is a really neat way to highlight the talents of Peach Momoko and enfuse some diversity into the line. I thought this was an enjoyable issue.

8.0
 Despicable Deadpool #296 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #968 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #973 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #976 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #977 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #978 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #980 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #985 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #987 Oct 20, 2018

I like when Damian isn't written like such a tool. Batman, too. I don't feel much of anything for the Arkham Knight reveal, but it didn't ruin the issue for me.

This was a solid issue.

I liked this one.

I thought this was good.

Yeah, I think it's a bit dumb to be upset about Alfred being replaced, at least as it relates to this specific issue. This just so happens to be the first comic published with Lucius in his position. And it's not even the focus of the book. The comic itself is good. It's not Tom Taylor's best work and he's certainly trying to hit that emotional core that he hit so well with things like Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #6 or Batman Annual #3. He doesn't quite hit it as well this time around, but I'm not saying I was completely unaffected by the story here.

The main story is a lot of fun. I really do think this is so much better than the Batman title. It's paced much better and it doesn't overstuff *everything*. The backups are fiiiiine but not the best. It really is a trend with DC's new publishing initiative. They charge you extra for the story you want, and as thanks, give you mediocre extra pages you don't want.

I don't really know what to make of the bad reviews for this, mostly because none of them actually explain what the problems are. I will say this one feels like spinning wheels, especially with how Mr. Worth gets arrested just to literally get out the next page. What was the point of that? But it's quality wheel spinning. It feels like Batman more than Tynion's run does. The backup was pretty good, but I have to wonder why that journalist was such an idiot.

I liked this. I just wish it didn't feel incomplete. Was this really the end of the arc, or just an obligatory stopping point? The backup was cool, I guess. I don't hate this issue, but it feels like I can't figure out where things are going with a lot of the Batman titles right now, and not in a good way.

I do think the story here is a little played out, but it's solid enough. I actually enjoyed the backup more than the main story.

About the same as the previous issue. Nothing is inventive in the main story, it's just very solid. Which for Batman (or whatever you'd call this), is enough after the slog of Fear State. The backup should really be the main attraction here.

I liked this but I'm slowly losing interest. In both stories now. Maybe this weekly event wasn't necessary.
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #1059 Oct 2, 2022
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #1066 Nov 26, 2022
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #1069 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #1072 May 7, 2024

This was a nice refresher for this series. So much better than anything Fear State offered.
8.0
 Devil's Reign (2021): Omega Oct 2, 2022

This was a solid tie-in. I'm behind on X-Men, so I feel like I missed out on some of what's happening here, but hey, I still enjoyed it.

This is an enjoyable little issue, that's kind of building on the ideas Marauders set up. So I'm not surprised a lot of people are iffy on this.

This was unapologetically fun. I know this, and a lot of Duggan's work lately, has been criticized for not mattering. I feel like this is an especially prevalent criticism for Duggan because his writing style is very breezy and light, and you can easily tear through an issue of his in a couple minutes, if you want. I don't put much stock in that criticism however, because sometimes comics should just be a fun thing you read and then move on from. Not everything has to build up to some massive reckoning. There's a difference between a comic that tries to build up and have a massive payoff, and fails to stick the landing, and a comic that does its thing and payoffs what it set up, and just isn't as loud about it. This is the latter and yet people will still call its ending lackluster because they're waiting for something to arbitrarily matter.

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This was good. I enjoyed my time reading this. The last two issues from way back were letdowns, but luckily the series may be getting back on track.

Alright, Doom destroying a universe for the sake of his own pride is the ultimate Doom move, don't even try arguing with me about it.
8.0
 Doctor Strange (2018) #2 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Doctor Strange (2018) #4 Oct 20, 2018

Better than the previous issue, but some of the magic has been lost with this arc. Especially since the twist turned out to be nowhere near as cool as I thought it'd be. It went in a very different direction.

I liked this. Didn't like how it almost became a repeat of last issue with the distraction. I'm not sure I care that Stephen has his hands back, but I have to assume there's more to it than what this issue reveals and we'll see that in the future.

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8.0
 Doctor Strange (2023) #4 May 8, 2024

For some reason, I expected this to be a silent, cutesy issue about a ghost dog. I forgot Bats can talk. And so do most animals in Stephen Strange's orbit.
8.0
 Doctor Strange (2023) #13 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Doctor Strange (2023) #15 Jun 4, 2024
8.0
 Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise (2022) #1 Nov 26, 2022
8.0
 Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise (2022) #2 Feb 28, 2023
8.0
 Domino (2018) #4 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Domino (2018) #5 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Doom Patrol (2016) #9 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Doom Patrol (2016) #10 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Doom Patrol (2016) #11 Oct 20, 2018

Could Steve Orlando be the missing ingredient that makes this book work? Maybe. That's crazy talk, though. But it may be true, since I liked this issue more than the previous two, for sure. But maybe that's because it actually feels like it's going somewhere, and isn't dreaded weird for the sake of weird like the last two issues were. Maybe it'll turn out that way later, but this issue actually has a good structure to it, and seems like it has a narrative worth telling, that can fill a whole issue. Maybe a whole arc? Don't let me down, Doom Patrol.

This was good. I wasn't wowed by it like I was with the last few issues. In fact, the pacing here was a little bit frustrating. All this issue did was give us more questions. I enjoyed it for what it was. I liked seeing the DC heroes fight Doctor Manhattan, but with the delays and all, this series needs to pick up the pace. I can only get but so excited when I know I'm not going to get answers for a while. Also, this means nothing because he has two lines in the entire book, but I really hate how Constantine's dialogue is written here. Like, it distracted me so much. Took me right out of the issue.

This is a solid comic. I think it's great that this issue explains how all the disparate plot lines are connected. I appreciate that very much. I'm not blown away by any of the revelations in this issue though. At least now I understand what this series is trying to be and what it is doing. But maybe the explanation came too late? I mean, for literal years I've been thinking about this series and my ultimate conclusion has always been: "This series is meandering and going nowhere, and I don't like it that much as a whole." And now that I know, I mean, I can't just switch off these feelings I've had. Which goes into this series' biggest problem: The delays. If this had all come out as it was supposed to I wouldn't have had all that time to let my opinions set on this story... I'm just glad I don't hate this issue. If next issue is mindblowing, I think this may be worth it in the end. Maybe.

This was good. I'm not crazy about this or anything. It's a solid comic. And it sure did wrap up the story it was trying to tell. I feel like a lot of the wind was taken out of this series by the delays. Had it come out on time, both the Legion and JSA returning would've had more impact. I know the JSA we saw in Justice League is technically not the same as what we'll presumably get in DC soon, but still. I don't really care about Dr. Manhattan relearning his humanity. I mean, sure, if anyone could teach him it, it's Superman, but I much prefer where Watchmen left him. And that goes for basically any of the Watchmen stuff in this series that wasn't introduced specifically for this story. At the end of the day, I can't say I know for a fact how this reads collected, but it still feels disjointed to me. I don't feel like this holds up to the legacy of Watchmen. And it was never going to, so I can't just act like that's valid to even say... I don't know. This is well-written, that's why it's getting the score it's getting. But I am not excited by this final issue. I guess it doesn't help knowing that, with this ending, there's no real hope for change at DC. It's back to the regularly scheduled shit show. The irony of that is not lost on me.

This is a one-shot that I'm not sure was necessary so early on, but I enjoyed it. The ideas presented were fun.

8.0
 Duo (2022) #3 Oct 2, 2022
8.0
 Duo (2022) #5 Oct 3, 2022

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There are clever metaphors at play here about power dynamics that exist in the class struggle. And also, they eat people.
8.0
 Edge of Spider-Geddon #4 Oct 20, 2018

I liked this. It is a prelude issue and is spent mostly catching readers up on the Cotati side of the conflict. I assume the FF zero issue will show the Kree/Skrull side of it. I can guarantee it's all important to know and remember, as this event is just swelling with continuity. But some people just want the event to start, and I get that maybe an issue like this, A primer like this, may turn some people off. They're wrong though.

This seems more like a bridge issue than an issue that stands on its own. There were plenty of cool moments, such as She-Hulk's transformation or Billy and Teddy's wedding. But there were also some clichéd moments and parts that didn't hit quite right. I think I'm easier on this series because of its weekly pace. If this had been the big summer event like was planned, I think it would have fared much worse, because of the wait. The art is really good still, and I want to see what happens.

While not as interesting as the Avengers issue, this was pretty good. I liked some of the character moments. I think the FF are represented well here. I am intrigued by the ending. I just re-read Original Sin for my Hickman Avengers re-read, so that doesn't feel quite so pointless now. I'm glad Uatu is back, and I'm pretty sure those weapons came from The Watchers, so I'm excited to see where that leads. Hopefully, it is something covered by Al Ewing and not a future Fantastic Four arc.

This was a little scattershot, but I had a good time with it.

I liked this one. And not just because Henry County, Virginia was name dropped (It's got some beautiful vistas and some awesome parks). It's good to see Captain America fighting with the troops. At least, I think it's good. I like that they didn't try to play up the military as this benevolent force for good, but they also didn't make everyone a scumbag either. With these types of books, you expect one or the other, instead of what's a bit closer to reality (although, the US would probably help allies in the wake of a plant invasion... I'm just going to fire off that hot take). It went by quick. It's simple, but fun.

This was good, but I feel like later issues will be better, as this issue really had a ton to set up. I don't think this was intended to be X-Corps' debut, but the pandemic screwed it all up.

Comicbookroundup is treating this series as though it's both the Neil Gaiman run and the Charles Knauf run. I'm reading the Neil Gaiman run, to be clear. As far as first issues go, there's a lot of subplots going on here. They all work surprisingly well and we do get a nice breakdown of what the Eternals are. I'm interested in seeing where this goes despite having little to no interest in the Eternals, generally. I read about half of this run back in the long, long ago but I've forgotten most of it. The art actually mostly works. I don't get to say that about JRJr often, so that's nice. I decided to read this because of the upcoming Eternals ongoing and I think it'd be a nice baseline whenever the movie comes out. And I can bet you this run will have a lot of influence over the movie, because it's the only one that's looked at with fondness.

This is still good. The writing and art work. But there is a needling in the back of my mind that makes me notice how slow the pace is right now.

I usually hate kid villains, but I think Gaiman does enough not to overstep that thin line of annoyance. Things are coming together really well, honestly.

This was more of an epilogue than a finale. But it was good. This miniseries genuinely made me interested in Eternals. That's a major feat.

A solid issue. I don't have much to say about it. The finale to the arc will probably give me more to discuss. I'm glad they're addressing the fact that Thanos was killed via black hole in Cates' Guardians run.
8.0
 Eternity Girl #2 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Eternity Girl #6 Oct 20, 2018

I have some problem with how Cullen Bloodstone was written, especially in that scene between him and Rictor, but otherwise I had a good time reading this.

Well, I didn't expect that, but I welcome it, honestly. It's more interesting than last issue at least.

I was very confused about this issue, but after refreshing myself on the past few issues, I enjoyed it more.

This issue was maybe a bit overstuffed, but I liked it.

This was surprisingly well managed for all the spinning plates this title has going.

This is exciting to me. I hope it goes somewhere!

This is a good, exciting issue.
8.0
 Exiles (2018) #2 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Exiles (2018) #4 Oct 20, 2018
8.0
 Exiles (2018) #5 Oct 20, 2018

This issue was good.

Honestly, this was fun. I don't expect much from this, though.

This was good. I'm glad it brought back the best character Marvel has ever created, Spider-Doppelganger even if it was brief. I wonder if this officially caps off the end of the story Chapman was trying to do in the Scream solo series. I can't say the loose plot threads were tied up, so much as burned off.

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8.0
 Fall of the House of X (2024) #1 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Fall of the House of X (2024) #2 May 8, 2024

I don't really get the hate for this series. I'll do my thoughts at the end though.

This issue was good. Not exactly as good as I thought it would be, if I'm honest. There's a lot of action and it kind of takes up time from Doom being Doom. But we'll probably get that next issue. And I do love that this is somehow all Doom's masterplan.

I liked the twist on the story. It was the only way to make what is a common story into something a little more interesting. Still not a homerun like the last issue.

This was good if a bit predictable. This arc was very uneven, I hope things pick up.

Ugh, this is my problem with Slott, man. This issue is a house-cleaning issue in many ways, tying up a lot of loose ends. And that's sometimes necessary, of course, so I don't really have a problem with that. I like having the Future Foundation back on Earth, for instance. I genuinely like the status quo here for the most part, begrudging Sky. This issue feels way more like Fantastic Four than so, so many issues in the run before this. Issue 25 and the way Slott talked up this "reboot" of his run gave me a lot of hope, honestly. But for all this good, Slott goes ahead and decides, in one throwaway page, to retcon something as huge and important as Franklin being a mutant. It comes mostly out of nowhere, and it feels so pointless to me. I can guarantee that this won't last. Either it's a shock moment that will be expanded upon and reverted by the end of this arc, or it'll be reversed by the time Slott leaves the title since he always "puts the toys back" for the next writer. I'd be upset as a reader if this was my first Slott rodeo, but instead I'm just sort of annoyed that this issue that I mostly enjoyed is now hampered by this revelation in the middle of it. I think Slott is going to continue trying to explore Franklin's loss of identity. I think that could be a really good story if handled properly. But... We just had a whole miniseries about Franklin and Krakoa, and I guarantee that Hickman has plans for Franklin that not only involve him being a mutant, but an extremely powerful one at that. Otherwise, that hint in HoX #1 and the subsequent miniseries would not exist. Aside from the retcon, there's some hokey dialogue here and there, but nothing atrocious. I hope this story continues hitting the right beats.

I liked this issue. It wasn't amazing, but it was enjoyable.

This is almost certainly what one would call filler, but it's actually really fun so...

This is a fun issue. I don't think it really has a point to it, beyond that. But I feel like when Dan Slott tries to do something bigger and more epic, he flounders way harder than with these smaller stories... So my excitement for Reckoning War could not be higher, as you can imagine.
8.0
 Fantastic Four (2018) #44 Oct 2, 2022

This definitely does feel classic and I know some people will hate that because the poor Fantastic Four can't catch a break, but I enjoyed it for the most part!

The Avengers story was really fun. I've been iffy on Aaron's run since the Moon Knight arc, but this genuinely got me excited for what's next. The Hulk story was, surprisingly, not very appealing to me. It was too weird and goofy, and the whiplash going from Immortal Hulk to that may be a bit much. Donny Cates is one of my favorite writers in comics, so I have faith in him, but I can't just decide I liked this one, when I thought it was a little off base.

I really enjoyed the Judgment Day prologue. Despite how big the event seems like it'll be, I am genuinely excited and interested in it. Gillen has proven his worth time and again, and this story, while brief, should sufficiently hype people up. The Bloodline story is very weak. I'm not interested in Blade's daughter, but even if I were, the stilted dialogue in this very short story would drive me away. I'm not sure how long Danny Lore has been writing comics, but in my experience with his work, it reads like someone who doesn't understand how to write comics yet. This story was four pages, and I honestly had trouble getting through it. The final story, hyping up the Hellfire Gala one-shot, is... Interesting. I have faith that Duggan can do something cool with Moira. I don't actually hate the twist of X Deaths like a lot of readers seem to? By virtue of being behind on comics, I wasn't on the frontline of those hot takes when they broke, so I'm not very sure why exactly everyone was upset. Nevertheless, robo-Moira is creepy and I want to see her be a very important thorn in the side of Krakoa. I'm surprised MJ is going to be so important to what happens in X-Men, and I hope Peter gets involved as well. He is going to the gala, after all. We'll see.

Hyped to see Duggan pick up some of his threads from his amazing Deadpool run. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

The Amazing Spider-Man story sets up an interesting wrinkle in the ongoing story unfolding in that title. I assumed that the Sinister Six was the one attacking Oscorp's servers, but maybe not? If it is, though, that changes the whole dynamic of the set up of this upcoming Going Green storyline. Also, this issue seems to almost confirm what has been hinted at before, that some part of the Goblin is still in Peter. The art by Stegman feels a bit rushed, unfortunately. It's a bit scraggly. It's still good, but not on the same level as his usual output. The Ultimates story has some interesting character work and a lot of fun indications of where things are going, but I'm not sure what to make of the title just yet. The Venom story is incredibly short, and I'm so far behind on that title that I have almost no context for anything happening in these pages. I can't say this story would make me want to read Venom War. The art was amazing though.

Waid's second annual tie-in fares better than the first. Mostly because it's just a fun, weird Rogues story with minor connections to the event itself, until the ending. You can definitely tell he couldn't care less about this event, but the writing's still good. The art, however, suffers from the worst of 90s comics art. It looks so edgy and cool and awful. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Flash (2016) #41 Nov 6, 2018
8.0
 Flash (2016) #46 Nov 6, 2018

Dude, I don't even care if this rating is a bit high, I am just so impressed that Flash has a personality. Is this what we were missing with Barry Allen?

I don't know what happened, but I like this comic a lot more since Wally fully took over.

This was a fun one-shot. Nothing big, just a small issue that manages to keep the reader's interest.

This was a cute issue.

I liked this one more than last issue. It's probably that all the exposition is out of the way. Crazy to say, I even enjoyed the subplot with the kids.
8.0
 Flash (2016) #783 Oct 2, 2022
8.0
 Flash (2016) #784 Oct 2, 2022
8.0
 Flash (2016) #785 Oct 2, 2022
8.0
 Flash (2016) #786 Oct 2, 2022
8.0
 Flash (2016) #790 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Flash (2016) #791 Mar 3, 2023

This is a really good arc. I was a little hesitant because Jeremy Adams hasn't really done long arcs in his Flash run, but he's nailing it.
8.0
 Flash (2016) #794 Mar 7, 2023

I think the art is kind of hurting the impact of the writing, but the writing is really good.

A solid ending, if a bit chaotic. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

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Johns didn't get the memo. The story rolling into Si Spurrier's run did not convince me of it, but I'm excited to give it a try.
8.0
 Flash (2016): One-Minute War - Special #1 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Flavor #1 Nov 6, 2018

A solid issue that brings Hobie Brown back in the spotlight after his confusing Clone Conspiracy miniseries took him off the table.
8.0
 Friends of Maxx (1996) #3 Sep 13, 2022

I expected more references to Who Remembers Scorpio? 0/10 JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I was surprised that I enjoyed this.

I liked this issue more than the first, but it seemed a bit rushed.

I liked this much more than issue one. Dan Watters turned it around.

I liked this issue. Who would've guessed that Catwoman of all things would resonate with me? But this is a fun comic and I am actually interested in seeing what Ram V does next with the title.
8.0
 Gambit (2022) #3 Oct 4, 2022

This miniseries was more well-written and fun than I expected it to be.

Pretty cool to see Fortean back. I wish I liked this as much as Immortal Hulk, but the comparison is slightly unfair to make. There's still a horror element, and the story is built on Immortal Hulk's, but the tone this is going for is very different.

This is a solid first issue. I'm wondering how this reboot of sorts of the character plays out. When will the crushing, dumb continuity of Ghost Rider seep into this back to basics story? I guess we'll see.
8.0
 Ghost Rider (2022) #5 Oct 4, 2022
8.0
 Ghost Rider (2022) #9 Dec 8, 2022
8.0
 Ghost Rider (2022) #11 Mar 3, 2023

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8.0
 Ghost Rider (2022) #17 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Ghost Rider / Wolverine: Weapons of Vengeance (2023): Alpha May 8, 2024

I really like the dynamic between Gwen and Peter, so I hope that remains part of the focus of this book. Also, I hope those villains are as creepy as they've ever been because that may be a hard sell.

This was enjoyable.

This is a solid issue. I really like the idea of Miles Warren as a Ghost-Spider villain. He fits better here than he does as a Spider-Man villain. I like the tone of this comic a lot. I just wish more happened here.

This was good. Should've came out in 2020.

This was good. These Giant-Size books are weird, but I'm confident they're essential.

I liked most of the art, and the story is a seminal classic. Not much to say about it.

Holy shit, I enjoyed a Peter Milligan comic for once.
8.0
 Gideon Falls #1 Nov 6, 2018

I wasn't quite as into this issue for whatever reason. Something about the character interaction didn't feel right. Like it was overblown. The frustration and tension didn't really come across the way that it was supposed to. I like the idea that Norton is the very first Gideon Falls' killer. That's a nice twist. And because of it, next issue might be more exciting.

This was a solid issue, that was less spectacle and more talk-y than the usual Gideon Falls issue. I think my enjoyment of the series drops a little when it's not as much of an avenue for Andrea Sorrentino to show off his art skills. There are certainly interesting parts of this mystery, but I'm not as invested in that as I am in seeing cool ideas drawn on the page.

Good guy Norman is more interesting than Norman has been since he was killed by his own glider.

I'm very conflicted on this series. On the one hand, it is a noir story to a tee, and that comes with it a certain appeal. On the other hand, it *is* a noir story filled with the tropes and trappings that sometimes plagued the genres in frustrating ways that make stuff like the social commentary fall a bit flat. It will point to the injustices of society, and it will muck around in those injustices and really make you absorb them, and then offer little to no resolution. Not even a genuine idea of how to battle these things. Just an exhibition of suffering and the worst of human nature, followed by "And isn't that fucked up?" Yes, it is fucked up. Thanks. And where King could inject some more nuance and depth, within his characters, he often just lets them be just as tropey. Slam Bradley, no matter how his character is modified in this series, that modification doesn't really change anything, even though it really should. The only big changes seem to be in motivation, but those motivations as far as I know are wholesale created for this series. Constance Wayne is perhaps the biggest example, being a cold, calculating femme fatale through and through. And does this fit the noir aesthetic? Yeah. That's the part of the book I really enjoy. The aesthetics, the atmosphere, the mood. But I hate that it comes at the expense of a broader point that I can ascertain and get behind, with characters that I've seen a million times. So this issue gets an 8/10. It's good, but I greatly dislike parts of it too.
8.0
 Green Arrow (2016) #45 Nov 6, 2018

I actually liked this issue. I wasn't expecting to because it's Green Arrow and getting me interested in Green Arrow is like getting a cat interested in being wet. It's just really difficult for me to latch onto Green Arrow or Black Canary as characters. Ollie can be sarcastic sometimes, and that certainly helps, but he's still no Hawkeye or even the other Hawkeye! Black Canary has just bored me a lot. I think female characters especially suffer from frankly boring characterizations because some writers like to make their character all about their gender, or make them the generic "strong, independent woman." Black Canary certainly falls into the latter, at least during Rebirth. In Green Arrow itself, sometimes she's written like that to the point where you wonder why Ollie even wants to be with her. Because she's constantly just being better than him and isn't at all shy about rubbing it in. And she loves pointing out how badly things go because Ollie just didn't listen to her, like he should have because she's always right. Anyway, the reason I wrote all of that is because this issue actually interested me. And I genuinely liked the characters and their interactions. This issue was a surprising amount of fun. I know the title is ending at issue 50, and while I'm not sad about that, I do think it's a shame that this creative team is getting the short end of the stick. Here's hoping we at least get two more fun issues out of this.
8.0
 Green Arrow (2016) Annual #2 Nov 6, 2018

Not a huge Green Arrow fan, but I thought this was a solid start. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Green Arrow (2023) #4 Aug 7, 2024
8.0
 Green Arrow (2023) #5 Aug 7, 2024
8.0
 Green Arrow (2023) #6 Aug 7, 2024
8.0
 Green Arrow (2023) #7 Aug 7, 2024
8.0
 Green Arrow (2023) #12 Aug 7, 2024

So somehow I never reviewed this issue. Ever. It's not as though I forgot to post it or something... I just skipped reviewing this one I read it though and I had a good time with it. I assume I just didn't have much to say about it at the time.

I liked this issue on its own, but I'll be completely honest and say, I have no idea how this connects to the rest of the series.

I liked this. I thought the thinly veiled social commentary was pretty neat. And I like Hal Jordan's family dynamics. I can totally see why people don't like it though.

This is honestly mostly a good issue. The only problem I really have with it is the stuff that directly sets up the Future State story that I hated. John and the thousand Green Lanterns exploring unknown space should be exciting, but I know where that leads and it's suuuuuper boring. Then the power battery blows up... Oh God, I'm having Future State PTSD, please stop. It's a shame because the rest is enjoyable and honestly, if the power battery part didn't happen, I'd be much more optimistic about this series. And I think that's generally the consensus here.
8.0
 Green Lantern (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
8.0
 Green Lanterns #50 Nov 6, 2018
8.0
 Guardians of the Galaxy (2017) #146 Nov 6, 2018
8.0
 Guardians of the Galaxy (2017) #147 Nov 6, 2018
8.0
 Guardians of the Galaxy (2017) #149 Nov 6, 2018

Yeah, I liked this. There's some continuity... weirdness. Nothing outright wrong as far as I can tell, but they are playing around with it a little bit. The way these types of series typically do. Additive, even if it throws some backstory into question. I like Christos Gage as a writer, so I'm engaged by the story even if I know how it all plays out. I don't know, it's fun to see a new perspective on that era of Spider-Man. The back ups were pointless, and I'm not sure why they exist besides filling out the page count. They were harmless though.

Well, as someone who has read Gwenpool in all her forms, I can tell you that the descriptions were accurate. I liked this.
8.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #39 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #40 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #43 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #46 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #47 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #48 Jul 19, 2019

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8.0
 Hallows' Eve (2023) #4 May 7, 2024

This issue felt a lot more cohesive than the last, and I enjoyed it.

Huh, didn't expect this one to be so controversial. I'm still enjoying it. Harley's characterization continues to not be annoying, and the story is actually somewhat interesting. Those are two major improvements over the previous runs that I have read.

I still like this run so far.

Wow, I still like this run.

I think this was a fun issue. Either you like it or you find it obnoxious... which is par for the course with Harley, isn't it?

This is a good issue. It's fun, it's a little funny, and the character work is on point.
8.0
 Harley Quinn (2021) #16 Nov 6, 2022

To Ebonyc: You know you can think about racism without being racist. If just thinking about a black person drives you to bigotry, you may well be the type of people the writer of this comic is talking about.
8.0
 Harley Quinn (2021) #23 Nov 20, 2022
8.0
 Harley Quinn (2021) #24 Nov 26, 2022
8.0
 Harley Quinn (2021) #26 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Harley Quinn: Harley Loves Joker #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hawkman (2018) #2 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hawkman (2018) #3 Jul 19, 2019

I liked this one? Maybe because it didn't overstay its welcome.
8.0
 Hawkman: Found #1 Jul 19, 2019

I read this because I usually enjoy Max Bemis' writing. And overall, I liked this. It is drenched in tangents and references, however, and while I kind of like the chaotic nature of the prose, I know that would be a major turn off for some. The concept is cool, and the pacing was adequate. I will say, some of the art is a little rough. But yeah, this reads like a crazy person wrote it, but not in the way that people full of themselves like to ascribe to writers like Grant Morrison. It's kind of in the "This needed to be tightened up a little" sort of way. And I know that sounds bad and may actually be bad to some, but to me, it gives the comic a lot of character and a consistent, yet unpredictable tone.

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This book is so much fun.
8.0
 Hellverine (2024) #1 Jun 4, 2024
8.0
 Hellverine (2024) #2 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Hellverine (2024) #3 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Hellverine (2024) #4 Oct 14, 2024

This was a solid issue. I do actually want to see where this goes. The dialogue has an intentionally dated feel to it and I could see how that could be a problem for some people. They wouldn't be able to parse that it's purposeful, and that we're not supposed to take that neck muscle line 100& seriously. Let's hope this doesn't take a wrong turn, like so many Avengers arcs lately.

This was fun.

Not as good as last week's, but still good. Turning Nighthawk into Spider-Man is interesting, but it really kind of falters whenever you... put Spider-Man characters around Nighthawk.

Overall, I liked this issue. I think it was unsettling, but also a little hokey. I feel like the writer wants us to take this completely seriously, but that's impossible. But, you know, it's not an unentertaining comic.

This was good, the pacing was much better than previously and things ramped up quick.

This is where the miniseries starts to get more interesting. This issue is about how comics are made, but the meta narrative allows for a lot of funny moments from Mysterio.

This issue is about comics history, which is interesting in itself, and brings the meta to a whole new level.
8.0
 Hulk (2021) #8 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Hulk (2021) #9 Nov 20, 2022
8.0
 Hulk (2021) #10 Nov 20, 2022

Cates helped with the story on this one, and you can really tell. There's a whole bunch on progression on that front. I feel a lot more confident that they'll be able to wrap this up in a couple more issues now.

I'm honestly surprised this book worked as well as it did. Ottley's script isn't bad (although that reveal is a bit questionable), aside from just the sheer amount of monologuing, and the somewhat uncontrolled pacing. And the art is great. I was a bit doomer on this title when I saw it was ending so suddenly and Cates was MIA. He clearly had a longer run he wanted to do, but the last couple issues have really done a lot to make me feel like we could successfully wrap all this up in the few pages that are left.

I think the stuff with Guy is a little overdone, but the rest is still great.

This is a good issue, although I found it a bit lacking. The femme fatale stuff with Ice worked better in issue two than it does here. I feel it stretching a bit too much here. I tend to find femme fatales boring in general, so the fact that this series managed to get past my bias before only makes it worse that it's starting to fail in that regard. I don't care about Guy Gardner getting killed. I will say, I feel like it's a small hole in the story that Guy's ring doesn't fly away to find a new bearer as soon as he dies, which would alert everyone to his being dead. I feel like that's a very obvious obstacle that should've been accounted for. Maybe it will be next issue.
8.0
 Human Target (2021) #7 Nov 20, 2022
8.0
 Human Target (2021) #9 Nov 26, 2022
8.0
 Human Target (2021) #10 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Human Target (2021) #11 Mar 3, 2023

I'm left whelmed by this ending. It's what we expected, no doubt. The main star here is Smallwood, who continues to deliver to the very last page. I was much more hyped on this series in its first half, but I felt its second half has dragged a bit, and again, the story mostly plays out exactly how you expect. Sometimes it's not about that, it's about the experience. And the experience is good. Just not as amazing as I would hope, given this series' praise.
8.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Dead Ends #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda #3 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda #4 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Claws Of A Killer #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Mystery In Madripoor #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Weapon Lost #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Weapon Lost #3 Jul 19, 2019

I would respond to the multitude of idiots who decided to review this book to masturbate over their totally-not-reactionary takes that show, like all conservatives and alt-righters, they suck at media analysis. But... I don't fucking feel like it. I have too much to do. This is a good book that could be better with some tweaks to the dialogue and a faster pace.

If you're still reading this title, and the most you have to add in the way of commentary and critique is, "Jace Fox is not Batman," you clearly don't have much in the way of a thought process. You're some sort of NPC just inhabiting the world as a font of evidence for solipsism. This issue is good. I do think the pacing is a little too slow. We get so many deliberations on something decided on the first or second page, and that makes for a weird reading experience. But I do think of this issue as a soft reboot for the series, so I'm being a little lax about just how much of this issue is reaffirming things we know and setting up a new status quo. The villain seems neat, if only for their gruesomeness. I like when Batman mixes with horror, even if the horror on display here is a bit obvious. It's better than some Magistrate bullshit.

Crazy how non-racist it is to constantly refer to the black Batman as a murderer/criminal, while praising the white batwoman for being 100 times better, despite her having murdered people *intentionally* before.
8.0
 I Am Batman (2021) #14 Nov 20, 2022
8.0
 I Am Batman (2021) #15 Nov 20, 2022
8.0
 I Am Batman (2021) #17 Mar 3, 2023

A solid ending to a solid run. At points, this was my favorite Batman title. I really hope Jace doesn't fade into the background after this.

I sure wasn't expecting this. But it's fun.

While it isn't as good as the previous issue, I still enjoyed this. I hope this series can go back to how consistently great it was early on.

This issue is good, but not great. I think this series is better off avoiding any sort of serialization, but that's a different issue. This comic is just not as good as the last few, but still plenty good in and of itself.
8.0
 Ice Cream Man #30 Nov 6, 2022

The previous issues have been so good, that this issue kind of lags behind. It's still really good, but it doesn't have the weight of the previous issues.
8.0
 Iceman (2017) #10 Jul 19, 2019

A slower start, but good.
8.0
 Imaginary Fiends #6 Jul 19, 2019

There's way too much here to go over everything. But this issue is mostly getting everyone up to speed and setting up what's coming so that readers can easily jump into all the stories Marvel is publishing. There's not much new here, though, besides what will become Outlawed and Empyre. And regarding both of those, we already knew what they were. I'm really interested in what the Masked Raider will be up to next. I thought that he'd have a bigger role here, but like the big anthologies earlier this year, he's brief. I'm glad Al Ewing is getting to finally do with Empyre what he set up in... I think it was the first arc of his New Avengers in 2015, but that's purely because I like Al Ewing as a writer, and not necessarily because I'm interested in what's happening regarding that. And Outlawed has potential as a status quo. As for all the other teases... I was already excited for those and I didn't need that excitement reaffirmed. But then again, I guess that was the point of this one-shot. I will say that the way everything flowed together was mostly cohesive. The Marvel universe felt connective and large, like it should be. And you wouldn't think that'd be as commendable as it is but I think DC's recent attempts at something similar show that it's not as easy as it seems. I came away from this with excitement for Marvel 2020, so I think it did its job.
8.0
 Incredible Hulk (2017) #715 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Infinity Countdown: Daredevil #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Infinity Countdown: Captain Marvel #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Infinity Countdown: Black Widow #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Infinity Countdown: Champions #2 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #4 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Infinity Wars (2018) #3 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Infinity Wars (2018): Prime #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Infinity Wars: Iron Hammer #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Infinity Wars: Sleepwalker #1 Jul 19, 2019

Very odd, but I like it.
8.0
 Infinity Wars: Soldier Supreme #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Inhumans: Once And Future Kings #5 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #2 Aug 2, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #8 Aug 2, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #11 Aug 2, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #14 Aug 2, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #23 Aug 24, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #27 Aug 24, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #28 Aug 24, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Four #3 Sep 14, 2020

This was a solid start to Year Three. I'm not sure I'm on board with Constantine having a kid. That never seems like a good idea, but I guess I'll be forced to give it a shot. Otherwise, everything is written well, and the art is good. I know at some point in this year, Tom Taylor hands the title over to someone else, and I'm dreading that a bit. We'll see, though.
8.0
 Injustice: Year Three #2 Sep 7, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Three #4 Sep 7, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Three #5 Sep 7, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Three #7 Sep 7, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Three #10 Sep 7, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Three #11 Sep 7, 2020

Alright, points to Wonder Woman for crushing that yellow lantern ring.

Not sure if I'm on board for Mister Mxyzptlk, but I liked this issue.
8.0
 Injustice: Year Three #19 Sep 7, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Three #24 Sep 7, 2020

Starting up my Injustice read again. I'm excited that Year Two looks to be tackling space, or at least the Green Lantern Corps. I hope it goes well. This first chapter was good. The flashback was fun and cute, and Ollie's funeral and the aftermath to it worked well. His death was the highlight of Year One for me, so this is working out well.
8.0
 Injustice: Year Two #3 Sep 6, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Two #4 Sep 6, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Two #8 Sep 6, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Two #9 Sep 6, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Two #10 Sep 6, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Two #16 Sep 6, 2020
8.0
 Injustice: Year Two #19 Sep 6, 2020

This was a nice ending. I'm glad Dinah got a happy ending. The Superman stuff was expected. I just hope Sinestro doesn't last much longer, because his scheming character doesn't work for me.

I liked this more than the first chapter. The stuff with Joker was good. I'm glad Tom Taylor immediately pulled the trigger on the grandson thing, because that was obvious. I'm interested in seeing where this goes.

This was good. That's all. Not much to say aside from that.

This was a good one. Brief, but good.

This was fun. I enjoyed it. And I'm sure people with more shipping opinions than me will enjoy it even more.

Solid issue.

Solid first issue with potential to go to really cool places. We'll see.
8.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #2 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #3 Mar 3, 2023

Solid first issue. I really like the art.

The story isn't anything special, but the art is really great and that gives this book a boost.

8.0
 Iron Cat (2022) #3 Nov 20, 2022
8.0
 Iron Fist (2017) #75 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Iron Fist (2017) #76 Jul 19, 2019
8.0
 Iron Fist (2017) #78 Jul 19, 2019

Better than the first issue. The horror elements is what makes this series.

This was nice, especially for people who don't know who Korvac was. I'm not sure if this will properly explain it, if you don't have *any* prior knowledge. But this is still a really well done issue, and CAFU is just the best.

I think this issue was a bit slow, but I really like what is presented, so it's kind of a wash.
8.0
 Iron Man (2020) #22 Nov 25, 2022
8.0
 Iron Man / Hellcat Annual (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022

I thought this was a solid issue. It re-establishes Riri's origins that Bendis basically ignored past her first solo issue. It goes a long way towards establishing her anti-social behavior that she really only exhibited in Champions until now. And in that regard, this issue works very well. It never feels gimmicky or overly pushed. The writing is actually pretty solid for someone who, from what I know, is a complete newcomer to comics. It can be a little wordy sometimes, but hopefully that's just growing pains. We get teased with the Ten Rings, so that's fun. And we get to see Dan Slott's punching bag still trying his best to break bad. Which proves the writer is aware of other stories besides Riri's and that is integral to making comics. So I've got a little bit of good faith now, moving forward.

A good issue that somehow made a lot of exposition more palatable.

This was a good issue. It felt like a complete issue whereas so many single issues nowadays do not. Riri becomes a better character with each issue, so I'm glad she's being salvaged.
8.0
 Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Jane Foster & The Mighty Thor (2022) #4 Nov 25, 2022
8.0
 Jean Grey #9 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Jean Grey #10 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Jean Grey #11 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Joe Fixit (2023) #1 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Joe Fixit (2023) #2 Mar 3, 2023

If you want a light, fun Spider-Man story from the late 80s, this is a book for you. It is a Hulk book, technically, but really it's Spidey's world and Joe Fixit is just living in it. It's extra weird considering that this story is more fun than any of the Symbiote Spider-Man miniseries, also written by David. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

Really fun Spidey mini, disguised as a Hulk mini. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This was good, but predictable. This isn't even the only book this week about the Joker driving someone crazy. I don't think this is a story that needed to be told, but it's written well, at least.

The people mad about this issue don't even know what they're fucking mad at. You're all absurd clowns the world would do better without. Uhh, like, Joker, actually. See, this is about comics.

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8.0
 Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #9 May 7, 2024

This was good. Just another throwback to the old Science Fiction anthologies. If you're expecting something grand from these, you really shouldn't.
8.0
 Justice League (2016) #35 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Justice League (2016) #40 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Justice League (2016) #43 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Justice League (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Justice League (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019

This issue was good. If only the quality of this series wasn't so schizophrenic. This issue is mostly just set up, but it's not overly complicated and annoying unlike previous issues. It doesn't seem like it'll matter in the end, but I didn't dislike reading this.

Not a bad issue. I think the art was impressive. As for the story itself, it was kinda interesting.

I liked this issue. It's weird how my opinion on Williamson is so all over the place lately. Maybe Flash was a bad fit for him? I don't know. This wasn't an amazing issue, or anything, just really fun.

So much better than last week's issue. The expositing was cut down a lot and I could follow what was happening with ease. All I could ever want from a Justice League title. Plus, it was actually a cool story.

I wasn't as into this issue as I was with most of the previous ones. This was good. Not great. Maybe it just can't compare to the previous issue.

Reading this after Hellblazer was a definite downgrade. I've been kind of drifting away from this title. Tynion just made 18 issues of the same conflict, and that never really holds my attention, and then Ram V took over with an average story. However, this issue was good. I'm not sure I would say I am a fan of the story arc overall, but I will say this issue worked on its own. Fair? Fair.

This issue went by surprisingly fast and it was good. I'm willing to see where this goes.

A surprisingly brief issue. I thought it was good.

I really think the narration works here, something I'm not sure was true of earlier issues. IT all comes together really well, what can I say?

This was a good end to an uneven, yet exciting miniseries. I was way more into the Infinite Frontier event, and while I'm sick of big events at DC, I do have some hope for Dark Crisis. I just hope it's written more like IF was. This doesn't really wrap anything up, and I wonder if that's all being saved for JL #75.

I thought this was good. I just wish Batman didn't come across quite so... Batgod-like? I understand the point is that he's withdrawn from his friends and therefore he's mastered sleep, but my god, that's just too much for me.
8.0
 Justice League: No Justice #1 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Justice League: No Justice #2 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Justice League: No Justice #3 Jul 20, 2019

Not sure what mental issues Zac Thompson has, but I thought this was a solid issue.

Not as good as the first two issues, but still solid. I hope the miniseries continues to impress from here.

A solid finale that closes off the loop, and... yeah, this miniseries had no right being as good as it was, but man it was enjoyable.

This was actually good. I had plenty of problems with this series, but this issue managed to overcome those issues. I know some people may be disappointed how we don't get to see Killmonger fight Black Panther, but we all know that story. I like how it ties into Rise of the Black Panther, a miniseries I enjoyed more than this one. The art here is the biggest reason to buy this series. The art is great.

Such a silly, dumb issue. But in a fun way, not a Dark Nights: Death Metal way.

Man, I was not looking forward to this issue after reading Geoffrey Thorne's Green Lantern, but he did a better job here with Black Panther, undeniably. The issue started a bit rough as everything had to be established but by the end, I was enjoying it much more.

Not much of a King in Black tie-in (yet), but this was a deep dive into continuity and that was fun for me. Not sure how other people will react to it.

This was a good issue.

I'm a big fan of Leah Willaims writing Power Girl and not even this boring ass event can take that away from me.

Williamson manages to drill the tiniest bit of worth out of his own event. Props, I guess?

Jeremy Adams keeping me afloat in this sea of trash.
8.0
 Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

It's just slightly less good Poison Ivy. Sure was worth it to stop the ongoing in its tracks for this!

Mary is more interesting than Billy. Prove me wrong. Another highlight of the Knight Terrors event because Mark Waid is writing it.
8.0
 Know Your Station #2 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Know Your Station #3 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Know Your Station #4 Mar 9, 2023
8.0
 Lazarus Planet (2023): Assault On Krypton #1 Mar 3, 2023

This is a solid start to this event. However, this is a very weird event too. First, besides a few mentions, it has nothing to do with the Lazarus rains. Everything happening in this book was set up in the Wonder Woman ongoing, and a few adjacent spin-offs by the same writing team. Second, despite all the build up being in a different book, the main story in Revenge is written by G. Willow Wilson, instead of the Wonder Woman writers. They get a backup in the main book and the Wonder Woman title will tie in. If you, for some reason, read all of Lazarus Planet, and were convinced this follow up event would also be worth reading, you would have almost no idea what's going on. It's all in the Wonder Woman book. I don't understand why this isn't just part of the Wonder Woman ongoing, or an event divorced from the Lazarus Planet stuff. I'm guessing since Wonder Woman events do poorly, and Trial of the Amazons must've sold about 6 copies, they wanted to draw in more readers by hiding that it's just a Wonder Woman event.

This continues to be a solid event. I still have yet to understand the marketing decisions associated with it, that I think have hindered it more than helped it. But take away all the meta reading, and you get a good comic that doesn't seem to be overstaying its welcome. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This was a much better event than the one it was confusingly named after. A Wonder Woman event can be good! I'm shocked too. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

8.0
 Legion of X (2022) #4 Dec 1, 2022
8.0
 Legion of X (2022) #7 Dec 1, 2022

This is a satisfying, yet messy finale. I feel like this series needed a few more passes to really hone in its storytelling. Spurrier is great, and has great ideas, but sometimes his execution can leave a bit to be desired.

This is a solid second issue, but I hope things get clearer with issue 3.

Over four months later, I'm finally getting back to this. This issue is full of cool scenes, but was a little slow to start. Things are getting crazy though, so I hope the last two issues are really something special. The art is awesome.

Holy shit, this was actually good. I was not expecting anything from this. Just a cash grab tie-in, but this felt like more necessary than the Hulkling one. It told a good story. Color me surprised.

This is good, but I'm really annoyed that the entire issue is a tease for answers we won't get just yet.

This series is getting interesting again, thank goodness. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This was pretty good, but parts of it don't exactly land.

The good parts of this issue are Lucifer being a trickster and the stuff with the detective. Old Man Lucifer and his circumstances are the least compelling parts of this issue. And that's what's keeping this from scoring higher.

I can recognize that this is well written, but I had a ton of trouble getting through it for one reason or another. I wish the focus was 100% on Lucifer.

This was a good issue. It was solid. Not the most bombastic or anything. The thing that really excites me here is Constantine. Otherwise, this would simply be a good issue and not much else.
8.0
 Luke Cage (2017) #167 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Luke Cage (2017) #169 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Luke Cage (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Luke Cage (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019

I expected this to suck, but luckily it did not!

I liked this more than issue one. I had such a genuine moment of joy when I read the cliffhanger.

This started off a little slow, but really got going, and the cliffhanger is exciting.

I liked this issue.

This was mostly a good issue.

This was a very quick issue, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I love how Peter David writes Dr. Doom. That's all; not much else to say.

Peter David is a writer that I'd say is fairly consistent. He doesn't usually write top tier comics, but you'll hardly ever get something that isn't, at the very least, competent. The worst you get with him is bland. And while some later Symbiote Spider-Man miniseries definitely felt bland, the Maestro trilogy has been consistently solid. This issue is no different. If you've read the previous miniseries, there's no reason not to keep going.

This is a fun, popcorn comic. That's all.
8.0
 Magneto (2023) #2 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Magneto (2023) #3 May 8, 2024

A very solid character book by JM DeMatteis. Who could've guessed??

This was good. Hopefully this series has more consistent writing than the last and I can finally start looking forward to Ms. Marvel's solo adventures.

A good issue. I liked most of it. The ending seemed like a bit much though, but let's have it play out, I guess.

This was a good, solid issue.

This was a good issue. This series was overall pretty good, but I can't say I'll miss it.

I thought this was a really good issue. The only problem with this type of book is that it needs to have killer art to go with the story being told, I think. To really be able to emphasize the struggle the protagonist is going through. And this issue doesn't have it, at least not for the quiet moments that make up the majority of the issue! When the creepy Bone-Daredevil shows up, it starts to look better. A lot of this issue focuses on Kirsten, who was basically absent from the last 4 years of Daredevil, aside from one arc. While it's nice to finally put a cap on that lingering thread, it didn't really seem all that necessary. What's more interesting is how Matt struggles with his crippled body. We got that really great final moment at the end of Daredevil #612 where he doesn't give in but now he actually has to deal with the recovery process and of course, he has moments of doubt and decides Daredevil is over. But then Bone-Daredevil shows up as a villain and torments him with his own fears to the point where he gives up what could be a happy life because of all the what ifs and becomes once again Daredevil, the hero all the readers want to see. And that's pretty insightful, in my opinion. That's a cool idea. The only reason I don't absolutely love this issue is because of the art, honestly. The writing works for me, 100%. The art just isn't that good.

This was a solid issue.

This issue's user reviews can be divided into three categories. One is the people who always rate the Marauders series low. They have the least accountable and least dependable opinions. Users like Captain Krakoa, maelstrom, Todd A. Lonn, Magik , and TaiwanMarvel. Another is the people who enjoyed the issue, like me. And the final category are just the new accounts, some of which I wouldn't be surprised if they were alts. I won't say which, but that's something to pay attention to. Yes, I used my review as a space to call out the people who are wrong. Mostly because I don't think I have anything to add, really. The issue was good. If you consider this to be filler, just quit reading X-Men, because most X-Men issues are like this one. The idea that anything that isn't solely in service of moving a plot forward is filler is a toxic idea that I find is getting more and more pervasive within the comic book community. And we need to start stamping that out. Otherwise we're going to get a lot more of homogenized, mechanically separated comic-stuffs.

This was good, I think.

Interested to see if Emma knows about Moira. This was a good issue, but you wouldn't know it by the score being tanked because the same 7 people continue to "read" it and rate it as though it's something that they'd regret "buying" every month. It just raises questions.

I don't have much to say about this one, if I'm honest. It was fun. I feel like this title needs more in the way of plot.

I really can't remember the last time Marauders was about mutant pirates. Like, actually about mutant pirates. Maybe the first arc? I don't know, I just find it funny how many people here are pining for the original premise of this book (which they were probably complaining about when it was new). What has always been the selling point of this book, for me anyway, is the machinations of the Hellfire Trading Company and Emma Frost. We get that here, and it's good.

This is still good and written well for what it is. But it's becoming more and more unfocused. I don't know what the overarching plot is becoming. I heard from Hickman's big interview that the line is going to be restructured after Inferno, so I hope someone who can give this title more attention takes over, or that it just ends and we can get our fix of these characters elsewhere. It's not bad or anything, it just feels inconsequential. Which is not a great feeling at $3.99 per issue.

This is just treading water till Steve Orlando takes over. This is a fun issue regardless. Just calm down and enjoy the ride.

This was better than I expected from Orlando. It was a solid issue. I liked the villain, for what he was. I like the idea of tackling the intuitive issues with Krakoa as a concept. Exploring that could be really interesting, and maybe a little dicey, but it's worth the trouble.

This was good, I was actually invested in it. Gotta say though, an issue about Meade and the real John Jones is not something I'm interested in. But I'll give it a shot.

This was a good ending. I think, overall, this miniseries was probably some of Steve Orlando's best work. It's not perfect, but I don't regret reading it, at least.

This was basically Spider-Man 2099 #2. I enjoyed it, but it had a definite non-ending to it. I understand that it's supposed to usher in a new age of heroes, and that's what this event has really been about, but Doctor Doom is still running things at the end. The heroes have hope, I guess, but things are still incredibly bad for everyone. I hope that this week's Amazing Spider-Man, that I haven't read yet, offers clarity on this.

The way Ewing restructures continuity is pretty great. There's too many things here to comment on. I will say there were more hits than misses, and some of these stories were actually rather poignant. The anthological storytelling is what drags some of this down.

Anthologies are hard, but this might be the best one yet for Marvel Comics Presents. The Wolverine story was nice, albeit predictable. It didn't feel like filler for the next issue of filler. The Spider-Man story was a little better. It's centered around Star Wars, so I expected a commercial, but no we just get a nice and short Spider-Man story. The Gibbon being used here, whether this was intentional or not on the writer's part, makes the story a little sad. You can't really use the Gibbon anymore, in my opinion. But the best story, which shocks me so much, is the Moon Knight story. I wanted this to be good so bad, but I had no faith in Ben Percy as a writer after his abysmal Nightwing run. But this was really good. It had nice art, cool action, focused on a supernatural element, and was plenty dark. That's Moon Knight, for you.

I actually liked all three stories this time? Very rare for an anthology.

This was an intriguing first issue full of nods and nostalgia to the late 90s imprint of the same name. This leads to lots of questions, but not really any answers, so not having that immediate satisfaction does bring the score down a bit simply because we're only barely introduced to this world and the hook isn't as strong as it needs to be.

I thought this was a solid ending, if maybe a bit underwhelming. I'm not sure what I was expecting, and we got pay off to everything set up, but it didn't have a "wow" factor, I guess? Maybe if I didn't know it was the Sentry machine... But this wasn't bad. Not even close.

This was a lot more fun than issue one. I think the set up was necessary, but ultimately did this comic no favors.
8.0
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #10 Jul 20, 2019

This issue wraps up the loose ends and it's perfectly satisfactory. I feel like last issue would've been a better finale and that these two final issues should've been switched. But then it would've spoiled FF #4 and it would've been weird that the more immediate issues were wrapped up last. It's just that Johnny getting his apologies isn't as compelling to me as Reed explaining his actions to Ben. But you know, these loose ends had to be tied up one way or the other. I'd prefer a less dramatically climatic ending to none at all. It doesn't change the fact that Marvel Two-In-One is a must read for fans of the Fantastic Four. Even now that the FF are back. Zdarsky proves he can do more than funny for like the third time this year. Maybe people will take him seriously now, because I still get people not trusting his ability to do dramatic stories and it's kind of annoying.

This was a good issue. I didn't expect that from a guy best known for a podcast, but it was a welcome surprise!
8.0
 Mary Jane & Black Cat (2022) #2 Jan 25, 2023

A solid ending. This book was fun while it lasted.

This was a solid first issue that spends most of its time recapping Miles' history for all the newcomers. The art was a little iffy at times, I noticed. But the dialogue and writing seemed good, at least. Not much to say for someone who's read all of Miles' comics already.

This was a fun little one-shot.

A solid issue. If you like the characters, you'll like this.

This was a good issue. I like the focus on Miles' family, as they're all interesting characters in their own right. I also like that now Aaron is (sort of) the Prowler like he was in the Ultimate Universe. I definitely prefer that to his being Iron Spider. Whether or not that will continue to be a thing is unclear.

I liked this but I'm very hesitant about that ending after the travesty that was Spider-Men II.

This was a solid, fun issue, and not much more. I'm not very invested in Ultimatum as a villain because he has such a stigma attached to him through Spider-Men 2, but it would be cool to see more Ultimate Universe Spidey villains show up, like the promised Green Goblin on next issue's cover. I don't really have any thoughts on Miles's baby sister.

This was good! I have a good time reading this comic. It's in that sweet spot for me, where even if it's not amazing each and every time, I can rely on it to keep me engaged and entertained. I like seeing more Ultimate villains around. That's some serious nostalgia for me. Also, I think that ending is a fake out and Mr. Dutcher is actually going to be really cool with it, or somehow miss all the spider stuff and focus on that one excursion Miles and his friends had some issues back.

This went by very quickly. It was a solid issue. That cliffhanger concerns me. Spider-Man and clone or clone-adjacent characters always put me in edge.

The main story worked well. I liked seeing Peter involved, since he should be. The clone designs are cool. The backup didn't need to be there, however.

The pacing seems weird, but this is good.

A really sudden, but good end to Miles' Clone Saga. I would maybe have extended this arc a bit, but I recognize how a longer Clone Saga would trigger a post traumatic response in Spider-Man readers, so I forgive them for cutting it a little short.

This was a solid fallout issue. I hope what comes next is exciting.

This was all solid. I have this worrying feeling that Saladin Ahmed has these big arcs in mind, and then the rest is just made up on the spot. It seems like the issues in-between the big arcs are always very low on plot.

This is better. I really liked the Assessor stuff, and I hope that Ahmed manages to keep this villain cool, and not overuse him.

This is a solid issue that expertly weaves its way right out of the Beyond narrative, to tell a pretty satisfying story that's been built up throughout Saladin Ahmed's run. I hope it can stick the landing with #36.
8.0
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2018) #38 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2018) #41 Dec 4, 2022
8.0
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2018) #42 Dec 4, 2022

This was good. If you like Saladin Ahmed's Miles run, you'll like this. I'm sure this story will end up being important in the future for that run. The real star is Infinite Fury. The art is so good, and so is the writing, although it's very short so it's harder to see.
8.0
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2023) #1 Dec 8, 2022
8.0
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2023) #2 Mar 3, 2023

I have my misgivings about Rabble as a character, but I'm willing to see if Ziglar can change my mind.

This was a bit slower than the first part, but it was solid enough. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2023) #7 May 7, 2024
8.0
 Milk Wars: JLA/Doom Patrol Special #1 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Milk Wars: Mother Panic/Batman Special #1 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Milk Wars: Shade The Changing Girl/Wonder Woman #1 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Mister Miracle (2017) #6 Jul 20, 2019

I thought this was a nice issue. It may be bad that I care more about the flashback than what's happening in the present.

I liked this one, which is surprising given I was so lukewarm on the zero issue. The likeability of the characters just wasn't nearly as present in that issue, mainly because I think it was focused on establishing a whole bunch of lore. But this issue is mostly pre-Monkey Prince, so we really get to know and like Marcus Sun, and his parents to a lesser degree. I hope this series continues to be as fun as issue one was.
8.0
 Monkey Prince (2022) #3 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Monkey Prince (2022) #6 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Monkey Prince (2022) #8 Dec 4, 2022
8.0
 Monkey Prince (2022) #9 Dec 8, 2022
8.0
 Monkey Prince (2022) #10 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Monkey Prince (2022) #11 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #27 Jul 20, 2019

This issue was actually pretty good. This series has sort of fallen into a rut where no one story actually stood out and it was kind of boring. I mean, it was probably still fun for the kids. But not for me. This actually went by really quickly and has a fun concept. A good issue.
8.0
 Moon Knight (2017) #197 Jul 20, 2019

This issue is a bit of a step down, because we basically get a ton of exposition about Dr. Badr. But hey, it's still written well.

Oh god, I saw the lower than usual review scores and I thought, in keeping with my own, that it represented a slight downturn in the comic's quality. Only to see people complaining about one line because they're stupid.
8.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #26 May 8, 2024

Jed MacKay manages to write a character he's worked on for years and a character he created very well. Who could've guessed? It's still light on story because it's just action figures being smashed together, but it's uplifted by MacKay's ability.

Loved Cantwell's interpretation of Moon Knight. I'd like to see him do more Moon Knight work.

This was actually a good issue. I wasn't expecting much at all from it, but I feel like it delivered an entertaining read.

This is a fun comic, okay? I know no one expects a Morbius comic to be good, and that's very fair. But this is a good comic. Better than it has any right to be. I'm very excited for that cliffhanger. More Spidey is always a good thing, in my mind.

This was a solid issue. I am consistently shocked by this.
8.0
 Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. #4 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Motherlands #3 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Mr. and Mrs. X #1 Jul 20, 2019

Good enough end to the first arc. I'm excited to see where this series goes.

This was a really fun character issue. There's not much to say beyond that. The cliffhanger was probably my least favorite part of the issue. We don't need even more Mojo.

This was a fun issue. I liked the meta commentary and the noir story was fun. But the issue didn't really get started until it was almost over. When Rogue realizes things are off, that's when the issue gets really good because she murders Gambit and then Mojo recasts him with Longshot. There's not a ton to talk about here, it's just a really fun issue, I think.

This was a much better issue than the last. Kelly Thompson's strong suit is character and that's what this issue is all about.

A solid issue that focuses on an interesting plotlines.
8.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #26 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #28 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #29 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #30 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #31 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #34 Jul 20, 2019

This was good. Nothing spectacular, although I wasn't expecting much. I think the strongest parts here were written by G. Willow Wilson and Saladin Ahmed. So I'm glad that Ahmed will be writing the upcoming relaunch. This series had its ups and downs. There were some major ruts, like during Civil War 2. But when it was good, this title could be one of my favorites. All and all, I'd say this series has been entertaining these last five years.
8.0
 Ms. Marvel (2022): Wolverine #1 Dec 4, 2022
8.0
 Ms. Marvel (2022): Moon Knight #1 Dec 4, 2022

This was a shockingly good series that I'm sure has been overlooked.

I think the creative team are really starting to get in their groove just as this miniseries is about to end.
8.0
 Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant (2023) #3 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Multiple Man (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019

I'm sure none of what happened here will come back to bite the X-Men in the ass.
8.0
 Murderworld (2022): Wolverine #1 Mar 3, 2023
8.0
 Murderworld (2022): Moon Knight #1 Mar 3, 2023

This turned into a solid little thing. I liked it.
8.0
 Namor (2024) #1 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Namor (2024) #2 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Namor: Conquered Shores (2022) #1 Dec 6, 2022

I went into this with the lowest expectations possible. I thought it looked boring, none of the ads or previews even begun to interest me. And I know Bendis can write some boring shit. So yeah, I was dreading having to read this. Luckily, this is actually pretty good. I wasn't bored out of my mind and the characters weren't annoying. I don't really have any sort of opinion on the actual plot, since this issue really didn't have much of one. But they made an entertaining comic, somehow. Maybe David F. Walker is the secret ingredient.

The Illuminati kill their first world. By proxy of not stopping Galaktus, of course. But still, it's a major thing and almost under-played here. Black Swan's origin didn't do much for me. This issue wasn't as exciting as the last, unfortunately.

This was a good stage-setting issue. I'm ready for Infinity.

This issue worked better than the last. The art was better too!

A slower issue, yet full of revelation. The only thing keeping this issue down is the bad, bad art by Szymon Krudanski.

Not as good as the previous issue as we get bogged down in lots of exposition, but I still like these characters so I'm okay with this.
8.0
 New Mutants (2019) #26 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 New Mutants (2019) #27 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 New Mutants (2019) #30 Dec 6, 2022
8.0
 New Mutants (2019) #32 Dec 8, 2022

You know, so often when I look at reader reception for comics and... most media, I find myself at a loss for the people who seem to play dumb in order to criticize said comics or media more harshly. Is it really worth it? If the thing in question is bad, you should be able to criticize it while fully cognizant of all the context. It's so frustrating to see time and time again in the comics community. Anyway, this comic is solid. I'm sure my little rant had nothing to do with the reception to this comic lol.
8.0
 New Mutants: Dead Souls #6 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 New Superman #20 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 New Superman #22 Jul 20, 2019

This issue actually worked better than the last three issues did. I think noirs can be particularly difficult to breach, at least for me as a reader. But Zdarsky is a good writer, and given enough brute force, I think I'm starting to turn around on this series.
8.0
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #3 Jul 20, 2019

Dude what the fuck is that Comic-Watch review.
8.0
 Nightwing (2016) #43 Jul 20, 2019

Not too bad. I expected more but what we got was good.

This is a good issue, but I don't think it compares to the first arc of this series. Fear State is just such a drag on everything.

This is a cute, well-done issue. But that's it. Also don't give the dog a people name, just call her Bitewing, which is infinitely cuter.
8.0
 Nightwing (2016) #94 Dec 6, 2022
8.0
 Nightwing (2016) #95 Dec 6, 2022
8.0
 Nightwing (2016) #111 Aug 7, 2024

I think the retcon with Deadman is silly (although I'm not even sure it is a retcon, let me know) and I think Batman being Nightwing is silly. But I am awash with the sense that things are happening. That forward momentum is, in fact, real. And it's making me less curmudgeonly.

This was better than issue one! I feel like this comic's gimmick of "Non-Stop Spider-Man" is hurting it. The pacing just feels off. Also, this took quite a turn with the introduction of white nationalists, but I guess Zemo's inclusion makes more sense now.

This was good. I kind of expected not to like this, since I have no affinity for Nubia and Themyscira, in my time reading DC, has been the antithesis of interesting. However, this wasn't bad. The pacing is a little slow, but the focus is very tight, and we've yet to get caught up in complicated, boring lore like so often happens with the Amazonians.
8.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #32 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #36 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #37 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #40 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #42 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #43 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #44 Jul 20, 2019

A satisfying conclusion that wraps up everything from this run, and would be a solid ending for Old Man Logan if we didn't know Dead Man Logan was coming.

Liked this more than issue one. Doom is always welcome in my comics.

This issue was about as good as the last, if not a little better. It's a bit slow, but I like the world and the characters.

This was mostly just a fun issue. Not much plot is dealt with, but I liked it.

A solid first issue. I think Mark Russell nails the humor here.

This series is more entertaining if you're not an idiot.

While a bit slow to start, this issue does hook you in. I forgot Moon Knight was in this event, which could possibly be a bad sign, but I'm hoping it just means I get to enjoy more Moon Knight again. He seemed to be written okay with what we got of him.

This continues to work. Not as well as last issue, but still good enough.

I actually really liked this one. It actually gripped me somewhat.

Similar to last issue, I find myself actually wanting to see what happens next after not really being engaged with the first half of this series.

I honestly think I would recommend this series to people, which I hadn't expected.
8.0
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #107 May 7, 2024
8.0
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #298 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #307 Jul 20, 2019

Better than the previous issue.

This was good, and I like it more than whatever Jason Aaron has been trying to do with Echo in Avengers. I don't have much to say about this one aside from thinking it's a solid start and I hope we can get a good story out of a very, very confusing status quo. Also, I'm so sick of people who think a writer's ethnicity or gender, or sexuality, is the only reason they get this comic or that comic. These writers aren't just pulled out of the ether. It's not their fault that you don't read anything on a regular basis besides Batman. These writers are usually accomplished in their fields, like with Rebecca Roanhorse, whose gotten multiple awards. You could make a valid criticism of their transition to comics writing as it's not the same thing as writing books, and that can lead to a rough learning curve. But the amount of disrespect you show for these writers and fiction writing in general proves that you couldn't even comprehend a valid criticism in the first place.

I liked this, the issue moves surprisingly swiftly.

This continues to be an enjoyable series.
8.0
 Planet of the Apes (2023) #3 Mar 14, 2024
8.0
 Planet of the Apes (2023) #4 Mar 14, 2024
8.0
 Plastic Man (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Poison Ivy (2022) #1 Jan 12, 2023
8.0
 Poison Ivy (2022) #7 Jan 12, 2023

This was better than I expected. A bit slow and wordy, but good.

This issue was a bit wordy, but that's Ryan North's writing in general. This was good though.

This was a fun time. I'm pretty sure the Powers' parents already knew about their secret identities, which makes this kind of weird. But you know, it was fun.
8.0
 Predator (2022) #2 Jan 12, 2023
8.0
 Predator (2022) #3 Jan 12, 2023
8.0
 Predator (2022) #4 Jan 12, 2023
8.0
 Predator (2023) #1 Mar 9, 2023

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8.0
 Predator vs. Wolverine (2023) #1 Jun 4, 2024
8.0
 Predator vs. Wolverine (2023) #2 Jun 4, 2024
8.0
 Predator vs. Wolverine (2023) #3 Jun 4, 2024

Honestly, I don't really have much reverence or care for Predator, so I wasn't enthused about this crossover out of the gate. What we got was a solid story though. It didn't blow my mind, but it was enjoyable. Given Marvel's work with these 20th Century IPs, we should really appreciate a solid, enjoyable miniseries because we hardly get that.
8.0
 Punisher (2016) #228 Jul 20, 2019

Not the most thrilling issue, as it's mostly spent on action, but I liked it.

This is a solid start. It didn't really have the grit that I expect from a Punisher title, but I'm hoping that changes. The writing is on point, if a bit more detached than I'm used to with Punisher. I just hope the art ups its gore and grit factor a bit. Oh, and politics are a dumb reason to dislike this book.
8.0
 Punisher (2022) #5 Jan 12, 2023
8.0
 Punisher (2022) #6 Jan 12, 2023

This was a good one, but not the best.
8.0
 Quicksilver: No Surrender #2 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Quicksilver: No Surrender #4 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 Red Goblin (2023) #5 May 7, 2024
8.0
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #21 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #22 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #25 Jul 21, 2019

This is a good issue. It felt a little bit oddly paced after the last issue, which I think may have been caused by the delays in this issue coming out. It's still good though, and I'm excited for what comes next.

This miniseries was astounding in many ways, but perhaps most was how the ending was not nearly as engaging as what preceded it.
8.0
 Return of Wolverine #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Rise of the Black Panther (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Rise of the Black Panther (2018) #5 Jul 21, 2019

I expected this to be much worse, but the pacing was fine, the story wasn't choked with exposition like with Williamson's Flash. I even thought the ending worked.

I typically don't care about the Batfamily, but I really enjoyed this one. I thought it worked.

This is a fun issue that doesn't take itself too seriously.

While the ending is a tad worrisome, I do think this is a consistently good series. It's fun. There's not a lot more to say about it.

The art is better than Deathstroke Inc, but I still wish it was the series regular illustrating this issue. Otherwise, it's a solid issue that finally gets everyone on the same page, to hopefully lead to a even better second half. I don't have any real complaints about this event so far.
8.0
 Robin (2021) #15 Nov 6, 2022

I actually like Flatline's origin. This annual worked better than I thought it would, overall.
8.0
 Rogue & Gambit (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019

There are some weird character moments that I can totally look past because I don't care. This was fun. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

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8.0
 Rogue & Gambit (2023) #4 May 7, 2024

With the power of hindsight, I know why this series is important. It was fun enough.
8.0
 Rogues (2022) #2 Mar 4, 2023
8.0
 Rogues (2022) #3 Mar 4, 2023
8.0
 Runaways (2017) #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Runaways (2017) #3 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Runaways (2017) #13 Jul 21, 2019

This series is usually really great. The only reason the score is lower for this issue is because it's only half an issue, with the rest being filler. That first half was really good though.

This was good. Not as great as some previous issues, but still good.

Well that explains that.

Silent issues are hard to pull off, and this one is solid, but not great.

Good wrap up to the King in Black tie-in.

I don't know how you read this issue and think Ewing is bored with this series, but okay. This was a good issue, maybe a bit bloated.

I really enjoy the way this series interweaves Orchis' machinations with real-world examples of genocide. That sort of blunt realism is an aspect of the X-Men that I hope becomes used more.
8.0
 Sabretooth & the Exiles (2022) #5 Apr 5, 2023

Still enjoying this a lot, but it's not on the level issue one was.
8.0
 Sabretooth (2022) #3 Jan 30, 2023
8.0
 Sabretooth (2022) #5 Feb 6, 2023

A solid second issue.

This was good!

I'll be honest, I could hardly remember what happened before this issue, but Kelly Thompson is a very capable writer, so I had a genuinely good time reading this.

This was good, that's all.

More of a set up issue, like issue 2 was, but I know next issue is great.

This was basically a Conan book, but with Marvel in there. Not what I was expecting, but I had fun.

I liked this but it was so very decompressed and felt very short.

This is a solid issue. I hope it gets even more fun from here.

This is a fun issue. I enjoyed it.

Fun but I hope the larger plot is served here.

After a bunch of legitimate filler issues, some better than others, we get a story that actually at least portends that progress of the series' main plot is coming! I had a good time. And I really hope we can get back on track after this series has felt aimless all year.
8.0
 Savage Avengers (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 Savage Avengers (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 Savage Avengers (2022) #6 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 Savage Avengers (2022) #9 Mar 6, 2023

This was a solid run. Very different in tone to the original Duggan run, but still good.

While things slow down, this issue was still really fun to read. Conan is just a really cool character.

A good issue and a fine conclusion.

This was a solid issue of Conan. Really fun.

This was more modernized than I expected from Roy Thomas. That being said, it could still be a bit overwritten at times and did fall into some of the trappings of older comics. But I enjoyed it, nonetheless.

I honestly thought that Roy Thomas was getting three issues, not two. And knowing that the final issue will be written by Frank Tieri, I kinda wish the series concluded here.
8.0
 Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver (2024) #3 Jun 6, 2024

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8.0
 Scarlet Witch (2023) #7 Jun 5, 2024
8.0
 Scarlet Witch (2024) #1 Jun 13, 2024

Solid first issue that intrigues me enough to continue.

Another solid issue. This series is a bit odd at times, but I enjoy it.

Well, *I* liked it. Or that's what I would've said if not for this blunder: There is a moment where they show a map, with locations, and they put Arlington, Virginia, in central Virginia... The unmitigated gall of the creators here. For those geographically challenged out there, Arlington is right at the northern tip of Virginia, right next to Washington, DC, and Maryland. And here they are just throwing it in like Lynchburg or something. Honestly, I hope someone was fired for that one.

The Al Ewing story was great. The Mark Waid story falls into the usual trappings of Mark Waid's work, to mixed results.
8.0
 Secret Warriors (2017) #10 Jul 21, 2019

This does a good job catching readers up on what happened in Hickman's Avengers run. One thing I will point out: Hyperion is shown flying towards the Ultimate heroes in the final splash page. He should not be there. He is dead.

What an issue to review for my 4700th review! I read this again because Hickman had a story in it. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But I usually hate anthologies. Sraw Terces is really funny. Hickman is self-deprecating and overall, it's a very fun time. Great Incomprehensibility is also really funny. Al Ewing comes through yet again. This is the highlight of the issue. Pizza Quest is not as funny as the first two stories, but still has some great lines, like the Barton one. Last Days of D-Man is not as funny as the first three stories, but it's not bad. #galHACKEDtus is better than the previous story, but not amazing. It has some good lines. The Bear Without Fear is a lot of fun. I liked it a lot. Doom: Behind the Tyranny is alright. It's not great, but it's quick. This anthology was surprisingly funny and I'm blown away by that. Usually anthologies suck, and comedic anthologies have an even worse time, but this one actually works. Or maybe I'm just going crazy.

This was a good issue. I'm surprised that Tom Taylor waited so long to show a secret, because that makes the series much more interesting.
8.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Bulleteer #4 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Guardian #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Guardian #4 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Klarion The Witch Boy #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Shining Knight #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Zatanna #4 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Sex Criminals #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Sex Criminals #5 Jan 7, 2020
8.0
 Sex Criminals #6 Jan 7, 2020
8.0
 Sex Criminals #14 Jan 7, 2020
8.0
 Sex Criminals #15 Jan 7, 2020
8.0
 Sex Criminals #19 Jan 7, 2020
8.0
 Sex Criminals #21 Jan 7, 2020
8.0
 Sex Criminals #23 Jan 7, 2020

This was good. I don't know if the direction being taken is one I like, or not. But Sex Criminals is a hard book for me to gauge. So, we'll see. We'll all see.

This was solid but I'm having trouble keeping interested.

Not really into this arc, but this issue was good. Probably because it wasn't so wrapped up in the plot, and was mostly just Jon breaking shit. Fun fact: No one has a cell to themselves in prison. Fun fact 2: Masturbation isn't allowed in prison.

This was a solid start to a crossover that I really had no interest in, going into it. Even the obligatory newscast exposition flowed well enough and kept me entertained. This isn't high art or anything, but it is better than I expected for a Batman event (if you could call it that). There are some odd art choices here that I'm not too sure about. That one full page splash where they just repeat the same image of Batman and Damian stood out. I feel like there was a miscommunication there, or it just wasn't executed well.

This was a good, cool comic book fight. Enjoyable.

Here's the thing: I really don't care about Shazam. Never really have. (Black Adam is cool though.) So this issue had a lot to do to get me interested. The main story is pretty good. The kids don't feel like adults trying to write kids. None of the characters are particularly one dimensional. But not much happens. It feels very much like a quick introduction to the characters and their slice of the DCU. So nothing hooked me. The second story about Mary was a lot more compelling, I thought. But I'm definitely a sucker for that type of story. So overall, it's just a solid issue. Nothing compared to Doomsday Clock. It's not supposed to be.

So this issue had nothing to do with Christmas, so that makes the Christmas cover even more egregious. If only this wasn't delayed! Nevermind that though, because this was a good issue. I liked it about as much as the first, and that's astonishing because I really loathe kids in comics. They're either too stupid or too cheesy. This comic gets a good balance luckily. I won't say I'm fully on board yet, but I'm getting there.

A solid issue, although I feel like this story is juggling too many things, so it feels a bit disjointed.

I liked this issue, but Superboy Prime already annoys me, so that's nice.

This was a lot of fun. A nice one-shot.

Not as great as World's Finest, if I'm honest. Hopefully it reaches those heights soon. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

8.0
 She-Hulk (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 She-Hulk (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 She-Hulk (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 She-Hulk (2022) #5 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 She-Hulk (2022) #6 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 She-Hulk (2022) #7 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 She-Hulk (2022) #10 Mar 6, 2023

This is a very comfy sort of title. There are cracks in the positive tone here, that no doubt will continue to widen. As of now though, this is comfort food. Some people might find that boring, but I like it.

This series pulls from a lot of threads from the various Black Panther related titles over the last few years... Not sure how welcoming that makes this issue, or if it hinders itself.

This issue was good. It wasn't bogged down in lore and continuity like the last issue, making it much more accessible, while the pacing becomes must faster.

I wasn't expecting this to be as fun as it was.

This was surprisingly good! JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Silver Surfer (2016) Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019

I was wondering where this was going. Felt a lot more like an indie book for most of its page count. But I'm into it.

A bit long winded, but entertaining.
8.0
 Silver Surfer: Rebirth (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023

The Rick Grimes 2000 story is so over the top and fun, it's sooo ridiculous. The Birthright story didn't do much of anything for me, and neither did the Everyday Hero Machine Boy story. But the Stillwater story is great. I think the trend here might be that I enjoy the stories based on the series I already know, which may not be great because I'm sure this series is meant to entice new readers to try these comics.
8.0
 Spawn #281 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Spawn #284 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Spawn #286 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Spawn #288 Jul 21, 2019

Now that we get a better view of the timeline, it's easier to see where this is headed. I think I'll enjoy it well enough.

Still enjoyable. It feels like this event still hasn't really begun, for some reason.

Good ending. Everything is tidied up. The Inheritors are hopefully never coming back (although they definitely will). In the back of the comic, they say that they wanted to use this event to focus on the other spider characters outside of Peter and to close that chapter, and they succeeded in creating an interesting event that bookends the influx of spider-people. I hope that we don't get another spider-verse for a while. Focus on a few characters that have a following, don't continue to dilute the brand.

This series was definitely just a way to clear up some of what Renew Your Vows left over. I mean, we won't know for sure until Spider-Geddon #5 is out. For what it was, I liked this issue. But the biggest reason why is the scene between Annie and Mayday. It actually touched my cold, black heart a little. And it was extra nice because all fans have been saying since Annie's been introduced is that Mayday already exists so why make another character like her. Anyway, I hope this proves important to Spider-Geddon and wasn't just a fancy wrap up of Renew Your Vows, but even if it was, I had fun at least.
8.0
 Spider-Gwen (2015) #30 Jul 21, 2019

Another solid issue. We get a pretty satisfying end to this short arc. Honestly, the way MJ was about Gwen Goblin made me think maybe they were more than just friends, but a hug it is... I feel like a lot of readers who jumped on for Spider-Geddon will be disappointed because this tie-in has almost nothing at all to do with the event. But I'm a little excited to see where the title goes after this because that first issue set mostly in Gwen's world was probably the best one so far. I hope we can get a better artist on the title though.

Good breather issue that reestablishes things after Spider-Geddon. It's nice to know that the writer can write Earth-65 and Spider-Gwen's status quo well, since a lot of that wasn't present in the series up until now.

Things mostly wrap up a bit too quickly but I liked this.

This is a lot of fun.

This was a lot of fun.

This was a good start.

8.0
 Spider-Man (2016) #236 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Spider-Man (2022) #1 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 Spider-Man (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 Spider-Man (2022) #9 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Spider-Man (2022) #10 Oct 14, 2024

I thought this was fun. I think Stephanie Phillips did a good job with Spidey's voice. I just wish there was more meat on the story bone.
8.0
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #27 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #29 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #33 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #34 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #35 Jul 21, 2019

This was fun. I think this run could've used a less complicated story in it's first 20 issues or so, because it really hindered some of the earlier stuff. To the point that this title kind of became something I'd force myself to read. But now it's just way too fun. It always makes me feel better.

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As someone who is a bit of Steve Orlando hater, I have to admit that this was a good miniseries.
8.0
 Spider-Man 2099: Exodus (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 Spider-Man 2099: Exodus (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 Spider-Man 2099: Exodus (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023

I had fun with this one.

This was solid. I've completely lost the over-arching plot here, if there even is one.

This was better than the last issue. It has almost nothing to do with King in Black though.

This was actually a fun, solid issue. Much better than clone mothers and slowly dying. Back to basics is what this comic needed, for sure.

This was good and all, but I can't be the only one who thinks Fisk was taken down a peg here in terms of characterization.

This issue is mostly just a cathartic beatdown of a really terrible villain, and... that's fun to read, honestly. I liked the snappiness of this issue, and it reminds me of what this title can be in its better moments.

This was a really fun wrap up. My bad that it took me a year to finally read this issue lol.

Solid enough first chapter. It has a cool vibe, and I hope it delivers on that with the rest of the series.

Honestly, this is just another Ghost Rider issue. Not sure why they didn't just release an oversized issue of that. I liked this though.
8.0
 Spirits of Vengeance (2017) #4 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Spirits of Vengeance (2017) #5 Jul 21, 2019

I enjoyed this and how utterly unaware Star is about basically every character she comes across.

I'm slightly disappointed by how Captain Marvel is written here, but I think there's only so much you can do. The rest of the issue was a lot of fun.

This was a nice ending. I hope they don't ruin Star with bad guest appearances.

I'm not a huge fan of Star Trek. I'm slowly becoming more and more engrossed in it over time, but I'm still a casual fan of it. But from what I could glean, this story gets it right. It's not the most original story, but it's an easy and engaging read nonetheless.
8.0
 Static (2021): Shadows of Dakota #1 Mar 7, 2023

Very wordy issue that did a lot of heavy lifting, but it was still good.

I know that not everyone reads these Milestone comics, but they really should. They've been very successful in terms of showing off talent and good storytelling. It's a shame that the imprint seems to be disregarded by most.

This was a solid issue. I kinda rolled my eyes at the ending though.
8.0
 Static (2021): Season One #6 Mar 7, 2023

This is really good.

This was a good standalone issue. I feel like Sheriff Tanya is possibly more interesting than the actual main character?

This is a good issue. I like the ideas here.
8.0
 Stillwater (2020) #13 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Stillwater (2020) #14 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Stillwater (2020) #15 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Stillwater (2020) #16 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Stillwater (2020) #17 Mar 8, 2023

I saw this ending coming from a mile away. The fact that the issue ends so abruptly on that moment doesn't help. It's like the story misses out on its most interesting implications by ending right here. As though Zdarsky and company had too much on their plates otherwise, and decided this series needed to go. I didn't dislike this issue, don't get me wrong. I just sort of feel unfulfilled by it in a way that's probably unfair to the comic. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ
8.0
 Strange (2022) #2 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange (2022) #3 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange (2022) #4 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange (2022) #7 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange (2022) #9 Mar 8, 2023

This was a solid series. Excited to see what MacKay does with the franchise next.

This was a very fun issue. I even like the new characters, which is usually hard.

This was a good time. I had fun. I like the characters.

This was really fun.

This is just a really fun series.

This is a good, solid issue. I find myself caring about these dumb characters, which is certainly strange for me.

This is a solid issue, if not complacent.
8.0
 Strange Academy (2020) #16 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange Academy (2020) #17 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange Academy: Finals (2022) #1 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange Academy: Finals (2022) #2 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange Academy: Finals (2022) #3 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange Academy: Finals (2022) #4 Mar 8, 2023
8.0
 Strange Academy: Finals (2022) #5 Apr 5, 2023

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Not much forward progression here, but I think the cast has really started to gel. The chemistry here is good. And these stories are fun, even if they're null and void by the end.

This was a lot more fun than the last issue.

8.0
 Suicide Squad (2016) Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019

This was a solid debut issue. I have some issues with it. I don't like how... entrenched Deadshot and Harley are. Like, they're way more heroic than I feel they should be. Standing up for the rest of their "team" and that type of thing. I also don't like how Waller is in this issue. She's constantly taking shit, and I know we'll find out why eventually, but at the moment, it rubs me the wrong way. But despite those problems, I thought this was good. I'm actually interested in reading an issue of a new Suicide Squad run again.

This is a good issue. Not exactly at the same caliber as I'm used to, but the art was great. I just wish the backstory we were given was more engaging.

This was good. Just very quick.

I liked this. It's not Taylor's Suicide Squad, and I honestly didn't want a repeat of that, and what we get here is entertaining. It's become a pattern though, that the Future State books spoil the reveals in these Infinite Frontier titles. I'm only upset with that when nothing else is done with the issue (Like with Batman). Here though, things were different enough to keep me engaged.

This was an enjoyable read, and I actually like the cast. I'm just kinda unsure about Amanda Waller's characterization. It seems off to me.

I liked this. I'm starting to find Culebra annoying though. I will say that the art is really good. Almost too good for a Suicide Squad book.

I liked this well enough, but I'm not truly invested. I'm not disliking it, but I was just wanted to move along to something more interesting.

This was better than last issue, and there are some genuinely interesting ideas at play here. Hopefully Ambush Bug doesn't stick around though.

This is solid, but I wish I enjoyed it more.

This was a solid ending, but I can't help but feel this book was entirely shafted by the insistence of War For Earth-3 as an event.
8.0
 Suicide Squad: Blaze (2022) #1 Mar 10, 2023

I was pleasantly surprised by the more grounded and nuanced take on Amanda Waller here compared to... everywhere else. That boosted this for me.
8.0
 Suicide Squad: Dream Team (2024) #2 Aug 7, 2024
8.0
 Suicide Squad: Dream Team (2024) #3 Aug 7, 2024

I'll look past the ending because I am so fucking starved of good Amanda Waller character work, and we get that in this miniseries, and I have to support that. The other characters also have really good dynamics too. I haven't read much from Nicole Maines, but she's no slouch. I will have to pay attention to her name in the future.
8.0
 Super Sons (2017) #10 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Super Sons (2017) #12 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Super Sons (2017) #14 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Supergirl (2016) #21 Jul 21, 2019

Solid issue, if a bit predictable.
8.0
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #7 Jul 21, 2019

A solid issue. I just really enjoy Doc Ock and how he interacts with people.

A good issue. I'm not sure I like how Doctor Strange is written here, but the stuff with Otto is great as always.

This was a good issue. I liked how Otto and Doctor Strange worked here. Also, Mephisto seems to show up in everything now. Starting to think all these appearances in Marvel lately are going to culminate into something.

This was fun.

I don't have any affinity for the Richard Donner movies, in fact I barely remember them, but this was good. I liked this.
8.0
 Superman (2016) #41 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Superman (2016) #42 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Superman (2016) #45 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Superman (2016): Special #1 Jul 21, 2019

This was solid! I really hope Williamson keeps it up. I'd really enjoy a fully good Superman line of books for once.

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8.0
 Superman (2023) #6 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Superman (2023) #7 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Superman (2023) #9 May 8, 2024

This is a genuinely good issue. I liked how this issue injected some nuance into things, and that's probably why the first two issues didn't work as much for me. The KKK was a huge marketing scam, but most people seem to forget that in favor of the more openly terrible aspects of the group. I didn't expect that to be explored at all here. Superman accepting who he is is where his subplot finally works in this story. I just think this was the most well-written issue of the series.

I'm slowly becoming ambivalent on this book. I find myself having a good time, mostly, but there's still this thought in the back of my mind that it's maybe a little too fragmented or a little too much. It's like when you go to a party and you realize there's a good chance your drink has been drugged, and now you make the choice whether to drink it anyway or throw it out. Jimmy Olsen is what happens when you chance drinking it.

I wasn't a fan of the first issue, but this much more straightforward second issue was good, even if not a ton happened. Consider my interest in this series renewed. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This is a definite improvement over the last two issues. Keep this up and I might actually turn around on this one. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Honestly, I liked all of these stories except the Kilg%re one.

Hey so, Merlyn's review is stupid, and here's why: First he complains about Jon Kent not using the classic Superman phrase. Even though it shouldn't bother a human being as much as it bothers him, there's a good reason beyond just L E F T I S M. Jon Kent is trying to be a different Superman, one focused on creating a better future, hence the new phrasing. Second, he complains about the complaints about climate change. He points out that the Californian fires are not being caused by climate change, which I guess is a step beyond outright climate change denialism. But he's technically right. These fires are usually caused by people lighting something they shouldn't be lighting. The reason the wildfires break out like they do, however, is because there is a massive drought in that part of the country. Everything is very dry and hot, and therefore flammable. Climate Change didn't spark up the bush, but it is why that bush is bone dry and why the fires spread into uncontrollable infernos. You'd have to be an idiot to continue denying this stuff happens. I'm sorry if it scares you or hurts your feelings, but your feelings don't matter when it comes to truth and facts. He also complains about the complaints about inequality. Uh, okay. And he also complains about the complaints about demagogues, and then calls out Tom Taylor's own politics. Now, I have no idea about the demagoguery of the Greens over in Australia, because I don't keep up with their politics. But the policies of their confederation seem pretty good: "The party cites four core values, namely ecological sustainability, social justice, grassroots democracy and peace and non-violence." It seems really dumb of Merlyn to call out someone for their support of demagogues when Merlyn has spent his entire account history defending Trump. Sometimes the mirror is hard to look into, alas. Also, no, Jon's birth is not fanfiction. Merlyn is a fake Superman fan, because he doesn't remember Jon's birth being retconned back in the rebirth era, which this issue lines up with!

I read this nice and early so I could review it early, so I could hope to miss out on the terrible, toxic discourse this series creates because a minority of idiots decide to keep reading a book that sends them for a spin for daring to be written by someone who's not as idiotic as them. The optimist in me doesn't see much that could be potentially disagreeable here, even from their idiotic perspectives. I imagine most of the negative reviews here will ignore most of this issue, and make their reviews all about the news from DC that Jon is bisexual. All I have to say about that is, being homophobic is bad. As for this issue, it's good. I didn't like it as much as the last few issues, since it didn't really progress the plot all that much. I'm a little whatever on Tom Taylor bringing back his Suicide Squad OCs. They're not my favorite characters, but I don't dislike them either. I hope this is leading to something like the tensions that arose in the latest Action Comics arc. I like when Superman has to navigate geo-politics. It's always interesting, especially since Superman is such a wholesome character. The shades of grey clash really nicely with this type of character.

As I've said before, intensely watching something for any hint of gay is, in and of itself, incredibly fucking gay. You know how I know? Cause I do it, and somehow two men existing next to each other doesn't trigger my gaydar the way it does these super-straights.

This is a solid issue with a nice emotional core to it. It's not worth responding to the hate this issue got, since these people have magically vanished from the site since this issue's release.
8.0
 Superman: Son of Kal-El (2021) #11 Nov 6, 2022

As the wrap up to the main thrust of this title's premise, this is a solid conclusion. This run has been pretty good, but rarely great. Which is a shame, but also what I can say about literally every Tom Taylor comic I read. The big difference between this series and those other ones, in terms of the user reviews here, is that this one happens to star a gay character. The user reviews are going to be extra harsh because these insecure people need to justify their hatred in a way that obfuscates it, because they are cowards who can't own their hatred for what it is.

I caught up on this title because of its crossover with Action. It's frankly a bit obnoxious that these titles are crossover, so far, in the vaguest sense possible. But anyway, this was solid. The people who are rating this so low are mentally handicapped, and we should support their self-expression, but keep that brainrot in mind.
8.0
 Superman: Son of Kal-El (2021) #17 Nov 25, 2022

This is a good issue, or whatever.

This feels like it's trying so hard to be a classic Hellblazer (btw, read classic Hellblazer) issue, but it just doesn't hit the mark. I feel like I'm picking on an invalid at this point, but Merlyn got triggered AGAIN because someone made the bold insinuation that the UK has some bigotry in it. Just in case he didn't know, and I'm sure he didn't, one of the major reasons for Brexit occurring was the Syrian refugee crisis, wherein Britain took in a monumental number of, you guessed it, ten thousand Syrian refugees. Hardly anything for a country with nearly 67 million people. But alas, an anti-immigrant narrative sprung up due to a conspiracy called "The Great Replacement," a Neo-Nazi conspiracy that posits a concerted effort by the Jews to replace whites in Europe with browns. This narrative was large enough for conservatives to ride it right into a majority! And this coincided with a broader rise in fascism in Europe, which is well documented. Please, facts simply do not care about your feelings.
8.0
 Swamp Thing (2021) #11 Mar 11, 2023
8.0
 Swamp Thing (2021) #13 Mar 11, 2023
8.0
 Swamp Thing (2021) #14 Mar 11, 2023
8.0
 Swamp Thing (2021) #15 Mar 11, 2023

I honestly don't remember much of anything about issue one, and I don't really want to go re-read it. But I liked this second issue supposedly a bit more than issue one, given my review of that. I'm very picking about portrayals of Constantine. He's been abused so much. I think Lemire does okay. He's not quite peak Constantine but at least the spirit of the character is maintained, and he's not like... in a femdom relationship with Huntress or shooting magic bullshit out of his hands.
8.0
 Sword of Azrael (2022) #1 Mar 11, 2023
8.0
 Sword of Azrael (2022) #2 Mar 11, 2023

I thought this was good. It reminded me a lot of older Spider-Man stories, in terms of the writing. Obviously, the setting did as well. The writing feels a bit off compared to modern writing, but it fits well with the times it's trying to recapture. I think some people might have trouble enjoying that, but I did.

Solid issue. Really nostalgic.

Not as good as issue two, but still good.

I wasn't looking forward to this but I ended up liking it. I liked the meta stuff about retcons. I even enjoyed the art with those splash pages. I feel like this ended on a good note, but at the same time, I still have an issue with how the symbiote is portrayed. I also don't have much interest in a third Symbiote Spider-Man miniseries. But I'll probably read it... Especially if it's connected to Knull/King in Black, as the teaser suggests.

This was good, and I was shocked. Maybe they can end these miniseries on a high note?

I wasn't expecting to like this, but I did. There were a few rough spots, especially the explanation at the end, but overall, I had a good time reading this one.
8.0
 Task Force Z (2021) #5 Mar 13, 2023

I really enjoyed this series. It was fun, and did a lot to make Jason a more compelling character. Something he desperately needs after all the years of Lobdell's trash.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Jed MacKay can write good comics, but I find his voice inconsistent. He's more like a chameleon writer. But luckily, the voice here works for me.
8.0
 Teen Titans (2016) #16 Jul 21, 2019

This kept my interest much more than Age of Conan did. I like it. Although, depending on the pacing, which I'll admit wasn't amazing here, this series could get a lot worse.

I don't know, I just like this.

Overall, I liked this issue. I find the opening to be the best part. The scene in the batcave. The issue doesn't really go downhill from there so much as it doesn't get a ton more interesting. We have Batman and The Batman Who Laughs fight again, with Grim Knight as support. And it's cool. I liked what happened in this. The problem with this issue, and really a lot of Scott Snyder's comics, is he does a ton of telling, not showing. Every moment is given explanation by one of the characters in that given scene. I see it consistently in Snyder's comics and I don't really care for it. It's actually really grating for me, once I start noticing it. And it just feels very forced. Better writers can do the same thing and make it feel a whole lot more natural. Like Jason Aaron has been doing in Avengers. It's sort of a nitpick in this case, because it didn't hinder my enjoyment of this issue too much. It just made it a little less good.

Mostly enjoyed this. I like the voices these characters are given.

Honestly, I feel like thecimmerian is slow. Or maybe it's just a prime example of why media literacy is important. You could make valid arguments for why you like or dislike something if you understand basic media. But they don't. So their arguments, or lack thereof, are just surface level complaints that ultimately don't even begin to matter when assessing the merits of what they're supposedly reviewing.
8.0
 The Cull (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

Good issue, but very quick and pretty obvious.

Strong enjoyable issue.

Solid again, I really like how dramatic Stephen is here.

Things were maybe wrapped up too quickly for my taste, but this was still a solid, if abrupt conclusion to a pretty good miniseries-event-thing.

This was fun. I'm surprised that I've begun to care about these characters, as that is so rare for new characters in comics.
8.0
 The Demon: Hell is Earth #3 Jul 21, 2019

I would say that the first 2/3 of this book is a book I wouldn't really care to read. It was just a by-the-numbers exploration into the most well-known conspiracies today. It wasn't poorly written or anything, but I could've gotten the same experience reading a forum post, you know? But then, when the tulpa reveal happens, I was completely sold. I'm such a big fan of that concept, it's always been cool to think about. And then the final reveal at the very end just hit so well for me, even though I should've seen it coming. And the art grew on me over time. I'll be honest, I drove myself a little crazy trying to figure out what the shapes in that first page were. And that turned me off to the art. But by the end, I think the style really worked in favor of the story. So I would say that this book grows on you. I gave it the time it needed to hook me, and it was fortunate that I did. Unfortunately though, that means while the book is getting a good score, it's not getting a great score. Because even though Tynion flipped it on its head at the end in a great way, I still had to make it through 2/3 of a book I'd typically not want to read. Also, the tease for the next issue in the back has me so excited because I genuinely adore the Satanic Panic. I really shouldn't because it's an indictment of how close-minded, irascible and ignorant my country was (and still is), but I'm fascinated by it as a moment in history and I really hope that next issue capitalizes on just how fucking interesting The Satanic Panic is.

This was good, I just wish more happened.

This was good.

This was an exposition-heavy issue, yet I wish there was more to it. I like the new character Hank Harrison at least. Even if his hobby is cap brimming.

I'd like this issue a lot more without the letter from the father to his son about his bigfoot experiences. I don't even dislike the contents of the letter. I just found those pages to be super hard to read on my tablet. Maybe it's better in print, but it really became a chore.

This is a solid comic, but this chosen one shit is so trite. And the amount of explaining in each issue lately is just getting grating. I can read a wiki if I'm that interested in the concept of Satan within the foundations of Christianity, and how that plays out in modern times. I think that's a very interesting subject, that's not the problem. The problem is, you should take that concept and don't waste most of it just reiterating the basics of it. I'm sick of the monologue. How many issues have had Hawk monologue about the creation of this and that idea just to finally arrive at the same point again and again? At least there's a twist at the end.

I was about to do a false flag, but luckily, finally, the plot is beginning to emerge from the oceans of altering exposition. I really hope I haven't wasted my time here.

This is good, but I'd be lying if I said I care to know what happens next. Or that I've been turned around on this comic's message. This is the most you'll get from me, unfortunately.

I really don't agree with the basic theme of this comic. I don't particularly care either. But it's mostly well written, aside from some definite pacing issues. But I think those come from this run being artificially extended by two issues.

I kinda hate the Faerie as a concept. I'm not sure why, I just do. But this is a good issue.

Not bad, but I'm just sort of waiting for this one to wrap on up. I don't have anything bad to say about this comic beyond just really not gelling with the realm of Faerie. I can't get over my faerie hate, I assume.
8.0
 The Fix #9 Jul 21, 2019

This is good, but my eyes glazed over at the big government conspiracy shit. It works better in Department of Truth than it does in this Joker comic.

Not as good as the first issue, but still good. That kind of happens a lot when you've gotta exposit a lot of information.

A Harley Quinn chapter! And I didn’t hate it! Almost like good writers can make characters better.

This was a solid issue. I liked the ending a lot. Not much to say about it though. This is worth the read.

This was a good issue that I wish was slightly more interesting. Penguin just isn't very compelling as a character.

A little heavy on the exposition, but necessary.

The Joker pulls off the finale to his plan and it's solid.

Joker explains everything in this issue, and while I don't think all of it holds up to scrutiny, it is very Joker.
8.0
 The Man of Steel (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019
8.0
 The Man of Steel (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019

This was a good, solid issue. Lots of set up, but I have faith in Kurt Busiek to make this all worthwhile.

This was better. We get back into the action, and we get to see a legitimately cool golden age hero that Marvel doesn't ever use for some reason.
8.0
 The Marvels (2021) #10 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 The Marvels (2021) #11 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 The Marvels (2021) #12 Dec 4, 2022
8.0
 The Maxx (1993) #2 Sep 13, 2022
8.0
 The Maxx (1993) #8 Sep 13, 2022
8.0
 The Maxx (1993) #16 Sep 13, 2022
8.0
 The Maxx (1993) #19 Sep 13, 2022
8.0
 The Maxx (1993) #24 Sep 13, 2022
8.0
 The Maxx (1993) #27 Sep 13, 2022

This was a good issue, but I'm still not clear on what the story is yet.
8.0
 The New Champion of Shazam! (2022) #1 Dec 6, 2022
8.0
 The New Champion of Shazam! (2022) #2 Dec 6, 2022

I liked the Next Batman, and I'm liking this so far. These digital chapters are sometimes very hard to rate. Not much can happen in half an issue. But this was an enjoyable half, honestly.

Wow, look at all these idiotic user reviews. We get a chapter full of character, and the book is ruined. Why can't we just have action scenes the entire time? It's probably got to do with the writer's race or his politics.

This wasn't as good as last week's chapter, but it was still solid. It went in a very different direction than I expected it to, which is mostly a good thing.

This is good. I hope the quirk is toned down a little. I've read enough Stephen King to roll my eyes at some of the characterization here. Nothing majorly wrong with any of the characters though. I see the Hickman influence is strong here, but that's fine because I like that. It'll take issue two to see if I'm sold on this title versus just sort of liking it.

This is a solid issue. Just a minor non-complaint, the internet probably wouldn't function in the case of everyone dying in a hellfire melting incident. The servers would be destroyed, but let's say they weren't, you'd still start seeing outages almost immediately. You still need meatware to make these things run consistently.

I don't find James Tynion IV's dialogue to be especially compelling. It just feels a little... performative? Like, it's not what someone would say in real life, but rather what someone would say as an actor in a movie trying to be as realistic as it could be. There's a bit of an imitation crab vibe to it, for me. But this was a good issue, regardless. I'm slightly intrigued.
8.0
 The Nice House on the Lake #11 Dec 6, 2022

A solid issue. I don't find anything very original about this, but it's an enjoyable read.

This is better than issue one, simply because it's not drawing direct parallels to a previous run and, confusingly, getting it wrong. I don't really see this as a Question comic. But for what it is, it's enjoyable.
8.0
 The Riddler: Year One (2022) #1 Mar 4, 2023
8.0
 The Riddler: Year One (2022) #2 Mar 4, 2023

I actually wasn't a big fan of The Batman, and one of my biggest issues with it was Riddler's sudden turn from a villain with a point to a mustache twirler. So, I expected this to be disjointed, and kind of lame. It's not. It's good. I'm not amazed with it like a lot of people are, but it's a solid piece of work. I do find Edward to be kind of too pathetic, just because it's kind of tropey in how they show that off. But that's no big deal.

There's a lot to talk about with this issue. I'll start with the most positive thing about it. John Constantine is written well here. And I don't mean DCU/New 52 John Constantine. I mean, this Constantine mostly acts like Vertigo Constantine. And that's a good thing! This is the Constantine readers want and deserve! From here on out, I'll refer to this Constantine as NuConstantine. Because there's multiple Constantines and that's a problem I have with this issue. I don't know much about NuConstantine and the 90s Books of Magic series that this issue ties into at the beginning, so I can't say much for how the characters are here. But it seems like peak Constantine. The trouble begins when the original Vertigo Constantine shows up. He's old, he's happy and he's willing to make a deal with NuConstantine. I *hate* this version of the character because this version of the character is from the final creative run on the original Hellblazer series. Peter Milligan tainted the character, frequently wrote him poorly and outright contradicted established canon multiple times. So, I understand why Milligan Constantine is part of this, but they are seemingly tying this book into that run far too much for my liking. Once NuConstantine is brought to the present, I think that all the Constantines have been merged into NuConstantine. So everything we've read matters, but we can move on to #MakeConstantineGreatAgain. But that doesn't seem to be the case? Because later, this same Milligan Constantine fuck is running around, planting his old sentient coat in a storefront so NuConstantine grabs it, as John Constantine's ghost pals bow down to him. I hate everything that scene implies. I want to move on from this version of the character because he's such an inferior version. I don't even mind that the Vertigo canon is, seemingly, continued with all of John's supporting cast being old or dead. (Maybe now Epiphany Grieves is the proper age for NuConstantine. If they bring her back, we should all riot.) But I'm wondering, what's the timeline here? Did New 52 happen? Is Batman and Superman and the rest in this universe? Is there yet another PG-13 Constantine running around in North America being the JL Dark's honorary cheerleader? Does that mean NuConstantine can get a new Chas? NuConstantine's mantra to "focus on what matters right now" bothers me. I feel like they aren't going to resolve these issues. I feel like they're going to do what they did with The Question and ignore all the variant characters. I'm very anxious about this run. And all that is why. But that's mostly baggage. The issue itself was solid. Good. The Doomsday Clock diss for that awful Constantine cameo was by far my favorite part of the issue.

This was probably my favorite issue of the series so far. It just clicked with me in a way that the rest of this series hasn't. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

8.0
 The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #1 Mar 5, 2023
8.0
 The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #2 Mar 5, 2023
8.0
 The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #3 Mar 5, 2023
8.0
 The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #4 Mar 5, 2023
8.0
 The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #5 Mar 5, 2023

This was good, but a little abrupt. I found the main character insufferable. I think that's a trap horror comics fall into, so I'm sad Chip fell into it. I don't know, I just expected more from this.

This was a lot of fun. I like slasher movies and that's what this is, only in comic form.

This was fun. We didn't see how the girl gets the coin, which threw me for a loop. But other than that oddity outside of the established formula, this was a very quick and violent issue that was really fun to read.
8.0
 The Silver Coin #11 Mar 6, 2023
8.0
 The Terrifics #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 The Terrifics #5 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #26 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #27 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #28 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #29 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #30 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #33 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #35 Jul 21, 2019

This was good.

This was a good issue that made me care about the ensemble a little bit more than I had before.

Well, if you want to know about the Pym family, here you go. This was a fun issue.
8.0
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #1 Mar 13, 2023

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8.0
 The Variants (2022) #1 Mar 13, 2023
8.0
 The Variants (2022) #2 Mar 13, 2023
8.0
 The Walking Dead #176 Jul 21, 2019

Finally a good Walking Dead issue. This series needs a lot more of these.

Another solid issue. Maybe it's the fact that things are actually happening. Although, the way we got to this point is like a comedy of errors. Everyone had to do something dumb to get here. But hey, I'm willing to forgive it because, goddamn, did this series need to go somewhere fast.

I'm still not a huge fan of this X-Statix revival, but I think I'm starting to gel with it a bit better. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This is, once again, cute but not much more. Probably the best issue so far, nonetheless.
8.0
 Thor (2018) #4 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Thor (2020) #24 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Thor (2020) #27 Mar 13, 2023

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I wish the art was better, but I really do like the writing. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This was a good one-shot, but I'm confused as to why it's part of this event, unless Valg is holding the soul gem or something. I guess we'll see. On its own, it's good, at least. The Infinite Fury back-up is really well done. I want to see where that goes, for sure.
8.0
 Thunderbolts (2022) #3 Mar 13, 2023
8.0
 Thunderbolts (2022) #4 Mar 13, 2023

I wasn't really excited to read this miniseries, but Zub managed to make a fun, heartfelt story here.
8.0
 Tiger Division (2022) #3 Mar 13, 2023

This has been solid and fun miniseries thus far.
8.0
 Tim Drake: Robin (2022) #4 Mar 13, 2023
8.0
 Tim Drake: Robin (2022) #5 Mar 13, 2023

This series has gotten a ton of hate from loads and loads of people. I'll be honest, I don't get it. Is this series stellar? A classic in the making? No, I don't think so. Is it one of the worst comics being published right now? Absolutely not. It's actually solid. I think a lot of the hate does come from the homophobic/anti-LGBT crowd. That's just an unfortunate reality when it comes to any series that hosts an openly LGBT lead. The reviews under these issues, some of which are novels, don't really convince me of their points. Most of them are written as though the person writing them decided to bash their head in with a hammer before reading the issue. They just essentialize and do their very best to mischaracterize and avoid context, because their points aren't strong enough without deception. That's assuming it is an intentional sort of grift. They could just be morons who can't fully comprehend the average comic book. I know one or two of the consistent reviewers claim to be bi themselves as a way to cover their bases. To assure that their reviews are not of the same character as the blatant homophobic reviews. I'm not saying they're lying, but I am saying that I don't particularly like pick-mes. I try to be careful when I review something and complain about certain tropes, knowing that with the wrong words, I could be fueling the hate train. I wish this consideration was taken by others.

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8.0
 Titans (2016): Special #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Tony Stark: Iron Man #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Tony Stark: Iron Man #3 Jul 21, 2019

Solid first issue. Finally all that set up is getting some payoff.

Solid issue. Excited to see where it goes.

This is a solid issue, I liked the ending a lot. I'm excited to see where this goes.

This felt a bit rushed, especially the part with Ultron. But it does lead to an interesting status quo that I want to see play out in 2020. This series, overall, has been in service to get to this point, but that doesn't mean it was bad. It was good. Better than Bendis.

Okay. It took four issues but we finally get an issue that doesn't read like a page out of a textbook. Joelle Jones isn't my favorite writer or artist, but she undeniably brings life and character to this dull, lifeless event. Thank the gods. The only issue with it is that it's mostly filling in the gaps left by Wonder Girl's unceremonious cancelation, which can make this part of the event feel like filler. The character work, now that it finally exists, is just so strong that it carries the rest of the book.
8.0
 Typhoid Fever (2018): Spider-Man #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Ultimate Black Panther (2024) #1 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Ultimate Black Panther (2024) #2 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Ultimate Black Panther (2024) #3 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Ultimate Black Panther (2024) #4 Jun 4, 2024
8.0
 Ultimate Black Panther (2024) #6 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Ultimate Invasion (2023) #2 May 7, 2024
8.0
 Ultimate X-Men (2024) #1 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Ultimate X-Men (2024) #2 May 17, 2024
8.0
 Ultimate X-Men (2024) #5 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Uncanny Avengers (2015) #29 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Uncanny Avengers (2015) #30 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Uncanny Avengers (2023) #1 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Uncanny Avengers (2023) #2 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Uncanny Avengers (2023) #4 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Uncanny Spider-Man (2023) #2 May 8, 2024

Not too much happens here. We get more explanation of this mystery, but not really. The new horsemen are pretty great but I wonder what this is all leading to. I have enough faith in all three of the writers to deliver something great at the end of this. This issue was solid, but it didn't have that oomph factor.

Really good issue. The pacing wasn't exactly right this time. The best parts of this issue was the scene with Apocalypse and Kitty Pryde. That was the standout.

This issue was much better than last week's. It kind of made up for last week's disconnect from the rest of the arc, and the twist at the end is really fun. There's not much to say about this issue, since not a ton happens, but I had a good time.

I liked this issue. I thought it was a good finale. Not exactly one I didn't see coming, given all the Age of X-Man announcements, but still. That's a good way to clear off the board. It lives up to the "Disassembled" name. Issue 11 will actually be the best jumping on point, probably.

I liked it and that ending definitely excites me.

A solid issue.
8.0
 United States vs. Murder Inc. #1 Jul 21, 2019

I read V for Vendetta #1. I'm not in love with it yet, but there's definitely really good moments. I think it's headed in an interesting direction. The backstory was a little, I don't know, played out? But it's probably not too important how we got to this point... Or maybe it is, given V being the man from room 5. Yeah, I'd probably give a solid... 8/10. I'm not in love with it, but I can see its quality. I honestly think From Hell helped prepare me for V for Vendetta's wordiness. So that angle was definitely downplayed for me this time around. I'm hoping this effect lasts for the long term. It'd definitely help me get through modern comics quicker. But yeah, this story is interesting, if a bit obvious. There are enough good moments to keep me from harping on how little the world this story inhabits interests me.

I kind of backpedaled on this one. I still think it's good, but this issue was not as engrossing as the last and is a major step back in my growing appreciation for this book.

A solid ending to the first arc.

This was a good issue. Maybe not on par with the last few, but good nonetheless. I really enjoyed seeing the team that's been assembled here. A bunch of D-listers that probably not many people know, which is perfect.

Knowing that Ghost-Spider was stealth cancelled, I suspect this series isn't far behind. Issue 12, probably? That's a shame though, since this series is really cool and I would hate to see it go so soon.
8.0
 Venom (2016) #157 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Venom (2016) #160 Jul 21, 2019

This was a solid wrap up. And the Absolute Carnage page was pretty cool, for what it could be.

This story took a strange turn with this final issue. I think this arc had some of its potential squandered because of the art choices. I think Juan Geddeon would've been a better fit to finish out the whole arc. Also, I don't like time skips. I doubt they were actually gone from the 616 universe for a year though. I just hope this arc has some follow through and it wasn't just to tell a story about how things would be different if Anne survived instead of Eddie. That has a place but it just doesn't seem like the thing to lead up to a big event with. But I don't know what happens in King in Black, so maybe this was super integral and I don't know it yet. All this being said, I still enjoyed the issue. It's Donny Cates writing it and he's a great writer, so even if it's not my favorite story, it's not bad. Honestly, maybe it's the vague time travel elements (that really don't play any role in the story, it turns out) but I keep comparing this to Hickman's Infinite Avengers arc in my head. It's not the best arc of the run, and takes the central characters well out of their usual element, and it comes right before the big event, Time Runs Out. But despite that, it's still a story worth telling. Same as Venom Beyond.

This was quick, but good. I went into this knowing it's basically a companion piece to the main event, and as that, it does very well. It's a brief character issue to coincide with the bombast of King in Black proper. I hope no one is reading this and not also reading King in Black. Then I would understand the disappointment.

This seemed a bit lacking in its stakes. I didn't feel the danger here, but it was still a solid issue despite this. The standout thing here is that Flash is back, and if you're not happy about that, you're just factually wrong.

This is good. I just don't find it as engaging as issue one.
8.0
 Venom (2021) #7 Nov 6, 2022
8.0
 Venom (2021) #12 Nov 25, 2022

I can't deny the drop in quality when Ram V picks up the scripting reigns. But this was still good.
8.0
 Venom (2021) #22 May 20, 2024
8.0
 Venom (2021) #26 May 20, 2024
8.0
 Venom (2021) #27 May 20, 2024
8.0
 Venom (2021) #31 May 20, 2024
8.0
 Venom: First Host #4 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Venom: First Host #5 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Venom: Lethal Protector (2022) #4 Mar 13, 2023
8.0
 Venomized #3 Jul 21, 2019

Started slow, but got interesting by the end. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Tried this out on a whim and I liked it enough to continue.

Still not sure why I'm reading this, but it's good. Just... why?

This was an enjoyable first chapter of this little mini event. I can't help but wonder what people who just decided to pick this up think of this issue. There's no easing into the insanity of this Suicide Squad series.

This was better than the first issue. I hope next issue continues the trend.

If they had killed Thori, I would've rioted.

A solid finale. Overall this was a fun miniseries, with a slow start.

A quick, yet entertaining read.

The Daredevil story was great. Jason Aaron should write Daredevil again sometime. The Doctor Strange story was pretty good. I thought it was nice, if a little cheesy. The Wiccan/Hulkling story was probably the weakest, and that's mostly because of the dialogue, but it did have some good character moments for Loki.

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This hits the right notes for my nostalgia. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.0
 Wasp (2023) #1 Mar 14, 2023

This is solid so far, but given how high the bar was after the Ant-Man miniseries, this is a little lackluster in comparison.

This is solid. The fact that it's not as good as the Ant-Man series still kind of casts a shadow over it for me, but it's telling a very different story. One that I'm just not as intrigued by.

This series wasn't as good as the Ant-Man series, but it was Ewing so it wasn't bad or anything. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I was a little confused at some points because I haven't gotten everyone's names down yet, but overall, this was still good.

I definitely need to go back and re-read some of the previous issues again, because I missed something here that didn't help with my enjoyment of this issue.

It was a cool twist making Georges one of the gods.
8.0
 Weapon H #7 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 Weapon H #8 Jul 21, 2019

This was a lot of fun. It's certainly not a deep thinking comic, but if you just want comic book fun, this works. I'm actually a little excited for Hulkverines now, despite that being the worst title ever.
8.0
 Weapon X (2017) #24 Oct 9, 2018

I liked this. It was a solid issue. Definitely better than Houser's other book this week. I hope this miniseries is a fun one.

This issue was better than the last one. Maybe we can wrap it up with a good issue as well?

Natasha is finally fixed after Secret Empire! It only took two years, which is almost nothing in comics! But yeah, this was a good wrap up issue. Definitely better than I expected it to be. Overall though, this miniseries was lackluster.
8.0
 Web of Carnage (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

This was good, while not being very important to the overall Venom story. We see how Carnage is tracking down former symbiote hosts. By planting brain parasites in the homeless. And Eddie finally finds out about Carnage. That's all the plot important stuff. The rest of this issue is a lot of Dog Venom. And Dog Venom is cute and the art is great, but it is just Dog Venom tracking down Carnage parasites. So this is easily the most skippable Web of Venom issue yet. The first one felt like an added expansion of the Rex storyline. The second one felt extremely important to the overall plotline of the Venom comic. So this is definitely a step down. I liked it. It's just that you're not really getting much out of it besides pretty pictures.

I don't think of Clay McLeod Chapman as the most technically proficient writers, but he really is good at 70s/80s horror movie comics, and that's essentially what this is. I enjoyed it.

Didn't like this as much, but this was still really good.

Not as good as some previous issues, but still really fun.

I liked the twist on the familiar. Characters act like themselves, they're just put in a slightly different scenario and suddenly the roles become reversed.

Was expecting to hate this based on the writer and the character, but this managed to be a compelling story nonetheless.

I was not expecting to like this or to have this be so interconnected with the rest of the Marvel line, but hey, I'm glad there's another good comic to read for the next few months.

This was good, I like when Dracula is treated as a chessmaster instead of a joke.

I liked this!

A good issue, but a bit overwrought. I had a good time, but I was starting to wonder about the page count about 2/3 of the way through. The art was great though.

I liked this one.

This was a good issue, and I hope the quality for X of Swords stays relatively consistent throughout its many chapters.

This was a good issue.

This issue ended abruptly, but I thought it was a solid issue nonetheless. Vampires!

Good issue. I like asshole Beast. I wish this had more Wolverine in it though.

Seems like a neat way to wrap up this era of Wolverine, but I can't help but feel like this issue was just "another one" written to fill a gap until X Lives/X Deaths. It just doesn't feel all that consequential and I don't think it really says anything new about Wolverine. But it's not bad. It's just "another one."
8.0
 Wolverine (2020) #21 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 Wolverine (2020) #25 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 Wolverine (2020) #30 Feb 26, 2023
8.0
 Wolverine (2020) #35 May 7, 2024
8.0
 Wolverine (2020) #38 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Wolverine (2020) #47 May 8, 2024
8.0
 Wolverine (2020) #48 May 8, 2024

Man, this run was weird. It almost feels like, despite Percy writing so many issues of Wolverine, that we never really got a classic Wolverine story out of him? There's something about this run where, as enjoyable as it was, there was also a hollowness to it. And that remains the same with this finale. Nothing here is bad comics. It's all solid. But I don't necessarily feel satisfied with it.
8.0
 Wolverine: Blood Hunt (2024) #3 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Wolverine: Blood Hunt (2024) #4 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Wolverine: Deep Cut (2024) #1 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 Wolverine: Deep Cut (2024) #2 Oct 14, 2024

I was more into this issue than the last. I like seeing the Raptors come back into focus, as they were the antagonists at the beginning of this whole infinity saga.

Color me surprised that I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Claremont has his tropes and his weirdness that cannot be denied, however his writing is mired in his insistence to overwrite and to base his stories in very specific continuity that, even for someone as big into comics as I am, can bog things down. This was mostly clean though. You don't need to read Uncanny X-Men #268 to enjoy this. You can shrug off Wolverine's current status quo even. And you get a rather classic feeling story out of it. If Marvel insists on giving older creators these nostalgia bait comics to write, I hope they veer more into this lane where they can stand on their own.
8.0
 Wolverine: Madripoor Knights (2024) #2 May 9, 2024
8.0
 Wolverine: Madripoor Knights (2024) #3 May 9, 2024

This was good. I was expecting to hate it, but it knows what it is, so it was fun.

I liked this one.
8.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #37 Jul 21, 2019

This was pretty good, but it felt like they needed to sacrifice an issue to drop all the exposition and an issue filled with that isn't exactly gripping in its own right, but luckily, Tynion IV is a good writer so it still managed to work well enough.

Good first issue. Luckily, Wilson didn't turn Wonder Woman into Ms. Marvel.

I thought this was good. Completely unnecessary, but I had fun reading it.

I'm so surprised this was good. It's been so long since we've had a good Wonder Woman issue. I'm so excited by the notion that maybe, just maybe, Wonder Woman won't be a horrific slog like it used to be. I've read a lot of Mariko Tamaki's writing, and the results are kind of all over the place, but here's hoping this is one of the good runs. I even liked Mikel Janin's art more than usual. Maybe the coloring has something to do with it. The aesthetic is brighter than Batman, and that may have helped take away the doll factor in his art.

I enjoyed this as much as the last issue. Although, I will say the art had a few bad panels. I'm just so surprised still that this series might be good again.

I liked this, it was a fun time.

This is a good issue. I just hope this series gets back on tracked with a refreshed status quo.
8.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #790 Mar 16, 2023
8.0
 Wonder Woman (2016) #791 Mar 16, 2023

Hey a Wonder Woman event that isn't trash! At least not so far. I actually really want to see what happens here.

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I actually liked this a bit more than the run's current offerings, I hope that bodes well for the upcoming Amazons event.

The plot takes a while to kick in and I do think the narration is a bit overwritten, similar to my complaints with Supergirl. The second half, where the plot really starts to kick in, is really engaging. I have some... Not nitpicks, but concerns about the narrative. Maybe it's just my cynicism towards superhero comics, but I'm afraid that the Sovereign is going to become The Bad Guy. Not that he's not bad, but rather that the concepts of this run, stuff like Patriarchy and Xenophobia, are going to be reduced to the evil of The Bad Guy, when these are far more entrenched than that. It's not one man's evil. It's not a secret society and its leader making us do things. It *is* society. But it's only issue 1 and this would only become apparent as a problem by literally the last issue of story, most likely. I'm just putting it out there as a concern.

I'm wondering what Tom King's voice for Wonder Woman is, still. We hardly actually see her speak, it's all about how she is perceived. And there's this moment that honestly seems a bit off to me, but I'm not a huge Wonder Woman reader or fan so I'm not sure if it's just me not really getting the character: Wonder Woman basically says, "I don't want to hurt you, but if you keep fighting, I will hurt you pathetic people". The pathetic part is the part that I'm not sure about as it seems a little bit off for the character, as I know them. It could be completely in keeping with WW, idk. I'm just slightly wary of King's ability to write a strong female character that isn't so hooked on those clichés, one of which is an overly harsh, off-putting personality. I know why it's an archetype. Societal structures make it so that typically women have to act complacent and overly nice, especially towards men. However the use of the archetype is still a bit tiring. Again, maybe WW's got more of an edge to her than how she's been written lately and that's why it feels off but idk, I'm wary. Not to say there aren't good moments for Wonder Woman in the issue. I like how King tries to juggle all the disparate interpretations of Wonder Woman. I think the throughline of Wonder Woman being unwilling to submit is really good. I just have this little thought gnawing at the back of my mind, "He's not writing Wonder Woman, he's writing *about* Wonder Woman." That thought staring down the barrel of an ongoing run, and not just a miniseries, is a tiny bit worrisome to me. What if his actual voice for the character is off? We don't actually know yet. Any hype I have for Amazons Attack was conjured by me, myself and I when I saw Josie Campbell was writing it and Mary Marvel was in it. The back up did absolutely nothing to hype me up, and if anything made me more hesitant to read it.

This issue actually did give Wonder Woman more of a voice and it's... basically what you'd expect from Tom King. Supergirl again. I know that comic was well-liked and successful, and DC specifically gave Tom King this book to recreate that success for Wonder Woman, but I'm a little shocked by how much of the story structure and characters feel like a transplant job rather than something specific to the creation of this run. It's good, solid comics, so I guess I can't complain about it, but it's very distracting in this issue. I have a nitpick with how the villain corrupts men, with the lasso of lies. I don't think many people would agree with me on this because it sounds a bit off, I recognize. Basically, the man the villain corrupts in the issue has zero problems before the villain corrupts him. However, if we're going to make this villain and the lasso of lies a stand-in for the radicalization of men against women and The Other, as I assume is the goal, it would fit much better if the man in question had some problems. Like, he's lonely, he's unsure of what his role ought to be, etc. These are the things that men, particularly young men, feel that leads them down the path of radicalization. The lasso of lies should be the false solution to the problem, much like the misogynistic, conservative radicalization is, right? If it creates the problems too, then this whole thing kinda fails to capture the metaphor, and that shows a misunderstanding of the issue, to me. Like, I'm sure King doesn't want to accidentally validate the misogyny/patriarchy in a Wonder Woman book, but if it's handled properly, he wouldn't be doing that. He would actually be showing how the patriarchy is super harmful for men as well. Barbie did this well (check it out if you haven't). Ken is feeling feelings of not having a place in his Barbie world, and the film treats those as genuine. And then he goes to the real world and finds out about horses, and he's radicalized by the false patriarchal solution. Anyway, the back up with young Trinity was cute and fun. I would enjoy seeing more of Damian training her.

This is the issue where this arc takes a weird shift and the focus becomes much more myopic, which isn't great because I feel like King has so far failed to make Wonder Woman herself engaging. I don't really *get* what King is going for with her character, even with the minimal character depth we do get. She's talking about choosing love, but it seems like she's a very contemptuous person in her interactions with anyone who's not currently a dying child. It just seems disconnected. Sure, people are multi-faceted and sometimes Wonder Woman is right to be cold, but why is she threatening her fellow Amazons when talking it out seems like the better option? It points to the major flaw I find in Diana's characterization thus far. King wants to show that she's strong and powerful, and has agency, but we don't see the value in that strength and power, and agency, because we never see her struggle, nor do we ever see her question herself. There is a great moment with the dying kid, and it actually hits back on the larger patriarchal conflict this book is about. The child is questioning whether they're bad or abnormal for not liking what's expected of them to like by society's self-imposed gender norms. Whether they're sick and dying because those norms seem so ingrained into everything that it must be how God wants it. It has to be something far beyond humanity's control. Something innate. That's good stuff. Wonder Woman rambles on it too long, but I applaud the effort. Unrelated, I wonder if we'll get follow up on that scene with Steve Trevor where he gets into a fight over some rude, sexist comments from another soldier. This scene is played straight, but it nags at me because it's played straight. I'm not sure what it's saying. Because while the soldier is being sexist and wrong, he's also doubting Steve's manhood and Steve has to prove him wrong by... Punching him out. Which seems like toxic masculinity if I've ever seen it. But is the scene saying, "Hey, Steve's right" or is it saying, "Hey, look at all the ways patriarchy affects us"? Eh, I don't know. The scene with the kid questioning whether he's bad or not is what saves this one for me. The backup is cute although I find it really reductive to say Damian has no hopes and dreams. Kind of flies in the face of everything I've ever read with that character. But it's Damian, so who cares?

While the premise is tired and overdone because it's a very easy idea, this issue does do something I've been pleading with this run to do. I've wanted it to show a Wonder Woman who struggles, and in this issue she does. I think the messaging here is very effective, for the most part. Religion as a tool of oppression is not a new idea, but I'm glad that it's so openly stated in this issue. If this run is going to continue to tackle themes such as patriarchy and oppression, it needs to do so sharply, or else it's going to fall into the trap of appearing somewhat complicit and wishy-washy with regards to the societal problems it speaks to. This issue is about how society will beat women down and silence them, and even convince them of the misogyny that restrains them. You may call it over the top, but it's only over the top because you recognize the framing. From the onset the issue tells you, "This is bad." You catch the small slights Lasso of Lies Steve fires at Diana because you're prepped to, until the subtlety is replaced by overt misogyny. If this was presented in a different context, I think there would be far less whining about how over the top it is. So many people in their reviews for this issue out themselves as willfully ignorant or media illiterate. Guys, here's a hint: If something is genuinely bad, you don't have to lie or exaggerate in order to make it seem bad. I could go through each and every intensely negative review for this issue and point out their flaws, but it'd honestly be a waste of my time. I mean, the reviews themselves signal that they couldn't even read and comprehend my rebuttal if I posted it.

Thankfully, the Dickens bot is gone and we get a much more enjoyable story this time around. I still think Diana is written... well, wrong. She's written like one of those poorly aged 90s "foreigners" that the Americans have to teach the ways of the west, most often seen in poorly aged 90s sitcoms. How does she not know what a steak is? Or hell, what a blooming onion is? She's lived in DC for how long? I live near DC, steaks and blooming onions are everywhere. On every street corner. You can't avoid it. It's the new opioid crisis, but this one makes you fat. That aside, the issue is fun. It has more of that charm that the backups tend to have, and I welcome that, for sure.

Better than issue one, surely. I like the designs here, even if the art leaves a bit to be desired.

This is a little better than last issue. The art even improved a bit.
8.0
 Wonder Woman: Evolution (2021) #4 Mar 16, 2023
8.0
 Wonder Woman: Evolution (2021) #6 Mar 16, 2023
8.0
 Wonder Woman: Evolution (2021) #7 Mar 16, 2023

Not as into a stealth Moira book, but this is still good. I hope it gets more engaging as it goes.

RIP Mystique, I guess. I thought this was enjoyable, but I really do feel like this is just Inferno being reiterated.

We get a bunch of reveals here, and it's solid. And that's all.

Solid enough ending to this event, but I wish it had the oomph that other X-events have had lately. This felt like Inferno being reiterated, especially with that cliffhanger ending. It doesn't excite me the way it should have.

Solid. This is a really interesting idea that I feel carries on naturally from Percy's X-Force run.

Again, solid. I enjoyed this.
8.0
 X-23 (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019

I liked this. I like Gabby and Laura so I'm glad we're focusing on them and not, ironically, more clones.

I like this issue, but I felt it was too wordy, and the art took some time to get used to it. But I like the character dynamics and the concept is super interesting.

This issue is getting a lot of hate because of its alleged Tumblrism, and as someone who has been dragged kicking and screaming into a Tumblr blog here and there, I don't see the issue. It's actually a lot more tame than I thought it would be. So, meh, everyone who had such a complaint is wrong. This was a fun issue and I like seeing these characters interact. Daken is probably the best part of the issue so I hope he's not actually gone.

I like the concepts in this issue and I hope that some of it is explored more. The issue was a little wordy, though. And clearly, there still wasn't enough room.

I like the running theme of mutant circuits. I think there is some roughness in this issue. It seems like Leah Williams is trying to cram too much into each scene but the ideas are good, and the execution is mostly pretty good, that issue nonetheless. Merlyn, specifically, is wrong lol.

This was good. The team works well and the stories are interesting. There's not much to say besides I'm excited to read more. It's not an extravagant issue, just very solid and written well.

This was solid, but not on the same level as other issues in this series.

This was really fun. I like how Quentin Quire has basically become a punching bag for X-Force.

Beast truly is the worst.

Yeah, I'm still enjoying this.

A good issue. Beast is, as always, a dick.

This is a cool issue. I really like the meta play on fridging, that was smartly done. I hope whatever comes next is good.

This is a little silly, but I enjoyed it.

I think everything here works well enough. It's solid.
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #27 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #28 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #29 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #31 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #32 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #33 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #34 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #36 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #37 Feb 6, 2023

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8.0
 X-Force (2019) #41 May 7, 2024
8.0
 X-Force (2019) #49 May 8, 2024
8.0
 X-Force (2019) Annual #1 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Men '92: House of XCII #3 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Men '92: House of XCII #4 Feb 6, 2023

I'm not someone who watched the animated series as a kid. I've never seen it, really. So I went into this miniseries expecting to be very bored, but it was actually really neat to see how the Krakoan Era was remixed and blended with that continuity.

This was a lot of fun, but not quite as large in scale as the last few issues. Although the stuff with Vulcan may be very important.

While the ending is abrupt... I did like it.

This was good but ultimately was just more backstory for Apocalypse, a character I think is cool but I don't necessarily care about. It seems like some people are upset by the retcon, but that seems kind of dumb. But as a comic book fan myself, I understand most of our complaints are dumb. But like, especially X-Men fans.

This was an enjoyable issue, but a brief read.

This is a good issue. It doesn't really act as a finale, but I don't think it was ever intended to be a finale, just the end of a phase.

I know I shouldn't mention it but... wow, Merlyn is such a crackpot. His review is hilarious. Read his, not mine. Mine will just be about how this issue was good, and yet could've done with a little editing. It was a lot, but not quite substantive the way I think issue one was.

This was a solid issue, but I agree with Mout in that I want this series to have a little more to it.

This is a fun issue, that does continue to set things up while delivering a fun done-in-one story that does feel reminiscent of classic Marvel. To me, at least.

I liked this for the most part, but the Polaris stuff didn't work as well for me as it should've.

This was an enjoyable issue. I really liked the back half with Synch and Cyclops.
8.0
 X-Men (2021) #10 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Men (2021) #11 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Men (2021) #12 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Men (2021) #13 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Men (2021) #15 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Men (2021) #18 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Men (2021) #19 Feb 26, 2023

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8.0
 X-Men (2021) #23 May 7, 2024
8.0
 X-Men (2021) #29 May 8, 2024
8.0
 X-Men (2021) #33 May 8, 2024

I liked the ending. The erasure of Reed's log was particularly effective. The thing that holds this issue back a bit is the art. I don't understand what happened, but the Dodsons didn't work so well here. That's a shame, though, because this was a really fun mini with some great implications for the future.

This is the premiere series for this whole Infinity Comic initiative, and having Jonathan Hickman head it up is a great idea. This first issue is... good. Not amazing. But the format is limiting, I guess.

I'm surprised this very radical series about a mutant murdering people over their role in climate change has not been in the conservative media circuit. Maybe it's just because no one is reading these things lol. But this is good.

This was a solid one shot, I'm still more intrigued by the Apocalypse story more than anything.

This was pretty good. I really hope these plotlines are integrated into Uncanny X-Men.

8.0
 X-Men: Blood Hunt (2024): Laura Kinney the Wolverine #1 Oct 14, 2024
8.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #16 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #19 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #23 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #24 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #28 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #29 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #32 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #36 Jul 21, 2019

The story here is very messy but Gillen manages to make it work for the most part. The most secretive part of this mini is that it's where all the character arcs end. Sure, there's some plot relevance, but largely, this is for the characters. Whether it's Hope, or Mystique, or Destiny. Even Sinister finishes his arc, if you can claim he has one beyond being just the worst.

This is a good X-Men history lesson. It does get a bit convoluted and confusing, but it is X-Men. You can only do so much.
8.0
 X-Men: Grand Design: Second Genesis #1 Jul 21, 2019

Good, but this series could serve better as something to thumb through occasionally than outright read again and again.
8.0
 X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse (2024) #3 Oct 14, 2024

You know what, I actually liked this little existential horror story.

Surprised by the hate for this issue. I thought Thomas did a pretty solid job here. Maybe I just have lowered expectations for old creators who are largely out of comics coming back.
8.0
 X-Men: Red (2018) #5 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 X-Men: Red (2018) #8 Jul 21, 2019
8.0
 X-Men: Red (2022) #12 May 7, 2024

I liked this. It fixes Scarlet Witch and makes Krakoa a little more palatable in the process. I don't really get the hate for this one.
8.0
 X-Terminators (2022) #1 Feb 6, 2023
8.0
 X-Terminators (2022) #2 Feb 6, 2023

This was a solid one-shot.

I liked this, shockingly.
8.5
 A.X.E. One-Shots: Eternals #1 Oct 13, 2022

The response to this issue was to be expected. It really is just another issue of Eternals, although the narrative tries to elevate it to be more. That's not a dig at the issue because Eternals was great. This issue does set up a lot of the moving pieces and motivations for the event that follows, and I can't help but feel that not nearly enough people picked this up. But that is a failure of Marvel's marketing, not Gillen's writing. He's killing it. The only issue I have with this book, genuinely, is the art. It feels a bit unpolished and unfinished, which is not how you want an event book - even a prelude - to look. Pasqual Ferry needs a good colorist to back his pencils, and I'm not sure that's what happened here. Still, it's narratively satisfying for someone following Eternals and someone interested in this event.

Really good wrap up, especially if you were reading Eternals.

I really enjoyed this. Makes me excited for the new Ghost Rider book.

This is just explaining how Hulk got involved in Absolute Carnage. I hope we still get Immortal VenomHulk, despite the ending implying that Devil Hulk wants nothing to do with the symbiote. I mean, VenomHulk is still cool, but the Immortal variant is infinitely cooler.

I really enjoy the main story here. I think it captures Superman's character very well. It's all tonally consistent. The story is dark, but Superman isn't Zack Snydering his way across the page. It's just really well done, and I wish I had a more interesting way to say that. The backup is... out of place. It doesn't hit anywhere close to the height of the main story. It's a very basic feeling Martian Manhunter story. Yet another point towards DC dropping backups instead of charging a dollar more for their comics.

This was a really good issue. I really like where Superman seems to be heading. Also, all these people comparing this issue to the Daredevil story are outing themselves as fake comic book fans. Real fans remember when Spider-Man did it.

This first Dawn of DC title is a really good start. PKJ's run continues to be really engaging, even as the cast expands. The Jurgens story with young Jon manages to capture the spirit of the Rebirth era. The Leah Williams story with Powergirl was a bit too wordy, but the concept is actually pretty neat so far. Also, it's actually starting to get kind of obnoxious that people are still refusing to accept that Jon has been aged up and he will never be a ten year old again. I mean, never say never, but Jon being turned into a bisexual character basically secures his age up forever. DC simply won't revert his age, because of the questions and blowback it would get. At this point, the only people more obsessed with Jon's age after four years than these people are on sex offender registries.
8.5
 Action Comics (2016) #1058 Jan 21, 2024

This was a really engaging, really smartly written comic filled with some incredibly stupid fun ideas.

A fitting end to the Warworld Saga. I really hope that wherever PKJ's run goes next, that it can maintain the quality of this story. It's been a long time since Superman has been this good. Let's keep it up.

I liked this a lot. Glob is the best.

This book is really fun if you like the characters.

I liked this issue. I think it had a really nice build up and things got insane in a fun way near the end.

While Blob is still much more sympathetic here than in other Age of X-Man miniseries, I was able to look past it for a really good issue. This was a big jump from issue one and I'm glad it got back on track.
8.5
 All-New Wolverine #29 Oct 9, 2018
8.5
 All-New Wolverine #32 Oct 9, 2018
8.5
 All-New Wolverine #34 Oct 9, 2018

I liked this one more than the previous one. I think as we get further into this fantasy world, the writing will only get better.

This was fun and well written. Not how I expected the story to go, but I like it nonetheless.

I thought this issue was a lot of fun, and any interaction between Pete and MJ is usually a highlight for me. Which is why, with the series getting extended, I'm excited for the next arc in New York. But this arc is cool too. I think the conversation between MJ and Master Matrix was a very necessary and good conversation, and I was extremely into that part. Oh also, Chase Magnett is still the worst critic in comics. "Let's give Amazing Mary Jane #4 a 2, but let me tell you, that Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child one-shot was a perfect 10."

This issue features the first time a villain returns to fight Spider-Man again, and I was very interested in seeing how that affected the pacing and the plotting. It didn't seem to do much. Although I feel Vulture's escape from prison went by extremely fast. You know, when I think of these older comics, I think of more complete single issues. And I think that may be a misconception. Sure, now most writers write for the trade and that leads to a lot of decompressed storytelling. But I gotta be honest, not a ton is happening in these issues. We get little bits of the ongoing narrative, with a big battle taking up the rest. These issues take longer to read, but in terms of what's happening, it's not that much more than what I usually get out of a modern issue. In my review for issue two, I went through how dumb the Vulture's plan and powers were, and they're still dumb. He has a new wing suit that can change magnetic poles instantly, which makes me wonder again how he could fly whatsoever in his first appearance. It still doesn't make sense, but at least they're trying. Also, I was dumbfounded by the solution to stopping the Vulture in this issue. Just webbing his wings. I thought for sure Spider-Man had tried that in issue two, but I went back and he did not. So, Spider-Man built a brand new device never before created just to stop the Vulture... When he never got the idea to web his wings? Crazy, just so crazy. I was baffled and amazed. On the Peter Parker side of things, we find out Aunt May also thinks Flash is better than Peter. Betty and Peter finally get together! It's kind of ham-fisted, but hey this is a big deal! Peter's first relationship! And Jonah continues to be such a delightful character. He's the best. Overall, this was a good issue. I enjoyed the added stakes of Spider-Man having a sprained arm. I enjoyed the interplay between the characters. And I thought the plot moved fast enough to keep my interest. This was an uptick over the last few issues, probably. Quote of the issue: "He's Such a Fragile Boy... Not a Roughneck Like That Flash Thompson!"

I took another long break between last issue and this one. Work, holidays and other engagements kept me from reading this series for too long. I want to shorten my reviews until I catch up. These really do take a while to type out, so if I cut out these, I can catch up faster. I'll be very brief. The whole thing with Betty is interesting but also very contrived. Doc Ock is still a fun villain. Blackie isn't, so much. The pacing here was lightning fast, and I think that was due to this being a technical two-parter. I wish JJJ was in the issue, as he's always a treat. Quote of the issue: "I Agreed to Pick Up Blackie Gaxton... Not to Take Two Battling Furies Aboard!"

I'll get this out of the way. Mysterio is a really cool, exciting villain. But when you explain all his tricks, it kind of lessens the appeal for me. Throughout so much of this issue, I kept thinking about the Far From Home movie. It had to be because of how much of the plot was lifted from these early Mysterio appearances. I don't have that same sort of problem with Vulture, Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Sandman, Electro or the Lizard. It could also be because it's the most recent Spider-Man movie, and therefore it's the freshest in my mind. I don't know, but there's a ton of parallels. And the idea that Mysterio is using drones actually causes much less ruination in my opinion than spring-loaded boots and nylon firing guns. I don't want this review to just be a refutation on all the people pretending Mysterio is so much cooler when he uses ridiculous contraptions and 1960s special effects to achieve his stunts. I have a feeling these people have never read this issue right here, and that's fine as long as they don't pretend to know. But let's not focus on that, let's focus on how ridiculously Mysterio gets beaten. Not the fight itself, but rather Spider-Man recording his evil monologue where he explains everything. That was so lame, but also the only quick way to clear Spider-Man's name... The money troubles briefly return here but they're probably done away with for now! But they'll be back, they always come back. JJJ was amazing as always. He's the best. Quote of the issue: "A Miniature Recorder!! Bah!"

I'm sick at the moment so I find it kind of difficult to really put in the effort with these reviews, but I committed to this re-read and nothing will stop me, save for impending death. I really enjoyed this issue. JJJ was the highlight as always. I liked how they changed up the pace with the villain, and it's really getting annoying how Peter and Betty's relationship amounts to one of them being jealous over the other. It's really a pain to read. Quote of the issue: "Why Don't You Go Play In Traffic?!"

This is a very Ditko sort of comic. That could be seen as an insult, but I really don't mean it that way. It's just that it's a sad sack comic about a guy who tries to do the right thing and always fails, and in the process, becomes a villain. But not in a way that would upset Ditko's Objectivist viewpoints, as Joe never has any say in the matter himself. Of course, Joe does mirror Peter in a lot of ways; Spider-Man always tries to do what's right and ends up vilified by the Daily Bugle, the general public and even his classmates (none of which are his friends by this point). I think Ditko put a lot of himself into Peter Parker in general; Peter even looks like Ditko after all. But the timing of this issue, which ends on such a dour note for our protagonist, is just uncanny. Ditko quit somewhere in the process of making this issue, for feeling that he wasn't getting his due. The cover is literally just a patchwork of art from the issue, so I don't even think Ditko ever did an actual cover. If I remember right, he just showed up and quit one day out of the blue. Of course, it probably wasn't out of the blue for Stan Lee or Steve Ditko. This is just a very significant issue, I think, for reasons obvious and maybe not so obvious. As for the issue itself, there's a lot to like here and none of it really has to do with Joe himself. Ironically, the unfairly disliked Ne'er Do Well is not very appealing to read about, and a lot of focus is given to him to set him up. However, the interpersonal life of Peter Parker is still a highlight and a very fun time. And Norman Osborn's scheme to defeat Spider-Man is much more interesting. I feel like that's why the last few issues have produced such lackluster villains. They're being used in service of the overall plot more than being given the spotlight themselves. I don't really know how these villains would fare with an entire issue devoted solely to them. I don't think it'd work out honestly. So, that must mean that those characters are more meant to fill up the space than to be a draw all their own. Joe being an odd example of clearly having thought put into the character while also just being something for Spidey to tackle while Norman's goons try to defeat him for ransom. I really hope they explain why Norman didn't just put on his Goblin suit and go after Spider-Man, and instead send a bunch of random goons to do it. I don't really remember why he didn't do that. I mean, he has a history of using goons at his disposal, so maybe it fits. But it seems weird that Green Goblin wouldn't be the very next step if Spider-Man needed to be gotten rid of. Maybe they explain it in the next few issues, I just haven't read them in a long while. Quote of the issue: "It's a Good Thing I'm Not the Hyper-Emotional Type! I'd Probably Have Had a Breakdown Long Before This!"
8.5
 Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #796 Oct 9, 2018

This is the first issue where you could feel the effects of a bi-weekly story. The pacing was off here. It felt like too little happened. But despite that, I still really enjoyed this issue. I enjoyed the character interactions between J. Jonah Jameson and Spider-Man. We got to see a rundown of their storied history which is important to remind readers of in an arc centered around their relationship. And the ending with the Big Man got me excited. No one remembers the Big Man, but he was one of Spider-Man's earliest rogues, a crime-lord before Kingpin, or even The Crime Master. I wonder if The Big Man, if he's really the Big Man, has any plans for Kingpin after he deals with Jonah.

This was pretty different from the rest of the .HU tie-ins. The others really delved deep into the character they were centered around. This one kind of does that with Vulture, but not to the same level. The fact that there's a quick Vermin story to make up the page count makes me think that this issue just didn't have as much to say as the rest, while at the same time being one of the most crucial tie-ins. It's pretty weird. But I did enjoy this. I had a really good time reading it. It was just an odd fitting issue is all!

A lot of things here. First, the Kindred stuff. I liked it a lot. I've been calling for a while that Kindred is some form of Peter Parker, perhaps the pre-OMD Peter. The clues are mostly in his design. He's been getting redder and bluer with each appearance. His golden centipedes remind me of the Iron Spider costume. Civil War did lead into OMD... Also, he has a lot of extensive knowledge. Although, he could've somehow gotten that through other means than being Peter Parker. Who knows? He's going by Kindred, after all. I'm excited to see how it all turns out as he seemingly takes a back seat to the oncoming *carnage*. But bringing the other spider-people into this story would actually be really fun. I think they would honestly add a lot. Especially Ghost Spider and Superior Spider-Man. I'm also mostly glad that Mysterio is alive, especially with CB Cebulski's claim to stop killing characters so flippantly. But mostly because it leads to some interesting stories. Like MJ’s story. MJ is one character in the supporing cast that had yet to find her place. Aunt May and Robbie have F.E.A.S.T., Boomerang is trying to reform, Jonah is an avid Spider-Man supporter with his own radio broadcast, Black Cat has her hands full dealing with the Thieves Guild, so on and so forth. So it's nice that she's found her place now and it's a very nostalgic one, at least for me. And I can't wait to see how Mysterio and Kindred get to her through her newly refreshed acting career. Electro makes a return after being fairly underutilized since her inception back in Clone Conspiracy. I'm glad that Nick Spencer is actually doing something with her and picking up Dan Slott's pieces. He had a knack for introducing new ideas and characters and never doing anything with them. And I'm actually totally down for the Syndicate, for Beetle, if anything. I don't think they've done a completely female villain team for Spider-Man before, so it's something new. Peter's story is spent wrapping up one last major loose end from Hunted and it felt very rewarding after dedicating so much time to the Lizard and his family. It does a great job reiterating why Spider-Man is such a good hero. He won't give up on people. The epilogue, which sees Peter finally return to ESU, was really interesting. I honestly never would have guessed that Spencer was going to bring Spider-Man 2099 back to the 616 universe, but I'm hoping that it leads to a story that exemplifies the speech Curt Conners gave about the future. It could be really cool. The Jameson story was fun, but I feel like it went a bit off the rails towards the end and I honestly can't tell if this was a one-off or if this story will actually be picked up again, considering the ending. The final story is completely throwaway, it's a neat idea, to have a bot make a Spider-Man story (although, I don't think they actually did that. I think it was an attempt at what they call humor), but it was not exactly fun to read. I think it was just a way to pad out the issue by a few more pages to meet a nice even number. All in all, this excites me for the future of ASM. I hope this run lasts a good long time. Spencer knows what he's doing and if you don't realize that, you're not a Spider-Man fan. Those last two stories bring down the score a little, but the bulk of this issue was Amazing.

Great plan, Spidey.

I'm so excited that this title is back. This has been one of my favorites since it began. And while I'm sure next issue will be this run in its top form (as all Kindred issues have been), this issue is kind of unfortunate due to the context in which it's been released. How could Nick Spencer and co. know that comics would stop for almost two months? This issue, kinda like last issue, would have done more for me in the timeline where the US didn't have such incompetent leaders. But the hype that I built up for myself because of the delays and my somewhat childish attachment to comics just couldn't be beaten by this more emotional, small wrap up. Of course, it didn't help that the solicitation made the issue sound like it was essential. It is... if you want to know what happens next in the sequential continuity of Nick Spencer's run, but it's not like what I'm just going to assume next issue is like. Or issue 24, or issue 29. This is like... an issue 15. The next big thing is coming and we need to wrap up the cloned Ned Leeds of it all. I say all this despite not disliking the issue. I really enjoyed it, for what it was. But the slight disappointment is not something I can ignore, much like last issue. And it's unfair so I'm not going to let it tank the score. So, the issue itself... I have two points of contention. One, the Lifeline tablet is around but we never really get a wrap up to that. It's not even really mentioned after a certain point. I assume Spidey and Boomerang ended up with all the pieces and Kingpin lost his groove, but it's not explained. Maybe it'll play a role in the next story... But this title likes to take its time and keep its focus sharp, so I can't count on that. Two, what happened to the art in those last few pages? I thought for a second that Ryan Ottley just ran out of time, but I checked this comic's trusty credits page, and it turns out Ottley inked some of this issue. I'm willing to bet those last few pages were Ottley inking his own work. The linework is too sharp and scribbly. It really does his art no favors, and that's a shame because I usually like his art. It was distracting, and I hope Cliff Rathburn, Ottley's normal inker, is back on with whatever Ottley's next issue is. This isn't a bad issue, not at all, it just suffers from a bit of loose plotting and loose inking, and it couldn't have picked a worse context in which to come out.

I've become more and more critical of this run as it's gone on, but I have to admit, this issue worked. The promise of a deeper story, and a real shift in the narrative is exciting. I just hope next issue follows through on that.

This issue is better than last week's. I think Kelly Thompson was seriously just too busy to give this run her full attention. It would explain why, inexplicably, Jed MacKay scripted this issue based on her story. I think the issue may have turned out better for it, as MacKay is very talented, but it makes me wonder if given more room to breathe, if Thompson would've fit better on this title. The pacing and character work here is better, but I can't say the same for the art. I really don't understand why this run needs multiple fill-in artists, when the whole idea was rotating creative teams. At this point, it must be on Marvel's editorial, rather than any of the creators. Petition to get Devin Lewis to replace Nick Lowe? Seriously, he'd be a better fit.

I went into this issue with optimism, and a chip on my shoulder. Not for the creators on this book, or even the editor. Rather, I had a chip on my shoulder for the fans. That chip is still there, after reading this book. All that screaming and whining about how this would be the worst run ever, and what have we gotten with this issue? A solidly written piece of a story that sets things up. It is no different than literally any other Spider-Man #1 I've ever read, in terms of its function. And yet, people got so fucking mad about literally two pages in it. I love the pairing of Peter and MJ. I want them to be together. I am too old to get bent out of shape over a pair of pages purposefully designed to cause outrage and thus, bring in money. If you have been reading comics for any serious length of time, you should understand what those pages are and you should be able to get past your reactionary, boring outrage. The other complaint, which has more validity in my mind, is that we've seen this before. And we have, kind of. This story is like a remix of so many classic stories that'd it be difficult to go through them all. But it feels comfortable to me. I saw a review on here that says that Peter is acting like Doc Ock took over his body again. I disagree. Peter has always had an edge to him, that's what makes him relatable. He's imperfect. I'm wasting my time with explaining this though, because it seems like whenever Peter does anything or says anything contrary to being a perfect hero, people forget the 60 years where he wasn't that. I have had my issues with Peter's characterization in the past, especially in the latter half of Slott's run, but this does not read nearly as immature as the outrage mob would have you believe. This reads like a Peter Parker who has been beaten down and made guilty. It does not read like a man-child fighting other heroes because he's jealous over girl trouble. Or like someone invading a sovereign country on a bloodlust mission. This reminds me, in a lot of ways, of mid-to-late 80s Peter Parker. The same Peter that got married. Peter at his most mature, I'd argue. Perhaps only beaten out by early JMS Peter. I like it. The actual content of this issue is actually interesting to me. I like when Spider-Man is street level and his villains have a good old fashioned crime war. Also, I find it ironic that so many people were acting as though this story throws everything that came before away, only to have this issue tie Spidey more into the Marvel universe than he has been in a while, on top of the main thrust of the story being plotlines that originated from Spencer's run. I guess the biggest issue here for me is the art. John Romita Jr. isn't killing it these days. This is, believe it or not, an improvement over JRJR's DC work. I honestly didn't look at the credits too heavily, but whoever is doing the inking and coloring have really made JRJR shine here. His art isn't amazing but it isn't... a trash fire, like say, his Action Comics stint. I don't feel shame for paying for this artwork. That seems like a backhanded compliment, but it really is an improvement. All in all, I'm excited to see where this new era of ASM goes, and I hope people can get over their reactionary disdain they've been told is good to have for some reason, and at least give this book half a chance before deeming it the worst thing ever (for this month).

Misleading cover and synopsis aside, this was a good issue. I'll comment on them real quick. Marvel (and every other comic company out there) has made a habit of lying about these things to drum up sales. It's a fairly recent invention, they only really started doing it in 1938. Is it annoying? Only because of the rampant speculation and hate from the readership. Pretty much anyone picking this issue up has to understand, by proxy of reading comics for as long as they most certainly have, that comic companies do these things. Simple as that. The actual issue does a good job balancing the Peter and Spidey side of things, something that Spencer's run frequently failed to do. There are complaints that nothing happened in this issue, but that's foolish. This issue is built to give some grounding for what's to come, and that was clear even before the rest of the arc came out. The art is surprisingly good for John Romita Jr, but that still doesn't make it great. There are iffy panels but compared to his work at DC, this is the Mona Lisa.
8.5
 Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #14 Nov 25, 2022

While a little all over the place tonally, I feel like this arc hit its stride in its last couple issues. Norman straight up saying Ock was meant to be a distraction from Kamala is maybe too on the nose. especially since she was only dead for this arc. Right after this last issue, Hellfire Gala came out. So we could end up just skipping any sort of real pathos for Kamala's death in this book, which is amusing and frustrating. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Nothing about the main story here should be shocking. We knew Green Goblin was coming and we knew something was up with Peter. But nonetheless, we get a well-written and tense showdown between the two, that is incredibly well rendered by Ed McGuinness, with some of his best art on the title to date. It's a story that's bound to get you hyped for whatever they're planning to do next. The backups are at the very least good, as well. Marv Wolfman's Black Cat story is a bit rough around the edges, but there's an undeniable charm in how she interacts with Spider-Man. Then, the doughnuts story written by Nikesh Shukla gives the issue a fun, heartfelt story that I honestly wouldn't expect from the title at this point. Followed by cartoonist Lee Gatlin providing a stylistic and funny tale that thankfully doesn't overstay its welcome. The final story (aside from the epilogue) by Joe Kelly is probably the most confusing. I expect there to be follow up, but as for what it means, I'm stumped. Maybe they're gearing up for a Doctor Strange/Spider-Man mini. Maybe Kelly is taking over after Wells. There's no context for what this story is, and it's not intriguing enough to warrant its placement here, and it's the only real miss in what's a very good milestone issue.
8.5
 Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #57 Oct 14, 2024
8.5
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #18 Oct 9, 2018
8.5
 Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) #19 Oct 9, 2018
8.5
 Amazing Spider-Man: Venom Inc.: Omega #1 Oct 9, 2018

Not much happens here, but we get some real character in this one. And the series actually gives us characters that might exist instead of straight stereotypes and political caricatures. That's a lot coming from this politically charged Vertigo line. Border Town could've taken some notes from this if its creator wasn't a hypocritical creep.

This was a really good issue. I think despite its slow start, this series has really come into its own. I also like how the characters continue to break the stereotypes that so many "politically conscious" comics continue to use. If you're going to tackle complicated issues, you can't just simplify them and that's what the stereotypes do.
8.5
 Analog #2 Oct 9, 2018

This was a lot better than the zero issue. It immediately goes for a more adult tone than Buffy, much like the TV series, which is something I've always appreciated, even moreso now. We're in an odd period though. Angel doesn't seem to have a place yet. He's got almost no supporting cast, and nothing to really cement him in the Buffyverse besides his being a vampire. I think this may be a problem down the line because, if we're to assume the comics will be anything like the TV show at all, he needs to meet Buffy and become more ingrained in the Sunnydale group. That looks to be what's going to happen in Buffy's title, but if it does, where does that leave Angel as series? Part of Angel's character is that he's a bit of a loner who eventually lets people in, but it's been two issues and each chance at a supporting cast has been ripped away and that's concerning to me as a reader because this series needs to find its place. Besides the concerns about the longevity of this book, I did enjoy what I read. Angel and Angelus' voices are on point and that is great.

I'm not sure how to feel about Gunn's new origins. On one hand, doing something different is a good way to keep treading new ground. On the other hand, the original version was probably more impactful for me. But the character remains essentially the same. I wonder if this will lead to an early relationship between Fred and Gunn. Time will tell, and I'm excited to see what's next.

Well, more Spike is always great. I hope this all ends with him becoming a regular member of the Angel cast, like in the fifth season of the TV show. If this version of Spike and Angel have even an ounce of chemistry that the originals had in the show, it'll be great. Also, did they call Fred "The Oracle" at the end of the issue? Did I miss something? Is she taking Cordelia's role from the TV show?

This was a really exciting start to this event. I hope the one-shots are as good, if not better.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, mostly because I don't know the writer and I fear the unknown. But this was fun and frantic, and Sentry was badass. The team up between Beta Ray Bill and Lockjaw works so well, and I'm continually surprised by that. This is turning out to be a good mini-event.
8.5
 Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) #1 Oct 9, 2018

I thought this was really, really fun.

This was a really fun miniseries. I enjoyed it.

Probably the best issue so far. It was quickly paced, it never overstayed its welcome, and it didn't bog itself down with even more exposition.

This was a good, well paced issue. I was into it.

Honestly, I think I liked this issue more than the majority of Kelly Sue DeConnick's run. And it's about a character that I don't really care about, and has often felt boring to me. It's crazy. This is more interesting to me than anything happening with Aquaman right now.

I actually liked this issue a lot more. I just needed more to latch onto. The first issue focused on building intrigue and dread, and this issue follows through, which tends to be a lot more entertaining.

Another really good and fun issue.

This series is still a really fun one!

I had a lot of fun with this one.

This was much better than issue one. I'm interested in what comes next.

I like this a lot because it's pulling from a bunch of different stories that I've read and creating something interesting with those threads.

This was really fun. It was pretty great. My favorite part of it was the explanation for the guy named Fuck. The art was especially great and is used to greater effect here than I think it ever was in Squirrel Girl.

Fuck is the best.

8.5
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) Annual #1 Oct 9, 2018

This is really well-written, but I have a really hard time caring about Starbrand and Nightmask. I thought the "ignored" part really well done. I had forgotten about that, and I kept thinking, "Who are these people. I don't remember them." I assume it's essentially the same experience for new readers. It's very effective.

Nick Spencer comes on board and things get 45% more wordy. This issue started slow, but quickly became entertaining.

An engaging read when not focused on the Starbrand.

This was an expected issue, but still delivered very well.

This was also a little less than essential, in my eyes. More like a step than a leap, if that makes sense. I still enjoyed it.

Was not expecting this, and I honestly forgot it happened. But this was a really interesting done-in-one. I wanted to at least get one Avengers issue down before taking another break.

Better than last issue. This is turning very fun.

Another really fun issue.

Not as good as last issue but still very interesting.

Still a bit slow, but really manages to end on a high point.
8.5
 Avengers (2016) #683 Oct 9, 2018
8.5
 Avengers (2016) #687 Oct 9, 2018
8.5
 Avengers (2018) #4 Oct 9, 2018
8.5
 Avengers (2018) #6 Oct 9, 2018
8.5
 Avengers (2018) #8 Oct 9, 2018

Still really into this. I don't mind that Carol was able to withstand a penance stare, it has never been consistent and it was a cool moment for her. Red Widow really is as ruthless as they say she is, too. Also, the Johnny Blaze reveal didn't really feel like a reveal. I mean, I guess no one read Damnation, but still it was pretty obvious.

I started out not liking this issue, but then the report narration kicked in and everything started lining up, and I really enjoyed that. I always enjoy when comics delve into the political aspect of their world. This is what I really loved about the early parts of this run. We need to get back to that. It's far more interesting than yet another event arc where the Avengers battle another unstoppable foe. I also really enjoy Jennifer's characterization here, and I won't apologize.
8.5
 Avengers (2023) #7 Jan 21, 2024

I really enjoyed this one. I wish Avengers Forever had a real ongoing narrative to put these vignettes together, beyond a Ghost Rider appearance at the very end.

The more focused approach helped this second issue a lot.

Damn this is a surprisingly good time.

A less eventful issue, but still very good.

As much as it feels like Aaron didn't really know what to do with these characters and mysteries he set up, I do think this one-shot works well on its own, divorced from the run. Kev Walker is a nice reprieve from Garron, in my opinion. I don't really know if this will matter or not, but who cares, Aaron wrote something that I unambiguously liked for the first time in months.

Poor Hawkeye.

I really like Rocket's perspective. I think that's a carryover from the Rocket miniseries AL Ewing did, but I'm not sure. Immortal Hulk is great as always. Probably the best part of this series so far.

This was really good. Immortal Hulk, once again, being the standout.

Slightly not as good as the first two issues, but still really good.

Not sure how I feel about the Warlock part, but otherwise I'm still into this.

I really want more of the demon raccoon, tbh.

I kinda saw this one coming.

Really good, but brief issue.

This is still a really good series, but man, the gap between the last arc and this one is super unfortunate. I genuinely think it's hurting my enjoyment, because I've forgotten all but the vagueness that represents the characters. That being said, I can't wait to see how shit hits the fan.

This was actually really good. I was really dreading this arc, but I'm tentatively on board now. I don't think Jorge Jiminez is going to draw the whole thing, which is a shame since the other artists on this book are not nearly as good.

So far, still good! I'm pleasantly surprised by Williamson's work here.

I'm still really enjoying this, but I hope the pace kind of picks up in the main story.
8.5
 Batman (2016) #138 Feb 29, 2024

Well, I actually liked this issue. Nothing here is original, but... Good luck finding an original Batman story. I'm not going to harp on it as long as the unoriginality is done well. I think it is here. We escape the morass of this arc's convoluted continuity for a very welcomely simple finale focusing on Zdarsky's strengths as a bat writer, his character work. The only real problem with this is that Absolute Power is coming, we know what's happening in it, and its specter is looming over this story like the sword of damocles.

I wish the conclusion was a bit more clever than it was, but still really good.
8.5
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #7 Sep 27, 2022
8.5
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #17 Mar 14, 2024
8.5
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #18 Mar 14, 2024
8.5
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #20 Mar 14, 2024
8.5
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #22 Mar 14, 2024
8.5
 Batman and Robin (2023) #6 Mar 14, 2024

Liked this one more than I expected to. Started a little slow, but by the end, I was into it.
8.5
 Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic (2023) #4 Mar 14, 2024

I enjoyed this more than the first miniseries by Kelly and Lanzing. I was also surprisingly okay with how Constantine was portrayed here.
8.5
 Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #5 Sep 27, 2022
8.5
 Batman vs. Robin (2022) #3 Nov 15, 2022

This was a good issue, but perhaps slower than the other two so far. Batman's being a detective and that's cool. The action looked a bit off this time around. It mostly all connected, but there were a few instances where the art didn't translate the action. And since pages are sacrificed for action in this series, they have to be astounding. It reminds me, in a lot of ways, of Warren Ellis's Moon Knight, as that was also an action heavy series. But that series had Declan Shalvey, an artist with a style befitting the gritty tone of Moon Knight. This series has Bryan Hitch. Hitch makes some pretty art, I cannot deny, but I don't know if he's the best fit here. That's my only complaint, but it's a hefty one.

This had a strong emotional core that even got to my black heart. But there were a few issues. Nothing major. Just, I don't know, I don't really like Azrael as a villain. He's kinda weak. I'd prefer this story a lot more if that stuff was excised out of it.
8.5
 Batman: Damned #1 Oct 10, 2018

I expected to hate this going in after really disliking issue two so many months ago. But I was actually into it. With most of the more "edgy" components that plagued issue two missing, we get something more like issue one. And it's well drawn and mostly well written. I just wish Constantine was more like he was in Azzarello's Hellblazer. There are hints of it there, but he doesn't come close. I also wish the middle chapter was better, because then I'd probably be picking up the trade. (And I'd only go for the uncensored version, of course.)

At least that dumbfuck Myconius stopped wasting their time.
8.5
 Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (1990) OGN Jun 12, 2024

I read all the previous appearances of this universe before reading this, and this is easily the only comic since the original story that is even close to the same quality.

This was better. I really like this version of Cassandra Cain over the Rebirth version of the character. Not only does she just plain look cooler, I would say her characterization is better. The captions worked a lot better this time around too. I think maybe issue one was stretched a bit too much to establish the premise. The back-up by John Byrne was good silver age fun. Nothing too exciting.
8.5
 Batman: Kings of Fear #1 Oct 10, 2018

I really liked the flow of this story, and I really liked the premise. The ending is hokey as all hell, and kind of detracts, but aside from that, I really liked this one.

I don't understand the hate for this one at all. This is a more cynical take on Batman, but what do you expect from Garth Ennis? And I don't even think it's really out of character. Batman uses his bat gimp gear to strike fear into the hearts of criminals. And here, he does just that. Whereas in the main bat-titles they don't really want to linger on just how fucked up that can be, this title is perfectly willing to linger, because it's a moody, grimdark, horror comic. Batman is terrifying, because that's the tone. I don't think this comic has billionaire bashing like I've seen mentioned in some reviews. In fact, I honestly think that's just people putting their politics and their biases into what they're reading and coming to a false conclusion about what it must mean. And in that case... Billionaires don't need your defense as they've got more money than you can fathom that keeps them untouchable from the law and, more importantly, the people. And if Batman were an actual person, he'd be terrible. A privately funded, militarized rogue vigilante that works with the cops to illegally infringe on the rights of the people, usually beating the disenfranchised to a pulp for being driven to petty crime by socioeconomic factors that he should be well aware of, given how much he cares for his city, instead of spending that money on things like education, housing, unionization and reform. Stuff that would alleviate the root causes of poverty and crime. But again, this comic has nothing to say about that. None of the billionaire bashing is printed on the page, it's all in your head.
8.5
 Batman: The Knight (2022) #7 Sep 27, 2022
8.5
 Batman: The Knight (2022) #8 Sep 27, 2022

I really enjoyed this one. It is very wordy, like DeMatteis tends to be, but he actually makes Ben an interesting character, so it's not a slog to get through. If you have any nostalgia for 90s Spidey, this will be a fun read for you.
8.5
 Birds of Prey (2023) #3 Mar 14, 2024
8.5
 Birds of Prey (2023) #8 May 17, 2024
8.5
 Birds of Prey (2023) #10 Jun 6, 2024

This book is a lot of fun, I just wish the art was better.

I kinda hope Batroc sticks around. Also, poor Black Fox.

This is a really fun issue.

This was a good issue. I like how Felicia is written here.

This is a really good issue that went by way too fast.

Well, I guess Kelly Thompsons could write Black Cat well someday. (I realize that the relationship on display in this issue is much more akin to Bat/Cat, but I recognize that Bijou has far too much of a personality to be considered an approximation of Selina Kyle. Felicia, however, is able to match said personality. I admit, I'm only reading these select issues because a creator I like is writing them. I have no broader context for anything I've read. The Black Hammer universe seems neat enough, I guess.
8.5
 Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #3 Oct 10, 2018
8.5
 Black Panther (2018) #2 Oct 10, 2018

This was one of the best issues in a while. Characters were written well. The plot definitely moved forward. And the symbiote villain is pretty dope. A lot of earlier elements of Coates' run are coming back into play, so I wonder how that affects the experience of readers that only came on board with the Intergalactic Empire run.

I think I liked this one more than issue one. I still have some issues, but I can recognize when something is written well even if I'm not on board with it holistically.
8.5
 Black Panther (2021) #10 Nov 6, 2022

I liked this one a lot. A strong start to the story, in my opinion. Elena Casagrande's art is always great.

It's felt like forever since the last issue, and this issue is really good once you remember what's happening. The art alone is worth the cover price. Everything works here, aside from maybe the pacing not being as tight as I wish it was.

Honestly the fact that this is from the same creator who wrote that terrible Green Lantern run is crazy. This is actually very good, with deliberate yet interesting pacing.

I really liked this. It was definitely more of a spectacle, compared to previous issues. I don't know why critics aren't feeling it. Oh yeah, they're critics.

This was a standout issue.
8.5
 Books of Magic (1990) #4 Sep 24, 2020

This was a nice issue.

Really good issue with many intriguing elements.

So, I guess Angel and Buffy will both be absent from their own titles during this event. That's actually a pretty smart way to develop the supporting cast. This issue was a lot of fun. It's obviously Kendra at the end of the issue, btw.

The story gains a tighter focus here, and it's refreshing. I see a direction now. The character work is better too. This story toiled for a while. It had too many issues to fill.

I'm a super big fan of Faith, so I'm glad she's getting her due a bit here. This was a good issue, and maybe a boost to my waning interest in the Boom reboot of Buffy. The ending had me excited, yet worried. I also really love that character, and I want him done right.

Still into this. I think we're seeing the genesis of the crazy Drusilla we know.
8.5
 Cable (2017) #153 Oct 18, 2018
8.5
 Cable (2017) #159 Oct 18, 2018

Yeah, I still like this.
8.5
 Captain America (2017) #695 Oct 18, 2018
8.5
 Captain America (2018) #3 Oct 18, 2018

I'm back into this. More issues like this, please. Ones that evidently have a point/reason to exist.

I think Coates has successfully reeled me back in. As long as he continues to have something to say, I'm on board. This can turn into a bad book if Coates's writing feels uninspired, so it's crucial that he maintains this going forward.

This was a good issue. Ta-Nehisi Coates lays out what his run has been about, and I think it's something worth telling. If only it came several issues before this, because the type of people that this comic is calling out have long since dropped this title.
8.5
 Captain America (2018) #750 Mar 17, 2024

I didn't like this as much as I liked the first arc, but it's still very good. A big reason why is the art. I've never been a fan of Magno, they're just not for me.
8.5
 Captain America Infinity Comic #3 Oct 28, 2021

So far this crossover hasn't showcased the strength of either title, but this is better than the first two parts. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.5
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #1 Sep 27, 2022

This was a good issue. This run has done a lot to make Carol more likeable and I feel like this issue has a lot of pay off in that regard.

This is mostly just an action issue, so there's not much to say. The plot points we did get were pretty cool though.

Okay, last issue was a bit weird, but this puts us back on track. I really enjoyed this issue, and man, I can't even believe Kelly Thompson has the gall to call back to those abysmal Marvel Team Up issues. I respect it. Especially since it didn't ruin this issue.

While the comic's pacing was a little off, there was a lot of good character moments here that make it worth reading. I'm excited to see where the title goes from here. There's always something limiting about tie-ins. Now we're in uncharted waters again! Exciting!

Really good ending to the future/Ove stuff. I kinda hope it ends here, honestly. The backup by Jamie McKelvie is so well done, and that's the sort of thing that fixes a character after all that assassination.

Really good, engaging issue. I'm really liking this arc so far.

This was a very fun issue. Binary reminds me a ton of Singularity, and I wonder if this is just how Kelly Thompson writes these characters, or if there's more to it. Nonetheless, this is yet another really enjoyable issue of this overall enjoyable run.
8.5
 Captain Marvel (2019) #39 Sep 27, 2022

Honestly, Paknadel has made this series a lot more fun to read. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

The first two stories were excellent, both in writing and art. It was really cool to see how powerful Venom is after King in Black. Unfortunately, the third story fell flat. It didn't even have good art to save it.

This is a whole lot of fun.

This was maybe a tad overwritten, but it gave Selina something I felt has been missing for a while now. And that is, a strong voice. I've been very vocal about how I prefer Felicia Hardy over Selina Kyle, and part of why is that I've always felt that Felicia had more going on, whereas Selina seemed too often stuck in the role of femme fatale, which is inherently limiting for character growth. And to be clear, I'm sure there are amazing Catwoman stories where she's not just that, but to also be clear, they've been few and far between in my reading. This comic luckily doesn't continue the trend. Selina feels third-dimensional rather than one-note. And the sheer amount of words in this comic may have been a little much, but they did a hell of a lot of heavy lifting. On top of the writing, the art, the pencils and inking and coloring, is all fucking great. This feels like a top tier DC comic, and not just yet another Batfamily book. I liked it.

Not entirely sure that I'm cool with Vermont, but everything else here works. I really like the deliberate pacing, Catwoman's voice is interesting and the art is great.
8.5
 Catwoman (2018) #61 Jun 15, 2024
8.5
 Catwoman: Lonely City (2021) #4 Nov 15, 2022

This one worked a lot better.
8.5
 Champions (2016) #22 Oct 18, 2018
8.5
 Champions (2016) #25 Oct 18, 2018

I'm liking this team. Feels like a good place to put all these younger heroes. I hope this series continues for a while.

This was good and the tease at the end actually has me interested for what comes next.

This was a surprisingly strong issue from Greg Pak. I'm really enjoying these We Are Legends books. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.5
 City Boy (2023) #6 Jun 15, 2024

I enjoyed this a lot.

I like this a lot.

Not including The Hellblazer: Rebirth #1 in this score. It'd tank the score.

This was a really fun time.
8.5
 Cult of Carnage: Misery (2023) #4 Jun 15, 2024

I really enjoy the tone of this book. The ideas are all interesting, with the potential to really blossom into effective messaging and themes (Not quite there yet). The art is great. They just really need to start tying things together more. They've started to, but it's still a bit chaotic, and that is what drags this book down for me.

I really like the tone of this series, and the individual plotlines remain interesting. I do have a slight worry that this series won't all come together in the end, but what is happening in the moment is entertaining to read. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

It seems like people are getting impatient, which is fair since we're halfway through the series. But I'm enjoying the various mini-stories happening in this narrative. The biggest gripe I have is just how much these characters curse. Not because I'm against cursing, I curse a lot. But it is genuinely annoying to read so many censored words over and over and over again. There are points where the dialogue simply loses its flow as you try to plug in the proper expletive that both sounds right and isn't just a repeat of the last several expletives from that same character. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.5
 Daredevil (2015) #602 Oct 20, 2018
8.5
 Daredevil (2015) #605 Oct 20, 2018
8.5
 Daredevil (2015) #608 Oct 20, 2018

Really enjoying this series. Sad to see it ending soon.

Okay, I feel like this is almost certainly a dream or something along that line of thinking. There's no way it's not, with how dreamlike everything is and how unreal this all feels. If it's not, retroactively this issue might prove problematic. But in the moment, it works.

This is a solid start. Zdarsky is the writer who made me really start to care about Elektra. She's never really connected with me. To me, her best moment was dying. But... Zdarsky is a good writer and he made her work for me. And I'd read a whole ongoing like this.
8.5
 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022): Big Bang #1 Jan 12, 2023

Nearly as good as Dark Ages, which I read back-to-back with this. This is super engaging, and here's the thing: High Fantasy is garbage. But I enjoyed this for what it was, even still. Oh, and I wouldn't rely on Merlyn to know how to properly approach LGBT characters in fiction. "Let's not normalize two women kissing because it's too funny and cringe. Because normalization is bad, and I'm definitely not a bigot." These claims of Taylor not knowing what he's doing in this regard is just poor subterfuge for someone to say they don't like gay people without having to be open about it. This is the same as all those GamerGate idiots going around saying, "Well, if you just did diversity *right*" The key is knowing there's no "right way" to these people. They're just cowards.

This is one of the better Darkhold issues. It is about abuse and love, and all that gay shit. When you take into account that this is a series of one-shots about characters succumbing to their worst natures (more or less, the editor did a poor job with directing all the writers), this issue makes a ton of sense. This is an abuse victim's worst fantasy. Something that they hate themselves for thinking and taking pleasure in, regardless of how badly they've been hurt. Merlyn doesn't understand this, as he's either never been abused in a relationship (Good for him!) or he's just too braindead to realize he's been a victim of abuse (Good for him!). He thinks this issue is about a macro idea of patriarchy. And in some ways, it could be. Women are conditioned by society to be subservient, to be the empathetic one, forever at the abuse of hegemony. And if you're on the fence about this, just talk to a woman. It becomes immediately apparent if you're even a little bit aware of social relations. It's super shitty. But who is to say this isn't about the micro? The codependent, abusive relationships that a lot of us have been through? It could even be about both?? Mind blown yet??? The truth is, this is a well done story and if you can't humanize with this even a little bit because you're just so blinded by politics and an all-consuming fear, I feel bad for you. And I'm not ignoring the last bit about how writing comics means you aren't oppressed. Bitch please, comic writers in general are super oppressed. They need unions and healthcare ASAP. They're all brought in with a love for the medium that they can't help but share, and then systematically abused by the systems in place that keep them under the boot heel of Mickey and Bugs.

This was very enjoyable. I'm starting to dig this series a lot.

An extra .5 for the ending because that was pretty great. Overall, the issue was good, but there's not much to say.

I liked this issue and all, but like, could he not use his heat vision or something?

This was a lot better than issue one. I just wish the art was up to snuff.
8.5
 DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #1 Oct 2, 2022
8.5
 DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #2 Oct 2, 2022

I liked this issue more than the first. The tone problem seems to be gone. And that cliffhanger is great.

I don't know, I just really like this story.

I liked this slightly less than tbe first issue, but this is very entertaining regardless.
8.5
 Deadpool (2018) #5 Oct 20, 2018

This gives us a little more of the sad clown Deadpool that Duggan did so well. Except here, Deadpool's rut is very one dimensional. The issue still works, but if this was an entire story arc, there'd be a problem.

After really getting annoyed with the last issue because of the one-shot format this series is going with, I was not expecting to like this issue one bit. But of course, they turned it around, making me look dumb in the process. You really can't do anything with characters like Silly Seal and Ziggy Pig anymore. Unless you give them to some insane creator that redefines comics with them... So to have them show up in a Deadpool comic is really the best way to go. I like my cheery animal cartoons being turned into grumpy things, so having Silly Seal enlist Deadpool to kill Ziggy Pig's cousin Zaggy Pig, a drug kingpin, is really fucked up and I really like it all the same. But what really makes this work is that Deadpool's daughter Ellie is in this. This run needs to incorporate more and more from Duggan's run. Duggan's run had Sad Clown Deadpool, which is easily the best Deadpool. Deadpool without depth and character becomes nothing better than Harley Quinn, and that used to be why it was so annoying when Harley was called DC's Deadpool. He was and potentially still is an extremely rich character, if only you keep what came before. Deadpool may have been mindwiped, but everything that happened still happened. And that can be an interesting dynamic if done correctly, like I think it is done here. If we aren't going to have arcs, we need to really be invested in these characters. And that's where this issue succeeds and where the last one didn't.

Yes, keep the sad clown coming. Sad clown + jokes + Jeff = Success.

It's a shame this is the last issue. This run was much better than the previous one, but it seems like sales just can't compete with Duggan's run from a few years back. But this run was unfairly hampered by a pandemic and delays, so I'm kind of annoyed that it got shafted. Hopefully whatever comes next is good too.

I'm really glad that this run is touching on some of Duggan's stuff. It has felt like writers have tried to mostly avoid his run since it ended, but really, that was peak Deadpool. We could always use more of that.
8.5
 Deadpool (2024) #5 Oct 14, 2024

This is just an extremely fun title.

I liked this issue a lot more than issue one.
8.5
 Deathstroke (2016) #29 Oct 20, 2018
8.5
 Deathstroke (2016) #33 Oct 20, 2018

Much better than last issue. This issue feels purposefully convoluted and crazy, unlike previous installments.
8.5
 Deathstroke Inc. (2021) #12 Oct 2, 2022
8.5
 Deathstroke Inc. (2021) #13 Oct 2, 2022

This is a slower, more expository issue. I'm nonetheless excited for what comes next.

Only Merlyn would be upset about a fake cosmos of a fake universe that, in canon existed before the fake cosmos of a fake universe we read, in which they celebrate the concept of pride, because of a religion that's somehow garnered respect, despite being just as fake as this comic. Almost like he's just a bigot or something. I like this issue, and I like how Ewing is diving back into the different cosmoses of the Marvel universe after his Ultimates run.

I so hope that this one gets the treasury edition it deserves. The art is amazing. And Ewing backs it up with clever, fun writing. I hope the creative team remains the same when the Defenders return, as promised in the back of the book.
8.5
 Detective Comics (2016) #972 Oct 20, 2018
8.5
 Detective Comics (2016) #981 Oct 20, 2018

This was a really fun read. I hope we don't have any more anthologies to screw up now.

I was into this a lot! Even the Damian stuff! Crazy!

This was a really fun one-shot. More of this would be appreciated.

I had a lot of fun with this one. Yes, it's nothing groundbreaking, but it's Batman being Batman and that's kind of enough after so many years of something else.

Really good.

At this point, I just think people dismiss this comic because Tamaki's name is on it. They shouldn't. It's good. That's all, I have nothing more to say. The backup by Rosenberg is fine, although it doesn't excite me for Task Force Z.

This was a solid start to this event. I am so done with bat-events, but this one has me hooked at least for the moment.
8.5
 Detective Comics (2016) #1062 Oct 2, 2022
8.5
 Detective Comics (2016) #1063 Oct 2, 2022

This is better, with the focus on Two Face really helping things. I don't care about the new villains, but the old ones are still written interestingly. The issue is constructed in a very clever way, but it would've been for nothing if what was on the page was dull. Fortunately, that wasn't the case here.

While there's certainly still a pacing issue with this run, and you could validly point out that we're spending time in this very long story essentially advertising a different book, the writing here mostly works. I could nitpick, but it's not unengaging. However, I don't think anyone would say that the backups by Spurrier aren't the best part of this book every month.

The art here is incredible looking. I liked the writing. Since their all-too-brief Green Arrow run, this team has needed some recognition, and I hope they're starting to get it.

I thought this was a lot of fun. The only thing I am concerned about is how quickly Doom took Symkaria and killed off other characters. It makes me think something will reverse this at the end.

If you don't like Doom talking himself into a giant fuck up over his deep insecurity, you're lost.
8.5
 Doctor Strange (2018) #1 Oct 20, 2018

The new Circus of Crime is the best new villains of 2024. If you can't see it, and need to blame your blindness on what you misinterpret to be YA, that just means you've got bad opinions.
8.5
 Doctor Strange: Damnation #4 Oct 20, 2018
8.5
 Domino (2018) #6 Oct 20, 2018

This was a really good first issue. I know not to trust that when it comes to Mark Waid, but I still wasn't expecting such a good outing. I really like the status quo here, and I'd be lying if I said that the Doctor Druid tease didn't excite me, as nerdy as that sounds. I hope this series is a lot smoother than the last, and that the status quo isn't just a means to an end like cosmic Doctor Strange was.

I enjoyed this one. It felt very long, but not in a bad way? I had a good time. Maybe it's just because I haven't read a Dr. Strange comic in a long time.
8.5
 Duo (2022) #4 Oct 2, 2022

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Good issue. The writing is really ramping up.

Aside from some tie-ins that no longer exist filling in a few gaps in the story, this was a good issue again. A lot of fun without getting stupid, and the stakes feel real.

I liked this issue. I thought the wedding was nice. I thought everything with the Thing was written very well. I wasn't expecting the one death in the issue, although I have a feeling that will resolve itself. I'm interested in seeing where it leads. This definitely feels like an event built around its tie-ins. The whole Invasion of Wakanda, for instance, had its own miniseries. I feel like that's the biggest problem with the event is that now there are gaps that would've been filled by tie-ins that won't be now. I like the event for what it is though, and I do think it is overall well-written. The art continues to be great.

I like where this is headed.

Well, I'm glad I went back and read Gaiman's Eternals or else I'd be very lost here. I enjoyed this. Some of the humor is a bit off, but otherwise I like an Eternals book, what more could you want?

This was yet another really good issue that makes me care about the Eternals!

Everything here with Thanos is so good that it makes up for little movement on the Eternals' side of things.

This is really good! I like how it gives more context to that Avengers arc that haphazardly killed the Eternals off for no good reason.

This was much better than issue two.

I was into this issue. I found it exciting and interesting. The cliffhanger is something else. I wonder where it's headed.

I really enjoyed this. I like how everything seems to have come together a bit. That makes it clear that there was a plan here.

Man, the amount of people who get distressed when a comic doesn't go the obvious, expected route. It's pretty clear Saturnyne isn't holding a very robust and fair contest.

This is a good issue, but it's got a lot to do and it feels a little rough, pacing wise, because of that. But I still enjoyed it.

I actually really liked this one. I find the politics of Otherworld interesting. This series felt a bit all over the place since X of Swords, so I hope this issue gets us back on track.
8.5
 Exiles (2018) #1 Oct 20, 2018
8.5
 Exiles (2018) #3 Oct 20, 2018

This was really good. This is what Exiles can be. Fun ideas where nothing is impossible. But that means some arcs may be less interesting than others, but that's just a part of the ride.
8.5
 Extermination (2018) #1 Oct 20, 2018
8.5
 Extermination (2018) #2 Oct 20, 2018
8.5
 Falcon (2017) #7 Nov 6, 2018

Really good. I like seeing all these characters interact again after so long, and in such a fun way. The art was very weak, in my opinion. Too much glossing over of details.

A better issue than last time. I liked this a lot.

I liked this. The highlight was Spider-Man, honestly. I like this FF-less FF more than the past 5 issues probably.

Dan Slott said on the Steg-Man and His Amazing Friends podcast a few weeks back that Fantastic Four #25 served as a relaunch in a new direction for the series, they just didn't actually relaunch it. And I can definitely see that in this issue. I am actually excited about where the story is going and I really hope Slott does something cool here.

I liked this a lot even if the cover and title make this comic look a lot more noir than it actually is.

I really enjoyed this and I know my friends won't.

The Venom story was really great and exciting. I think this should attract readers to this story. I look forward to it. The Friendly Neighborhood/Miles Morales: Spider-Man story was fun. I'm so glad it's not what the cover suggested it was. I don't want Miles vs Peter. I enjoyed it for what it was, but I don't see it bringing readers on board for either series.

This FCBD issue fared better than the X-Men one. While I would've preferred something more substantial for the Spider-Man/Black Cat story, what we got was really fun. I really like how the two characters are written together. I didn't love the art here, and I'm not sure why. It seemed like the scenes with Peter unmasked talking to Black Cat were drawn by someone else, but the credits don't say that. I've seen Patrick Gleason draw Peter much better in the 2099 ASM arc. The Venom story was a good introduction to Virus, and I think that really helps out issue 26 in hindsight. Virus seems like a bit less of a chump in this introduction than he seems in issue 26, so I'm more on board with the character now.

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8.5
 Flash (2016) #40 Nov 6, 2018
8.5
 Flash (2016) #45 Nov 6, 2018
8.5
 Flash (2016) #47 Nov 6, 2018

Another really good issue of FNSM.

This was rushed but the characters were written so well that I don't care.

This was a great finale. I really like that the other heroes are willing to help Spidey the way they do here. I really like the emotional connection Peter and May have. I do have a bit of a problem with the "villain" here. I just find myself sick of the trope that character inhabits. But it's not enough to sour my opinion. Overall, this was a really good series, and I'll miss Tom Taylor's take on the character.

I thought the Dark Detective story was pretty good. I'm worried about the pacing at this point. What could issue 4 do to make this story worthwhile? I like how Tamaki writes Bruce, but that only goes so far. The art is great still. The Grifters story was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed how Rosenberg wrote the characters. If you liked the Grifters backup, I suggest you check out the Hawkeye: Freefall miniseries from last year that Matthew Rosenberg did.
8.5
 G.O.D.S. (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

Better than the first issue, while still not reaching the heights of Immortal Hulk. I like the character interactions a lot more here, and I do wanna see what Abomination is up to.

8.5
 Generation X (2017) #87 Nov 6, 2018

This is the first time I've ever been excited about a Ghost Rider comic.

Still more into this than I've been into any Ghost Rider book.

Man, am I actually enjoying Ghost Rider? This is weird.

This continues to be a surprisingly good series. The horror is on point. I really enjoy the art. And I genuinely care about Johnny Blaze, which is shocking.
8.5
 Ghost Rider (2022) #4 Oct 4, 2022
8.5
 Ghost Rider (2022) #6 Oct 4, 2022
8.5
 Ghost Rider (2022) #16 May 8, 2024

This was a lot of fun. And I'm glad that they're making Miles Warren as creepy as he's always been, and not toning him down.

I'm having a lot of fun with this series. It's the spider-book that feels the most... nostalgic to me? I get a lot of Spider-Man: The Animated Series vibes from this, even though it is nothing like that.

This was a lot of fun, and managed to tie all the one-shots together aside from the Magneto one. This series set out to be an artistic showcase and to seed plot points for Hickman's grand x-plan, and it did both to varying degrees of success. It was never bad, but it wasn't always amazing. I don't regret reading this one.
8.5
 Gideon Falls #3 Nov 6, 2018

At least this arc ended on a strong note. I won't say I'm going to miss this book while it's on break though.

I'm just so glad this series has expanded. I was so close to giving up on it. My attention is little and my patience is none. But it has gone off in a cool, new direction. So hopefully it won't get to the point it was at before where I was rolling the dice and hoping for a comic with cool art showcases.
8.5
 God Country #1 Dec 10, 2019
8.5
 Gold Goblin (2022) #2 Jan 25, 2023

I really enjoyed this Good Guy Norman story. I feel like this status quo will eventually be replaced with a much less interesting one, so we gotta get what we can while we can. I wonder if the ending here will be picked up in ASM or if it will be forgotten, but I have some faith that Marvel wouldn't let the book end on such a sudden snap of an ending, without plans to explore its aftermath.
8.5
 Green Arrow (2016) #42 Nov 6, 2018

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Didn't love this as much as last issue, but it was still really good. It'll be interesting to see what Hal will do now.

I've been reading Green Lantern since 2016. I know, I'm an OG. This is one of the more compelling stories I've read featuring Hal. He's more engaging here. He's got a personality. And it's not... insane, like Morrison. Big ups. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I really like the team dynamics here.

I enjoyed this, although that Empyre cliffhanger is genuinely confusing to me. Maybe there are some implications to the ending of Empyre that I'm just missing. Maybe there will be more to it that'll be explored in the Aftermath/Fallout issues and Guardians, but right now, I'm just sort of shrugging my shoulders about it.

This is a really good issue that basically serves as a prelude to the SWORD issue also out this week. The reveal at the end is so, so good. It makes me genuinely excited for The Last Annihilation.

Unfortunately, this is it for Ewing's run. The conclusion is mostly earned, if you read that Cable one-shot, but it did feel a bit rushed in the end.

I don't know, I really enjoyed this issue.

I don't know, I liked this a lot. Maybe it's because Gwenpool's powerset is legitimately interesting, and the idea that she's forced to act in a way that she loathes herself for is pretty good pathos for a character... As long as, by the end of this, her self loathing goes somewhere. This book is also funny. My favorite joke is that Carol's bikini is just her Ms. Marvel costume. But still, this series relies on people looking past its surface level of cringe, which can be hard for some.
8.5
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #38 Jul 19, 2019
8.5
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #45 Jul 19, 2019

So many props to the creative team for making a book about this character not only readable, but actively good. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This mini was better than it had any right to be given the horribly contrived premise. Erica Schultz is someone to watch out for. And Michael Dowling is great as always.

I must be living in bizarro world because I am really enjoying a Harley Quinn comic. I know so, so many people don't like the art. I think it has its place, and Harley Quinn is one of those places. It's super dynamic in how it's structured, and I really like when artists break out of that rigidness and let loose. I will say, some stuff did look a little underdone, especially if it's supposed to be a panel you quickly glance to get you to the next action panel.

This is probably the best Fear State tie-in. I don't know why people *still* buy comics with Riley Rossmo's art when they find his style so unappealing. Maybe learn after the several years he's been in the industry. But comic book readers? Learning? Not gonna happen.

I really don't understand the hate here, but I really enjoyed this. The writing is fun and not annoying, which is great for a Harley title. And I think the art works very, very well here.

One of the better issues, but mostly because of its brisk pace.

This was a good issue. It feels like they're finally about to do more with Hawkman. The formula for the first arc was really getting tired. Hopefully, that doesn't return.

This was not what I was expecting from this book, but I'm here for it. I liked Patsy in Iron Man, I like her in general, so I really hope Cantwell manages to give her a compelling evergreen miniseries.

This was a really good first issue. I'm excited for what comes next.

I liked this a lot. It was a lot of fun. I like the team dynamics, and the art is really good.

RIP Clive. I don't know if I should take away points for this issue making Fallen Angels relevant.

I didn't like this quite as much as the last issue, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

A little heavy on the plot, so there's not a ton of humor in this issue, but it's all well written nonetheless.

I really enjoyed this issue. I don't have much to say about it, however. It's not quite inspirational.

This is better than last week's issue. It's nice to see everything come together. It takes away from the one-shot feeling, as it turns out this series did have a plot, but that's only a slight negative because you aren't getting something new this time around. But like, yeah, assuming Heroes Return #1 hits the mark, this will be remembered as a fun event. And honestly, that's not a bad thing. Not everything needs to be the biggest, most epic thing ever that revolutionizes the medium for a summer.

I really love how the continuity is interwoven here. I'm a pretty big nerd about it.

This is a really satisfying, clever conclusion. This miniseries probably wouldn't have sold extremely well had everything gone to plan and COVID hadn't ruined everything, but it is kind of a shame that it was just quietly released on digital platforms.

Still really enjoying this run, and I hope it continues on this track. A lot of fun haters in the reviews here tbh.

This was ridiculously fun. I had a good time reading this. It's not high art or deep. It's just fun action schlock, and it knows that.

While I don't know if I liked how Blue Beetle was written, as it did come across as the laziest option, I did overall enjoy the issue. The beats hit well, and all the stuff with Ice was well done. Also, gotta say, if Tom King's goal was to be considered the "Best Female Character Writer," writing a woman who uses her looks to seduce men in order to gain control over them, which is how she's implied to be in this issue (and that could change, obviously), that is a bad way to go. It could so quickly, and so easily, fall into the stereotypical evil women tropes that have been present since Adam and Eve. I kind of don't think that theory holds weight.
8.5
 Hunt For Wolverine: Claws Of A Killer #2 Jul 19, 2019
8.5
 Hunt For Wolverine: Weapon Lost #2 Jul 19, 2019
8.5
 Hunt For Wolverine: Weapon Lost #4 Jul 19, 2019

I really do not understand the criticism this issue is getting from that Bats guy. Is he an Objectivist? It's like he's never read a comic with a complicated hero before... despite being a Batman fan. Anyway, this issue wraps up the first arc of this book, and really, everything from Second Son on. It feels like a definitive closing chapter, which is kind of impressive given just how long this story has been going, and frankly, how all over the place it's been. I hope issue 6 can truly be a fresh start for the character and this series, away from all the baggage of Gotham and Fear State.
8.5
 Ice Cream Man #3 Jul 19, 2019

Better than last issue, but still not as good as this series can be. I still enjoyed it a lot though.

Another semi-hopeful issue of Ice Cream Man. I enjoyed it.

A nice twist on Kafka.

I Am What I Am (A Sonnet) is a very relatable short story, but not quite what I expect from Ice Cream Man. There's nothing truly horrifying about the prospect, at least not to me. I see what they were going for, but it just wasn't quite so effective. True Original is a fun little story. I tend to like God-bashing because I'm just an edgy ol' atheist. But there wasn't much to this until the end when they start listing off the plights and monotonies of modern life, that was fun and funny. Side note, it doesn't really matter, but the "women make 80 cents on every dollar that men make" part is just straight up wrong. It's an ever persistent factoid that really starts to grate on me. The idea behind it is that, collectively, with the average of all jobs taken into account, women earn 80 percent of what men do. That can be accounted for by the types of jobs women work vs the types that men work, the amount of time women work as opposed to men, etc. It is not comparing two people, one man and one woman, with the same job at the same standing, and how they are paid. Conventions of Mikes is an interesting story. It's surprisingly light-hearted for Ice Cream Man. But I guess in the midst of a pandemic, it is better to have a nice story than a dour one. There's a hint of that usual Ice Cream Man tone to it, but it's slight. Honestly, it's one of my favorite stories from this collection, even so. Secret Origins: Pinky Ring is probably my favorite story in the entire collection. I was not a big fan of the Confection Comics Superman parody issue a while back, so my expectations were very low. However, this is a hilarious story. I genuinely love it. Seroquel is something more like I expect from Ice Cream Man. This was a very well-done story, and I don't have much to say about it beyond that. Terminal Ride is one of my favorites. It's very inventive and I just had a good time reading it. Nature Calls is a very pessimistic, dark story. This is also in line with what I've come to expect from Ice Cream Man, but with maybe a little more pizzazz. It was pretty good. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin is great. It captures the tone and mood of the pandemic very, very well. It's very depressing. Creature Causeway is just sort of a "what the fuck?" I expect good things from Al Ewing, always. I expect something smart and meaningful, and this is just so brute force and ridiculous. It made me laugh a lot. Small is very good as well. It's very much a condensed Ice Cream Man story. I usually can't stand anthology collections like this, but man, most of these were great. And the ones that weren't great, were at least good. I never felt like I was spending too much time reading this. It's very enjoyable.

This is a really good read. It's super engaging. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

A worthy ancillary one-shot for Immortal Hulk.

8.5
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #15 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #16 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #17 May 8, 2024

I'm surprised I'm still enjoying this one. A big DC event written by Joshua "Bland Flash Run" Williamson? I should be very critical right now. But idk, I just think it's interesting and entertaining, and I want to know what's going to happen next. I'm excited to see where it leads.

This is still really good. I know that Willaimson and DC have a three phase plan for this era of DC and this is just phase one. But I wonder what the throughline with this specific event is.

This is a lot of fun. This feels like the DC I've only read bits and pieces of, but always tend to enjoy a lot more. Pre-New 52 DC.

This is a ton of fun and I really haven't experienced a modern DC event that is fun (Metal and Death Metal tried and failed), so I'm maybe more giving with the score for this one.
8.5
 Infinity Countdown #3 Jul 19, 2019
8.5
 Infinity Countdown: Champions #1 Jul 19, 2019
8.5
 Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #1 Jul 19, 2019

What can I say? I like this a lot.

Since the second issue is not listed on ComicBookRoundUp, I'll just review the whole thing here. This is great, man. It's a cool way to see the power and destruction of The Builders firsthand. Silver Surfer is written well. In hindsight, it makes me question Jason Latour's later work on the character. I'm glad that Infinite Comics are no longer a thing. They were neat, but are frankly a pain to read.
8.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #15 Aug 2, 2020
8.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #24 Aug 24, 2020
8.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #29 Aug 24, 2020
8.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #31 Aug 24, 2020
8.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #34 Aug 24, 2020

This was the best part of the entire year. Tom Taylor returns to write this, and you can *tell*. I'm not too excited for Year Five (or Ground Zero), but I've read this far so why stop now?
8.5
 Injustice: Year Two #20 Sep 6, 2020

This was another good issue.

This series is really good. I think the only major failing it has is the art. It's really good for up close panels, but everything becomes a mess far away.

Another great issue. Namor is rather sympathetic once you get past the whole tyrant king thing.

Not what I was expecting, but it was more than welcome.

Really good issue.

This wasn't the best issue, as it was mostly playing clean up, while making sure not to upset the status quo too much so that Aaron can return to the conflict in Avengers. But the emotional core of the book remains, and that's really good.
8.5
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #11 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #12 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #15 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #16 May 8, 2024

I disagree heavily with the idea that this issue was filled with filler. You need some sort of character or else the action has no impact.
8.5
 Iron Cat (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022
8.5
 Iron Fist (2017) #77 Jul 19, 2019

I'm excited to see where this goes. I hope it's something unexpected.

This was good. MacKay writes a good Iron Man. Merlyn is again really, really dumb. I could really delve into why his complaint about Miles is just... a sign of a lack of reading comprehension, but I'm sure he's already cried enough over this blunder.

Better than issue one was. Riri is really becoming a character of her own, struggling with PTSD and other assorted problems, and shoving them all down. Like an interesting character tends to do.

I had a lot of fun reading this one.

I actually really like the way Shuri and Riri don't get along.

This was actually a well-written, fast paced issue that successfully made a large twist-pill easy to swallow.
8.5
 Jean Grey (2023) #3 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Jessica Jones #16 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Jessica Jones #17 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Jessica Jones #18 Jul 20, 2019

This is a sneak Spider-Man miniseries, and Greg Land isn't drawing it, so I can't complain. Hulk does get more focus here, and probably will continue to in the miniseries' latter half, but that works just as well as the Spidey stuff. It is Peter David, after all.

This was good, mostly.

The people rating this so low aren't reading the book. Prove me wrong. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ
8.5
 Justice League (2016) #41 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Justice League (2016) #42 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Justice League (2018) #9 Jul 20, 2019

I enjoyed this issue. I must ask again: what is up with DC and their covers? They always spoil things. It's so frustrating.

I liked this one. Maybe this run can finish strong. I'm honestly hopeful.

This is crazy, I liked this issue. Why did we have so much bad filler when we could've been getting cool stories like this? I really like the concept of the Black Mercy. I think it's used better here than it has been lately. This is just really solid.

There was a bit of a rush at the end there, but I still really enjoyed this issue. Time to throw it all away for a Death Metal tie-in!

8.5
 Justice League Dark (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019

This issue was really good. I liked the emotional aspect of Bobo's story, but not so much the story itself. I don't care about Blue Devil or Myrra, though. The stuff with Doctor Fate and Phantom Stranger was really cool and I'm really excited to see where that goes.

This was a really good issue. I don't really care about the upside down man though.

This was pretty enjoyable.

Much like the previous issue, things just work here. It really does feel like a hopeful, fun DC adventure, and I had a good time.

This is very well written, and so much more engaging than the main JL title.

Somehow missed this, but it's good!

A very nice ending, if a bit expected.

I ended up liking this a lot more than I thought I would. Kang has never been my favorite villain, because he's... complicated, but I mean, they have a chance to streamline him a bit here, and make him more accessible, so I hope they do it. This was well-paced and well-written, I'm glad this team is finally doing something else. I don't believe I've read anything of theirs after their short Green Arrow run, which was also really good.

I have a few issues with how this one is paced, but overall, this is still a really good series.

Just a tiny bit less good, but still a really good issue. There's just something about the way things are written here. Nothing could happen, and I'd still be entertained.

This was a lot of fun. I liked the previous series, when it wasn't overstuffed. And this issue is definitely not overstuffed.

I like the Suicide Squad.

Some of the costume design choices are iffy, but I really like the writing a lot.

DC decided to go all out with this tie-in for some reason. Incredible art and writing. It does not belong among the drek it's packaged with.
8.5
 Knight Terrors: Shazam! (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
8.5
 Knight Terrors: The Joker (2023) #1 May 7, 2024
8.5
 Know Your Station #1 Dec 8, 2022

This is a really good event so far. Just a fun, solid time.

I decided to check this out after hearing about it on the Devil's AdvoCATES Book Club podcast. I didn't know what to expect, but this is actually really, really fun. I don't know if the praise it has gotten is totally warranted by this first issue, but it sure did make an impact, which is something, I think, that many indies struggle with. I'll read the rest of this, for sure.

A bit of a mindfuck at the end there, but otherwise, a pretty satisfying finale.

After an iffy first arc, this one-shot was actually well done. I hope we can get as far away from the alien world shenanigans as possible.

See, this series works a lot better when the core of the story is about the characters and their interpersonal drama.

This was an enjoyable issue. I think Saladin Ahmed has a good grasp of the characters and everything was well paced.

I thought this was really good, actually. I like the idea behind it. With Matt Murdock confronting his Daredevil persona and his need to save everyone. The visuals are great with muscle-Daredevil and bones-Daredevil representing two sides of Matt Murdock. It's very introspective and I don't mind that. I think because of the way it was marketed, with people expecting Daredevil to actually be dead, it's getting a little more flack than it deserves. I also think a lot of people are passing it up because there's a Daredevil ongoing on its way. But I think it's fun to have these types of stories, even if it's not big and crazy. The art was a little rough in places but nothing that stood out as particularly bad. And I loved seeing all the incarnations of Daredevil. From the Frank Miller year one costume, to the ridiculous 90s armored costume, to the Beast costume from Shadowland. You definitely get more out of this, if you're a big fan of Daredevil.

This was really good. It's not exactly a shocking ending, or an unexpected one, but it sets Matt up well for Zdarsky's run and dives deep into his character once more, which is what this series was all about. All in all, this series was actually excellent despite some shoddy art here and there. I'm super excited for Daredevil #1 next week.

A slower issue than usual but still really entertaining. And man, Kate Bishop is brutal.

I just like all the dynamics in this book a lot.

I don't know why this issue got so much negative attention from users. I guess maybe with comics being in short supply, more people read what did come out. But I think I'll just use my review to mock the other users who don't agree with me. Let's start with the big one. The scene with Emma Frost. Users Todd A. Lonn, Captain Krakoa, Old Guy Nate, DC Stuff, Julian Keller and Sky788 all have a big problem with this scene. We'll get into why they're wrong in a second, I just want to give my hot take about it. The first time I read it, I was slightly put off by it, because it was unexpected, but then I decided that it was a very Emma Frost move. I did tell a friend of mine that she was going to love the Emma scene, but I said that in a very tongue-in-cheek manner, because I really was not sure. I figured either she'd love it and she'd congratulate me on being as right as always, or she would hate it and she'd just assume I was setting her up for disappointment, for the sake of my own thrills, which is a very Me move. Either way it was a win-win for me. I still don't know what she thinks. She's slow with reading. But I mention this to say that I get it. I get where these people are probably all coming from, but I don't place stock in what a lot of these people do, which is... for lack of a better word, identity politics. Like, I don't mind if Emma is being sexualized. In fact, the reason why it's an Emma move in my mind is because that sexualization is almost baked into her. It's part of her character. She used to and still kinda does lead a rich mutant sex dungeon club. That's what the Hellfire Club is, sorry not sorry. So I don't think that's a valid reason to be upset. It would be if this was Jean Grey, but it's Emma Frost. Some of these users then went even further by saying that Emma was talking about the rights of minorities as a rich white lady, and that's bad. Representation! I would not really ever agree that it's bad out of principle for a white character to speak of such things. You go too far and you end up with a token character to explain all of society's ills like he speaks for every single one of them. Like Lisa Simpson for Liberals or Charles Gunn for Blacks. There's no need to go down that rabbit hole. But if we were going to... Emma is a minority within the world that she lives. She's a mutant. She's an analogue for any minority out there. She's faced hate, suffering, death, even literal genocide. So you know... she's not unqualified to speak. She's being a mutant in the Marvel universe, simple as that. The most genuine argument, I think, for why that scene is bad is that Emma shouldn't need to distract four dudes in order to control them. And I don't really disagree with that. So Old Guy Nate, who seemed to think that scene alone made the comic a 1/10, you're not entirely wrong. Good for you. I would just say that power levels and stuff like that fluctuate greatly with any superhero, really. You're never going to get it down exactly. My headcanon just assumes the men had dampeners or Emma was just really not feeling it that day. Oh, and as to whether this scene is sexualization or empowerment... I think it's probably both. I think Emma is supposed to be a strong, empowered and sexy woman, and she's all three of those things in the scene. Now, for the two people who didn't really get into the specifics of the issue, but nonetheless thought it was trash. Marvel Overlord and Michaelbn. Marvel Overlord should just stop reading the X-Books. I've noticed him on a lot of these issues, and he always hates what he reads. Just stop, my dude. And okay, I'll be fair and actually address your one point. You think the book is senseless. It's not. You want senseless, go read Neal Adams' Deadman. But you seem to be thrown for a loop by seemingly simple writing, so I could be wrong. Deadman wrong. Michaelbn, you had some trusty tips on how to spot a bad Marvel comic, so I'll review those. One, it's written by "professionals". Every single big two comic is written by what most would deem "professionals" so I mean, technically, you're not wrong. A bad Marvel comic would be written by a "professional". Two, it has a high rating. Um, no? I mean, you can't trust critics. They praise mostly everything, but usually if both scores are high, chances are the book might be good. Not always, though. And the implication is that a lower score would mean a better book. But no, if critics trash something, it's REALLY bad. It has to be damn near unreadable to get the critics to hate it... or just be slightly political in such a way that pisses off both sides of Twitter (RIP Secret Empire). Three, the summary is absolute crap. I don't know what this means. You could mean the solicitations, but I'd argue the worst ones are usually for the biggest and best books since they don't want to give anything away. Or you could just mean the story of the issue, and yeah, if you think the story sucks... You will realize it's a bad comic? Oh and you summarize this issue yourself, which is fun. Russia is bad because they aren't gay and the US is good because they are gay. We're seeing the other side of those identity politics now, I guess. This is not a good summation of the book. But I would argue that gayer is better. Mutants would definitely think so, too, since gays deserve the same rights that mutants are also clamoring for. This issue was good, guys. Calm down.

Don't know why this series always gets a battering on this site specifically. But anyway, I liked the issue. I see a lot of people getting... I don't know whether to call it upset, or nit-picky, about how Kitty's body was burned despite her being Jewish. I don't really see the problem with it, since cremation has become a more common practice among Reform Judaism, which originated from Ashkenazi Jews. Kitty Pryde is an Ashkenazi Jew. Also, it's pretty clear that Krakoa is brewing its own religion/spirituality, so from a story perspective, it makes sense to me. On top of that, it's clear by the use of Chai (18 in Hebrew) that Gerry Duggan is not trying to piss off the Jewish community. I feel like the adverse reaction is overblown and a great way to knock down an otherwise good issue. I'm very interested in the political side of this story as well. Can't wait to see what Kitty and Emma are going to do.

I'm glad Storm got a spotlight. This was a really good issue that didn't feel nearly as long as it was. I hope X of Swords maintains its quality next week.

Really good first issue of the Hellfire Gala, if you like these characters. If you don't... well, you should probably go read DC.

This was fun, and a good use of teamwork in a team book that for a while now, hasn't featured the team much. Of course, no matter what this book does, it'll get shit.

I liked this issue more than the last. Black Panther's new life was way more interesting than the Punisher's. The twist with the lawyer was great.
8.5
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #9 Jul 20, 2019

This was almost as good as the first issue, so I'm not sure why the reception is a lot less warm this time around. Maybe it's because Spider-Man is depressing, I don't know.
8.5
 Mary Jane & Black Cat (2022) #3 Mar 3, 2023

I enjoyed this a good bit. I think it has potential to be something even better, but this first issue is really good all the same. Not what I expected. This could be fun!

Still really into this. It's an odd story, but I like it.

This is a really good issue.

Really enjoyable issue. I hope Starling doesn't become a love interest, though.

I don't understand why Saladin Ahmed writes this book so much better than he does Ms. Marvel.

This was a really fun issue.

I'm very interested in what happens next regarding Ultimatum.

This was an enjoyable issue.

I am totally on board for this story. I genuinely enjoy this.
8.5
 Milestones in History (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022
8.5
 Miracleman Omnibus Oct 31, 2022
8.5
 Mister Miracle (2017) #7 Jul 20, 2019

This was a lot of fun. I don't know what the sales will end up being for this title, but this is easily the best thing Gene Luen Yang has written in a moment. Better than Shang-Chi, that's for sure.
8.5
 Monkey Prince (2022) #4 Nov 6, 2022
8.5
 Monkey Prince (2022) #5 Nov 6, 2022
8.5
 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #32 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Moon Knight (2021) #13 Nov 6, 2022

It's great how even the less story heavy issues are such a fun time to read. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

8.5
 Moon Knight (2021) #24 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. #1 Jul 20, 2019

I enjoy the interactions between Rogue and Gambit a ton. The plot is actually interesting and there's some deep dives in this issue as well.

8.5
 Multiple Man (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019

Already, things are picking up. The incursions and the end of everything is explained, and the debate between the Illuminati is very interesting. And the ending is extremely grim.

We see the fallout of Infinity and tee-up the end of everything. Can't wait for that. But first, 14 issues of Avengers World.

Another slower table-setting issue for the other side of this new world, and ultimately, it's a more entertaining side.

Another hit for Dawn of X. This is a lot of fun.

I was concerned about Vita Ayala taking over, but they're actually a good fit. This series was easily the most turbulent of the Dawn of X books, but hopefully this new direction stabilizes the title for Reign of X.

This is probably a case where I agree with the filler complaint that is so prevalent in these Hellfire Gala issues' user reviews. It is a lot of character stuff here that is neat, but doesn't really contribute to the arcs of these characters. The ending though is so sad. I love Gabby, and that letter at the end is heartbreaking. Super fucked up for Vita Ayala to do that. So I hope it's somehow a fake out?

This is a very cute finale to a weird arc in New Mutants. I don't know why Marvel decided this was the best place for this story to be told. Especially since they're continuing it in a separate miniseries. Representation is important, and I think the characters here, both Shela and Cerebella are used to great effect in both humanizing trans people, and their struggle. I think it was very clever to link the two, and I think that link is overlooked in both the critic and user reviews. The optimist in me wants to think that the reception to this arc would've been better if it weren't part of the New Mutants title. The pessimist in me knows that this would be hated no matter what.

This is a lot of fun if you aren't miserable. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
8.5
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #9 Jul 20, 2019

Those first few pages alone are more than worth the price of admission here.
8.5
 Nightwing (2016) #97 Dec 6, 2022
8.5
 Old Man Hawkeye #6 Jul 20, 2019

Man, why would you do Zemo like this? That was a great reveal and what Clint did was not expected. Usually, the "hero" decides to leave the villain to their suffering. But nope, Clint just empties his quiver into Zemo. I'm really excited for the final showdown with Bullseye and Clint. I have a feeling Kate will die, since I don't remember her in Old Man Logan. Hopefully, if this sticks the landing next month, we'll all have Old Man Quill to look forward to.

This was a really good conclusion to this story. I'm excited for Old Man Quill. Ethan Sacks has proven to be good at writing comics. His transition to comics was much smoother than a lot of writers that Marvel have recently tried to pull from other forms of media.
8.5
 Old Man Logan (2016) #33 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Old Man Logan (2016) #38 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Old Man Logan (2016) #48 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #305 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Phoenix Resurrection: The Return Of Jean Grey #4 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Plastic Man (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019

While I have been harsh about this book in the past, this issue mostly worked for me. I love the worms.
8.5
 Poison Ivy (2022) #4 Jan 12, 2023
8.5
 Poison Ivy (2022) #8 Mar 4, 2023

A bit of a slower issue, but still very well written. This has been such a good, surprising series. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ
8.5
 Punisher (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Punisher War Journal (2022): Brother #1 Jan 30, 2023

I really enjoy these little vignettes they've been doing as an aside to the main series. Aaron's Punisher really opens up the way for plenty of intriguing character and story development, so I'm glad they've been capitalizing on that.
8.5
 Quicksilver: No Surrender #3 Jul 20, 2019
8.5
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #23 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Redneck #13 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Redneck #15 Jul 21, 2019

More of a set up issue getting the Bowmans up to date, but still enjoyable because it's well written.

The main story by Dennis Hopeless has its issues, but overall, I still enjoyed it. The back up by Cates was great.
8.5
 Rise of the Black Panther (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Rise of the Black Panther (2018) #4 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Rogue & Gambit (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Rogue & Gambit (2018) #3 Jul 21, 2019

I wasn't as into this issue as the last one, but I still want to see where it goes.

As with last issue, I don't think this hits the heights the series has reached in the past, but I enjoyed this issue anyway.
8.5
 Runaways (2017) #1 Jul 21, 2019

There's not much to say about this series anymore. It's really good. Read it.

Yeah, this is still a really solid title.

Still really fun, if it was maybe a little slow.

A really good issue, as always.

This is a good Storm issue. I hope this title doesn't lose its focus, however. The art is a little wonky at times.
8.5
 Sabretooth & the Exiles (2022) #1 Feb 6, 2023

This has nothing to do with the comic, as I don't have a ton to say about the comic. The comic is good, you should be reading it, especially if you liked Hellions. But there's a data page in this issue that talks about the history of the birth control pill. (Something this series, and its predecessor, does is tie the plot to historical instances, usually through a left-leaning lens. Which is totally cool with me. Thumbs up.) This page somewhat implies that the modern day birth control pill is free of the hormonal side effects that plagued the early trials of the drug. This isn't true. As someone who knows at least, like, three women, it's apparent that birth control pills still majorly fuck with the hormones of women. Not that I'm anti-birth control. Of course not. I just feel like a lot of young women start taking birth control without knowing its full effects, and that this issue, in a small way, perpetuates the common narrative that the birth control pill is entirely risk-free. That's just me being annoying though, this issue is really good. This is a good series.

Really enjoyable first issue. I'm surprised by how unconnected it is to the Archie series, which is why I read it to begin with. But it's good enough on its own for me to keep reading.

This is my second attempt at reading this series. I got hung up close to halfway through, a few years back. I just lost interest, unfortunately. The series wasn't bad, but it's hard for me to stay interested in stuff like this. And for what it's worth, the arc I stopped on seems to be a more divisive one. But anyway, this is my second wind, and this first issue is really good. Which is already a good sign since I remember struggling through some of it during my first read through. I really like the writing, although the art was a little off at points and the ending was slightly abrupt. Aside from that though, I enjoyed this.

The introduction of Death was a good one.

Really fun.

Really great fun issue.
8.5
 Savage Avengers (2022) #8 Mar 6, 2023

Man, Conan is great.

More good Conan.

A really good issue.
8.5
 Secret Invasion (2022) #1 Mar 6, 2023
8.5
 Sentry (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Sentry (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Bulleteer #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Bulleteer #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Guardian #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Klarion The Witch Boy #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Shining Knight #3 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Zatanna #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Sex Criminals #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Sex Criminals #4 Jan 7, 2020
8.5
 Sex Criminals #7 Jan 7, 2020
8.5
 Sex Criminals #16 Jan 7, 2020
8.5
 Sex Criminals #18 Jan 7, 2020
8.5
 Sex Criminals #20 Jan 7, 2020
8.5
 Sex Criminals #22 Jan 7, 2020

Holy shit, a Sex Criminals issue that was actually funny?? I didn't know those still existed! While eventually, some of the jokes wore a bit thin (looking at you penis-shaped bruises and welts), this was a fun issue. It peaked early with the Batman: Year One reference, however. And the optics of humping one's way into the minds and pants of America's youth is slightly yikes. But overall, I just wish the actual series was a lot more like this in the end.
8.5
 Shade, the Changing Woman #3 Jul 21, 2019

I wasn't really feeling issue one... or the previous miniseries much at all. But I enjoyed this one a lot. I found it charming and genuinely funny at times.

This was really good. I'm interested in seeing how these other lands function. Also, the cover has nothing to do with the story inside. That's odd, but DC tends to do that a lot.

This was really good and fun.

I don't know what's going on with Black Adam and Sivana, but I'm having fun.

It's extremely dumb to act like genres such as Romance have no place at Marvel. The reason Marvel was so successful as comics to begin with, and as movies much later, is because the characters were relatable, at least in a way that hadn't really been seen before. Marvel has always pushed the boundaries of what ought to make a superhero comic. That was its brand. And even more specifically, a lot of the ways these heroes were humanized was with the soap operatic influence of the 50s romance genre.

Solid first issue. Doc Ock is definitely the standout.

I enjoyed a lot of this issue, despite the unfocused nature of it.
8.5
 Spider-Gwen (2015) #34 Jul 21, 2019

This was a solid continuation of Spider-Gwen. I wish it wasn't immediately thrown into Spider-Geddon.

This was a nice issue.

What I like most about this series is the characters. I feel like I'd be harsher on most other books for the pacing Spider-Gwen has, but I don’t know, I just really enjoy this title.

Yeah, I like this.

This was a really fun issue. Joker aside, all the parodies were spot on and I had a good time.

I had a lot of fun reading this. Sean Ryan gets Spidey.
8.5
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #28 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #30 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #32 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #36 Jul 21, 2019

This was meta in a really fun way. This series wasn't always the best but I think I'll miss it.
8.5
 Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt (2022) #4 Mar 6, 2023

Again, not much here about the overarching story, but this was really fun. I had a good time.

This is a lot of fun. I wasn't sure about this series after issue one, because flukes happen, but maybe this'll be a good one.

The action is great and the dialogue is funny. I just really do not want to get trapped in the whole dying/clone story again.

I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. I even liked Constantine despite him being constrained into his New 52/Rebirth characterization. The people complaining about the asian and nonbinary representation just hate themselves. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Okay, now I'm into this more.

I really enjoyed this. Captain Marvel was written better here.

ONLY REVIEWING THE DONNY CATES AND MACK CHATER STORY: This was a really cool and fun story. It's a pretty simple one, but very effective.

I liked issue one more, but this is still a really good comic.

I liked this one. This title hasn't always been incredibly interesting to me, but this one captured my intrigue pretty well.

This was a very good issue. I'm glad I'm back into this series after a lull for a minute there.

Really good issue. I like the questions that a baby in Stillwater creates. I hope it leads somewhere cool.

This is a really tense issue. I saw some comparisons to the Walking Dead, and those are apt for early Walking Dead and not the... 100 last issues.

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8.5
 Strange (2022) #1 Mar 8, 2023

This was a really enjoyable issue, I liked it a lot.

I really liked this one because I've grown fond of these characters. YMMV.

Gaslamp is a really neat villain.

Now this was a better issue than the last few. It focused on Mr. Terrific, Alana is smug as usual but finally gets called out, and it was a satisfying chapter that felt complete. If only the art was better. From the scratchiness in Evan Shaner's pencils to Mr. Terrific's weird neck growth, I can definitely feel the strain on the artists in this issue. I hope next issue can impress me from both a writing and artistic perspective.

I'm not even a huge fan of this run, but this was a well done issue. Merlyn is insane with his brainwashing conspiracies. If I could rate him lower than a one, I would.

I liked this more than issue one. I've accepted that I'm not going to agree with some of Deadshot's characterization, though. So, letting that go, I do enjoy the rest of the comic. It is Tom Taylor writing it, after all.

Okay, this is going smoothly so far.

Well I didn't expect that. I still have some ambivalent feelings about some of the decisions in this book. But, it's overall really good.

This was a really good issue. I hate how they publicized and marketed this issue, because it really tarnishes the ending. There's no surprise when it happens.

Things are ramping up positively here.
8.5
 Suicide Squad: Blaze (2022) #2 Mar 10, 2023

I was never that into the Super Sons to begin with, but I gotta say, this issue was enjoyable. I think it captured the charm the original series had. Better than some of the follow-ups did, actually. I really don't think much has been lost by Jon being aged up here. He still acts like Jon. The context of the age up was stupid, but... you guys are complaining for the sake of it at this point.

I really liked this issue. Which is a shocking thing to say about Supergirl.

The main story was pretty well done. The second story is probably the weak link. It just shows us more of Z'nder Kol's character, which could already be easily inferred by the way he's acted so far. It's just sort of bland. The third story was really cute and a little heartwarming. It was completely unnecessary, but still. Overall, this issue was very good.

This was a really good first issue. It catches up new readers on the rather complex status quo of Doc Ock and immediately does away with some of the more ridiculous ideas, like Anna Marie not immediately realizing who he is. I'm glad this is on the West Coast too. We have enough Spiders in New York and this also means we'll probably see villains that aren't used quite as much. Like with West Coast Avengers. Christos Gage writes Doc Ock very well, and I can't wait to read more.

Still into this. Pretty cool fight and Ock is just such a fun character.

I can already feel the One More Day comparisons coming, but this is not that. It's similar... kind of. But it's much more fitting of the character and the circumstance. And even then, we don't know what next issue will bring. This is an issue that should upset you, but not because of its vague relation to a mired spidey story.

Honestly, I'm just here for the Perry White story. I don't really care about Brainiac's history with Czarnia. And please, I hate Amanda Waller in her comic book villain phase.

This was really good. I hope they can keep it interesting for 4 more issues.

I'll have to break the mold here. I thought this was a good ending but not exactly perfect. Sorry, not sorry.

Lemire wrote a good Constantine. Good for him! I really don't remember what I disliked about issue one, but issues two and three have been good. I'll probably pick up the trade.
8.5
 Sword of Azrael (2022) #3 Mar 11, 2023

This was a really good miniseries. I don't typically *get* Azrael as a character. He's always seemed like a bad idea to me. But Watters is a very capable writer who doesn't get nearly enough props as he deserves. And being that he's capable, he managed to make both the character and his world interesting. P.S. Pay no attention to RedKryptoSuperman. All he does is goon out with others who pretend to be female characters, so they can both get off together. Don't believe me, check out his twitter. He's too backed up to have anything else on is mind, or to even approach cognizance.

Not as fun as issue one, but still really good.
8.5
 Tales of Suspense (2017) #103 Jul 21, 2019

I really like this, but I just know some people won't. It's written in a sort of dated way, reminiscent of classic Marvel comics, and that can be a turn off. But I think everyone can enjoy the art at least, right?

This was a lot of fun, I'm glad I'm able to catch up on this series.
8.5
 Task Force Z (2021) #6 Mar 13, 2023

This is a really solid miniseries.
8.5
 Teen Titans (2016): Special #1 Jul 21, 2019

I think this is a really fun miniseries to read. Knowing what all these characters become, it just makes it extra interesting.

Not sure what this issue has to do with The Best Defense, aside from the interlude and the ending. It feels more like set up for Zdarsky's Invaders run next year. Which is fine because I enjoyed this issue and I will be reading Invaders, but it makes me wonder if the bulk of this issue even matters to whatever story The Best Defense is trying to tell. The Immortal Hulk story seemed very related, but maybe it wasn't. The interludes are very weird and I have no clue what they have to do with anything, but I do like the ghost murderer, not gonna lie. This was interesting and Namor is a fun character, I just hope it doesn't feel out of place when this is all collected.

This issue is actually really funny. At the same time, though, the story itself is serious and could actually have lasting impacts on the Marvel universe. It's a fun read.

This was a very good issue, that maybe went on a little too long. I'm excited to see where this goes though. I have faith in Jed MacKay.

I liked most of the issue. Some stuff bothered me, like the leap the reporter is able to make with the information he had. But aside from that, it was a good issue. I wish the art was better on that final page, since the faces the editor made really didn't look right.

I liked this a lot, moreso when it was explaining more conspiracy rather than when it was focused on the plot. I don't really like the twist. This is worrisome, but I'll keep the faith for now that Tynion can keep it interesting.

I liked this one. I'm most interested in the Dreaming itself. I think that's part of my problem with the last few issues. I don't care about Daniel Hall or the mystery as to where he's gone. Let's forget him and stick with this odd moth AI creature, please. Still don't care for Dora, which was fine this issue as she was forced to mostly keep quiet and therefore became a fine background character. The explanations about myth and legend was interesting enough, but I'd be lying if I said I retained the majority of that. So yeah, focus on the thing you're named after, comic.

Really good. I just wish the main plot was as interesting as literally any of the diversions this book has taken recently.

This was a good issue. I'm actually invested in the plot. Side note, I have no sympathy for Lindy. How do you think that being an expert on a dead poet will lead to secure future? The comic tries to act as though that's a fairly recent phenomenon, but I'm certain it's not. And I'm not saying that's how it should be either, but it is what it is. It just feels weird to me that that was an expectation she had that was then crushed.

I didn't come here expecting a solid conclusion. I don't know why I didn't expect that. This was an exceptional ending. I think it worked very well. My only complaint, and really it's not so much a complaint as an observation, is that Ruin and Ben never kiss in this issue. Given DC's... reluctance in the past to show homosexual relationships and anything vaguely sexual related to those relationships - such as kissing - I found it kind of distracting that they never kiss, even though it seems very obviously set up for a kiss to happen. This is like Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn all over again. Let your gay characters kiss, you cowards.
8.5
 The Fix #1 Jul 21, 2019

This is a good done-in-one, and I prefer this over the main story tbh.

A good issue!

This is a lot of fun, and very involved in continuity. I don't quite understand the backlash to this issue in particular.
8.5
 The Maxx (1993) #5 Sep 13, 2022
8.5
 The Maxx (1993) #35 Sep 13, 2022
8.5
 The New Champion of Shazam! (2022) #3 Dec 6, 2022

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8.5
 The Silver Coin #13 Mar 6, 2023
8.5
 The Terrifics #6 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #32 Jul 21, 2019

This was really good. The character interactions didn't become trite and the pacing wasn't slower down by overly observational humor.

Really fun issue

This was really fun!

A very good issue of Squirrel Girl that doesn't get brought down by the obligatory tie-in. Probably because Squirrel Girl has history with all the important characters.

This is a really ridiculous and fun title.

This was as good an issue as this comic routinely delivers.

Really good issue.
8.5
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #10 Mar 13, 2023

Honestly, as someone who hasn't been a fan of Simone's recent output, really thinks Jessica Jones is a limited character, and didn't have a ton of faith in the premise, this miniseries exceeded expectations. It's great. I hope it didn't fly under the radar as much as I feel it probably did.
8.5
 The Walking Dead #177 Jul 21, 2019

Finally got a chance to read this. I had an up-and-down relationship with The Walking Dead by the time it ended. The story felt as though it had no place to go; when the plot did advance, it felt poorly executed... But the one part of The Walking Dead that always lifted me out of the dregs was Negan. Despite that, I never read the Here's Negan miniseries (which I should do soon), so I was missing out on Negan for quite a long time. This issue was neat and furthermore, it got me excited about The Walking Dead again. But in reality, I just want more Negan. I don't want a dragged out reconstruction narrative where everyone keeps smiling. I'm pretty sure this is a one-shot but it is worth the read if you are missing some Negan like I obviously was.
8.5
 Thor (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019

Enjoyed this a lot. The best thing about this story was the interludes.

A calm final issue.

This isn't the best issue, but it's good for what it is. This seems like it'll be like Hammerfall, a prelude to the next big arc.

Really enjoyed this one. Nearly as good as the """"filler"""".

A really strong issue. I just like how Donny Cates writes Thor, and I mean, sentient Mjolnir mommy dommy? Everyone's fine with that.

This was good. If someone was only reading Thor, I could see how it could feel a bit lackluster. But as someone reading Venom, having the benefit of reading issue 17 of that series already, well after this issue came out, I really liked how this tied into that.

I couldn't imagine hating this comic as much as these other people do. I feel like it's so easy to point out the flaws with a comic book when you've decided you won't like it and you want to be hyper pedantic to justify the hate because being a normal person about it is too much of a task for you. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This was really good. Iron Man 2020 is coming and I'm actually excited about it.

This was a really good issue.
8.5
 Trinity (2016) #17 Jul 21, 2019

I think I liked this issue more than the previous few. There's still a problem with the structure of the story, because Priest can't seem to help himself, even when it's a five issue miniseries. But! Priest is getting into some interesting ideas here about America, which didn't seem quite so present in the previous issues. The scene with John at the protests was great! That was a really well done scene. Then you have Saint and Battlestar who have an awesome fight scene that's also used to display, quite viscerally, the harms of the concept of model minorities. It's really well done, and I just wish that Priest was more consistent.
8.5
 Ultimate Invasion (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

Honestly, going back to this series is a trip. It proved one thing to me, that Bendis wasn't always at the level that he's at currently, and we didn't just grow tired of his tropes. He's simply not nearly as good at it as he used to be! This is a great first issue though. It really takes its time to establish this new, modern world and you really begin to connect with these characters. And yet the slower pace doesn't feel like a slog. It all flows naturally. And the art? Bagley is great as always. This issue is teeming with potential, and we all know where it goes from here.
8.5
 Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #8 Oct 14, 2024
8.5
 Ultimate X-Men (2024) #4 Jun 13, 2024
8.5
 Uncanny Avengers (2023) #3 May 8, 2024

Any small continuation of what Duggan did with Deadpool is super appreciated here.
8.5
 Uncanny Spider-Man (2023) #1 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Uncanny Spider-Man (2023) #3 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Uncanny Spider-Man (2023) #4 May 8, 2024

Enjoyed this a lot.

Solid issue.

This issue wraps up the cliffhangers to Rosenberg's New Mutants and Astonishing X-Men runs in one fell swoop. It also gives us the new X-Men team. It's super entertaining.

Another good issue.

Emma Frost is one of my favorite X-Men characters so an entire issue focused on her was great for me.

This was really good. It brings Cyclops back in a reasonable (for comics) way.

Much better than the first two issues. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I ended up liking this more than issue one. I just... there's something missing! For every cool part, like V's conversation with Madam Justice, there's something I don't really care about, like the anti-technology stuff. And it makes this comic a conflicting read. I see the good in it and I recognize it. But there's just something that's not clicking. Could it be the art? Could it be the setting? I don't know. But there's just something that should be there that isn't there.

I really liked V's broadcast. The rest kind of falls into the same pitfalls as the previous issue.

I again don't have much to say. Well aside from thinking maybe Alan Moore had some sexual deviancy and that's why his stories are filled with it... I definitely think V for Vendetta is the weakest of the three major Alan Moore comics I've read. I think a lot of what he was trying to say here was done better in From Hell. Eddie is just Abberline in a different time, for instance. I don't know, something felt a little off, especially in the beginning. I'm not sure why. I would say because it was hitting similar beats as both Watchmen and From Hell, but I don't think that's it. I don't know, man. It's hard to say. But I do think if I was a new comic book reader, that I'd find V for Vendetta a lot more compelling. I've just read sooo much and V for Vendetta isn't the most original story. Watchmen wasn't either, but I really like superheroes and their deconstruction. From Hell was definitely not something I was used to reading and it really did have some very impactful moments. As did Watchmen. With V for Vendetta, those were a lot quicker and sparse. So maybe that's it. Maybe I expected more from Alan Moore and the legacy of V for Vendetta, and the reality is, at least for me, I got less than expected. I'm not saying it's a bad comic by any means, though. I'm glad I read it. That scene with Madam Justice... That's probably going to impact the way I both read and write. But that's the only scene in the entire book that has that effect on me. As opposed to Watchmen and From Hell, which had multiple scenes that changed my perspective. So yeah, those are my rambling thoughts with no real conclusions drawn, make of them what you will.

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8.5
 Venom (2016) #164 Jul 21, 2019

Cullen Bunn didn't ruin Venom. Hooray. This was a good issue. A nice tie-in that doesn't forget everything that came before, and actually builds on it.

Mostly action, but really great action.

I thought this was really good. I mean, it was disposable as hell, but for what it was, I liked it a lot.
8.5
 Venom (2021) #16 Feb 6, 2023
8.5
 Venom (2021) #33 May 20, 2024
8.5
 Venomized #1 Jul 21, 2019

Really good issue, used to launch several of the one-shot tie-ins, all of which I actually want to read. The final page with Thor was very badass.

I'll be reading all three of the new series. Surprisingly, Valkyrie is the least interesting one to me despite having (arguably) the best writing team. But I'll be reading them all, as I said. The art for the Punisher story was my favorite.

Another good tie-in. This is just as good as the main series, so if you like that, you'll like this.

Still a cool series with great visuals.

8.5
 We Only Find Them When They're Dead #11 Mar 16, 2023
8.5
 We Only Find Them When They're Dead #13 Mar 16, 2023
8.5
 Weapon H #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Weapon H #3 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Weapon H #4 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 Weapon H #5 Jul 21, 2019

The comic manages to make things compelling after a few missteps recently.

This was really good. I kind of had it spoiled months ago, unfortunately. But still, it is written well and the art is good (those last two pages aside).

The team is finally starting to act like one. And I'm glad the Jimmy Kimmel stuff wasn't as cringey as I was expecting.
8.5
 What If? (2018): Spider-Man #1 Jul 21, 2019

I enjoyed this a lot. I liked Bucky's characterization. And the ending left me excited, when it really should've made me roll my eyes, so I gotta give Higgins credit, I think.

I think this issue was really good. Not much to say, but I really hope RJ becomes a sidekick for Bucky.

Things slow down a bit too much for me, but this was still really good.

Really enjoyable issue. It really feels like X-Force and this title are basically two sides of the same coin.
8.5
 Wolverine (2020) #20 Feb 6, 2023

Man, Beast is such a chad.
8.5
 Wolverine (2020) #34 May 7, 2024
8.5
 Wolverine (2020) #40 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Wolverine (2020) #41 May 8, 2024
8.5
 Wolverine (2020) #42 May 8, 2024

I mean, aside from being predictable, this was a good issue. I think the art was a little off but I'm actually a little excited for this run now.

This was actually much better than Immortal Wonder Woman. Even the backup, while not great, wasn't so bad.

I really enjoyed the main story as it let Diana explore Valhalla, which is very interesting to me. The backup was not as good, it feels unnecessary so far.

This is still a really enjoyable read. I hope it doesn't lose its luster after Wonder Woman leaves Asgard.
8.5
 Wonder Woman (2016) #793 Mar 16, 2023
8.5
 Wonder Woman: Evolution (2021) #5 Mar 16, 2023
8.5
 X-23 (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 X-23 (2018) #3 Jul 21, 2019

Really enjoyed this one, especially the beginning with Wolverine, Daken and Honeybadger.
8.5
 X-Force (2019) #44 May 8, 2024
8.5
 X-Force (2019) #45 May 8, 2024

This was a really fun issue. Hickman writes a great Magneto.

This issue continues a trope in Hickman's writing that seems pretty divisive. I like it though. I like the idea of putting the same events in different lights and seeing how they morph. In this case, Hickman took a rather clinical history lesson and turned it into a character-driven emotional backstory. I don't find this issue lazy. I think people should try to appreciate the artform on display here.

I was expecting a bit more than I got from this issue, but it was still really good. I don't understand the people malding about Laura here. She barely said anything in this issue. I couldn't really determine how Duggan writers her from that, personally.
8.5
 X-Men (2021) #30 May 8, 2024
8.5
 X-Men (2021) #31 May 8, 2024

This is a really fun series. Zdarsky is great.
8.5
 X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic (2021) #2 Oct 28, 2021

I'm liking this more.

Jonathan Hickman writes a very funny Wolverine.
8.5
 X-Men: Before The Fall (2023): Heralds of Apocalypse #1 May 7, 2024

I really liked both stories.
8.5
 X-Men: Black (2018): Magneto #1 Jul 21, 2019

This story remains as important as it has always been. Issue two will be even moreso. I don’t think there is much to say about the original story. Everyone has read that. I will say, the Extended Cut’s additions don’t amount to much outside of the supplemental materials. You’re not getting a ton of extra story content… Just what looks like a new framing device to house the story inside of, which is honestly for the best, since I don’t think the story itself should be changed whatsoever.
8.5
 X-Men: Grand Design #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 X-Men: Grand Design: Second Genesis #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 X-Men: Red (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 X-Men: Red (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019
8.5
 X-Men: Red (2018) #7 Jul 21, 2019

This continues to be a solid story. Shame it's ending soon.

8.5
 X-Men: Red (2022) #1 Feb 6, 2023

This was a lot of fun, with some really good messaging. Particularly, the Wolverine and Rogue stories hit particularly well. Wolverine's story on a more meta level with its messaging, and Rogue's story on a more character driven level. The contents of this book make for some really good representation comics. I find it incredibly frustrating, however, that for all the good the contents provide, the cover shows Marvel's continued unwillingness to fully embrace LGBTQ representation. Why can't Mystique and Destiny kiss on the cover? Why the reluctance? I mean, X-Men 30 showed Scott and Jean kissing just fine. I think this cover is a prime example of how, in spite of being art, mainstream comics are still a controlled product that has to fit the whims of stringent, fearful capitalism. The creators involved with this book do their best, and I just wish corporate and marketing weren't so scared to back them up. This cover choice may seem small and insignificant, but I think it speaks volumes.
9.0
 A.X.E. One-Shots: Starfox #1 Oct 13, 2022
9.0
 A.X.E. One-Shots: X-Men #1 Oct 13, 2022

This is essentially what the main Eternals title would have become if it weren't ended at twelve issues. The whole AXE event is much bigger than the Eternals title was, and I'm glad to see our main Eternals team still have a place, and play a major role. If you had been reading Eternals, if you have been enjoying AXE, this is going to be an very enjoyable tie-in.

While the main series is a triumph in itself, this miniseries is the major crux of the story being told. I said in the last issue's review that this series is a continuation of Gillen's Eternals run, and I'd say that holds true in this second issue, but in a more indirect way. Our Eternals aren't given all the focus, but it still remains within the realm of that cast, if that makes sense. There's not a ton to say without spoiling, but the humanistic writing really makes this series charming, much like the Eternals run that came before this.
9.0
 A.X.E.: Death to the Mutants #3 Oct 13, 2022

This is more like it. Valerio Schiti matches Gillen's writing so well here, and paired with that Mark Brooks cover, this really does feel like an event. Although, with this artist, and the general feeling of Marvel not putting the work in to promote this event, I do get Empyre vibes. Not to say this is like Empyre or of the quality of Empyre. No, this is better. Gillen throws a ton at the readers in this issue, and it may seem a little daunting for some. After all, this did have a year's worth of build up in the Eternals title. But the character work and the scale of events should be enough to draw in new readers. That's the hope, at least.

I could see how the twist at the end of this issue may leave some people feeling sour, but I think it worked really well in showing that there isn't an easy way out. The heroes of Earth are going to face judgment, and they've brought it on themselves. There are some great character moments. For instance, Cap's judgment is crushing, but he responds exactly how Cap would. The art is also incredible. This feels and looks like an event, and it lives up to the hype.

You know, I went into this with a ton of cynicism after all the buildup, most of which I felt was either boring, bad or unnecessary. Buuut, this is actually really well done and I'm actually excited about this one now. I hope it lives up to this first issue.

I really loved the main story. It was very well written and has sold me on this Warworld story. It truly feels hopeless, which in turn really sells Superman's heart. I can't wait to read the next one. On the other hand, the backup really feels unimportant. I don't connect with it. I think it is a waste of money. The sooner DC drops the backups, the better.

This is becoming such a great comic. It feels like PKJ was just gearing up for this one since the run started, and everything that came before this was necessary, yet not quite so exciting reading. I appreciate it in hindsight. I would rate this even higher but the Martian Manhunter backup is really not engaging with me.

This issue feels like the plot is really beginning to coalesce. After months of build up, the steps taken in this issue feel earned. I was critical of the early parts of PKJ's run, and I stand by that because this current arc sort of cements my problems with those early issues. Those issues tried to tell a higher concept story but without the methodical pacing of this arc. We were thrown into the unknown, alien concepts without any sort of acclimation, and then we were gone before there was any chance at adjustment. I would really like to know if that initial crossover between the two Superman titles was originally intended, or if Bendis left earlier than expected.

This issue manages to capture what makes Superman such an endearing hero.

This is, for the most part, just a celebration of Superman's unending optimism and I'm here for it. I just really like a an unabashedly positive Superman, that isn't bogged down by terrible side plots. Which is rarer than you'd think.

This is the best issue in this arc. Aaron lets loose a bit and manages to give us a bit of a unique ending.

This was a lot better than I expected. The chemistry between Frank and JJJ is actually really great. And the ending managed to be a bit poignant, even.

Man, I'm into this a lot more than I thought I'd be. Age of X-Man might be cool after all.
9.0
 Aliens vs. Avengers (2024) #1 Oct 14, 2024
9.0
 All-New Wolverine #30 Oct 9, 2018

Yeah, this is slowly turning into one of my favorite titles, annoyance at Mary Jane being out of New York again aside. I hope Peter actually does manage to figure out what's going on, so we can see theses two together, like we all want.

Okay, Doctor Octopus is one of my favorite Spider-Man villains, possibly my favorite altogether, so I may be a little nicer to this issue than the last. Honestly, I fear that this review will be too short in comparison to my last two. This was bound to happen due to this issue only consisting of one story, but I find myself having less to say when I truly enjoy something. It's much harder to articulate positive thoughts over negative thoughts for me, but I'll try. This is my favorite issue of the run so far, and I know that doesn't mean much when I'm only 3 issues in, but when people tell you to read the Lee/Ditko Era of Spider-Man, it is issues like this one that truly bolster that recommendation. That, despite the antiquated feeling, the story shines through as something worth reading. This is the first full-length Spider-Man issue, and you can tell that the extra space has given Lee and Ditko more freedom. Things don't have to be quite so rushed. The villain gets his time to shine, and as a whole, things are fleshed out. Spider-Man can have more of an character arc as well. We finally get to see a villain that actually puts Spider-Man to the test. The Chameleon, the Vulture, the Tinkerer and gravity itself have nothing on Doc Ock. Spider-Man gets handily defeated, and it's not through some bullshit blindsided kick to the head like Vulture. Spidey is simply bested by Doc Ock, in a fair fight. The ego exuded from Doc Ock when he bitch slaps Spider-Man is character defining. And what happens next? Spider-Man adapts; he uses his smarts and he proves he's not reliant purely on his powers. Now, I'm aware that this issue kind of mirrors the Vulture story from last issue, but it's done better and we get a nice little character beat for Peter where he doubts himself. It's just a lot better. Continuity wise, we get a few more big events here. The introduction of the Spider-Signal. It does come out of nowhere, which is something I praised last issue for *not doing.* But I am pretty sure they eventually get into more of why Spider-Man has it. J. Jonah Jameson is back at the Daily Bugle, as it should be. There's not much focus on the Parker financial woes, but I'm sure that'll come back soon enough. We also get to see the first inkling of the friendship Spider-Man and the Human Torch will form. That's covered more in the Strange Tales second annual that would soon be hitting shelves. But I'm not covering that, because taking on all the Spider-Titles themselves is more than enough of a workload. But we see the friendship start to bud here and that's what's important. Overall, like I said, the longer story format works better and Doc Ock is one of the biggest Spider-Man foes for a reason. He's great. Quote of the issue: "Where Are Your Brave Words and Taunts Now, Spider-Man?"

This issue was even better than the previous one. It has an admittedly silly hook, but I'm sure it was exciting to read when this was new. My first time around reading this, I too was enthralled by the idea that Peter was unmasked this early into his career. Some continuity things to note. In last issue's review, in the pursuit of brevity, I forgot to mention Peter created his first spider-tracer. An invaluable gadget that he will rely on quite a bit throughout his career. And then with this issue, we see Betty and Peter more solidified as a couple. We see Liz and Flash are definitely broken up, and Liz is very interested in Peter now. The original love triangle is formed. This issue thankfully had more JJJ, and he's delightful as usual. Doc Ock is still a great villain, and the pacing is still great. They've expanded from 21 pages to 22 pages, and that'll only help things. Quote of the issue: "Parker Would Never Have Had the Nerve to Soak Me That Way!"

This was a very bold issue. Peter spends the entire issue afraid for his aunt, while his public image goes to ruin. It's very ambitious for the time, in my opinion. The only issue I have here is how easily things work out in time for the next issue. It's just a huge amount of contrivance. But I still really like what this issue is and tried to be. Quote of the issue: "For I Know At Last That a Man Can't Change His Destiny... And I Was Born to be... Spider-Man!!!"

Scorpion's second outting proves to be much more entertaining than his first. It feels like Lee and Ditko have found a groove again, and each issue goes by fast, but in a satisfying manner. I really, really loved Jameson in this one, my god. Also, Ned Leeds is back and he couldn't come any sooner. With Liz out of the picture, there needs to be a third wheel to spur up some drama... I know it'll be very short lived drama, but drama nonetheless! It seems like Ditko really knew where he was going here. We get references to next issue's villain, we get the impending Doom with the Peter/Betty relationship and we get the first sign of Aunt May's illness. I'm sure this build will only help the epic three-parter that's about to happen. Quote of the issue: "¡dnppnÉ¥S 'Ê∀"

In my last review, I forgot to mention one of the funniest parts about this new Vulture. He is so insistent that no one can beat a man with wings, but he only has them because the original Vulture was his cellmate in prison, after being defeated while using those same wings. The thing about this issue that I personally really enjoy is its pacing. You've got almost a straight half-and-half of Peter's personal life vs Spider-Man's antics. It creates what feels like a very well-rounded issue, partly because both villains' motivations are already, or quickly, established. The drama on the Peter side of things is a little silly. It's treated almost Archie-esque by the ending. But it is a fun issue, nonetheless. I don't have a ton to say about this one, despite how much I liked it. I feel like Kraven and NuVulture were dispatched with the respect they deserve, and things wrap up very neatly. I'm excited to get to issue 50 as that one I think I'll have more to say about. Quote of the issue: "Gwen Will Buy You a Movie Mag to Keep You Cultural Till Pete's on His Feet Again!"
9.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #792 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #3 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #4 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #5 Oct 9, 2018

This was a set up issue but it was still really good. It cements this series in the current continuity and makes the universe feel more lived in and that's something not every Marvel series does, so it's a treat when things are acknowledged, especially so many different things.

A very good conclusion to this mini-arc about Jonah. He finally gets past his ego and makes right at least some of the pain he's caused Spider-Man and others throughout the years. We get yet another heartfelt conversation between Spider-Man and another character that reaffirm their relationship and status quo for this series. First Boomerang, then Black Cat, now Jonah. We also get a cliffhanger that presumably has to do with Kraven, who's been a background player this entire time, so that's exciting.

This issue felt less like filler than the last one. I'm super into everything Nick Spencer is doing with May. It seems like it's building up to an inevitably sad ending. There's some more status quo readjustment here too. The clone of Ned Leeds is dealt with, as Spencer seems to pay more regard to Clone Conspiracy than Dan Slott did. And F.E.A.S.T. is re-established, finally giving Robbie Robertson larger role... It really feels like they're taking their time to move everything into place while still delivering good stories. I'm super excited for Hunted.

Really good set up issue. I would've been less happy with it if Spider-Man wasn't in it at all. The Kraven stuff was interesting and necessary, but I'm here for Spider-Man most of all. Luckily, he does get a story and a very good one at that. This is all looking to be something crazy and I'm actually really excited for it.

Another stellar issue from Nick Spencer. Those last few pages were incredibly creepy in the best way.

I really enjoyed this, as always. Sandoval's art looked great, especially his Black Suit Spidey.

A really good Lizard story. I think Bachalo's art may have been misplaced, but I don't mind it so I'm not going to complain too much.

Really good issue. I feel like Spencer is really hammering home the Peter/MJ relationship and all that *should* have been. I don't know, maybe I was just reading too much into the part about responsibility and children. But Peter's last thoughts being about MJ were a nice touch.

I just find all of these characters so fun.

A good, but slow start to the next arc.

This really didn't explain anything from 2099 Omega, besides where old Miguel came from... I think it's implied that what transpired during this arc leads to the 2099 future we saw with the one-shots. I understand the pickle that Spencer was in here. Keeping Spidey 2099 in the present means that he has plans for him, but in order for that to make sense, the previous incarnation of 2099 had to be scrapped given how Peter David's last run ended. So, now, I'm just wondering if there will be follow up to this "event." Clearly, everything here will have follow up in Spencer's run, I just don't see how that's going to continue to the point of the 2099 one-shots. Is that just the canon now? Will the original version be brought back? Will this new version be continued in any way? This issue was good, I actually liked it a lot, but there's just a ton of questions here that don't have any immediate answers at the moment, and that frustrates me. The current day stuff is interesting to me and is probably sowing the seeds for something bigger than just Amazing Spider-Man... My biggest concern is that I don't want Spidey getting lost in the crowd here.

I feel sorry for Gog. The art and writing here were really good, but the entire issue is about how Gog got where he is, and his role regarding the lifeline tablet. And that's nice and all, but this issue went by so fast and therefore this feels like one of those issues that suffer from the bi-weekly schedule. It's a pacing problem. That being said, this issue reminds me a lot of the Gibbon issue from Hunted. It really manages to hit those emotional beats. I'm hoping next issue, which may not be released for a while given the Coronavirus pandemic, makes up for the pacing problem this arc has.

While not as crazy as some of the more recent issues, this does have plenty of things to note. Specifically, Peter's Astral Plane being littered with Back in Black/One More Day callbacks. You've got Jake Martino, the sniper that shot Aunt May, you've got Kingpin, who hired him, you've got Aunt May herself as a zombie and you've got a Mary Jane demon. If they don't fix One More Day during this run, I'll be very shocked. They just keep referencing things, more and more explicitly. It's part of the plot now, no more innuendo. And that's exciting.

The story here is a lot of fun, no complaints there. The art is not so good. Some of it looks unfinished. I assume that's Federico Sabbatini. But even Federico Vicentini's art, which I usually like, doesn't work very well with the big action scene. It's hard to tell what's going on in some of these panels.

Knowing that Nick Spencer's run is ending in a few months, it kind of morphed my opinion of this issue, in hindsight after reading it. I give this series a lot of praise. It is continually my favorite comic on the shelves, I truly do enjoy this run. However, part of the enjoyment of this run is built on the promise that the conclusion will be satisfying. This is the penultimate arc. I really don't understand why we're reintroducing Ned Leeds and Betty's pregnancy so, so late into this run. This arc feels like two separate ideas forced together. For a story arc named after him, Chameleon seems very unimportant to this story. Now, maybe it all comes together at the end, and maybe my worry is for nothing but as of now, I worry that what we get here will be an arbiter of what's to come in Sinister War and the finale of Spencer's run. It gives me a bad feeling. I like this run a whole lot. I even like this story arc. But I'm just trying to understand the 4D chess being played here, and I worry that, like Trump, it's a fiction. We'll see.

This is such a weird arc. The pacing feels so off. This feels like two arcs smashed together into one slightly truncated arc. I don't know if Nick Spencer's run got cut short or what, but I really can't believe this was the original intention when Spencer planned all this out. The Giant-Size issue coming next has so much heavy lifting to do to make this arc click for me. It's frustrating because I don't hate what I'm reading, not at all, I just don't understand why. Whereas before, I could just say, "Well, it's probably for a future arc," I know there's only Sinister War left, so I just... don't get it. I hope it wraps up in a satisfying way. I remember King's Ransom was kind of similar in that the pacing seemed off at points, but that one ended up working out. I hope Sinister War and the finale to Nick Spencer's run doesn't suffer from this pacing issue.

This was a mostly great issue. The emotional beats were all there; the writing was on point. I'm kind of worried that when Peter decides not to deal with his feelings about Harry, that's the writer saying that he's not going to deal with his feelings about Harry until the next run. I guess we'll just have to see. The art is great for the most part, although some of the backup art (for some reason, not done by any of the main artists on this book) was rough. A big selling point for me on this run was nostalgia, pure and simple. The Art Adams covers give such a nostalgic vibe to me, plus the return of so much 90s Spidey just cinched it. This issue didn't have that classical (for lack of a better word) feel I was expecting. It's not bad, by any means, I just expected something different and I need to adjust my expectations. We do know exactly how long this run will last though, which is crazy that they'd tell us (Maybe in case sales plummet). 19 issues in total. I assume that they aren't counting the .BEY issues to that. But it's weird. I assumed this was going to be the run that got us to issue 900. Marvel usually likes to start and end things around nice, big round numbers. It could be nothing. Maybe the next big run wants to have something special happen in issue 900 instead of having the run start with that issue. We'll see. But as for *this* run, we're on a time limit and that is probably better that we know it.

Maybe it's because it is a Peter-centric issue, maybe it's because MJ gets to be a badass, something I always prefer instead of damsels in distress. But I really liked this one. It was short and simple, but it wasn't... draining the way past done-in-ones with Ben have been. I doubt this stuff will come back into play later, aside from the Lizard stuff, but I had a good time reading this one. Maybe it should've been a .BEY issue, however. Or not, it's really hard to know what is essential with this run and not.

This is impactful! This is something I've been wanting from Beyond since the start. I hope what comes in the next seven chapters lives up to the promise this issue has.

This is a really good issue, although I saw some criticism elsewhere that we might be leading up to something very similar to what Nick Spencer did in his run. A Spider-Man without responsibility vs a Peter Parker without great power. And yeah... maybe, that is. But I'm enjoying the ride there, which I couldn't really say about the earlier parts of the run beyond a tepid acknowledgement as I quietly bemoaned Spencer's run being rushed to conclusion.

This is a really good issue. I really like how this era of Spidey has thrust Felicia into this heroic role, and I hope that this continues into the next run. I did not miss Ben here. I'm happy to see Peter return, and his inner monologue is peak Peter, in my opinion. It's just a really enjoyable read, which makes up for that lacking Slingers tie-in last week.

So this is it. The big finale to this undeniable filler story, meant to fill the gap left by Nick Spencer's run being cut short. To say this run was an editorially mandated construct would not be wrong. With that in mind, this run was a moderate success. I know that this ending will wash away the good that came from this run in the minds of many readers, but I'm not quite so shallow. And this issue wasn't bad at all. I feel like a lot of people forget how much of an asshole that Peter Parker can be. He's extremely impulsive. Maybe go back and read... any era of Spider-Man. He's especially impulsive when being threatened. Most people are, but him especially. The reason to like Peter is for his lesser elements, and his ability to overcome them. So... all that is to say that Peter's actions here, and his regrets after it, are totally in-keeping with Spider-Man. And so are Ben's actions, as he is Peter as well. So nothing about this climax and the tragedy of it is out of left field. As long as I can reasonably understand why these characters are acting the way they are, then I have no issue with where their actions lead them. I think that covers the general backlash this issue is getting. And why I disagree. There is one review in particular that I found disagreeable, and I'm only mentioning it specifically because I've seen it multiple times now in my feed, and I think it takes a slightly different tact than the rest of the criticism I've seen. Julhin's review has some points in it that I disagree with. I will start with the least important part, which is the weird claim that Wells doesn't like MJ. I'm mostly just curious where this comes from. I assume this is because of the solicitations for the upcoming run, in which case... as Julhin themself implies at the beginning of their review, you can never trust solicitations. The only other thing I can think of is his previous work on Spider-Man. Nothing from this run implied to me that he didn't care for the character. And I can't think of anything much from his past work on the title beyond one time slightly white-washing the Kraven's Last Hunt grave scene to be more about Uncle Ben than MJ, which is arguable at best. Unless he's said something in interviews or on twitter, I'm not sure where this claim comes from, but I'd genuinely like to know. This is less a contention and more just me being curious. More importantly, the main problem Julhin seems to have is with Nick Lowe's reasoning in his letter about this run, and I've got no love for Nick Lowe, but I take issue with Julhin's criticisms here. Nick Lowe claims that Ben Reilly doesn't really have a place in the spider-landscape anymore. Julhin takes issue with this and points out that Ben Reilly was super popular and had plenty of great stories from the 90s, with loads of potential. I feel like they're forgetting the ending to the clone saga here. Ben was never meant to go beyond, no pun intended, that era of Spider-Man. That's why they killed him. And then Julhin lists so many other spider-characters. They say we all know Peter, Miles and Jessica Drew won't go anywhere, which is funny considering Spider-Woman was just cancelled. Also, Jessica is not even a real spider-character. Then Julhin lists other spider-characters that also don't really have a place in the spider-landscape. Spider-Gwen's titles never last, even as they try to force her into the 616. Spider-Punk is getting a miniseries but that's all it'll be. Silk has just gotten two miniseries back to back after essentially disappearing, because she can't hold a title either. Noir got a miniseries way too late after the movie, and that was that. Spider-Man 2099 can't even hold a title regularly past his 90s roots. So, Julhin points to all these characters saying, "Well, look at them, they're allowed to exist" When all of them, minus Silk, are usually kept to their own universes, and none of them sell enough to consistently be published. And there's the hard truth about all of this. Ben Reilly, even with a great creative team behind him, wouldn't last. He'd just disappear like he did after his last series, only to be picked up by a writer that likes him on occasion. So, Nick Lowe decided to give him an ending, which he should've never needed as he should've stayed dead. Julhin continues but what I most want to harp on is this bit: "I hope that Ben Reilly fans get something better in the future, he's not one my favorites, but he's important to so many fans out there and i can't even imagine how most of them are feeling right now, seeing a character that is so important to them going in such a tragic direction because of such a ridiculous excuse from Marvel." I think this is ridiculous. Your favorite characters are never immune from getting hurt and beaten, and shifted from what they once were. What does a more valid excuse look like anyway? The only excuse you truly need to tell a story is having the idea for it. As far as I'm concerned, Nick Lowe could've said that they did the story because he personally has it out for Ben Reilly fans. The reaction to this issue would've probably been the same. I don't think stories need to play it safe just because the feelings of the fans of this or that character may be hurt. That's absolutely ridiculous. Marvel doesn't need an excuse to do what they do with their characters, and as far as I'm concerned, Nick Lowe's excuse wasn't actually that bad when you consider the spider-line as it has been for the past... 10 years. My biggest criticism of it is that they didn't just kill Ben off. If Nick Lowe wanted to have a hero befall a tragedy in a way that popular heroes can't, due to the status quo enabling cycle they're all in, he shouldn't have given Ben an out. But I guess he doesn't have it out for Ben Reilly fans actually. I'm not a fan of Nick Lowe's time as editor on the Amazing Spider-Man title, but I feel like if we're going to criticize him, criticize him for the bad things he does, not for the things you don't like on a subjective level. Criticize him for that Abrams' Spider-Man miniseries. Criticize him for his poor management skills leading to multiple creator fill-ins throughout the last few years. Criticize him for his inability to follow through the way he should, leading to things like Nick Spencer's run being cut short. Don't criticize him for an honest look at the state of the comics landscape, and one mostly forgotten character's place in it, and trying to do something interesting with it.

This was a very strong issue. There's a lot of ground being laid here. We finally get MJ and Peter truly interacting for the first time in this run, and it manages to keep the mystery afloat without being annoying more than intriguing. This is something that Spencer's run had plenty of trouble with. Add another little mark on the chart of differentiation between this run and Spencer's. Zeb Wells continues to play with continuity. I don't say that as in he's colorfully retconning things in a fun way, but rather that he's simply using the continuity as it is. Vulture's granddaughter learning about his villainy was not something I ever thought would matter, least of which in the Amazing title, but it actually serves as a really engaging catalyst for this mini arc. A lot of modern writers will choose to break away from the overarching narrative when they take over a character, usually choosing bits and pieces of the previous work to latch onto. Which is perfectly fine, and can be used to great effect. A good example of this would be the Hulk title. When Ewing came in, he completely changed what Hulk had been for years at that point. A lighter, more teenage driven run by Greg Pak in Totally Awesome Hulk became the existential nightmare that was Immortal Hulk. We got bits and pieces of bleed through here and there, but Ewing took it in its own direction. And similarly, when Cates took over, the title became a brutal, high action 90s comic with Smashtronaut. All of these runs have their strengths, but the delineation between them is apparent. Amazing Spider-Man is kind of an oddball because each run since Brand New Day has somewhat built on the other, while also performing large switches between writers. Peter Parker, as a character, has been insulated from the rest of the Marvel Universe, for whatever (possibly movie related) reason. So while Spencer did capitalize on what Slott did, he did negate a lot of it, and all the while convoluted the only sandbox he could really play in. It's interesting to see Wells break that mold. He keeps incorporating the larger universe into the series in a way that makes the run feel fresh. The constant backdrop of Krakoa being a prime example. Also, instead of minimal connections to previous runs, used as a platform to launch into his own singular run, Wells is really living in the status quos that Spencer built, in spite of the time jump. The first arc was about Tombstone and the Rose, both plot points set up by Spencer. This second arc features Norman Osborn heavily, who is still cleansed of his sins from the previous run. And by the way, Marvel insists on using Norman way too much. He should've stayed very, very dead. This is an interesting dynamic. It isn't just Norman mean-mugging Spidey for years, like in Slott's run. I will take this over that, if we just can't get rid of him altogether. I genuinely think Wells is doing a great job making this title feel revitalized. I can't stress enough how much of a good job he's doing. I think a lot of the initial hesitancy with this run was simply Marvel's marketing strategy of making the reader mad enough to buy the issue, which is not a great strategy. Now you've got a bunch of... well, idiots, who refuse to read the run based on misconceptions, and they'll continue to loudly act as though this run is the worst thing to ever happen. It's actually the most engaged the title and the character have been with the Marvel universe since Straczynski, and I think that's something to support. Quick note, the art is passable here. There is a noticeable roughness to some of it that wasn't present in the first arc. I don't know if Romita is losing steam, or if a lot of talking heads just kind of plays to weaknesses, but I hope he bounces back with the inevitable action next issue. I'm really not a fan of his, so I'm constantly weary we're going to get Action Comics level art. Fortunately, that has yet to happen.

I wanted to like this more than I did. The ideas are there. Peter constantly trying to ignore his greatest trauma is very in keeping with the character. In fact, everything here is in character. And there are some really beautiful moments here. But I do not like Dragotta's art. I don't know if he has a go-to inker that wasn't present for this issue, or what, but the linework really left a lot to be desired. I'm slightly baffled, because I usually *do* like Dragotta's art. It takes away from a story that I think is actually great. I wish I could rate it on the story alone. Wells gets these characters and understands why we, as fans, care. But... the art bothers me too much.

Ugh, Spider-Man fans are so goddamn obnoxious. Some of the reactions read like a tradcon learning to accept their kink. No one can ever just enjoy what they're reading.

Not sure how they'll wrap this one up in an issue, but I've been enjoying it. I hope the ending is meaningful.

I thought this issue was very energetic. Romita's art can be hit or miss, but the energy and motion of it is undeniable and one of its best qualities. This issue sets up some interesting things going forward, that I do hope deliver.

Incredibly fun and well written. Such a breath of fresh air after Dark Web. I'm sure there will still be complaints because MJ and Paul exist, but I really loved the couples' interactions in this issue.

I think that regardless of what is printed between the front and back covers of this title, it will be maligned and hated by a very devout minority of the readership, mostly concentrated online. For me though, I liked this issue. I was lukewarm on the start of the arc because I didn't really care about what happened in the time jump, and I more or less already figured out what happened by paying attention to the run. This issue does what this run does best, which is ratchet up the tension. That's what made that initial Tombstone arc so much fun. The tension here is undeniable, and I find it totally believable that Peter would fight his allies over this. He's done it for far less in the past. He even recognizes that he shouldn't, but is understandably desperate, thinking MJ is trapped with an evil, violent god for what could be a very long time. You know, because he loves her. I had a good time reading this issue, and that's all that matters to me. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

This is a great issue. This issue in particular did something that I feel has been super lacking in modern Spidey, which is maintaining that balance between superheroics and soap opera. Gleason's art is amazing, they gotta use him more often. The run feels like it's picking up, finally breaking free from the Dead Language of it all, and focusing on its narrative strengths. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This was a super fun issue. It feels like everyone's operating at high capacity here. It feels like the editorial side of things have finally let the reigns go a bit. The rapid pace at which things not only have gotten better qualitatively, but also reversed within the comic itself, leads me to believe that a lot of what we got during the first year of this run was not what Wells wanted to be doing, and was more editorially driven. The nitpick here, and for now it is just a nitpick, is that the pacing may be too fast. We aren't getting a ton in the way of plot or story so far.

I really enjoyed this one, and I won't apologize for it. Rek-Rap is a genuinely fun character. It was an odd choice to make the debt collector into a murderer. I went back and looked through the older issues, and... it works, but man, very different vibes than what I expected. Kinda creepy, even. This is also the first time Gang War has looked interesting, to me.

I'm surprised by how many threads are being pulled on for this arc. Some obvious, some not so much. The art is great and the writing is a step above what Wells usually puts out. I really hope they use this arc to redeem some of the less good elements of the run, like they seem to be doing with Ben and Kamala.

This was a really good finale. Maybe I'll miss this one.
9.0
 American Way: Those Above and Those Below #4 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 American Way: Those Above and Those Below #5 Oct 9, 2018

I'm glad that this series is getting its footing. So glad to see Fred. I'm certainly enjoying this story as a mega fan of Angel, so that's something.

I wish this issue was a bit longer. We got to see Angel and Spike be Angel and Spike, and that's great. I want more of that. We also get introduced to this series' version of Kate Lockley. I have problems with her original portrayal in the show, and this comic weaves a different path for the character that nonetheless could easily lead to that same problematic character. But we'll see. This is a genuinely great issue. It's rare that I want a comic to be longer than it is given how much I read. It's even rarer when said comic is written by Bryan Edward Hill. Where was this in Fallen Angels, man?

I'm very shocked by the reception to this issue from readers. I feel like it's important to remember what Animal Pound is attempting to be. It's Animal Farm but instead of satirizing the Russian Revolution and eventual rise of Stalinism, it's satirizing the American Revolution and the rise of whatever you'd want to call America now. This issue is directly satirizing the constitutional convention and the establishment of the electoral college. There's also a very direct immigration component with the all doors shall remain open bit. We know where things go from here, don't be thrown off when they go that direction. Piggy has found Capitalism, expect the poison of that to lead wherever this story goes. This isn't incredibly difficult storytelling but it is important to lay the groundwork, much like Animal Farm did, otherwise things will start happening for seemingly little reason and the satire will be lost.

Way more into this than the FF issue. Matthew Rosenberg does a great job.

I did not expect something of this quality from Dan Abnett. I know, I know, he did great things with Marvel Cosmic over a decade ago, but his recent stints on Aquaman and Justice League Odyssey have made me think less of his work. Hell, even his brief Guardians of Infinity run didn't help. But this was great. I had a really good time with this. I don't know if he's just a lot more comfortable with these characters or what, but I wouldn't mind him writing more Silver Surfer in the future. As a side-note, I am really glad Silver Surfer Black wasn't ignored for this.

A very, very good start. I actually don't find these characters boring for once.
9.0
 Archie (2015) #700 Apr 13, 2019

A quick, fun issue.

This was a lot of fun, although I am a little hesitant about the ending. I'm not sure where it's going, but I hope the creators can deliver. If so, I'll definitely pick this series up in trade to go along with my copy of Arkham Asylum.
9.0
 Art Brut #2 Jan 25, 2023

Weird to see everyone be so lukewarm on this one. I enjoy it.

Not sure if this is the end of the series or not, but I really enjoyed this weird, neat story. Reception has been mixed, but I honestly don't see why.

This is just such a fun and funny series.
9.0
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #13 Oct 9, 2018

Really good final issue. Makes me excited for what Rosenberg will do with Uncanny after X-Men Disassembled.

I re-read this for the first time since it was released in 2017 for two reasons. One, I wanted to have a review for it up on Comic Book Round Up, because I'm that type of person. And two, Donny Cates recently spilled the beans on a future Atomahawk anthology that's coming next year. So, I needed the refresher as well. This is a really good, fun comic. It goes by quickly but a cool world is still established. The writing here is great. It has some of my favorite aspects of Donny Cates' writing, one of which is his ability to punctuate a page. The best example of that in this story is the very ending of it. Writers who are able to do that (Hickman, Zdarsky and Aaron come to mind, as well) are automatically elevating their storytelling above the pack. And the art here is exactly what a tattoo artist would bring to the table and it works really well for this story. This is just a ton of fun and I'm excited to see it expanded upon with even more talent behind it.

The origin of Hyperion was appropriately epic. AIM is always good. This is the best issue yet.

And now we get a full alphabet... While not as good as last issue, the new Captain Universe's origin was tragic enough. I, for a brief moment, forgot that Spider-Man was Ock at this point. There's no indication of that change. You'd just have to know why Spider-Man is a dick now. And what a dick he is, it's great. Not to mention, the New Universe stuff is neat. It's kind of ridiculous how much Hickman (and later, Aaron) seem to care about the New Universe. I don't, typically. It's this run that made me care, what little I do. So, maybe this re-read will make me care an adequate amount.

Better than last issue, certainly.

A very intriguing issue.

Yet another intriguing issue.

As The Builders plotline turned around in the main event, so did it in this tie-in.

A less essential issue, but still very well-written.

The two Avengers titles are officially one, and the story is very entertaining.

More of an exposition drop issue, but here's the cool thing: I'm interested in the story enough to not mind the exposition.

Tying the Ultimate universe into this was a great idea.
9.0
 Avengers (2016) #676 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Avengers (2016) #678 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Avengers (2016) #681 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Avengers (2016) #684 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Avengers (2018) #1 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Avengers (2018) #2 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Avengers (2018) #3 Oct 9, 2018
9.0
 Avengers (2018) #5 Oct 9, 2018

I was hesitant about this issue, because it was a break from the current day stuff. But this was actually really good! I like Fan Fei a lot. This issue also shows that there is some overarching plot with the 1,000,000 BC Avengers, regarding Mephisto. Jason Aaron is just having a lot of fun with this, and it shows.

This is filled to the brim with cool moments. This looks like it'll be great.

I really like that this was a scheme by Dracula. He played everyone.

Really great issue. I like how things keep building.

I thought this was a great issue and that a lot of the backlash surrounding it is from people who don't realize that while status-quos change, they always eventually shift back to what we all know.

A really well written breather issue. It gives us a break from these giant, big stories, while still continuing some plot threads and set up. This series looks like it's in for the long haul, so all these teases make me really excited for the future. I really hope that this series clarifies Mephisto and his status quo. In this series, he's in his Las Vegas prison from Damnation. In others, he's not. I think the explanation may just be that the prison isn't actually working, since I'm pretty sure we've seen him outside of it in this series, but I'd just like clarification. The next arc does seem to involve Johnny Blaze and the Ghost Riders, so it probably will be clarified. The only negative here, for me, is the art. I really thought it was rough, and I'm usually lenient on art.

This was a really great, fun issue.

This issue started a bit slow, but once it got going, I really enjoyed it a lot.

I really love Cosmic Ghost Rider. And the story itself is pretty cool, too.

This was a solid end to this arc.

Lots of set up that makes me excited for the future.

I'm standing on the hill here as the one person who liked this issue of Avengers. Maybe I'm coming at this issue with the privilege of not being completely unaware of what I'm reading. This is a dumb, fun book. I've accepted that. And I'm having fun. Do I want to see an all-powerful Doom vs Mephisto? Of course I do. Do I care that Thor's mom is the Phoenix and he has Phoenix powers? No, because I'm not a fucking nerd. I'm a comics enthusiast who's read enough comics to know Thor's had at least 17 different moms. So, I can enjoy myself here. I can have fun with what I'm reading. And not to downplay Aaron's writing so much, as I don't think this is a poorly written arc either. It's going for a feel and it's doing a wonderful job with that feeling. I'm into it.

This was a fantastic start. MacKay nails the characters here, especially Carol, which is clearly a challenge for a lot of writers. After the mind-numbingly huge Avengers Assemble event, I'm glad this issue takes its time introducing all the characters and giving them their moments. It's so refreshing. On top of that, as someone who reads a lot of Marvel comics, it's nice to see the current status quos of these characters reflected in this book. So often, Aaron's run would ignore what was happening elsewhere in the universe. It's nice to read a top shelf book that embraces the universe it's representing. MacKay is fast becoming one of the best writers Marvel has, and this issue shows he's not even close to slipping. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
9.0
 Avengers (2023) #5 Nov 9, 2023

I really don't get the hate for this arc, I thought it was fantastic, with plenty of great heroic moments. The ending sticks the landing as well. I'm excited for what comes next.
9.0
 Avengers (2023) #8 Jan 21, 2024

Really loved the mix and matching here.

This story was mostly about setting the stage for what's to come, and with MacKay at the helm, I'm very excited for it.

I liked this a lot, even if it's just a bunch of metal shit happening. I'm easily pleased sometimes, it's a problem. I know I deserve better.

This issue is meant to build up the Doom Above All, and it succeeds. It's really fun multiversal shenanigans. I don't read this book for its depth. If you do try that, you'll be disappointed. Aaron is capable of delivering in that regard, but it has not yet been presented in this series.

This issue really captured the essence of Captain America as a character, through all sorts of different forms. It's actually really clever. I just wish every issue had this much thought put into it.

Al Ewing doesn't write bad comics.
9.0
 Avengers Inc. (2023) #4 Jan 21, 2024

This stands very well on its own. Frank Barbiere does his best to make what some would consider an afterthought into something truly worth reading. And Marco Checchetto's art is just amazing.

The first two thirds of this was a love letter to Marvel comics and that was absolutely great. The final third felt disjointed, with some stuff feeling like an afterthought (Challenger's escape), but you know, I really loved those first two thirds.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm rather sick of Dystopian Futures. Don't you know, it's all about Dystopian Nows now. I don't find the concepts engaging anymore, largely. Zdarsky is a great writer though, and he's finding a way to make these concepts fresh again. The art by Acuna *really* helps set the tone. It's spectacular.
9.0
 Avengers: Twilight (2024) #2 Feb 29, 2024

This issue doesn't meet the highs of the previous one, but it manages to still be a very compelling story with incredible art. The commentary is becoming much less subtle, but that tends to happen when talking about strongmen and their fascistic tendencies.

This managed to be a great series. I think I heard somewhere that Acuna was working on this for a solid year or so, and you can definitely see that commitment and time in the art. Zdarsky, for his part, manages to create a fresh script that never feels like it's going through the motions, or that it's tired, which can often happen in these dystopian future books.

Finally catching up on yet another Donny Cates series. Great first issue! I'm excited for the rest.

Another great issue! And yes, I totally got that Buffy reference.

What a twist!

I love Marty.

I was into this. Excited to see where it goes next.

This is exciting.

A great, dark, emotional issue. I don't really know how the finale will, one, bring this series to a close or, two, top this issue.

This is probably the only successful series in the Hill House line.

I'm fully into this now. This issue was all exposition and I enjoyed it.

The art here is spectacular, and my biggest issue with this run has been that the dialogue and narration never knows where to stop, so a silent issue works very well.

I really liked this issue for all the Riddler parts. The stuff with Harley and Catwoman was not quite so interesting. For all the build up, Punchline is a bore. But man, the Riddler stuff was fun.

Already better than what Williamson was doing, or Tynion before him, or King before him.
9.0
 Batman (2016) #126 Sep 27, 2022
9.0
 Batman (2016) #131 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Batman (2016) #132 Feb 26, 2023

I was losing interest in this arc, but I thought this was a strong finish. It's fan-service-y, sure, but fan service is not inherently bad. This was fun, and not cynically done. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Really hate the cover to this one, but I liked what we got inside. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
9.0
 Batman (2016) #137 Feb 29, 2024

This has fast action and is an exciting read, and it's over. Oh.
9.0
 Batman (2016) #149 Aug 7, 2024

The main story is genuinely one of Zdarsky's best on the title. It's what I *want* from Zdarsky more than the constant high octane nonsense of Zur and Failsafe. Also, if you're not down with Denys Cowan's art, you shouldn't call yourself a comic book fan tbh.

I'm surprised I liked this as much as I did. Maybe most of my criticisms of Joshua Williamson's writing have less to do with his skill and more to do with how ridiculously boring The Flash is as a character.

This arc is so much fucking fun. I really do enjoy it. I did notice a dip in quality as we finally had to really do some exposition, but still, this is one of my favorites to come out of Infinite Frontier. Shame that it's canceled.

Like the rest of this Archive of Worlds story, this is a whole lot of fun. I will miss this one.

While some of the dialogue is a little rough at times, that's more than overshadowed by the fun tone this issue has going for it. Plus the art is very nice. I really enjoyed how Bruce and Clark interacted in this issue. It felt natural and as though they're really friends, as opposed to the usual fare where we're told they're friends and we never really believe it. Also, the Doom Patrol is always a plus. I really missed them after that abysmal Young Animal run. Cliff even gets fucked up for old times' sake.

This is such a fun comic. I really hope the sales get boosted because this is offering fun in a way that DC's line hardly ever does.
9.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #4 Sep 27, 2022
9.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #8 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #9 Nov 16, 2022
9.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #10 Jan 12, 2023

This is still a wonderful comic. I noticed the art getting a bit scratchy in places. I hope Mora isn't rushing to keep up.

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9.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #21 Mar 14, 2024
9.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #25 Mar 21, 2024
9.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #26 May 10, 2024
9.0
 Batman / Superman: World's Finest (2022) #27 Jun 4, 2024
9.0
 Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic (2023) #5 Mar 14, 2024

This is so well written, and it's so much fun to see Waid explore the magical side of the DCU. It almost makes me forgive the rote manner with which Damian's character operates.

I shouldn't like this as much as I do.

I don't know what it was about this, but I enjoyed this a whole lot more than the previous two miniseries. Especially, Curse of the White Knight. Maybe it's just that the new status quo is much more interesting than what came before. I will say the ending didn't make me excited, but up until that point, I was in.
9.0
 Batman: Creature of the Night #1 Oct 10, 2018

I thought this was good. I just wish the art was better. I really don't like the art. But this oversized issue went by like it was nothing, so that has to be a good sign.
9.0
 Batman: Dark Age (2024) #1 May 10, 2024
9.0
 Batman: Dark Age (2024) #2 May 10, 2024
9.0
 Batman: Fortress (2022) #1 Sep 27, 2022

Crazy how the idiots don't like this one.

I'm so surprised the response to this series has been lukewarm, if not outright hateful. It's just really quality writing, and a lot of fun. It's one of the better Batman titles DC is shoveling out.
9.0
 Batman: Fortress (2022) #7 Nov 25, 2022

I genuinely enjoyed this a ton. The art really stands out and tells the story better than words could've. But the writing isn't bad either. This one-off story is probably the most enjoyable Batman story I've read recently.

I enjoyed this issue a lot. It's actually pretty funny while still being sort of justified. The art is really fluid and crazy to look at, and that's truly the main attraction here.
9.0
 Batman: Off-World (2023) #2 Mar 14, 2024
9.0
 Batman: Off-World (2023) #3 Mar 14, 2024

I recently reviewed Killing Joke and didn't like it. If you're interested in why, go look at that review. This book is very similar in construction as that one. I spent a lot of the middle of this book not really loving it. The big difference is that while Killing Joke's ending is great and it is fairly definitive for the Joker, it doesn't make what came before it worth it. It doesn't tie together properly at all, in my opinion. This book also has a great, definitive ending for the Riddler and it actually manages to tie the entire story together in a satisfying way. Are there a few moments that I think don't work? Yeah. But the whole thing together works very well. I am shocked that Tom King produced a good Batman comic.

I like this a lot. Give me asshole Batman.

This got very weird very fast, and I enjoyed it a whole lot.

This is really good. I don't understand the hate, but you know, some people have no taste.
9.0
 Batman: The Dark Prince Charming #2 Aug 15, 2020

Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to reading this. I can't really explain why beyond just a general Bat-fatigue. It's weird how in this story, Bruce is ready to leave Gotham behind but in every other title, he explicitly talks about how Gotham needs him. It also seems like they might be aging Batman a little bit? Which is actually kind of neat. I like that. And the final twist was actually kind of engaging to me. I was coming into this with the lowest expectations, so it's not hard to see why they were surpassed, but nonetheless, I really liked this one.

I don't know why I have such a hard time bringing myself to read this series when I actually really enjoy it.

I really enjoyed this one. I like when they manage to make a serial killer in comics that isn't on the level of, like, a creepypasta. The Foundling is neat, and I liked the small insight we got into his way of thinking. The ending felt a bit abrupt after all the build up, but the character work helped mend that failing, in my opinion.

Such a good book. Zdarksy writes a great, grounded Bruce Wayne.
9.0
 Batman: The Knight (2022) #6 Sep 27, 2022
9.0
 Batman: The Knight (2022) #9 Sep 27, 2022

A really good wrap up to a series that frankly didn't need to exist. Zdarsky's take on Batman's beginnings is interesting enough, and well written enough, to help me get over the fact that the path is so beaten, it's looking like a police officer's wife.

There are some things here that are a little weird, in my opinion. I feel like Jason's dialogue is sometimes a bit rough. But I think the issue was, overall, still really good. I'm excited for the finale. I hope it is a finale, because to be honest, the pacing here does not feel like act two to a three act story. I really hope this ends as a complete story and not as a prelude to something else. That would be unforgivable. But yeah, I'll stay optimistic for now.

This is a really good anthology. Anthologies are usually rough, but when you put good creators on them, it tends to go better. The Red Hood story by Chip Zdarsky is my favorite. The best Red Hood I've read since... Well, honestly, ever, thanks to Scott Lobdell. That ending sure is a hook. The Harley and Ivy story is not on par, but it's not bad. I kinda found the stuff set in the past a little annoying. Harley is just annoying to me. But the stuff in the present worked better and I liked that. The Outsiders story is also in a vaguely good place. It was fine and then the ending happened, and that's where I was hooked. And finally, the Grifter story is great. Matthew Rosenberg can write scumbags well. This story also had a great hook. I feel like, Harley aside, these stories all nailed the cliffhangers, which is very helpful when trying to market a, what, $7.99 comic?
9.0
 Batman: White Knight #6 Oct 10, 2018

This continues to be a really good miniseries. It's firmly entrenched in 90s Spidey despite mostly being accessible. You either know the ins and outs of the continuity or you don't, and either way you get an engaging story. It's actually very nostalgic for me. I'm kind of tempering my scores here because if I based it solely on my emotional response, this would be a 10/10 even if I'm not sure that's really warranted. Trying to stay away from doing that. I'm excited to see who the villain here actually is, and I hope this series sells well enough to possibly give DeMatteis more Spider-Man to write. Maybe even an ongoing.

Really enjoyable issue. I will say that it's probably the weakest in terms of progression and content. Not a ton happens outside of the reveal, which is actually great because that character is so ridiculous and I'm glad they're back.

Great issue. I really like the pathos here, which is what JM DeMatteis excels at.

I enjoyed this a lot. The writing and art just exude a sense of fun that DC couldn't properly manifest for... let's be nice and just say a decade. That's what I expect from this team. I'm engaged in a way that not many titles can make me. I think maybe the lukewarm response from some is a result of some mismanaged expectations. For me, I completely overlooked that Leonardo Romero was the artist, and the team did not excite me so to finally read the issue, I was very happy with what I ended up getting.
9.0
 Birds of Prey (2023) #4 Mar 14, 2024

Great ending to a really fun first arc. This series is a lot of fun, and the art by Romero and Bellaire continues to be absolutely stellar.

This time the change in art wasn't nearly as disorienting and Javier Pina's style feels in sync with Romero's. A new arc with a new(ish) team could have broken this book, but fortunately it did not. DC doesn't have much in the way of fun books. This is one of them. I saw some slight... complaints? Observations? about the ending of this issue and how fan service-y it is. Kelly Thompson is a great writer who also can be a bit kitschy sometimes. I feel like there's a line between what's objectification and what's simply sex positivity, and this moment falls on the side of the latter rather than the former. If this were a book with weak characters where plot is paramount, and this happened, it would probably be objectification (and written by Scott Lobdell). However, this comic is mostly all character and we spend time with those characters and therefore they feel like people, not objects. I'm all for it, personally. The false dichotomy of objectification or puritanism is both frustrating and ill-thought-out. I'm making a mountain out of a molehill with this specific instance, but I don't get to ever talk about this so I'm putting my piece here.

Honestly, if you think the art is bad, you may as well stare at a blank page because you'll get just as much out of that.
9.0
 Black Bolt #8 Oct 10, 2018

Man, I'm really enjoying this one.

This series is exceedingly fun.

I thought this was a ton of fun.

This is a stupidly enjoyable comic.

This was a great issue! Too bad people are so sensitive to nearly decades-old characterization. There are too many snowflakes and art suffers for it.

I liked this a lot. I really think MacKay nails Felicia as a character. This book is super fun.

This Black Cat run is so much fun. I'm sad it's ending soon. But while we have it, it's always a joy to read.

This seemingly has almost nothing to do with the Infinity Stones, but it *is* a really fun extra issue of Black Cat, and that's good enough for me. I wonder if that's classic Nighthawk at the end, or if it's the newer alt-universe version of the character.

This was a great ending to a really enjoyable run. I hope whatever comes next for the character works as well as this series did.

This was a really smart way to end this miniseries. I liked it a lot. Especially all the overt references to Brex*t. When Dane literally shat on Queen Elizabeth herself, I too lost my shit.
9.0
 Black Panther (2016) #171 Oct 10, 2018
9.0
 Black Panther (2018) #3 Oct 10, 2018

This doesn't confirm anything we didn't already know, but it's nice that the characters have a heart-to-heart to add some emotional weight to this narrative.

I really enjoyed this issue. I thought it was really well done and poignant. T'Challa is being the king he is supposed to be: Protecting his people even if it costs him and the rebels in the process. It's another step towards T'Challa finding his identity again, and what better time for that than on a ship filled with people who will soon be mindwiped?

Finally, Wakanda went full Canada.

Valiant Son does what so many people do when they overtly don't like something but don't want to be called out for it. They pretend like there is any world where they'd be okay with a satire of things they like. In this case, misogyny and colonialism. Just a quick look through Valiant Son's reviews, they're extremely biased towards any sort of progressive narrative. They are right that this is on the nose, but frankly, it's better that way. The Colonialist is a very creepy villain outside of any of the things it says, but that additional factor of being openly awful only adds to what is a really neat villain. I really hope the political-critique version of negging that Valiant Son is so adept at doesn't become normalized. It's very obnoxious.

I really enjoyed this one.

Really enjoyed this. Was very unsure of Kibblesmith, even after enjoying Lockjaw.

Thought this was a really good ending. It had plenty of cool moments, and managed to get the characters right.

This is really good. The story and characters are fun, but the art is what really propels the issue.

Elena Casagrande is such a good artist, and Kelly Thompson writes this series so well. I hope this series goes for a while. I know how stingy Marvel is being with it so far.

The artist here, while not as good as the main artist, did a fine job. The story was more of an action set piece, but it was well done!

Much better than last issue.

I caught up on all of MacKay's stuff to read this, and it's a lot of fun. The villain designs are really cool, the art is top notch, and I don't know where it's going from here. Event comics are usually an investment struggle, but this one manages to hook readers by fully embracing what it is.
9.0
 Blood Hunt (2024) #2 Jun 4, 2024

I know the speech Cap gives is similar to one he already gave (this is pointed out in the issue and is intentional), but man... It's such a good speech.
9.0
 Books of Magic (1990) #1 Sep 24, 2020

This was a really good one-shot.

While this issue was not as good as the first two, the difference is only slight. There's still some good character moments and the writer nails these characters' voices, but a lot of this issue plays out like a monster of the week episode of the show. Which is fine, don't get me wrong, it's just that we could use more of the world building that the first two issues had.

This is a really good issue. Lots of character development which has been sort of staggering lately. I enjoyed it a lot. I just wish the art was better.

While the main series is really starting to waver, in my opinion, this one-shot is a whole lot of fun. I feel like Mirka Andolfo understands these characters. I can't stress how much fun this issue is. If you fell out on the Boom reboot, at least give this a shot. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I read this back-to-back with the newest issue of the main series, and the difference in writing and tone was... palpable.

I liked this a lot. I'm confused by some of the critical reviews saying that the relationship stuff from the parent titles is absent here, since that's not true... Okay, it's slightly true for Angel, but his supporting cast is in LA, not Sunnydale, so you know... As for the story itself, we finally get Angel and Buffy meeting for the first time, and their dynamic works. It feels right at home with the TV show, honestly. But moreso later in the Buffyverse, when Angel had realized Buffy's kind of annoying but still cared so he mostly just told her to go away. Memories. Anyway, overall, I'm excited to see where this goes. As an event book, it works.

9.0
 Cable (2017) #157 Oct 18, 2018

I liked this a lot. I think Duggan writes a great Deadpool, and doesn't miss a beat here. What it does for the overall plot may be a bit lacking, but I don't mind that. It was fun.

I thought this was a really well done one-shot. The team and the writing felt on point. It felt like I could read a series about this team. It also felt like a major turning point in The Last Annihilation event. It's definitely worth your money.
9.0
 Captain America (2017) #696 Oct 18, 2018
9.0
 Captain America (2017) #698 Oct 18, 2018
9.0
 Captain America (2017) #699 Oct 18, 2018
9.0
 Captain America (2018) #2 Oct 18, 2018

Cap's characterization is on point and I'm excited to see where this goes.

This issue serves more as a prelude to the next arc than a finale to this arc. Most of the issue is spent explaining the villains' side to the complex story that's unfolding and it works well. It establishes very well what their intentions are and why. There's also the wild card that is Red Skull. He's certainly vied for the power that Alexa and Aleksander Lukin want to amass, but he may not be up for alliances after the last one got him killed. This issue also continues something that I personally love about this series. It continues to deal with Secret Empire. Secret Empire was a big deal, and it had lasting ramifications, but the Cap run after it hardly touched on that, despite being the one book that should address it, if any do. Secret Empire was a complex story, with many ideas, and it deserves and needs a follow up that doesn't just toss it to the side, and this run is that.

Still really enjoying this run and what it has to say.
9.0
 Captain America (2023) #1 Mar 17, 2024
9.0
 Captain America (2023) #2 Mar 17, 2024
9.0
 Captain America (2023) #3 Mar 17, 2024
9.0
 Captain America (2023) #4 Mar 17, 2024
9.0
 Captain America (2023) #8 May 17, 2024
9.0
 Captain America (2023) #9 May 17, 2024

A really good political Captain America story. He fights a homegrown white nationalist terrorist group, and the solution is full of symbolism.
9.0
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #1 Sep 27, 2022
9.0
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #2 Sep 27, 2022
9.0
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #3 Sep 27, 2022
9.0
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #5 Nov 7, 2022
9.0
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #6 Nov 15, 2022
9.0
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #7 Dec 8, 2022
9.0
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #8 Jan 30, 2023
9.0
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #9 Feb 26, 2023
9.0
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #10 Mar 3, 2023

This era of Captain America was sorely overlooked. There's plenty to appreciate here.

This current run of Cap books is really great. Seriously. Pick them up.

I thought this was a great finale to this first arc. Actions have consequences, and I have no doubt those consequences will continue to play out from here. Which is pretty integral to a good Cap run, in my opinion. These Cap books lately have been killing it.

While Symbol of Truth is not as good as Sentinel of Liberty, it's still pretty damn good. This arc, which at times felt a bit scattershot and all over the place, manages to stick its landing very well. This whole issue is so cathartic after all the bullshit White Wolf has been pulling. And the art is great, as it depicts a well deserved ass whipping. I am super excited to see what Cold War brings to the Cap titles.
9.0
 Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022) #13 Mar 17, 2024

Well, I think this is the first Captain Marvel book I've enjoyed a lot since... Secret Wars. Which is when I really started given the character more focus, so past me was smart to jump into the slog that would become her many relaunched solo series after that. There's been issues here and there that had given me false hope, and I hope that this won't continue that trend. Funnily enough, I found out Kelly Thompson actually helped write the first and last series of Carol's that I enjoyed, Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps, at the end of this issue. So I'm a little less worried. As for the issue itself, I think I can say that Kelly Thompson's greatest strength as a writer is characters and dialogue. And that works out great for this issue, which is all about the characters in Carol's life. Spider-Woman and Carol have a great dynamic, which has been underutilized since Carol became a space character. Tony and Carol also have a very good dynamic. They have a pretty long history (With some very nasty things in there like Civil War II) and we see that represented as they constantly rib each other. We even get some time dedicated to that extremely under-cooked, lukewarm romance she had with Rhodey. And some new life is breathed into it, too. The solicitation for this issue worried me because it felt really focused on Carol as a strong female character, a feminist icon and essentially Marvel's Wonder Woman. That's certainly what they want to accomplish with the film, I guess, but the character has never really been that despite numerous attempts by the comics to make her that. It's sort of a looming threat over every run that you're going to be bombarded by that message and you better like it. And I won't lie, it is here if you're looking for it. The difference is Kelly Thompson is a great writer that does her best to blend it in and, maybe if this run is successful, actually make the character like that instead of what she's been for the last 4 years or so, at least. And also, I'm so worried that I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's Quentin Quire at the end there? If it is, I'm super excited for issue two. This issue was very good. It's certainly as good as it can be with how damaged this character has become.

I was really into this one. I really like the relationship between Rogue and Carol. This issue felt a lot more consistent than the previous two.

This is actually a really interesting story.

This was a great issue. It explained what's going on really well, while giving us plenty of cool action. I'm glad to see Singularity back, she's an adorable character that has never been given enough pages.

Finally, a good comic. I was starting to think those went extinct suddenly. This is a really fun story arc. Kelly Thompson is doing cool things with Captain Marvel.

Really good character moments in this.

This series is a ton of fun. I'm so glad issue 18 was a fluke. This title has become one of my favorites lately.

This was a whole lot of fun, despite the PTSD. Also, that new costume is fucking great.

I really enjoy these one in done issues. Kelly Thompson is excellent at writing fun characters and that is what we get here.

This is a really well done issue. The pacing is tight, and there's no fluff. Also, man, I like politics. It's like a sick, self-hating fetish for me. And yet, I don't bring them up in my reviews as often as Merlyn does in his. This issue is mostly a fight scene. Nothing political is ever mentioned. However, what's important to him is making sure we all know that in spite of him generally enjoying this issue, Marvel is still bad for giving female characters a chance, and also Kelly Thompson does hate men sometimes. Sounds like perfectly valid complaints, and not the odd ramblings of an insecure sexist to me!

This is a really well-paced and well-written issue. Plus the art looks so good.

This is a satisfying conclusion to this arc. The art is really, really great, so Sergio Davila is a name to pay attention to. It felt like a big event comic, all self contained into this one issue. It was very well done.

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I feel like Marvel is making a mistake ending Thompson's run for something else in time for a synergistic launch with the upcoming movie. This run has been such a salve for Carol's character after being put through the wringer constantly since 2016, and this issue is a perfect encapsulation as to why. Carol can be a bit bull-headed but her intentions are always solid, and she knows she can do better and relies on her allies to help her be better. I'm pretty sure this is the longest run Carol's had as a solo character, and it's easy to see why. Thompson managed to rebuild her reputation and her fanbase. I know there's a whole other issue to go before the run ends, but I felt like this issue did such a perfect job exemplifying why Thompson's run is so good. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Kelly Thompson's run completely redeemed this character after years and years of writers not being able to escape the mud the character was dragged through during Civil War II. I think a big reason why Thompson was able to do this was because she always writes character-first. This can give some of her books this sort of eclectic feeling, which may put off some readers, but when it works and when it pays off, it does very well, and there's not a better example than this specific run. An issue writers tend to struggle with when it comes to characters that are meant to embody specifically feminist ideals is making sure that the character feels genuine. I get that we're way behind the eight ball here, especially given the rising tide of anti-feminism that has captured the male youth and has been perpetuated in law lately. I get that it wasn't so long ago that female characters were consistently written as either seductress or servant. I understand the urge to unapologetically flaunt these ideals, and you should definitely do that. But make sure the character that you use to do that is an actual person. It falls on deaf ears if the character comes across as unrelatable or metatextually disingenuous. It's a trap that many genuinely good writers have fallen into. But Kelly Thompson doesn't. She writes strong, powerful women all the time, but I've never felt like it was insincere, or that she wasn't invested in these characters. This run was so successful because Kelly Thompson *cares* about Carol Danvers as a character first, and not as what she represents to the company's brand. Editors take note.

This is really good. I had my doubts after that Carnage Forever one-shot, but this came through. I was worried when it first started that this run would be too similar to Conway's run back in 2015, but it takes an interesting turn so I hope it'll further differentiate itself. The backups were actually fun and not a waste of time.
9.0
 Carnage (2022) #13 May 7, 2024
9.0
 Carnage (2023) #3 May 18, 2024

The rating for this one-shot is almost solely because of PKJ's Carnage story. It is very well done, and it makes me wonder why they opted to make Extreme Carnage so schlocky and dumb, when PKJ was capable of doing a really good small, grounded, spooky Carnage story. That is so much more preferable. The Ram V story is so short that I can't really get a feel for what that run will be like. Carnage is an asshole and he is brutal. That's all that short story gave me, and I already knew that.

This is a really good Miles story and a really good Carnage story. A whole lot of fun. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Really enjoyed this, but I really like Weirdworld. And this issue also contextualized the various incarnations we've seen of Weirdworld since ANAD Marvel.

This issue made me care about Snowguard. She wasn't very interesting before, but now that she's been given a singular focus, she's really started to shine. I was not very excited going into this issue, but before I knew it, it was over.

I thought this was a really good issue. Maybe not the best number one because it really doesn't even attempt to be new reader friendly. Previous issues are constantly referenced to inform the status quo. This issue is a number one in status quo only. This marks a distinctive change in the tone, status quo and direction of this title. And I'm definitely in favor of this direction. I think it's shedding the baggage that came with this series. Champions, as a concept, was almost immediately outdated by the time it came about. It was supposed to be the teen heroes being actual heroes, not immediately resorting to violence, because the adult heroes couldn't stop fighting one another. But that was on the eve of Monsters Unleashed which was plainly about heroes being heroes, and right before Secret Empire which was all about ending that constant in-fighting that had been present for years and years. And even before that, Mark Waid was already having trouble filling the pages with an interesting story. So when Jim Zub came on board for the Fresh Start initiative, he did a lot to give the series a shot in the arm. But he was still working with an outdated concept and a bunch of characters that were currently being changed and shuffled around as the older heroes all returned, officially. So with all that being said, I think this was an extremely necessary number one and I like the direction this title is going. It's not just being a generic teen team book that is always overshadowed by Avengers or X-Men. It's ambitious in what it's trying to be, and I think it works.

This was really good. We get to see why Miles and Amadeus made a deal with Mephisto and it's a good reason. This issue is a lot darker and it seems the series will be headed this way from here on out.

I had a lot of fun with this one. With both stories. Different types of fun, mind you. I like seeing the Champions work as a team and I like seeing sad character moments like what we got here. And I hope this leads to something great.

Really good issue. It's only a tie-in in that the War of the Realms is happening. The Champions don't play a major role in the main story. This issue is actually spent mostly on the fallout of the last 4 issues and Ms. Marvel's weakening morale. Cyclops helping her through that was actually really sweet.

Really fun issue. I'm honestly surprised by the ASM #9 connection. I didn't realize that was Sam's helmet, but I'm glad Jim Zub did. That's a really good use of continuity.

Lots of promising ideas and concepts here that make Deniz Camp picking up Ultimates in Hickman's universe a no-brainer.
9.0
 Children of the Vault (2023) #3 May 8, 2024

This was a very heady story that doesn't necessarily pay off all of its potential. It took its swings though, and this sort of writing does excite me for what Deniz Camp does next.

Really good, fun issue.

I'm really enjoying this arc.
9.0
 Constantine: The Hellblazer Vol. 1: Going Down Oct 18, 2018
9.0
 Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) #3 Oct 18, 2018

So this issue kind of makes it super clear what this book is, and I think the meta will be too much for some, but I love it. I even liked the Bendis and Oeming pages. They felt appropriately self deprecated, and it's shocking how coherent the dialogue here is compared to, say, Justice League. If you love comics, even the behind the scenes of it all, you'll probably get a lot of of this issue and this series. If you're more casual, it may not work so well.

Really good issue. I love how meta everything is. And props for making *that* character something I can be excited about again after his native series ran him into the ground. I do wonder if it's actually him though, since he's not styled the way the other comic characters are. Maybe it was an art hiccup, or maybe he's not actually what we think he is. Either way, I'm down.
9.0
 Crossover (2020) #13 Sep 27, 2022

This is a bit all over the place, but I am enjoying the ride.

Still a bit all over the place, but a really enjoyable ride.
9.0
 Daredevil (2015) #596 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Daredevil (2015) #599 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Daredevil (2015) #600 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Daredevil (2015) #601 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Daredevil (2015) #603 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Daredevil (2015) #606 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Daredevil (2015) #607 Oct 20, 2018

The Vigil is cool and bodes horribly for Daredevil.

The dynamic between Frank Castle and Daredevil has always been a joy to read, and this issue is no different.

I like seeing what a world without Daredevil is like. It's really interesting.

Really good issue, but slightly held down by the tie-in nature of it.
9.0
 Daredevil (2022) #1 Oct 2, 2022
9.0
 Daredevil (2022) #2 Oct 2, 2022
9.0
 Daredevil (2022) #4 Nov 17, 2022
9.0
 Daredevil (2022) #5 Nov 26, 2022
9.0
 Daredevil (2022) #6 Dec 8, 2022

Oh no, a comic with politics in it. Might as well jump off a bridge. All art is political. You're just mad that Daredevil, both the title and the character, doesn't agree with you.

The art could be better but the story is really interesting, and continues to surprise.

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While Spider-Man Blue remains my favorite of the Color series, this is a very close second. I think what cinches it for me is that despite really loving the exploration here, I do think the romance is a bit trope-y. I understand it's a celebration of comics, and especially early comics where this sort of love triangle was especially common, but it feels like it's missing a bit of depth in a book that is simultaneously giving all these other early, silly silver age elements a fair share of depth. It's still very well written. Even with my gripes, it does what all the Color series tended to do, which was pull out the emotion of these ideas and put those on display, and really make the reader internalize them, and that's a fantastic reading experience. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This is a really good start, and maybe I'm just biased about the Spider-Fam spotlight.

I went into this series in a cynical mood. I thought we'd just get DCeased, but Marvel's version. That wasn't something I felt like reading. Fortunately, this series has already firmly separated itself from that comparison, and is all the better for it.

I read this after the announcement that Tom Taylor has become an exclusive creator at DC. My reaction to that news was very tepid and mild. I wasn't too worried about it. This issue, however, has grown my concern, for lack of a better word, that Marvel missed out here. As a Marvel zombie, that sucks. This is a great engaging issue, can't wait to see what happens next.
9.0
 Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022) #1 Oct 2, 2022
9.0
 Dark Crisis: Worlds Without A Justice League (2022): Green Lantern #1 Oct 2, 2022
9.0
 Dark Crisis: Worlds Without A Justice League (2022): Batman #1 Nov 17, 2022
9.0
 Dark Web: X-Men #2 Jan 25, 2023

This was a whole lot of fun. I don't know if this idea can sustain twelve issues, but I'll certainly be reading them.

I really enjoyed this one. I think Simone Di Meo's art is kind of a miss for this sort of series. It fits, you know, Space Gods over in We Only Find Them When They're Dead. It doesn't work as well for the Suicide Squad. Despite that, everything else works. This series is so much fun.

Man, I was kinda dreading this. I don't know why. But it was really good! I'm very excited for next issue.

I enjoyed this about as much as the first issue. The ending, especially. I'm so glad Taylor writes Harley the way he does. That would've tanked the book for me if he didn't.

This is another good one, I think we should stop with the whole Black Adam war thing and focus on Super Sons and the others! Right? Right.

This is just a reprint of Dead Rabbit #1, with a name change, yet I re-read the issue. It's just as good as I thought it was last time.

I think I'm more into this the second time around. I don't know, I just thought this was really fun. And my interest is reinvigorated for issue 3!

This issue was really good. It had a nice balance between humor and drama. I'm not sure how this can keep going for eight more issues though. But I have faith. The Daily Bugle back-ups are interesting. They callback to big moments in the Old Man Logan universe. I don't really see the point of them, though. But they're cool.

This was a lot of fun. I really think this second half of Dead Man Logan in the wastelands may be better than the first. And we finally get some closure on the Hulk baby.
9.0
 Dead Rabbit #1 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Deadpool (2018) #2 Oct 20, 2018

I enjoyed this a whole lot.

I'm really enjoying this run. Having read some classic Deadpool recently, I can say that this run is actually doing a good job in regards to Deadpool.

This was so much fun. And the art was great.

I really enjoy this. I hope next issue isn't the last.

It's nice to have a good Deadpool book.
9.0
 Deadpool (2022) #8 May 7, 2024
9.0
 Deadpool (2022) #9 May 7, 2024

Really enjoy how this run is embracing what Duggan did with the character.

This is still wacky, but it's a funnier wacky.

This is a lot of fun, and even has some sad clown Deadpool that made Duggan's run so good.
9.0
 Deadpool: Secret Agent Deadpool (2018) #6 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Death Of The Inhumans #1 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Death Of The Inhumans #3 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Death Of The Inhumans #4 Oct 20, 2018

This issue brings Marvel's Inhumans push to a close. It returns the Inhumans to the status quo they had before Marvel tried to make them the X-Men. And it does so in a difficult way that will certainly be felt for years to come.
9.0
 Deathbed #1 Oct 20, 2018

Hickman has set up another interesting universe, although the concepts built into it are similar to most of Hickman's work, which was to be expected. This was really entertaining, despite some familiar ground being retread.

While last issue was exposition heavy, this issue went the other way with it. The assassins aren't even in this issue. This whole thing was just moving the other plot line forward. I assume the two will combine soon enough, but for now they seem pretty disparate. Despite that though, the art is amazing and the story is interesting. I want to see where it goes.

We're starting to see how all the plot threads are going to come together. This issue wasn't the most sensational one, but it was ultimately necessary. The writing is great and the art is amazing, so there isn't much to complain about aside from the necessary slowness of the issue.
9.0
 Defenders (2017) #10 Oct 20, 2018

I think this issue is a wonderful test of taste. The people who think this is bad are not people you should listen to. I mean, how off base can one get? Especially calling the art bad? What the fuck is wrong with these people?

This is a lot of fun. I like this a lot.

A really great issue, both in writing and art.
9.0
 Defenders: Beyond (2022) #1 Oct 2, 2022
9.0
 Defenders: Beyond (2022) #2 Oct 2, 2022
9.0
 Despicable Deadpool #291 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #974 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #983 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #984 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #986 Oct 20, 2018

Really enjoyed this issue. It felt like Batman, like nothing else he's in nowadays seems to. I'm excited to see where this goes, even if it's Joker.

Still really enjoying this series, but the ending was off putting.

I really enjoyed both stories here. I liked seeing Batman actually act as a detective for once. The art was great. I really like the pacing here. It keeps me entertained while not filling each page to the brim with more subplots, like Batman is doing.

This was better than the last issue. The backup by Dan Watters was great.

I liked this conclusion a lot. I'm ready to move on, though, I just wish it wasn't Fear State that we were moving on to. I really just do not understand the people who read this and think Mariko Tamaki wants to "destroy Batman" or replace him. I don't know which Comicsgater you're watching, but stop, because they're pulling that literal shit out of their ass. The backup is nice, but I'm still not convinced about Task Force Z.
9.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #1064 Oct 2, 2022
9.0
 Detective Comics (2016) #1073 May 7, 2024

I'm still really into this.

I wasn't sure this event would be able to wrap things up with its six issues, but a time jump and a revelation pretty much solves that issue. I wonder how these last two issues will shake out.

This is a great little stand alone Moon Knight issue. If you're reading MacKay's Moon Knight run, you should definitely also read this. The writing is great. The art is okay, but it doesn't really fit the tone this issue has going for it.

I actually really liked this issue. It was interesting.

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I really enjoyed this a lot. I didn't expect much, but it's worth the read.

Still really enjoying this.

I like this a lot.
9.0
 Doctor Strange (2015) #389 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Doctor Strange (2018) #3 Oct 20, 2018

Hopefully, the second arc was just a fluke and this series gets back on track. This issue was certainly a step in the right direction. Mark Waid got to finish his story with that last arc, no matter how shoehorned it felt. And now we can get back to good stories, hopefully. I'm digging Strange's new space outfit, as well.

I really thought this issue was cool and interesting and fun. The only thing that gave me pause was some of the characters that Dr. Strange bring to the fight. Namely, Black Bolt, Hulk and Silver Surfer. All three characters are not as they should be. Black Bolt shouldn't be able to scream, Hulk should not be in his classic form and Silver Surfer is no longer ex-herald. But I gave it some thought and I think these can be explained. We know this series takes place a little ways back now, given the issue 3 Infinity Wars tie-in, and that the time stone is still in Strange's possession. Silver Surfer didn't become Galactus' herald again until the very end of Infinity Countdown, which leads right into Dr. Strange amassing the Infinity Watch, where he loses the time stone to Gamora. As for Black Bolt, there's really no way to know when exactly Death of the Inhumans takes place, but given that Carol still has her short hair in this issue, I think it's safe to say that this takes place before. Just because it's been, in universe, over six months since she's had short hair. And in Guardians of the Galaxy, which definitely takes place after Infinity Wars, it is talked about as if it had taken place much more recently. The only one that truly bugs me is Hulk. He should either be dead or have the Devil Hulk persona. But then again, we have seen Hulk regress into his classic self in Immortal Hulk during times of great stress. And Galactus is destroying the universe and everything is falling apart, so maybe he just reverted? I really enjoyed this issue and I think I explained away my continuity concerns well enough to not let that get in the way. I just felt I had to acknowledge them.

MacKay doesn't miss a beat moving over to Stephen from Clea. His run, thus far, has been very enjoyable, and I don't see that stopping here.
9.0
 Doctor Strange (2023) #3 May 7, 2024
9.0
 Doctor Strange (2023) #7 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Doctor Strange (2023) #8 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Doctor Strange (2023) #9 May 8, 2024

This title really revved up with this General Strange arc. It went from a solid read to a must-read.

While I haven't been as high on this story as others, I must admit that Tradd Moore managed to stick the landing of this very bizarre outing.

9.0
 Domino (2018) #2 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Doomsday Clock #7 Oct 20, 2018

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If you ever wanted an objective fact check that the professional critics are corrupt, compare the reviews of Death Metal #2 to this issue. This was a really good issue, twist being obvious aside. I want to focus on the twist though. How much of a twist is it actually supposed to be? It was pretty clear by the end of Avengers #0, and everyone remembers "Beware the Trees" from Incoming, right? I wonder what this event will be now that it seems like the conflict being built up has already reached its climax? I'm excited to see. I will say the art leaves a bit to be desired. Everything looks great except for the faces. Those can be rough.

I liked this as much as the last issue, and I find it weird that other people aren't. I guess I'm here for the slow moments as much as I'm here for the giant battles.

I decided to review this handbook to call out the two other users who rated it. Because they didn't read this. I can virtually guarantee it. I read all, what, 50 pages. And you know how long it took me? Two hours and thirteen minutes. Of just reading summaries! And, if this wasn't a handbook, that'd be a problem, but it's exactly what it's supposed to be. I was just so bothered that people would rate it, I guess for completion's sake in tonpas1989's case, and because everything Empyre related needs to be rated a 1/10, in Jokerman's case. Neither of these people read this handbook! But I did! And I have some takeaways. Look at me, reviewing this book! First, an apology to one Brian Michael Bendis. This has been coming since 2016. So, in Civil War 2, Carol Danvers and James Rhodes have this relationship. I always thought it was made up by Bendis for the sake of his garbage plot, but no! This handbook taught me that it was actually set up in 2014! So, I apologize to you, Bendis. Civil War 2 was still trash. Second, There are a few editing errors in this handbook, unfortunately. The most egregious being in the Fantastic Four section, where a sentence about Johnny Storm's soul mate Sky just stops, and a new sentence begins. Otherwise, there's the occasional punctuation error. I had a few issues with the overall formatting of this book. The font would shrink and the space between words would shrink or grow, and it messed with my eyes a couple times. Could have been because I was trying to read a 50 page wall of text as quickly as I could just to feel righteous. Third, and lastly, there's a lot of repetition in the information. I understand it's all relatively connected, being mostly about major space/universe players in Marvel, but they repeat the Raksor/Bel-Dann rivalry information, word-for-word, four times over the course of the handbook. In the Bel-Dann section, the Blue Area of the Moon section, the Skrull section and the Raksor section. This also happens a lot when it comes to Hickman's Avengers saga. Pretty much everything mentions that. It made reading this handbook even more draining. And let's get one thing clear, I'm not rating this for my experience. My experience was a stupid one that almost no one else will have. Again, this is another reason why I surmise neither tonpas1989 or Jokerman read this handbook. I'm rating this based on its editing and the accuracy of the information. On the editing front, like I said, there are a few problems. But as for the accuracy, this was spot on as far as I could tell. I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty close, so I don't have any problem vouching for its accuracy. Just don't rate books you don't read, guys, it's bad for you. And it's especially bad for me. I have no ill will towards tonpas1989, he seems reasonable. But, you know, fuck Jokerman, he sucks.

I think this was better than the event itself. It really looks like Empyre, the event, was sort of something that *had* to happen in order to get to the things that are much more exciting. This issue is filled with great character moments that I truly enjoyed and it ends on what I can only assume is teasing Al Ewing's potential X-book, or maybe something adjacent to the X-Men line. I know Al Ewing has a plan for Marvel Cosmic, and I'm here for it, even if Empyre didn't meet expectation.

I liked this more than issue one, something I wasn't expecting given the new writing team. But yeah, things flowed better and quicker, and it was a ton of fun.

This is just a ton of fun, and honestly that's enough for me right now.

Alright this was probably my favorite issue so far. Unlike previous issues, I think Iron Man is written better here. I also really enjoyed the chat with a Celestial.

I'm still really enjoying this series. I'm shocked, too.

This is really good.

This is great. I just hope the narrative doesn't get too convoluted.

Gillen does a good job really making the stakes matter here. I hope things don't get lost in the shuffle come Judgement Day.
9.0
 Eternals (2021) #11 Oct 2, 2022

Great series leading into a great event. Gillen has brought a lot of life to one of Marvel's most challenging group of characters.

This is another issue about the history of the Eternals. I wonder how well these one-shots sell, at least in comparison to the ongoing. These are enjoyable and well written, but I wonder what the marketing strategy is here.
9.0
 Eternity Girl #1 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Eternity Girl #3 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Eternity Girl #5 Oct 20, 2018

I enjoyed this a lot. It is much more off the beaten path compared to Marauders and X-Men. It's dealing with magic and camelot. But it still fits really well in the Dawn of X. I had my doubts about the creative team and the title itself, but this exceeded my expectations.

This was probably my favorite issue of the run so far. I find Apocalypse interesting. The Braddock stuff is clicking for me. And honestly, Rogue and Gambit are always welcome. Oh, by the way, it's called a "vivisection," Apocalypse. Not a "dissection, but alive, lol."

I actually really enjoyed this one, although I'm not sure how this piece fits in the puzzle of the larger narrative. Does Tini Howard have plans for Malice, or is this just a nice parallel for Betsy?
9.0
 Exiles (2018) #6 Oct 20, 2018
9.0
 Extermination (2018) #3 Oct 20, 2018

Everything is finally explained in this issue and it basically boils down to "Damnit, Bendis!".
9.0
 Falcon (2017) #2 Nov 6, 2018
9.0
 Falcon (2017) #6 Nov 6, 2018
9.0
 Fall of the House of X (2024) #3 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Fantastic Four (2018) #1 Nov 6, 2018
9.0
 Fantastic Four (2018) #2 Nov 6, 2018

The Fantastic Four story was a lot of fun. The Thing is such a fun character. The Future Foundation backup was actually really good too! I wasn't expecting that, but I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the continuity being kept with Runaways.

I really like the body horror here, but even the family dynamics are spot on. Really enjoyable one-shot!
9.0
 Fantastic Four (2022) #2 Dec 8, 2022
9.0
 Fantastic Four (2022) #3 Mar 3, 2023
9.0
 Fantastic Four (2022) #4 Mar 3, 2023

I liked this a lot. People who didn't are wrong and bad.

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9.0
 Fantastic Four (2022) #8 May 7, 2024

I was a little put off by the first issue not following the structure that I assumed the Life Story comics would follow. That being, taking a character's entire history mixed with real life events and playing it all out as though it happened in real time. This is a fully original comic, and it's interesting. I saw some reviews that proclaimed character assassination, and I genuinely cannot figure out what they mean. I have to assume they mean Reed Richards? I mean who else could it be. In my time reading Fantastic Four, which is forever now, this is on point. Insomuch as Reed being obsessed with a project that he's working on, and neglecting his family because of it. Sue actually has a great arc in this issue. The idea of Sue being "invisible" to the rest of the group stretches back to the original Lee/Kirby run. They had to do a whole half of an issue dedicated to telling readers that, actually, Sue was important. And they do it with probably the worst defense they could. I recommend checking it out if you don't know, it's so great. Fantastic Four #11. But yeah, having Sue find herself in the women's liberation movement of the 70s is a genius idea. I know I've given Mark Russell some shit for his cold, limp liberal takes (and to be clear, I give him that shit because he doesn't go far enough left) but I think that's not as much of an issue when you're dealing with something that occurred decades ago. It's hard not to have a valid take on women's liberation unless you're a misogynist, and Russell clears that goal post. I really hope that trend continues because I so desperately want a Fantastic Four comic I can give someone that they won't reject on principle.

This is a really well done issue that mixes the politics of the 80s with the Fantastic Four. I just wish the Mad Thinker would have stopped talking about his computers that way, that did not work as a dialogue quirk. As for the history, no one on either side of the cold war conflict were particularly smart about it. Reagan was a terrible president that eroded the freedoms of American workers, accelerated wealth inequality, and exasperated many social problems while treating foreign policy like a might makes right game. Meanwhile, Gorbachev was an ineffective leader handed an unsustainable country, which he tried to resolve by implementing a market economy and transparency, neither of which worked well while trying to cover up things like Chernobyl and forcing all your possible innovators into the over-bloated military. This issue focuses on the American side of that, explaining away the wacky ideas we over in America had of our own during the arms race. A nice way of merging history and fiction, if I say so. Anyone who still thinks the cold war was worth it is an idiot and doesn't know their history. The USSR was headed for collapse with or without the United States pressuring it. Therefore, it wasn't worth all the fear and the threat level that the cold war employed.
9.0
 FCBD 2018: Avengers/Captain America #1 Nov 6, 2018

The Spider-Man story was pretty good. I liked the writing, the art was great. I hope the new run is fun like this was. The Venom story was neat. I'm excited to see where it goes. I have faith in Ewing to do something cool. The Wilson Fisk story was what excited me most. I guess it's a tease for what's coming after Zdarsky's Daredevil run "concludes".

Feels weird to rate this now, but from what I recall, I thought the Spider-Man story was fine. Just a bit of a retread of Inferno - intentionally so. The main star here is the Venom story. It really got me excited for a run that I find myself wishing was more exciting.

This is the best FCBD Marvel offering. The Spider-Man story is a lot of fun and looks great. The Venom story is so cool. I love how Ewing manages to piece together canon and continuity. The Ultimate Invasion tease is much more exciting than I was expecting after the GODS tease felt inadequate. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

The Blood Hunt story is a lot of fun. MacKay is clearly having a good time, and so am I. The X-Men story really bolstered my hopes for the post-Krakoan era. Simone manages to near immediately tap back into the social commentary that was effectively lost during the Krakoan era, and while the villain set up doesn't wow me, I forgot how much I missed effective X-Men social commentary.

The immediate jump in quality from Flash Annual #4 to this is staggering. Immediately, Wally has a voice that is charming and interesting. Immediately, I'm more engaged with the Flash action than I've been thus far. Immediately, I'm hooked in for this origin story. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

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This has honestly become a really fun series. I don't know what was up with that first arc, but everything since has been quality. And so much more fun than the Barry run.

I started out not liking this run, but I gotta admit, this was a really good finale. It fixed Heroes in Crisis better than the first time Flash tried to fix it. I really liked the parts with Wally and Roy, I hope down the line, we get more of stuff like that. Credit where credits due, Merlyn, who I give a ton of shit for his garbage politics, is actually right about this comic book (which contains no politics, coincidentally).
9.0
 Flash (2016) Annual #1 Nov 6, 2018

This issue was pretty intriguing. I like the tone set here. And it wasn't annoyingly preachy in its message, like it totally could have been. They didn't go for "Trump is Hitler", for instance. Which unfortunately isn't so ridiculous an idea in the comic industry. I'm sure one of the Vertigo titles will do it though.

This was a really great first issue. From the first two pages, it's certain that Tom Taylor understands Spider-Man and Peter Parker. The bulk of this issue is Peter Parker just helping his neighbors and it works well as long as you like Peter Parker. The actual plot involving this neighbor of his and her connections to a supervillain isn't established until about halfway through the issue, and on that front, not a ton happens. But we get introduced to the supporting cast and they all seem okay so far. I'm sure they'll be developed more. We also get more mileage out of Peter being roommates with Boomerang and it's great. The back up story is what will be talked about, though. It's a short story about Peter and MJ having breakfast and then Aunt May going out. We find out that Aunt May has cancer. I don't think the two events are unrelated. Peter made a deal with Mephisto to save his aunt, and it cost him his marriage. Now, Peter and MJ are a happy couple again and Aunt May has what could end up being a death sentence. Aunt May has died before and the threat of her dying is nothing new. But if it's in the context I think it is, it could be a very powerful and impactful. I'm willing to see where it leads.

Very enjoyable issue. Not sure about this Under York stuff. Seems weird, but I have faith in Tom Taylor to make it work.

Really good end to the arc. I'm already having bad feelings about the next issue... but in a good way. It'll probably be rough.

Not at all what I expected, but it does work very well for Spider-Man.

I like the connective tissue between Friendly Neighborhood and Amazing. It really feels cohesive. As for this issue, Tom Taylor nails it once again.

Another great issue.

I was a little lukewarm in the first issue. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing. This issue does a great job in lifting this story up into something I'd recommend. This is a really good issue.

I was thoroughly entertained by this issue. I don't usually get that feeling from Aquaman, so I'm impressed.

This is very well-written, and I feel like the people who dislike it are... retarded.
9.0
 GCPD: The Blue Wall (2022) #3 Mar 3, 2023
9.0
 GCPD: The Blue Wall (2022) #4 Mar 3, 2023

This is a wild book. I feel like it strikes a good balance in humanizing individuals within bad systems, and showcases how those bad systems change these individuals, usually for the worse.

Like the rest of the series, this is a compelling read. It's bleak, depressing, but ultimately hopeful. If you want a comic that delves into the corruption found in policing in a complicated, humanizing way, you should read this.

I really enjoyed this issue. The one thing that gave me pause is the Spirit of Corruption's design... Otherwise, I'm totally on board for this. Hearts of Darkness II included, no matter how stupid and nonsensical the 90s original is.

I really enjoy this series.
9.0
 Ghost Rider (2022) #7 Nov 20, 2022
9.0
 Ghost Rider (2022) #8 Nov 20, 2022
9.0
 Ghost Rider (2022): Vengeance Forever #1 Oct 4, 2022

It was an odd choice to go for an homaged silent issue, but it really all comes down to the art because of that, and Russell Dauterman's art is great. The story is pretty basic, and I wonder what will come of it.
9.0
 Gideon Falls #2 Nov 6, 2018
9.0
 Gideon Falls #4 Nov 6, 2018
9.0
 Gideon Falls #6 Nov 6, 2018

This was solid, if a bit light on actual story.

Really good issue. I'm hopeful that everything becomes clearer soon though.

While not as insane as the last few issues have been, this is still really good.

Really good.

This was good, if a bit brief.

This was good, as always.

The change of pace has really helped reinvigorate my interest in this series. I mean, this isn't perfect. It's following the storytelling pattern this series has had since issue one. So, I'm not completely convinced yet. We'll see though.

Finally being the sole defender of this comic when it was announced has paid off. This comic is a quintessential example of why you should never let meta-reading and cynicism overtake you as a comic book fan. It leads to you missing out.

I really enjoy this introspective look into Norman Osborn. Not something I ever thought I'd say.

Despite really disliking the first two issues, I turned around on this series with this one. I think it has to do with Slam Bradley taking a more proactive role in the story, instead of just wallowing in the misery of this world.

I actually really liked this. A shame this run got cut so short. It really had potential, obviously.

I was much more into this than the previous issue. Maybe it was the commentary on current DC, which made for a very cathartic reading experience. But that's only a third of the issue. The rest is also a lot more interesting than issue one. Belzebeth's backstory was cool and a bit funny. The betrayals were all smart. This was just such a better issue.
9.0
 Guardians of the Galaxy (2017) #150 Nov 6, 2018

I dug this.

Really enjoyed this, as I enjoy all of Cates' work.

This was a very good wrap up issue. I had a good time.

This was a really fun issue. I liked it a lot.

This is such a fun series.

This is really fun. I like how Al Ewing writes Rocket, especially.

Super enjoyable, especially if you've read Annihilation.

This is a fantastic issue, and a good wrap up to this phase of Ewing's Guardians. A lot has been done to morph Marvel Cosmic towards this new direction, through this title, Empyre and SWORD, so I hope it pays off. I'm excited to see what is done with the new status quo, and given that it isn't being ignored outside of these books, how the rest of the Marvel Universe reacts.

This was a really cool issue. I liked to see the Progenitors back because I felt that they weren't used to full effect back in Royals. And oh my god, that ending is great! How can you not love that ending?

This is a whole lot of fun.

I liked this a lot. Ewing has me hooked into his cosmic stories. If you don't like this, you're just wrong. Objectively.

Hey, Ultimates is getting some love. Al Ewing remembers he wrote it! You'd think I'd be fed up with cosmic events after the onslaught of them lately, but this is well written and it's super weird, and I love that.

The people who rated this poorly don't know how to have fun. I genuinely look at the rant by daspidaboy and wonder what the fuck his thought process must be like, because there's no hint that he even recognizes this issue was going for jokes, or that he understands what the idea behind this annual event is. I'll give you a hint. Six out of eight issues in, this isn't a huge crossover event. It's a bunch of stand-alone stories that reintroduce the infinity stones. I don't know. You can't be a comic book fan, and then get mad when they're silly. That's just part of comics, get over it. I enjoy this sort of irreverence.

This was a fantastic start, and I don't even like westerns. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

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This is on par with Ice Cream Man so that's good.

Well, this was depressing.

I write the general pointers of my thoughts before I go onto this website and write these little blurbs. So, I didn't know that there was a lot of disdain for this issue from the critics, and I don't really understand why. I thought this was a really good issue, and that it was weird in all the right ways, and that I thought the message was solid. I guess I'm wrong. Oh well!
9.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #42 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #44 Jul 19, 2019

Somehow, Harley Quinn is one of the few bat-titles that hasn't been completely tanked by Fear State.
9.0
 Hawkeye (2016) #12 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Hawkeye (2016) #15 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Hawkeye (2016) #16 Jul 19, 2019

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This series got so fucked up so fast, and I'm definitely here for it.

Mr. Sinister is so great.

This is my favorite X-book, without a doubt.

This was a really good issue, as always. The balance of humor achieved here is really well done.

Really good issue as always.

I liked this wrap up. I think this was a fun event story, and... that's it. We know what Jason Aaron sounds like when he's trying to deliver an epic, barnburner story. It's War of the Realms. This is not that. This is just comics being fun for a change, and if you don't like that, you will not like this.

This is basically porn for huge Marvel nerds. It's really informative, and I do recommend reading the annotations in the back. It also has incredible art.

I really enjoyed this trip down memory lane. We're finally at the point where most of the modern heroes have been introduced, so a lot of this stuff I know very well. Instead of this series informing me, filling in the gaps of things I knew bits and pieces of, it's become a nostalgia-fest. And nostalgia is a really great drug.

This was good. As we got closer to the current era, the book suffered a bit, just because we *just* had War of the Realms and the like. The idea that Galactus couldn't tell many specifics about the future because the universe was breaking apart was a smart move. But what it teased in the upcoming future has me excited.

A really great issue, but maybe not as good as most recent issues, so that's a little disappointing. I'm sure it'll come together with next issue, like Powers of X #1 did.

I don't have much trouble getting past a great run's status quo if the next run after it is also good, and this first issue definitely is. Hulk as a spaceship is such a wacky, fun idea. Cates said in interviews that when Hulk was up for a creative change before Immortal, it came down to his and Ewing's pitches, but his was passed on because it was "too weird." I can definitely see that this wasn't just marketing hype. But I'm on board, totally.

This is just so much fun. Not much happens story wise, but the art is great and gives us a lot of fun moments.

Really good third issue. I'm into this Hulk run, idk. It seems like people are starting to get over that this isn't Immortal Hulk, but we'll see.

Still a lot of fun. I think if you're still having trouble overcoming Immortal Hulk, you should just re-read that. Stop expecting a 60 year old character to adhere to what was an atypical aesthetic for said character, or even worse, getting upset for another atypical aesthetic taking its place. I don't say this to be mean. You should stop wasting your money.
9.0
 Hulk (2021) #6 Nov 6, 2022

This was very good. I love Greg Smallwood's art, and this story is not just a repeat of the Tom King tropes, thankfully. It's something new.
9.0
 Hunt For Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda #2 Jul 19, 2019

This is a really good issue, despite the artist change. It managed to make The Magistrate, and the Seer, something worth caring about. So I'll say this, this is the best Batman title. This issue has spawned a lot of stupid controversy from people who have no idea what they're talking about on a good day, and on a bad day, have trouble not shitting in their own pants. I won't get into in this review, but if you wish to stare into that abyss, just check out the multitude of reviews from people who are too emotionally volatile to handle a medium made for children.

Okay, ignore the bad reviews from the people still upset about a black Batman. This series has finally really hit its stride. John Ridley has been building up all these characters and ideas for an absurd amount of issues, and it's finally paying off. Things work so well here, and I just hope enough people came back after this series lifted itself out from under the very unfortunate Fear State event.
9.0
 I Am Batman (2021) #8 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 I Am Batman (2021) #9 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 I Am Batman (2021) #10 Nov 6, 2022

I'm not quite convinced by the idea that this issue represents an exact period in Iron Man comics, but I liked this anyway. It's heartfelt. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This was a really good first issue. Joe Kelly does a great job here.
9.0
 Ice Cream Man #2 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Ice Cream Man #6 Jul 19, 2019

This is the type of stuff I want from this comic. I hope next issue is just as creative and fun.

This was a really cool concept and a very effective way to get the message of the month across.

I'm glad that this title seems to be getting back on track!

This was really good, I liked the twist (should've seen it coming with that cover) and the ending.

A really cool issue. I wonder what this series' endgame is. It has to have one. It set up one, didn't it? Makes me wonder, with excitement, what's next.

This was a lot of fun. I liked the sarcastic Noir tone and while not as explicit a Watchmen parody as I was expecting, I actually enjoyed this more than I would have had it been.

This is probably the most positive issue yet. Huh.

This a great issue, but it could've been slightly more focused.

9.0
 Ice Cream Man #32 Nov 20, 2022

Literally no one is bothering with this anthology series, and really, neither am I. This had an Ice Cream Man story in it. That's why I'm here, and what I'm rating.

I mean, honestly, does Mister Sinister have it that bad right now?

Sins of Sinister enters its final act, and it continues to be a total joy to read. None of the luster is lost by the 900 year time jump. I don't know where we're going from here, but I am fully on board to see how it all plays out. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

This was a really well done zero issue. I think both issues collected are some of the most important issues of Hulk ever, and they paint a very crazy picture that I'm sure, given Immortal Hulk's popularity, some segment of the readerbase was unaware of. There's a bit of age in these issues, but overall, they still hold up very well. If you've never read these, this is the perfect way to get them.
9.0
 Immortal Hulk #4 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Immortal Hulk #5 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Immortal Hulk #6 Jul 19, 2019

This was great. It was a good use of a guest artist for sure. They really set the mood. I liked that the comic about someone who can't die acknowledges how meaningless death can be in comics, instead of trying to pull at your heartstrings in all the typical ways.

Great issue, as always.

Really good issue, as always.

This was a lot of fun, as unnecessary as it may be. Tom Taylor writes a great Spider-Man and more of that is always welcome.
9.0
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #5 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #6 Nov 20, 2022
9.0
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #7 Nov 20, 2022
9.0
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #9 Dec 8, 2022
9.0
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #10 Jan 30, 2023

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9.0
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #14 May 7, 2024

This was surprisingly great. I didn't expect much from a one-shot, but this was totally worth the read.

I actually enjoyed this one a lot. I find the complaining about crises cathartic, and maybe I shouldn't trust all the giddy feelings it gives me. I really just want an Alan Scott comic with his kids, if I'm honest.

Despite not having the most definitive ending, this was still really well done, and I'm actually excited to see where it leads?

Probably the best of these short little digital chapters. Dan Watters is a great writer, and I hope he gets more work. He proves himself time and time again, and yet he's not on any major titles.

I forgot that the FCBD issue was just the beginning of this issue. I much prefer what Marvel does now. Those pages don't work on their own. They do work in the context of the rest of the issue, though. This was a great start to this event. It feels big and like it matters.

Another giant, epic issue that feels as big as it promised it would be.
9.0
 Infinity Countdown #5 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock #1 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #2 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Infinity Wars (2018) #1 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Infinity Wars (2018) #2 Jul 19, 2019

This event isn't popular, but I think it's really cool.

I'm still enjoying this event. I honestly don't get the complaints that this story is hard to follow. I've managed to do so just fine, and even the twist here works if you've been paying attention to Loki's arc. It seems like the GotG are going to come back into play in the final act. I liked the revisit to Drax's origins. And a lot of the humor lands. I still really enjoy this story, in all its incarnations, whether it'd be All-New Guardians of the Galaxy, Infinity Countdown or Infinity Wars. Critics saying that this event has failed to deliver the proper scope and scale of the ideas presented are wrong, since it's that scope and scale that seems to be throwing people off. This is a multiversal calamity, of course the focus and protagonists may change. I don't know, just my opinion.

Well, unlike almost everyone else, I really enjoyed this event. I don't find it quite so baffling and confusing. I've been reading Gerry Duggan's cosmic story from the start, and I think I have a clear idea of what happened and why. And it makes sense. But I understand why other people would be confused because it is a complicated story and the execution of it was a bit confusing at times. But overall, I think it was very enjoyable and interesting. I like the idea that there's only one set of, now sentient, Infinity Stones in the multiverse. This keeps the concept of the Infinity Gems/Stones from growing stale. I'm very excited for Infinity Watch next year, honestly.

I think that while this still kept the stylings of silver age Marvel, the writing is a little less dense and therefore feels more modern as a result. I liked that Stane wasn't merged with anyone (since Loki was not) and that caused his betrayal. It was a very clever twist on those dynamics. And Sigurd Stark seducing the Queen of Death is something that felt very Tony Stark.

This was really good. We get to see Nightmares unleashed. We get to see how powerful Sleepwalker can be. And we also get a cliffhanger that might possibly lead to another miniseries based on lesser known characters, which is something I'm all for.
9.0
 Inhumans: Judgement Day #1 Jul 19, 2019
9.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #4 Aug 2, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #13 Aug 2, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #16 Aug 2, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #32 Aug 24, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #35 Aug 24, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #36 Aug 24, 2020

I didn't think I was going to enjoy this annual, but I actually did. Overall, Year One of Injustice had its ups and downs, but was ultimately a good series. Tom Taylor, even at his weakest, creates a competent story. But the weakest part of this series was the art. For every good artist, there were some bad ones that really made this series feel "digital first". I think the story could've been tighter as well, but it was entertaining. The best part of the year was Ollie's death. That was on the level of Daredevil going blind again in Superior Iron Man, which is the scene that made me a Tom Taylor fan. It was perfect. The worst part of the story is Wonder Woman. The characters begin making note of her characterization, but it doesn't really get properly addressed. Maybe it will in future years, I don't know. But yeah, I'll get to more Injustice soon. Got some other things to read in the meantime.
9.0
 Injustice: Year Three #8 Sep 7, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Year Three #9 Sep 7, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Year Three #12 Sep 7, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Year Three #14 Sep 7, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Year Three #21 Sep 7, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Year Three #22 Sep 7, 2020

It looks like maybe magic will be involved too? Kyle Rayner was done dirty.
9.0
 Injustice: Year Two #17 Sep 6, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Year Two #18 Sep 6, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Year Two #21 Sep 6, 2020
9.0
 Injustice: Year Two #22 Sep 6, 2020

I liked this one a lot.

A strong first issue. The tone is noticeably different than Zdarsky's typical comic. It's very serious. This issue deals with Namor's recent turn in Avengers and why he's doing what he's doing. And there's something seriously wrong with him. Namor is a surprisingly complex character. He's often reduced to his battle cry or his infatuation with Sue Richards, but he has depth and can be a really cool character and this issue shows that. I wonder how much can actually be done about the Namor situation in this series because this plotline started in Avengers and is an ongoing problem for them, and I feel like it will only really be resolved in Avengers. I'm hoping, even with that handicap, that this comic can tell a great, interesting and character-driven story. Much like Marvel Two-In-One. I'm not sure how I feel about the art, especially the present day art, but I see that the artist can do action well, it's just that the faces look a little odd at times.

This was really good.

This is a great book. Sad to see it ending soon.
9.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #4 Apr 5, 2023

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Not sure how this plays into the current day stuff, beyond the obvious, but it was a fun issue. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
9.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #7 May 7, 2024
9.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #8 May 7, 2024
9.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #9 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #10 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Invincible Iron Man (2022) #13 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Iron Cat (2022) #2 Nov 20, 2022
9.0
 Iron Cat (2022) #4 Nov 20, 2022

I just want to say, having seen recent attempts by both of the big two to be more LGBT friendly, Marvel is doing such a better job than DC. I know this has less to do with this specific miniseries, and more with the brand as a whole. LGBT people are *people* and as brand positive it is to always make them happy, shiny, unaggressive, passive people, I much prefer when they have actual personalities.

This is such a breath of fresh air after Iron Man 2020. You have no idea. I like when Tony tries to go back to basics (which is what he does with every relaunch, oddly enough), but I think that this time the writer wasn't lying, and that's very exciting. Cantwell has a good voice for all the characters, as far as I could tell. I'm so in for Korvac, and if we could get more of Iron Man's ridiculous rogues gallery, that's great. The art is great as well. This is just a really solid start to what is hopefully a good run. Iron Man is incredibly hard to get right, apparently. I don't think Kieron Gillen got it right, I don't think Bendis got it right, and Slott had it at some point but then lost it. Maybe we can end up with a run to rival Superior Iron Man? Maybe? Hopefully?

Another really good issue. I like where they're taking Tony Stark and I really enjoy Korvac so I'm interested in seeing what happens next.

I really like what they're doing with Iron Man. And the art is spectacular.

Not sure if I like Patsy and Tony hooking up, but I guess the only way to cut tension is with a penis. Aside from that possible misstep, this was a great issue. The art is great. The pacing is slower, but I enjoy the way Cantwell writes these characters.

Yeah, I'm still liking this book a lot.

I liked it a lot. I think Tony sees this commune as a chance at a fresh start, to rid himself of the baggage of being Iron Man and Tony Stark. Obviously, he has to get back to Korvac, but it makes sense that he'd want to protect this place.

I love Iron Man, and I was a fan before the movies. I have been a fan for a long time, so when I say this, I say it with love. Tony Stark is an egotistical douche. And I'm sick of people acting like he's not. That's part of the charm of the character. Seeing him called on it by a *woman*, or if a few of you prefer, a *femoid*, doesn't faze me. The art does a good job looking and feeling like CAFU. In fact, at some points, I assumed that the credits page was a misprint, and CAFU was actually doing the art.

I liked this a lot. I really like Tony's voice here. This was more of a transitional issue towards the finale of arc 2. I'm ready to see how it plays out.

Loved it.

Fucking great.

This issue really works. I love the characterization of Tony here. It fits. Good job.
9.0
 Iron Man (2020) #19 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Iron Man (2020) #20 Nov 6, 2022

If you thought this was a bad issue, you really have no taste.
9.0
 Iron Man (2020) #23 Nov 25, 2022
9.0
 Iron Man (2020) #24 Nov 25, 2022

This run has been great, and I think a lot of the hate comes from insecure people.

Best issue yet. The pacing is on point here and Riri is getting more and more developed and interesting as a character.

I like the chemistry between these two a lot. I think Eve L. Ewing is really good at dialogue, at least with Riri's special brand of anti-social. If only Bendis could have made her this likeable in his Iron Man run, where she would've gotten the most attention, instead of never really justifying the mantle switch and annoying Iron Man fans.
9.0
 Jean Grey (2023) #1 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Jean Grey (2023) #2 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Jessica Jones (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Jessica Jones (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Jessica Jones (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Jessica Jones (2018): Purple Daughter #3 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #1 Nov 25, 2022
9.0
 Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #2 Nov 25, 2022
9.0
 Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #3 Dec 8, 2022
9.0
 Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #5 Mar 3, 2023

Not a ton happens in this issue, but I really enjoy how Rosenberg writes Joker.
9.0
 Justice League (2016) #37 Jul 20, 2019

Hey, I liked two issues in a row! Oh boy, can we go for three? This issue was probably my favorite issue of the series, thinking back. Gone are the massive expositing of grand multiversal concepts and event storyline. This issue is almost purely character driven and felt like a breath of fresh air. I want more of this and less cataclysmic event battles that decide the fate of everything. That's boring when it's just another Wednesday. Smaller stories seem like the way to go here.

I liked this one. I thought it was a good finale to the Sixth Dimension storyline and actually makes me a little excited for Year of the Villain. Let's hope this time the series stays good.
9.0
 Justice League Dark (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019

This was better than the previous installment. With the exposition of of the way, things have a bit more room to breathe and the story is better for it.

Really good issue.

Really good issue. Let's hope Zatanna's new costume looks less stupid next issue.

This is a lot of fun even with all the manufactured drama!

This was a huge step up from the last issue or so. I really enjoyed the emotional element. It really worked for me. This is what I expect from Zdarsky.

This was a really good issue? I can't believe it. Was it worth 11 issues of boredom at best, frustration at worst? I don't know. But for now, I guess I can be happy that it wasn't 12 issues of waste.

A great start. Jason Aaron can be a little hit and miss lately, but he nails Conan. If you liked his original 12 issue run, you'll like this too.

I really liked this one. Aaron writes a really engaging Conan, what else is there to say? Also the ending before the flashback was great.
9.0
 King Conan (2021) #4 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 King Conan (2021) #5 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 King Conan (2021) #6 Nov 6, 2022

A slower issue, but still really good!

I liked the ongoing, and this is pretty much more of that but with more King in Black. It's good.

This was great!

This is a really fun miniseries.
9.0
 Knight Terrors: Detective Comics (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

At least this one is funny.

The conclusion might not be surprising on paper, but how it's executed is the shocking bit. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

9.0
 Legion of X (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Legion of X (2022) #8 Jan 30, 2023
9.0
 Legion of X (2022) #9 Jan 30, 2023

Yeah alright, I can see this is headed somewhere fun.
9.0
 Lockjaw (2018) #1 Jul 20, 2019

I thought this was a lot of fun.

This book is honestly so much fun.

This is a really well-written series. Too bad it's only got one issue left.

This was such a good series. I'm sad that it's ending so soon. I hope whatever Loki does next is as interesting as this was.
9.0
 Love Everlasting #1 Dec 1, 2022
9.0
 Love Everlasting #2 Dec 1, 2022

It's weird because I've consistently found the Old Man Lucifer plot to be the least compelling, but now I think the Decker is the least compelling plot. The way the Old Man Lucifer plot connects to the Lucifer of the past, easily the most compelling thing in this series, just elevated it. I don't really care about Decker in comparison. But still, I really liked most of this issue.

Really strong issue. I'm still having a bit of trouble connecting with Decker and his struggles now. Part of me just really wants Prime Lucifer being the devil because those sequences are always stand outs in this series.

Finally Lucifer is himself and I hope this series just keeps getting better and better from here.

I liked this a lot. Gotta say though, The Mazikeen's speech impediment is very hard for me to understand sometimes and it really takes me out of the book.

Really good issue, if a bit predictable.

A really good issue. I just wish the Mazikeen would find a way to fix her speech impediment.

Really good issue. Give Mazikeen some lips or something, please.

This is very well written.

I only actually read issue 19 in this collection. I have previously read the other 5 issues as they were released in singles, but I needed to get this collection to finish out the arc. I'll just focus on that issue in particular. It was very well written, as Lucifer always is, but I found it kind of obvious at points. But it's less like I wanted to rush through the issue to get to the place it's obviously going, and more like I could tell where it was headed, but I still enjoyed the journey there. I'd give the issue a 9, which coincidentally is also the score I'd give the whole collection, taking every issue into account.
9.0
 Luke Cage (2017) #170 Jul 20, 2019

This was a really enjoyable issue.
9.0
 Magneto (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

I really enjoyed this issue. It wasn't as much of a character struggle this time around. No nightmares. This issue is just showing how broken Matt Murdock is compared to his prime as Daredevil. And it's not exactly sad, because Daredevil is portrayed as a lunatic in this issue. I was under the impression that Matt had decided to be Daredevil again at the end of the last issue, but I guess he just decided to save Kirsten from himself. I really liked the new Foolkiller, but I love every Foolkiller so I'm probably biased.

This was another really good issue. Maybe not as good as issue one, but the difference isn't much.

The politics behind the Hellfire Club is more interesting than you'd expect.

This title is so fun. The characters are all written well. And the story is interesting. Plus: Hate Monger.

The best part of the issue is when Iceman gets a little upset.

I read ASM before this and I think it's pretty clear what is happening here, so I don't understand all the reviews saying it's confusing. It's an interesting concept to reimagine 2099 with the sensibilities of 2019, and while we didn't get into the meat of things, a lot of this does intrigue me.

This is Gerry Duggan writing Conan, of course it's good.

This was a really good one-shot. Zdarsky has shown he really knows how to write Doom in the past, and this issue is no different. This is probably the best 2099 one-shot so far, with only Conan 2099 being a competitor. I haven't read Spider-Man 2099, but my hopes are high for that as well. We'll see.

I liked this a lot. It definitely makes more sense if you've been keeping up with the other 2099 books and Amazing Spider-Man. Some people just jumping in for this issue because it's Spider-Man 2099 will be lost and probably won't enjoy it. But I am not one of those people, so I'm here to see where it all leads.

Really good issue, and also more straightforward. I'm excited about this one now, officially.

Matthew Rosenberg is back on scripting duties with this issue and it works just as well as issue two did. The falling out between Kingpin and Doom was my favorite part of the issue. I love seeing those big personalities clash and there is no way Kingpin is going to get away with what he did. Also, Doom's explanation for retreating was just so Doom. I loved that. And the big reveal that raises a ton of questions is that the heroes are the ones who caused all this to happen. And I fully expect Donny Cates to deliver on it in the final issue.
9.0
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #1 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #3 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #7 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #8 Jul 20, 2019

This really does a great job explaining why Reed and Sue and the others were gone and it shows that Zdarsky truly understands the Fantastic Four and Doom.
9.0
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) Annual #1 Jul 20, 2019

This was good. The big reason its score is as high as it is though is that I had a genuine emotional reaction to seeing Ben Grimm tell Reed that his children need their mom. For some reason, that hit me.

Really enjoyable, fitting epilogue to the original series. It's great.

I really enjoyed this one. Definitely a better outing than the similar "Marvel" series. I thought the subject matter was handled well.

This is a really good first issue, whether you've read Earth X and its sequels or not.

This was a really enjoyable issue. I really like how Spidey is written here. Probably my favorite issue in the miniseries so far.

Questionable developments aside, MacKay really writes these characters well.

I really enjoy the tone of this miniseries and the interactions between the characters. It's so fun, you can overlook some of the more questionable decisions, like making this miniseries about Black Cat being afraid to talk to MJ about Peter.

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I'm really into this. It's pretty crazy how well this is written.

It seems with all the status quo setting done, this series can really start to shine. I really enjoyed this issue. Everyone's written very well. I especially liked Rhino in this issue. He's a very sympathetic character once you take a few steps back and really look at him. He never has gotten over the death of his wife and I think that's something that's never explored a lot. The last time I think it was mentioned was at the very end of Clone Conspiracy, when Rhino was having a breakdown over losing his wife-- again. Of course, that issue ended with Spider-Man telling Rhino that he'd help him get through the pain. I don't think that ever went anywhere, but maybe THIS Spider-Man can help him a little. Oh, and getting Cap involved in the end is great. Because it's Cap, man!

An unexpectedly strong issue.

This series has really hit its stride.

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9.0
 Milk Wars: Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye/Swamp Thing Special #1 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age #3 Mar 3, 2023
9.0
 Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age #4 Mar 3, 2023

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9.0
 Mister Miracle (2017) #5 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Moon Knight (2017) #190 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Moon Knight (2017) #191 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Moon Knight (2017) #193 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Moon Knight (2017) #195 Jul 20, 2019

As a huge Moon Knight fan, this issue did a really good job capturing the many different sides of Moon Knight. From the more adventurous, horror inspired original series, to the bleeding grimdark edge of the Huston run, to the violent finesse of Ellis' (and others) run, to the more cerebral Lemire run. It captures elements from it all. A much needed refresh on the character after Bemis' run spun out of control, and Aaron did... whatever the fuck that arc was. I'm excited for the future of Moon Knight. The covers, btw, are fantastic. As is the art. Which is really made complete by the colorist. Seeing the black and white pages, I was a little iffy on the art but with that coloring, it just works.

Another really great issue. Moon Knight always gives really great monologuing threats, and this issue is no different. It's mostly an action issue, but the art is great, and I'm actually invested in the story, so it still works.

Back on track. I really love this book, and I hope it lasts awhile.

I was slightly concerned by the idea of not having Moon Knight in this issue, but nah, Hunter's Moon can carry an issue himself. I wonder how Stained-Glass Scarlet will come into play later in the series, but this was immensely enjoyable as a stand alone issue.
9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #12 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #14 Dec 4, 2022
9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #16 Dec 4, 2022
9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #18 Mar 3, 2023
9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #20 Mar 3, 2023
9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #21 Mar 9, 2023

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9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #25 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #27 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) #29 May 8, 2024
9.0
 Moon Knight (2021) Annual #1 Dec 4, 2022
9.0
 Mr. and Mrs. X #2 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Mr. and Mrs. X #3 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #27 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Ms. Marvel (2015) #32 Jul 20, 2019

This was great and a ton of fun!
9.0
 Multiple Man (2018) #4 Jul 20, 2019

Poor Cap. It's interesting seeing Hickman write some mutants, even if it's brief. There's a definite difference between Xavier here and Xavier in X-Men. The Illuminati going for the nuclear option of the Infinity Gems immediately and having them taken off the board is a bold move, and I respect it.

I really dig this Justice League parody. I know where this arc goes and it's one of my favorite arcs in New Avengers. I hope it holds up.

Another expository issue, but still very interesting.
9.0
 New Fantastic Four (2022) #1 Nov 6, 2022

I wasn't expecting a complete divergence, but I like these mutants and Ed Brisson knows how to write them, so it's all good. This issue is really good. Maybe not on the level of issue two, but I had a really great time.

This was actually really good. Didn't really expect greatness from this title anymore.

Really good issue. So far, it feels like this crossover has helped some of the fledgling titles.

This was actually really enjoyable. It's juggling a lot of plot threads, but I'm invested in them all.

This was a great issue. Vita Ayala manages to tie everything together well, and Rod Reis gets to go crazy with their art.

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9.0
 New Superman #21 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Newburn #6 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Newburn #7 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #1 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #2 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #4 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #6 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #11 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Nightcrawlers (2023) #1 Feb 26, 2023
9.0
 Nightwing (2016) #36 Jul 20, 2019

This was a more enjoyable issue than the last. The new villain seems cool. I'm glad we're getting to some fresh territory for Nightwing.

This was very good.

I don't care about the retcon because I'm not a cuck. The art and the writing are on point here. I was thoroughly entertained.

This was written well, but it's dragged down by being forced into a shitty event where nothing interesting happens. Taylor at least makes the most of it with some good character moments.

I feel like people who again and again express ignorance and disdain for compassion should really get some help for their moral deficiencies. So... like half the people reviewing this comic should get help, if I was being too subtle. I'll name names. This is a really well done issue. First time I've liked the Titans since 2003.

Another really fun issue from this Nightwing run. I really enjoy Wally West as the Flash so, so, so much more than Barry.
9.0
 Nightwing (2016) #92 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Nightwing (2016) #93 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Nightwing (2016) #96 Dec 6, 2022
9.0
 Not Brand Echh #14 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Old Man Hawkeye #5 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Old Man Hawkeye #7 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Old Man Hawkeye #9 Jul 20, 2019

I really enjoyed seeing Moonstone ravaged by her own powers... Probably too much.

9.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #39 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Old Man Logan (2016) #45 Jul 20, 2019

I'm into this. It's dark in a way that fits the character.

I obviously know who the murderer is. This is a re-read, after all. So throughout this issue, I kept thinking "Oh man, they're making the Nick Fury reveal so obvious." The part with Bucky is actually really interesting in hindsight. It's such a well done attempt to lead people away from the real reveal.

This is a very cool one-shot. It's so very different from the show, but that's totally fine. I'm just surprised that it is so different. But Ennis can either be very funny or very dark, and I'm glad he took the dark approach this time around.
9.0
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #108 May 7, 2024
9.0
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #109 May 7, 2024

There's a realism to 80s superhero comics that I feel like was pushed to the fringes in the 90s and then more or less done away with in the 2000s into the 2010s and 2020s. Overt politics was very common and this story is a prime example where literally the entire thing is about the morality of the criminal justice system. And also, fun to point out, Spider-Man is wrong and bull-headed throughout the entire story. The parts of this story that are beating out the Zeb Wells ASM run, I think, are the parts that you won't find in a superhero comic today in general. At least not one as mainstream as Spider-Man. Spider-Man is rarely going to be put in a morally grey position where he is almost objectively wrong by the parameters set by the writer and the story itself. He can be on the outs with the superhero community and do shady things, but the reader always has a great incentive to agree with him off the bat. Like with the Dead Language story arc. I think a lot of the reason why is that readers, as a whole, expect their heroes to be completely committed to moral good, and anything outside of that is hyperbolically seen as a betrayal of that character. The ability for a hero to make an ideological mistake is certainly going away, I think. It's only a mistake of not acting, or not acting fast enough, that is allowed. Nowadays, there's a lot of representation, which is good, but much less debate on the politics themselves. I think that's in part due to how much identity has become the politics themselves. They don't want to have a morally good character hate black people or something. But when that's becoming more and more the politics of one side, with less and less obfuscation, it's much harder to have a superhero be a Midwestern Conservative (That's a Wally reference). Daredevil is completely right here. It's always been part of Peter's character that he's a bit hotheaded and tends to let his own biases rule until he inevitably is able to snap out of it. Whether it's a fight with Daredevil or punching out his wife, he eventually realizes he's in the wrong. Which is something writers often struggle to parse, mostly because of what I was getting at before. Readers are very quick to say an invocation of that character trait is out of character, because Spider-Man is a very relatable character and if he can screw up (In a way not integral to origins), then maybe we as readers are not always perfect either, and that's a terrifying thought. So writers either fall into the trap of making Peter too nice and almost Superman-like, which is boring (see: Taylor's Nightwing; different character, same issue), or making him too standoffish and a bit of an asshole (see: Dan Slott trying to create drama). This story does a great job with it though, because even if Peter is logically and morally in the wrong, he still has a justifiable, almost-heroic reasoning behind it that's kind of reminiscent of the most basic of superhero stories. But the keyword there is *almost*.
9.0
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #300 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #306 Jul 20, 2019

This was probably the best part of this Spider-Geddon tie-in. I hope this is the last time Spider-Man ever fights Morlun. Four times is three times too many. But this issue explains why Morlun should stop and it's really gratifying, which means it's a good way to finish and conclude this mission of Morlun's. But now he's imprisoned in the 616 universe, so that just makes it even easier for him to come back, so that's worrying. I like to think Peter taking out Morlun's eye was a callback to The Other where Morlun took Peter's eye. Wasn't that horrible and gruesome, huh?
9.0
 Phoenix Resurrection: The Return Of Jean Grey #1 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Phoenix Resurrection: The Return Of Jean Grey #2 Jul 20, 2019

Wasn't expecting to like this or read it past this initial issue, but Walker and Wachter manage to create a very interesting story in the PotA timeline. Controversial opinion coming: I actually think Rise of the Planet of the Apes is far more interesting than anytime the Apes actually had control of the planet. I know, I know. This gives us more of that, and even though some may think the pandemic stuff is overplayed because apathy is an easier admission than denial, I think it fits well within the tone of the movies it's based on (which were pre-COVID). Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

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9.0
 Poison Ivy (2022) #2 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Poison Ivy (2022) #3 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Poison Ivy (2022) #5 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Poison Ivy (2022) #6 Jan 12, 2023

Those middle aged white women events would be so much better if it was just an excuse for a fuck fest, tbh.

Anyone else slightly put off by the anti-vax allegory? I still really enjoyed the issue but the allegory is a bit muddled. Poison Ivy has caused a deadly fungus pandemic and has created an antidote for it, and one of the people she's treating decides she doesn't want chemicals in her body. Poison Ivy, being a victim of scientific experimentation, totally gets that and lets this infectious woman leave and probably spread the fungus to a bunch more people. And the allegory is pretty obvious, she's anti-vax. But the woman is an affluent white woman who doesn't understand science, and therefore is anti-medicine, which makes total sense for the group Ivy is in. But why are we giving that crowd the empathy? If she was from a group of people who had been scientifically experimented on in the past, that would make the allegory much cleaner, as that's the anti-vax crowd deserving of the empathetic approach. It'd make more sense if Ivy was anti-vax, not this affluent idiot. The black community, that was used for medical experiments in the past, now has a general distrust of the medical system and vaccines, for instance. They should be given the empathetic approach. Not some asshole who didn't pay attention in school. And even still, Poison Ivy should have explained why it was important to take the antidote/vaccine. She kinda did, but it wasn't even close to the best argument one could make. Unless G. Willow Wilson's bold stance is just sort of permitting of anti-vax, I don't see why this scene is so wonky. This book has been pretty on point with its political nuances so far, so I was taken back a bit by what seems like a very obvious blundering of the allegory. The attempt was there, for sure. Anyway, I guess that woman is going to go kill her family or whatever. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

9.0
 Poison Ivy (2022) #13 May 7, 2024

Huh, I'm actually shocked that people didn't like this. I thought it was great. I don't care to engage with the naysayers though. I think it's a skill issue on their part.

Not as much of a homerun as House of X #1, but it's compelling in its own, very different way. Gotta say, the pages of information are a godsend here. Without those, I don't think you could really grasp what was going on in this issue, which is a bit different from House of X where everything was still grounded in the familiar. And while it's obvious that you should read these pages and every reader probably does, that difference and that unfamiliarity may be what brings Powers of X down a little.

A little bit confusing, which I expected. But luckily, what was here was really entertaining. And I look forward to figuring out the bigger picture soon.
9.0
 Public Domain (2022) #1 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Public Domain (2022) #2 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Public Domain (2022) #3 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Punisher (2016) #219 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Punisher (2016) #225 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Punisher (2016) #227 Jul 20, 2019

Jigsaw is a great villain and I really do want to see what happens next.

Yeah, this series is continually great.

Man, I think I've praised this series enough times that I'd just be repeating myself here.

Yep.

Really good.

Another great issue.
9.0
 Punisher (2022) #2 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Punisher (2022) #3 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Punisher (2022) #4 Jan 12, 2023
9.0
 Punisher (2022) #8 Jan 12, 2023

Punisher continues to be a great read. I'm excited to see where it goes.

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Garth Ennis writes Punisher so well. This brings back memories of the Punisher MAX days.

This issue was really good.
9.0
 Punisher: The Platoon #5 Jul 20, 2019
9.0
 Quicksilver: No Surrender #1 Jul 20, 2019

This was actually great and it sucks that a bunch of people probably won't read it. It's just a what if in continuity and it's so much fun. And the art is great.
9.0
 Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #24 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Redneck #2 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Redneck #7 Jul 21, 2019

This was a really great issue. We get a time jump, this time even longer, which makes this series' overall plot and status quo kind of up in the air. But this issue isn't about that. This is just a marriage ceremony for a character that probably deserves it and it's really sweet.

Really great issue, as always.

I agree.

This was really good.

I remember feeling lukewarm about issue one, but this one was actually really fucking enjoyable.

I actually think this series might handle the horror, and dark humor, that comes with the premise better than the original did.
9.0
 Refrigerator Full of Heads (2021) #4 Mar 4, 2023
9.0
 Refrigerator Full of Heads (2021) #5 Mar 4, 2023

This series was a lot of fun for someone who likes schlocky horror. It did take me a year to come back to it, but that was on me, not the comic.
9.0
 Resurrection of Magneto (2024) #1 May 8, 2024

I actually really liked this one.
9.0
 Rise of the Black Panther (2018) #3 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Rise of the Powers of X (2024) #1 May 8, 2024

I am a little shocked by this issue's mixed reception because I thought it did an incredible job wrapping things up. Stuff like Jean/Phoenix becoming the ultimate mutant circuit to destroy Enigma or Xavier's plea to Moira really worked for me. The latter of which showcases Xavier's potent optimism that was effectively crushed during this era, despite it at one point being one of his defining traits. The former is a really good bookend to what the Krakoan era promised. An era where mutants were a united front. The pacing here didn't bother me. I didn't feel the rush that I've seen complained about. In fact, given how slow Fall of X has been, and given just how expansive this last event has been, I found it refreshing that this fight didn't play out over a whole miniseries. Gillen managed to give us a satisfying final battle that embodies a lot of the themes this era was defined by. That's a solid win in my book. I know a lot of people are down on Fall of X as a whole and this won't suddenly change their mind, and I'm sure they'll have lots of fun wondering what Hickman might have done. For me, though, I have long since stopped caring about the Hickman What-If. At this point, invoking it almost seems like critical shorthand. I think Gillen, Ewing, Spurrier, and even Duggan, managed to mostly keep the ship upright, and tell some incredible stories. The big issue with this event falls to editorial and (probably) marketing mishandling. There's a version of this event with all the same players, and all the same stories, that is much better received because of *how* the event was published. I said in my Fall of the House of X finale review that that issue was the simplistic action-figures-fighting finale, and that I was hoping for a more cerebral finale for this miniseries. And we did get that. Yeah, there's lots of fighting, but it's all backed with a lot more meaning. There's technically a few more issues to go, but story-wise, it all comes down to X-Men #35. I wonder if they'll be able to end the era on a high note.

I am hit or miss with Lemire, but I really liked this. I think the voice for Dick is very good, and I think this puts Batman in a perspective we don't usually see.
9.0
 Rogue & Gambit (2018) #4 Jul 21, 2019

I wasn't sure how this series would end up, especially considering how bland Williamson's Flash run was, but he and Leomacs managed to tell a compelling story with these characters, that is definitely worth the read.

Until the very end, this could've been a separate indie comic with a few alterations. Which I honestly prefer to something that will affect Watchmen's canon. But I think it's time everyone give up on the idea that Watchmen will continue untouched. This was honestly a really intriguing opener. I like the Steve Ditko of it all. I went in expecting not to like this because King is extremely hit or miss for me. But so far, so good.

I enjoy this comic about a pseudo-Steve Ditko, you know? Again, as long as I ignore that it's supposed to be a Watchmen book, and just look at it as an indie title, I don't have a problem.

Really good issue, but I do wonder where this is going to go.

For the first few pages of this issue, I thought "Oh nooo" because I was having trouble getting into it and I found the "hmm/hurm" thing kind of dumb, but it ended up being a really good issue. This is a consistently great series.
9.0
 Runaways (2017) #4 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Runaways (2017) #7 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Runaways (2017) #10 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Runaways (2017) #11 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Runaways (2017) #12 Jul 21, 2019

Really solid conclusion to this arc. This series is really great.

Another great issue. I really like the Vision callback.

Runaways continues to be an excellent example of character based storytelling.

Really fun issue. So Doc Justice is Doombot, right?

A good, quick read.

Old Lace presenting an injured puppy to Gib so he can eat its soul, and then eating the puppy, is something I didn't know I needed.

Oh no, Doc Justice is a scumbag, who knew? That aside, this was a really good issue, as always. Runaways is so often forgotten, but it's one of Marvel's best titles.

This series is great, like always.

Uh, is that gym coach recruiting Gib to his sports team or hitting on him? Otherwise, this was another great issue. I missed this comic.

This comic makes me care about relationships despite usually hating relationships in comics. They just always seem dumb... You know, cause they have to be for the sake of drama. Not a ton happens in this issue, but I don't actually mind so much. However, the ending makes me slightly uncomfortable. There is a chance that I just don't remember how old Gert is, but if I'm not wrong about her still being a teen, that makes the ending slightly gross to me? I hope I'm just misremembering her age.

A great ending to a surprisingly great series. I'll miss this one.
9.0
 S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol. 2 #6 Jul 21, 2019

I wish this wasn't a tie-in, but it was still very good.

This is setting up a bunch of stuff that I'm excited for.

Look, I'm just glad someone was brave enough to show the truth about those evil Canucks.
9.0
 Sabretooth & the Exiles (2022) #3 Feb 6, 2023

I don't know what I was expecting from this series but it wasn't that. I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this though. I look forward to seeing where it goes, and if this series can keep its tone while adding in more characters.
9.0
 Sabretooth (2022) #4 Feb 6, 2023

This is a really fun, good comic.

A really good issue. I'm very into this now.

This is an interesting one-shot. I remember in my first attempt at a read-through, I didn't have much patience for these. But it really works, actually.

This was a lot of fun.

I really enjoyed this issue a lot. This title is really unconventional with how it doesn't have a set team and, really, no set characters. I really like it. Also, woo, this is my 4000th review. I've wasted my life.

Now that we're back onto the actual plot, the quality of this book shot right up.

This title just got really big and good very quickly. I'm excited for this one now.

Like last issue, this is a big step up for this title, and I'm really enjoying it.

This *was* pretty metal.

Solid way to end this series, gotta say. This was an odd series from the get-go. I'm surprised it lasted this long. It had some slogs, but it also had so many cool moments.

A really fun Conan issue. This launch didn't spend time methodically reestablishing Conan like Conan the Barbarian #1. It was just straight into Conan action, and the issue was better for it.

A really fast paced and fun issue. Enjoyed it a lot. Conan is such a joy to read.

As a certified Steve Orlando hater, I cannot deny the greatness of this issue.
9.0
 Secret Invasion (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
9.0
 Secret Invasion (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023

This has been much better than I expected it to be.

Probably the best Secret Warps issue yet. I'm a huge fan of both Spider-Man and Moon Knight, so last year's Arachknight miniseries was such a disappointment, but I think Al Ewing and Jim Zub both do a much better job creating a merge of the two characters, while not ignoring what came before.
9.0
 Secret Warriors (2017) #12 Jul 21, 2019

A slower world-building issue. I remember not finding this quite so compelling in my first read through, but this time I really enjoy it for what it is. Especially in light of things like Dark Nights: Death Metal, which has yet to have this type of issue, which I think is crucial to this type of story.

Another slower issue, it serves as a breather and to tell us exactly how Doom became God.

Another slower issue, but brimming with exciting things to come.
9.0
 Sentry (2018) #4 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Bulleteer #3 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Klarion The Witch Boy #4 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Shining Knight #1 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Seven Soldiers of Victory: Zatanna #1 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Sex Criminals #3 Jan 7, 2020
9.0
 Sex Criminals #8 Jan 7, 2020
9.0
 Sex Criminals #10 Jan 7, 2020
9.0
 Sex Criminals #13 Jan 7, 2020
9.0
 Sex Criminals #17 Jan 7, 2020
9.0
 Shazam! (2023) #2 May 7, 2024

Rainbow Rowell's Runaways was great, and this is great too. I really hope this doesn't get dragged into Reckoning War.

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9.0
 Sideways #3 Jul 21, 2019

Great.

I caught up on essentially a year's worth of X-titles just for this event. It was totally worth it. The nuances in the current continuity are well respected, and also they matter to the plot. It's a cohesiveness that Big Two comics only dream of. I feel rewarded for catching up. I can't wait to see where this goes.

Really good first issue. I hope this story maintains its tone.

This is still good. It's not overwritten like most of Tynion's work. It's got a nice pace and the characters are interesting enough, if not a bit clichéd.
9.0
 Spider-Gwen (2015) #28 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Spider-Gwen (2015) #29 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Spider-Gwen (2015) #32 Jul 21, 2019

Really good issue.

I really like the dynamic between Gwen and Peter here. If this is what I can expect in the next series, I can't wait.

Well, this was much better than I expected. It was actually funny. I enjoyed myself. Ant Ant is my favorite.

This felt like a nostalgic issue for Spider-Man. I can't pinpoint the era though. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

9.0
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #31 Jul 21, 2019

Man, this issue was solid. We get Peter questioning Deadpool about his fourth wall breaks and it's really fun.

Really good issue. I didn't expect it to go this way, but I hope the conclusion is satisfying.

A really good ending to what will hopefully be the first in a long line of What If? miniseries.

9.0
 Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt (2022) #1 Mar 6, 2023
9.0
 Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt (2022) #2 Mar 6, 2023
9.0
 Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt (2022) #3 Mar 6, 2023

This was an effective wrap up to this miniseries. It had a lot to do, but nothing went awry here. If you don't mind a Spider-Man comic without much Spider-Man in it, you will be cool with this. If you want a more traditional tale, I could see why this wouldn't live up to expectations.

I enjoyed this a lot. Wasn't really expecting to.

Honestly, a really good ending to a frankly messy second arc.

9.0
 Step By Bloody Step #1 Mar 7, 2023
9.0
 Step By Bloody Step #2 Mar 7, 2023

Oh, okay, this issue got me back on board.

My favorite issue in the entire series.

This is very good. X-Men Red has been my favorite series in the current line-up, and I'm glad that the alt-reality spinoff maintains the high standard of its progenitor's quality.

This worked very well overall. I could feel the weight of the 100 years on everyone here, which is impressive since we barely see it. I will say that the reasoning behind not ending this timeline now came across a bit weak to me. I understand why the characters in question would reason it this way but... come on. I'll get over it, obviously. This event is still great, and wholly worth the read.
9.0
 Strange (2022) #5 Mar 8, 2023

I don't know what it is about this series, but I've really enjoyed the last two issues.

I enjoyed this issue a whole lot. Howard the Duck is always a plus.
9.0
 Strange Academy (2020) #18 Mar 8, 2023

I liked this issue a lot even if... There's some characterization I'm not sure about. I'm sorry, I can't help it.

I really enjoyed this issue. Jokerman makes me laugh.

I actually really liked this one. Bloodsport is actually a cool character, who knew!

Unironically kind of excited for the War on Earth-3 event.

This was even better than the first part. I think it was more balanced, which is no doubt due to the smaller page count.

I really enjoyed this because I'm miserable.
9.0
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #1 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #2 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #5 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #8 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #13 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #14 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Superior Octopus #1 Jul 21, 2019

Yeah, I'm into this. I just really like Ock and the fight between Terrax and Superior Spider-Man is really fun and brutal.

This issue was really fun.

Otto becomes more and more sympathetic with each issue and it really works.

Poor Doc Ock.

I liked this even more than issue one. Williamson is a hit or miss writer for me but I'm happy to say, this one seems like a hit.

This is a really fun book.

Really fun issue. The scattershot nature is becoming kind of grating, not gonna lie.

Maybe it's because this issue was less text heavy, but I liked it more.

This was a really well done issue, if you don't have ridiculous takeaways about what this comic is trying to say. This comic isn't saying that Superman isn't a citizen of Earth, it's saying that because he's not from Earth, his being a leader would be incredibly contentious, because of the sort of people that are, in fact, xenophobic. He wouldn't be a leader that could galvanize people together. Jon, however, is half human. That contention would presumably be lessened by that. I don't think this is a hard comic to read, but I am really impressed by the ability users have to misinterpret what's being written. "Might makes right" is only the takeaway here if you are brainwashed by the recurring guests of right wing watch.

I think Merlyn is right. Make everyone bisexual.

Really solid end to this fun little crossover. I really don't understand the hate this issue is getting, but I guess you can't take wrongness out of the degenerates.

I was a little hesitant at first, but I actually really liked this issue.

This was really good. Very good. It's the standout of Infinite Frontier, for sure. I just think the pacing was a little too fast, but maybe that's just how it has to go, being a miniseries.

Very good issue that went by too fast.

Overall, I think this second season of this title was more engaging than the first, no doubt due to its shorter length meaning all fat had to be trimmed. I do still think that the story was allowed to be a bit more expansive than it needed to be at some points. Was the alien invasion aspect entirely necessary to tell the story they were telling? I don't think so. But I do think this title wrapped up nicely.
9.0
 Sword of Azrael (2022) #5 Mar 11, 2023

I enjoyed this a lot. It feels very much like 80s Spidey. What did that "post-credits scene" at the end have to do with Absolute Carnage?

This issue is just soaking in 80s Spidey nostalgia, and I like it.
9.0
 Tales of Suspense (2017) #101 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Tales of Suspense (2017) #102 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Tales of Suspense (2017) #104 Jul 21, 2019

This series is so fucking fun, and I don't get that from a ton of DC comics.
9.0
 Task Force Z (2021) #7 Mar 13, 2023
9.0
 Task Force Z (2021) #9 Mar 13, 2023
9.0
 Task Force Z (2021) #10 Mar 13, 2023
9.0
 Task Force Z (2021) #11 Mar 13, 2023

This is a really good miniseries so far.

Man, I really enjoyed this miniseries. Way more than I expected to. If the rumors about Jed MacKay starting a Moon Knight run are true, I'm here for it.
9.0
 Thanos (2016): Legacy #1 Jul 21, 2019

This was a really good issue, man.

This issue doesn't really hit on the social and political climate as much as the first issue did but the tone of this series still really works for me.

The second issue was a slight downgrade for me because I felt that the political and social undertones, which are very interesting, took a bit of a backseat. This issue rectifies that, but almost a little too much. I wish there had been more build up, somehow, to The Voice's motives. But I can't rightly complain that they pulled those threads back into the mix after I commented on their absence last issue. Regardless, I'll definitely be adding this to my library, hopefully in a solid hardcover and not the hopes-dreams-and-tape version of hardcovers DC seems intent to publish.

I really enjoyed this issue. I don't think Joker actually killed himself and I hope Batman’s transformation isn't just a retread of the one-shot from Metal. It probably won't be, but who knows?

I really enjoyed this. It was really fun. I probably prefer it to the actual miniseries at this point.

This was probably my favorite issue so far. This issue focuses on Black Dwarf, who is actually a very deep character apparently. I can't remember if this is previously established or not, but it really works. I like the concept of each issue giving us a closer look at one of the members of the team. It's led to tonal shifts, for sure, last issue was a lot funnier while this issue is more serious and almost sad. The overall story being told is still a fun one and we get to see Corvus Glaive just be a huge dick and those moments are great. While the cover promises a fight with Nova, we won't actually get it until next issue, but at least we get to see Nova take down a kaiju monster. Which shows you how powerful he is. I forget that this series was created simply because of the newest Avengers and that maybe, hypothetically, new readers have given this a shot, so maybe this brief "fight" was necessary. I talk about it like it was bad, but it wasn't. That is just a thought I had while reading this. Overall, this series that I had absolutely no faith in continues to be a fun and entertaining read.

I don't know why the reader response to this issue is so poor. If I had to guess, it's the art? But the art is great, so I can't imagine what these people think good art is if that's the case. The art is expressive, creative and full of energy. If it's the writing, I also don't get it because while the first issue felt a little by-the-numbers with Damian, this issue with Jason really managed to delve into his trauma and make him incredibly sympathetic. Which we don't get nearly enough of from writers when it comes to Red Hood. Maybe everyone is a huge fan of Lobdell's run, lmao.

9.0
 The Cull (2023) #2 Jun 15, 2024
9.0
 The Cull (2023) #5 Jun 15, 2024

I liked this more than most of what Beyond is doing. Jed MacKay should have more involvement in that, seriously.

This was better than issue one. I was expecting each issue to be an expose of a specific conspiracy, but this issue managed to tie the conspiracy to the characters, which works a lot better.

I really like how much this issue, and this arc, delved into how much conspiracism can destroy people's lives. But god damn, I really hate the design of the 8 pages of text in this issue. They are a chore to read, despite that being where all the greatness in the story comes from.

Can't stress how much better this book is when it feels like the plot is actually progressing.

This was the best issue yet because Judge Gallows is a much more interesting character than any of the other cast. Which probably doesn't speak well for this series' future after Gallows inevitably goes away or loses a spotlight. I really dislike Dora, and why shouldn't I? She's just been shown to be a rude punk who threatens anyone who goes against what she wants. Those aren't endearing characteristics. She reminds me of the shape shifter from episode 3 of Legends of Tomorrow season 4, for anyone unlucky enough to be watching that. But anyway, seeing her get broken is supposed to be an "oh no" moment, but it wasn't. I liked seeing that. Oh, and if no one else sees the parallels between the US political climate and this story, call me Rain Man.

I really enjoyed this issue, even with a lot of its focus on Dora. It was just very well written, and the narration was interesting. I hope all this stuff about Dora and her True Self doesn't lead to her being a new endless. That would be dumb, I think. And it would complete the annoyance arc that she's currently on. Where she's thrust upon readers who simply don't want her. Anyway, that's future issues' potential screw ups. This issue was really good.

A good issue. Maybe just do one-shots from now on. There's plenty of social issues you can exploit for ideas if you need the help. The least interesting thing about the Dreaming is the characters in the Dreaming. So I say, let's keep this one-shot train going.

I really didn't feel like reading this because Dora is boring. But I actually really enjoyed the story. Until the end, that is. I'm not sure if it's purposefully anticlimactic or not. But really? That's it? I'd be doubly broken if all it took to break me was a partner making an unfortunate observation during sex. But maybe the point is how small an infraction it was? I honestly can't tell. But the bulk of the story makes up for the not-cares in the beginning and end, I guess.

I mean, this was good, but I have a real problem with the thesis here.

This was a really great one-shot that doesn't try to be something that it's not.
9.0
 The Fix #4 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 The Fix #12 Jul 21, 2019

I really enjoy the main story, it's far and away the best thing to come out of Tynion's run on Batman. I do not care about Punchline, however. Her backup is what's lowering the score here.

This is a very fun comic. It's really funny. It's lighthearted. So different than the Tynion run, but just as fun, in my opinion. You really can't go wrong with Matthew Rosenberg. I hope the next chapter keeps up the fun and the frenetic energy that this first chapter had.

This was really good. I really like Professor Pyg and Scarecrow so, this was a lot of fun.

This is a very funny issue, with what feels like some legitimate progress on the mystery.

Man, Kurt Busiek knows how to play to my continuity fetish.

I'm a huge Marvel nerd, so when I see all this mashing together of characters, obscure and popular alike, I get really into it. I just have to pull myself back from that and wonder how this series is selling? I want this to be the sort of thing that goes on for a long, long run, but I feel like it's definitely a niche title. We'll see, I guess.

This is great. Kurt Busiek manages to tell a narrative that doesn't feel disjointed despite literally being disjointed. I know the sales for this one aren't great, but I hope Marvel keeps it around, for legacy at least.

I'm a sucker for these sorts of issues that we've together a whole lot of Marvel continuity. I'm a nerd, I admit. This is interesting to me, and despite the tightening focus of this series, this issue still feels like a celebration of the Marvel Universe.
9.0
 The Maxx (1993) #1 Sep 13, 2022
9.0
 The Maxx (1993) #10 Sep 13, 2022
9.0
 The Maxx (1993) #11 Sep 13, 2022
9.0
 The Maxx (1993) #26 Sep 13, 2022
9.0
 The Mighty Thor (2015) #701 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 The Mighty Thor (2015) #702 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 The Mighty Thor (2015): At The Gates Of Valhalla #1 Jul 21, 2019

I really enjoyed this, but then again, I like almost everything Donny Cates writes. I hope it goes somewhere really cool. And I hope it adds to the God Country lore in a meaningful way.
9.0
 The Sandman Universe #1 Jul 21, 2019

After the dud ending of his first miniseries, and a rather lackluster Dead Boy Detectives mini, I was not really looking forward to Tynion's follow up. I was wrong. This is as good as the best of the first mini. I really enjoyed this. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I liked this one a lot. Definitely one of the better of these anthology issues.
9.0
 The Silver Coin #14 Mar 6, 2023
9.0
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #34 Jul 21, 2019

This issue was very entertaining and actually pretty clever with the characters' using their expertise to find Tony. Made for an entertaining read.

This was a sweet finale, honestly. I can't say I was a huge fan of this book, in fact I fell out of love with it for a long time, and only near the back end started to enjoy it again. And even up to this very issue, I've never deemed it a must read. But time and time again, this series has delivered good stories and writing. So, while I can't say I'll miss it, I can say that I don't regret reading it.

I know I just did this with the new Superman series, but... I guess it's gonna be like this for every issue of this series, cursed with daring to point out America isn't perfect. Merlyn's review is stupid, and here's why: First he complains about Steve and Sam being scolded by one of the new Captains for focusing on larger threats while not giving enough attention to smaller, everyday problems. This is undeniably the case for both of these characters. One is a full time Avenger, and the other, as Merlyn pointed out, did try to take a more grassroots approach to being Captain America, but ended up quitting due to the pressure, only to come back to save everyone from another giant threat, before giving up the mantle entirely. And the Captain didn't scold them so much as point out that local heroes need to exist. She was, after all, inspired by these same people. Merlyn gets upset about all the white people (aside from one) being racist. This is an exaggeration. There's one openly racist cop, and guess what? Some cops are racists. And it's built into their training to profile people. This sort of overt offense at the suggestion of racism is a major red flag that someone is a racist, btw. It's really revealing. He also complains about teen heroes being activists, takes a tired jab at Greta Thunberg and praises the melodrama teenage comics *used* to be about. My response to this is that of course teen heroes are more likely to be activists. Teenaged people are becoming more and more politically aware, and are becoming even more aware of the crises they will have to face in the future. This is comics reflecting reality. And it's not even a new idea. You can go back decades and see this same sort of concept in comics. But Merlyn doesn't believe in climate change, and thinks people should be silent, and therefore he's gotta punch down on a little girl in a comic book review, while crying about how much a comic has offended him this week. It's really pathetic. And if he prefers melodrama and petty relationship comics over this, he's got terrible taste.

This is still really good. Don't listen to the paranoiac who finds made up political reasons to continually dislike this series.

Like Steve said, fascists don't like him. Same could be said about his comics.
9.0
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #2 Mar 13, 2023
9.0
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #3 Mar 13, 2023
9.0
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #4 Mar 13, 2023
9.0
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #8 Mar 13, 2023

I really enjoyed how this wrapped up. It may rely too much on the reader knowing the characters, but I feel like... you would understand that Buffy and Willow are buds.

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9.0
 The Variants (2022) #3 Mar 13, 2023
9.0
 The Walking Dead #175 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Thor (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Thor (2018) #3 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Thor (2018) #5 Jul 21, 2019

Very good and emotional issue.

While not as emotionally impactful as the previous issue, for me, I still really enjoyed this. I'm super pumped for all things War of the Realms.

This issue was a fun spotlight on Loki. I'm interested to see how this is all going to tie together.

Really cool issue, can't wait to see what happens next.

I enjoyed this a lot. Donny Cates is good at the big, bombastic action stuff, but he's also great at character work, and that shines here. This is a whole lot of fun.

This was a really fun issue. I really love the interaction between Tony and Thor. I really can't wait to see what Thor is planning with Donald Blake. The turning it on and off part makes me think we're going to see a return of the dual identity? And that's fucking crazy, man. And I think from the previews, it's not going to go well.

This was a ton of fun.

A quick, but very cool issue.

A slower issue, but still really well written. I hope this stuff with Mjolnir leads to something interesting because it's very strange to have another run that features an element about Thor's control of his hammer right after an extensive, long run about that.

Super cool twist tbh.
9.0
 Thor (2020) #22 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Thor (2020) #23 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Thor (2020) #25 Nov 6, 2022

I was a bit worried about Gronbekk taking over, since I was really liking what Cates was doing, and I haven't loved everything she's been writing, Valkyrie-wise. But this was great. Seriously.

Cates is back on story duty, and you can really tell. Not in a bad way, it's just that the tone has shifted a bit compared to Gronbekk's solo arc. I really don't think the backup story was worth the price of admission, but Thor is in a really great spot right now.
9.0
 Tony Stark: Iron Man #2 Jul 21, 2019

Really enjoyed this, despite not being much of a fan of Arno Stark or that entire premise. This issue makes note of that, but focuses on what Arno's doing now (something that Bendis outright ignored, even though he used the character...) and what Arno's doing now is interesting. He's got an odd ethics to him. This issue is much more in line with what we were promised when the series was announced, which was a darker take on technology and futurism a la Black Mirror. So if this is just a brief look into what this series is heading towards, I'm down for that.

I really enjoyed this issue. I'm glad that they didn't somehow avoid casualties. I was halfway expecting that. I also find Motherboard very creepy, but in a good way and not in a Mask in the Iron Man way. I'm excited to see where this leads.

Really good issue where Tony finally deals with his mommy issues.

A really great issue. Although some of the AI stuff is still a little off, I can accept that we've moved firmly into science fiction.
9.0
 Trinity (2016) #18 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Ultimate Invasion (2023) #3 May 7, 2024
9.0
 Ultimate Invasion (2023) #4 May 7, 2024

This issue is allll character drama with the backdrop of Spidey, and it works. I think it'll be a while before I get over just how good Bendis *used* to be. And I wish I could say more, but I don't actually want to spoil things. Maybe I'll get over that inclination once the really big shit happens, but yeah, this is a great series.

Look, I simp for good things, and Hickman's writing is a good thing.
9.0
 Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #7 Oct 14, 2024
9.0
 Ultimate Universe (2023) #1 May 7, 2024

This is a really interesting series so far. I'm very curious how it fits within the universe.
9.0
 Ultimate X-Men (2024) #6 Oct 14, 2024

This was a very interesting first issue.
9.0
 Unbelievable Gwenpool #22 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Uncanny Spider-Man (2023) #5 May 8, 2024

This series has found its footing, I think. We're finally getting some answers and that's important after just being thrown into something big like this. I'm excited to see where this goes, especially since Legion can be such a fun character (when you don't give him to hack writers like Peter Milligan).

Although not much happened, what did happen was very enjoyable to me. And the young X-Men ending up in the Age of Apocalypse is really fun, in my opinion.

This was still really good. I love the tone of this series.

Really good issue. I really like the art in this series.

Really enjoyed this issue! It doesn't let up with how terrible it is to be a mutant, which is really what this run is all about.

I really have no idea how this is all going to wrap up in time for Hickman, but I hope whatever happens, both this run and Age of X-Man will end on a high note.

Okay, I think I'm fully into this. It took three issues but I'm there. V is a really interesting character and the more the focus stays on him, the more I like this book.

I'm glad that V's plan is as dumb as it is.

Really good.

This was a really cool issue. Don't care about that cliffhanger at all though.

Really enjoyable issue, even if I expected Cates' Thor.

This series continues to shine despite the creative team change.

A really good start. Not a fan of magic, or dystopia, really. But I'm hopeful here.
9.0
 Vanish (2022) #2 Mar 13, 2023
9.0
 Vanish (2022) #3 Mar 13, 2023

This series just got a lot darker than it already was. I'm so into this.

Don't want to get into specifics as I could be wrong, but this issue felt very real for Cates, and it translates to a really good comic. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

9.0
 Vengeance of the Moon Knight (2024) #3 May 8, 2024

I wasn't sure what Blood Hunt would do to this title. I'm glad it's remaining on its morose course.
9.0
 Venom (2016) #161 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 Venom (2018) #4 Jul 21, 2019

Great issue as always.

Man, this issue flew by. But it was very fun!

Dream sequences can be hit or miss, but if done well, they're great for characterization. This is a good one!

Waahaaa! The Venom champagne has always been celebrated for its excellence. There is a Texas champagne by Donny Cates, inspired by that same Venom excellence. It's fermented in the bottle and, like the best Venom champagne, is vintage dated, so David Michelinie.... I thought this was a really good issue. It's not nearly as crazy as you'd expect a big anniversary issue to be, but it marks a major turning point in the series, so it's not being wasted. I guess the splash page by Ryan Stegman is what I want to talk about most. It looks so cool. You've got Maker presumably going back to the Ultimate universe. You've got Virus, who is probably from the future. You've got Ziran the Tester being overwhelmed by Grendel dragons. You've got Wraith fighting a Grendel dragon. You've got Knull. And a complete unknown badass looking character, referred to as Future Venom by one of the creators online. I'm hyped for all of this shit, dude. I'm fucking ready. Fin.

The art takes a bit to get used to, but it's great for action. I really enjoyed this issue, and the new concepts being introduced seem cool. I'm interested to see how Cates deals with Annie, especially after the second arc of this run.

I really enjoyed this! I know Juan Gedeon's art is divisive, but I like it here.

I don't understand the lackluster critical reception to this arc. I guess it's the art, but honestly, I doubt it's even worth figuring out. I liked the issue. I just wish it wasn't so brief.

Having read this issue, last issue makes a lot more sense in hindsight. It's really cool to see some older threads coming back into play here.

This is very good! I'm definitely more into the Eddie Brock side of things, and assuming the writing credits for future issues aren't wrong, that won't be the focus in the next few issues. So I hope that issue two does more to establish Dylan's side of things. I'm excited for the series though. And even Bryan Hitch's artwork is good when I usually dislike its stiffness.
9.0
 Venom (2021) #8 Nov 6, 2022
9.0
 Venom (2021) #13 Nov 25, 2022
9.0
 Venom (2021) #14 Jan 12, 2023

This is such a good time whenever Ewing has the reigns.
9.0
 Venom (2021) #20 May 20, 2024
9.0
 Venom (2021) #21 May 20, 2024
9.0
 Venom (2021) #24 May 20, 2024
9.0
 Venom (2021) #28 May 20, 2024
9.0
 Venom (2021) #29 May 20, 2024
9.0
 Venom (2021) #32 May 20, 2024

The art for this mini-arc was quite amazing.

This was a ton of fun.

Another great issue.

This issue is a lot of really cool fighting.

If you like Punisher, you'll love this.

This was fun Punisher action. If you like Punisher, you'll enjoy this.

Of the two new indie launches from Boom! Studios, I found this one much more compelling and entertaining. Probably because it wasn't a Saga-Esque exposition issue.

This was a really entertaining issue. But man, the art is crazy good.
9.0
 We Only Find Them When They're Dead #12 Mar 16, 2023
9.0
 We Only Find Them When They're Dead #14 Mar 16, 2023

I've been mixed on this series, but I gotta say, this third arc really turned me around on it. I still have some issues, I think the artwork made the series a bit harder to get into. It's very stylized, to the point where sometimes the storytelling isn't very clear, which is a problem.

Carnage is finally back to semi-normalcy. Add to that, some retconning to tidy up some continuity. A really good issue overall.

I really enjoyed this. Shockingly so given what I've read of Frank Tieri's work lately. I liked the tone of it.
9.0
 Web Of Venom: Ve'Nam #1 Jul 21, 2019

This is a lot of fun and the most Carnage we've gotten in the lead up to Absolute Carnage yet.

Genuinely, this is the only issue of this miniseries worth reading.

I love the way this manages to spin continuity to its fullest effect. The ending, especially.

This series is so good. All the characters work well. The setting is actually interesting, which I couldn't say about most post-apocalyptic comics nowadays. I really enjoyed this.

What I said about last issue applies here as well. It's just really well done.
9.0
 What's The Furthest Place From Here? #4 Mar 16, 2023
9.0
 What's The Furthest Place From Here? #5 Mar 16, 2023
9.0
 What's The Furthest Place From Here? #6 Mar 16, 2023
9.0
 What's The Furthest Place From Here? #8 Mar 16, 2023
9.0
 What's The Furthest Place From Here? #9 Mar 16, 2023
9.0
 What's The Furthest Place From Here? #10 Mar 16, 2023

This was really good. The Spot fight was really cool.

This is a really fun issue.
9.0
 Wolverine (2020) #22 Feb 6, 2023
9.0
 Wolverine (2020) #23 Feb 6, 2023
9.0
 Wolverine (2020) #26 Feb 6, 2023
9.0
 Wolverine (2020) #27 Feb 6, 2023
9.0
 Wolverine (2020) #28 Feb 6, 2023
9.0
 Wolverine (2020) #29 Feb 6, 2023

Honestly, between this and Sins of Sinister, X-Fans are eating good. No matter the timeline, the stories are interesting, full of high stakes, and satisfying. The people who act like it all went down after Hickman are lying to themselves and trying not to cope. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

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This series is getting better. You can't go wrong with Bats.

I liked this a lot. Poor John, I really hope they give him a good solo series again instead of killing him dead, but time will tell on that one. This has been a great crossover, probably the best since I've started reading DC.

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9.0
 Wonder Woman (2016): Witching Hour #1 Jul 21, 2019

This issue was a nice change of pace. It was fun and funny, and had genuinely good character moments for Diana. We see her worn down by the conflict of the first arc, for once. Why was this never shown in the first arc? As someone who's been involved with and had friends involved with some sort of activist work, this issue kind of invokes the feelings of being so rundown by that work and just needing a break from it, for a moment, so you don't go crazy. Now if King had written Diana to be more openly affected during any of that first arc, this would be more effective. But I'm willing to overlook her disaffectedness in that first arc because I enjoy this issue a lot. It's giving me what I desperately needed: A Wonder Woman with character. Suffering Sappho.

This was very good. I liked the pacing and the story seems interesting.

I'm not sure where the dislike for this issue is coming from. I thought it was easy to follow along with, and not any more disjointed than it had to be. I liked this as much as issue one, even.

Probably the best issue of this event. It seems clear to me that X Lives was the story Percy was interested in telling. It is the more interesting story. I don't entirely understand the point in wrapping these two stories together the way they did. HoX/PoX told two radically different stories, but they complimented each other greatly. This felt like two different ideas forced together. I didn't dislike it, so there's that. I can't wait to see how this leads into X-Force and Wolverine going forward.

This is the best issue of X-Factor yet. I really enjoyed the revelations here. It adds a lot of weight to this event.

I really enjoyed this one. Also, Age of X being referenced makes 2019 me relieved that I didn't totally waste my time with that event.

This was a lot of fun.

This was really good. Shocking, coming from Ben Percy, but there it is.

I'm interested to see what happens with this book. The intelligence branch is always the most interesting part.

I actually really like Solem.

A lot of fun.
9.0
 X-Force (2019) #35 Feb 6, 2023
9.0
 X-Force (2019) #47 May 8, 2024

This was a slower issue, but I'm still really enjoying this. I know Hickman takes his time, so I'm not too concerned about the direction or speed. I wonder how people who didn't read HoX/PoX would respond to this.

I'm here for Hordeculture.

This feels like a really significant issue.

This was a really good issue, and I feel like anyone just reading it for Empyre will hate it. It's more just another X-Men issue than a tie-in. I liked it a lot. Poor Vulcan. I wonder if Hickman is ever going to explain the callbacks to his Fantastic Four run, or if readers who didn't read it will be left in the dark.

This was really interesting and I'm glad X of Swords finally has a story attached to it. I'm really unsure about it being 24 (or so) issues long across multiple titles, but if this works, it'll be be huge.

This was a crazy issue.

Nice.

I enjoyed this a whole lot.

About as good as last issue. I really like what Duggan is building.

I really enjoyed this one. It really tees up the Destiny of X era, and I possibly like it more with Immortal X-Men #1 in mind.
9.0
 X-Men (2021) #16 Feb 6, 2023
9.0
 X-Men (2021) #17 Feb 6, 2023

This issue sets up a bunch of interesting ideas. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
9.0
 X-Men (2021) #25 May 7, 2024
9.0
 X-Men (2021) #32 May 8, 2024

This issue has a lot of things going on. The promise of Krakoa fulfilled. The inevitable collapse. The beginning of something new. I went into this issue not knowing what to expect, and what I got, by my estimation, was a pretty thoughtful, mostly quiet issue, at least in comparison to what came before. Big things happen, sure, but the bombast of the FoHoX/RoPoX finales are much bigger. What I find most interesting about this issue is the use of Apocalypse. I'm pretty sure it's been accepted by most readers that Apocalypse serves as an embodiment of trauma. The generational trauma and violence that consumes the marginalized, that they have to overcome. So I find it so interesting how they use him here. When faced with the other side, when faced with a world as it should be, a world without hate and fear, Apocalypse turns violent. He cannot accept it. He won't accept it. He is trauma, and he won't be shed. It's such an incredibly powerful metaphor, I think, that genuinely gets to the heart of what X-Men is, and especially was during the Krakoan Era. In that way, I feel like this is an incredible way to send off Krakoa. The rest of the issue is not quite so excellent. The Clairemont story is well-deserved. We finally get to see him chime in on what was initially his idea. And it mostly works. I feel like a better artist would've been welcome, but I don't have a large issue with it. The preview of what's to come has me both excited and nervous. Something that was so great about this era was how interconnected the mutants felt, and to separate them all again is... A choice. I'm not quite sold on all the pitches here, but I'm willing to give them a chance of course. I've read every single issue of the Krakoan Era, I'm not jumping off here. The creative teams look mostly great. I'm sure it'll be fun. Also, briefly: Duggan's run on the X-Men had its ups and downs. It at times felt disconnected and all over the place, but I felt like it ultimately had more good than bad. Even the more lackluster issues were a fun read, at the very least.
9.0
 X-Men (2021): Hellfire Gala 2023 #1 May 7, 2024

This was a really great first issue.

Zdarsky always delivers.
9.0
 X-Men Blue: Origins (2023) #1 May 8, 2024

Jonathan Hickman writes a very funny Wolverine and I kinda wish he didn't write it for a very annoying format.

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9.0
 X-Men: Before The Fall (2023): Sinister Four #1 May 7, 2024

Again, I was not looking forward to this because of the writer. But I really love Emma Frost as a character and I absolutely hate the Hellfire Club, so this was enjoyable for me. Plus, the callbacks to Uncanny X-Men and X-Men Blue is something I'm always a sucker for since continuity being acknowledged makes the universe feel real and lived in.
9.0
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #35 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 X-Men: Forever (2024) #1 May 8, 2024
9.0
 X-Men: Forever (2024) #2 May 8, 2024
9.0
 X-Men: Gold (2017) #30 Jul 21, 2019

A solid conclusion to Way of X. Can't wait for the Legionaries series. Si Spurrier is one of the writers I have the most faith in regarding this X-Line.
9.0
 X-Men: Red (2018) #4 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 X-Men: Red (2018) #6 Jul 21, 2019

I still really enjoy this series. Throwing Tony Stark in there just made it even better.

9.0
 X-Men: Red (2018) Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019
9.0
 X-Men: Red (2022) #2 Feb 6, 2023

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9.0
 X-Men: Red (2022) #13 May 7, 2024
9.0
 X-Men: Red (2022) #14 May 8, 2024
9.0
 X-Men: Red (2022) #18 May 8, 2024
9.0
 X-Terminators (2022) #3 Feb 6, 2023
9.0
 X-Terminators (2022) #4 Feb 6, 2023

I'm convinced the people who hate this book don't know what fun is, at best. At worst, they are ontologically evil.
9.0
 You Are Deadpool #4 Jul 21, 2019

This issue expertly builds towards a twist at the end that I really, really don't want to spoil. It's so well done and it really hyped me up for this event that I was already pretty hyped up for. It works as well as the final twist of Gillen's first Eternals arc did, but there is a distinction here. We should've all seen this twist coming, and the fact that we didn't is really impressive. The art is great, of course. Schiti kills it as always. The only downside to this issue is that there is a moment around the halfway point where I feel that the narration briefly loses the reader, because it is (I'm assuming) setting up tie-ins. I don't know, I haven't read any of the tie-ins yet, but that's what it felt like. The problem isn't the set up, but rather how it slightly jumbles the narrative to do that. But that's small potatoes compared to the overall achievement that this issue really is.

I really enjoyed this. Just really fun body horror, with homages to plenty of classic horror movies. Just so much fun.

I wasn't really excited for this one in any conceivable way. It just seemed like an uninteresting concept. But I really enjoyed this. It was great. It was over before I knew it. I don't know, it just worked really well for me and kept me hooked.

SPOILERS I was put onto this book by a Bleeding Cool article. This should have been my first sign that what I was about to read would be twisted. To be even more specific, the article was about the prequel/sequel to this book, Providence. This book was just a means to get to "The Watchmen of Horror". Avatar Press did a recent reprinting of the trade paperback for Neonomicon (which by the way, has a terrible cover compared to literally any of the covers or gallery art inside), and I snatched it up with Providence as well. I went into this mostly blind, with the general idea that Moore was going to deconstruct and examine HP Lovecraft. As someone who enjoys Lovecraft, I was interested in this. And on the other side of this initial volume, I can say Moore did exactly that. I have a lot of genuine love for this book and the concepts therein, but I think that Moore intended to do something that I find a bit problematic. I don't think he made a mistake or stumbled here. I think it was deliberate. Moore is a great writer, who puts so much thought into every single thing he does that I can't reasonably say he failed to notice the larger implication of some of what he does in this book. Packaged with Neonomicon is something called The Courtyard. It is a comic book adaptation of a prose story that Alan Moore had written in the 90s. I'll get it out of the way now: The Courtyard is the best part of Neonomicon. The prose is so good, what we get of it. The story has just the right amount of intrigue in such a slim, succinct package. Moore had a fun story to tell with Lovecraftian elements, and it's executed near flawlessly. I'd be remiss if I didn't give credit to Antony Johnston, who no doubt did a fabulous job with the adaptation. Aldo Sax is an Nazi asshole, and the immediate comparisons and inspirations from Lovecraft himself are apparent. His brash, no nonsense (while obsessed with nonsense) narration works so well. I am telling you, Moore doesn't miss with this. The breach into insanity that comes with Aklo is an explosive affair followed by a spiral descent that takes the reader with it, and the consequences of it hit hard. It has Pulp in its veins. It just works. If this is all we ever got from this world Moore created, I'd be wholly satisfied. It's yet another example of Moore's incredible ability. However, Moore had some taxes to pay off, so he decided to continue the story with Neonomicon. This isn't to say that this book was a rush job, or that it's bad, or that it's corrupted by the motives behind its inception. I just think it's worth noting. This story takes place in the aftermath of the last, and focuses on two FBI agents picking up the pieces where our previous protagonist left off. Gordon Lamper and Merril Brears. Lamper is the lesser of the two characters. His role is meaty, sure, but he's there more to play off of Merril than to have his own arc. Merril is a sex addict who is finally back on the job to investigate a sex cult. Neonomicon is definitely more involved than Courtyard was. The deconstruction begins in earnest here. It really helps to understand Lovecraft as a person for this one. There are moments where characters will talk about him and his work, and Sax as a stand-in, at the end, basically spells it out. I just really think it helps to stomach the explicit nature of this story. Lovecraft was a fearful man. Not just of blacks and browns, or other minorities, but of sex and the unknown. And those last two frequently overlapped because Lovecraft was fairly asexual. So, the broader point of this story is that the Lovecraft mythos is not only real, and Lovecraft just wrote about it, but that it manifests through a sort of biblical way. Merril's womb is R'lyeh and she's going to birth Cthulhu into the world, to destroy everything. That's what this story sums up to be. How it gets to that point is the more frustrating element. Merril and Gordon are investigating Johnny Carcosa, who was introduced in The Courtyard, as the person selling Aklo. Of course, he's not actually a person, but an avatar for Nyarlathotep. An Outer God who sows chaos and madness, in an attempt to enact the will of the other Outer Gods. Which is exactly what he does here, as the investigation into him leads these FBI agents towards a sex cult in Innsmouth. They attempt to go undercover as patrons of Lovecraft and sex, only to be outted in the midst of an orgy they have no interest in taking part of. This leads to Gordon being shot dead, and Merril being raped by cultists. Eventually, this raises the orgone levels enough to summon one of the Deep Ones, a race of creatures that frequently develop relationships with human communities, in order to trade treasures for subservience. In this instance, the Deep One has sex with the cultists for pleasure. However, it takes a unique interest in their new captive, Merril. So, the cultists keep her locked away with it, where it then rapes her for several days. Eventually, she pisses in front of it, and it tastes the pee. This leads to it breaking her out of captivity and saving her from the cultists. She immediately sends in the FBI, who kill the monster and the cultists. At least the ones still left after the monster turned on them. So, if it's not clear what happened here, here's a summary: The sex addicted woman is raped by sex cultists and then by a fish monster, who impregnates her with Cthulhu. The piss tasting was like a pregnancy test. After this, Merril becomes a confident woman, no longer struggling, and she wants to take out the world. This is problematic to me. Again, for the third time, Merril is a sex addict. The story has a weird hangup about it too. Like, she's constantly reminded of it by others. It comes up a lot. And then she goes through this severely traumatic experience involving sex, only to come out stronger for it? Very odd. And yeah, Moore adds some dialogue in there that basically makes it sound like Merril is being controlled by the Cthulhu growing in her womb. But that's said at the end of the story, so for at least an issue and a half, she's slowly warming up to this creature and exudes a new confidence, inexplicably, through her rape and trauma. Big ol' yikes for that one. Now, there is something to counterbalance that. Moore isn't a hack, as much as he loves to use rape as a device in storytelling. Why is everything so explicit? Why is there a sex cult, whose orgy is so incredibly lascivious, to the point where they just burst with excitement at the size of a fish monster's penis, and how giant his load is? Well, there's a moment in the story while Merril is being raped where she has a vision, meeting with Johnny Carcosa. He basically tells her she's to be the bearer of Cthulhu, and that the Outer Gods respect her a ton. He also says that the sex cult is not with them, and that they are sorry for that whole ordeal. Lovecraft was asexual and afraid of an inherently feminine form of sexuality. That's why Merril's womb is R'lyeh. That's why later she has a dream, where Lovecraft is screaming as a tentacle begins to come out from inside her. The imagery is apparent. This is also why everything is so goddamn explicit. The story is taking cues from Lovecraft by inverting his style of leaving things ambiguous and undescribed. The cultists, self proclaimed super fans of Lovecraft, embody what he fears and hates. The rape, as hard as it is to see and read, is part of the larger deconstruction of Lovecraft. Make no mistake, Moore (and Burrows) knew exactly what they were doing, and put a lot of thought into what went onto the page. As easy as it'd be to disregard this story as smut or cruel nonsense, it really isn't. It's smart! It's just incredibly uncomfortable. I'm stuck with a book that I really enjoy. The ideas are so interesting. I want to see more. I'm going to read Providence as soon as I can. But... I cannot recommend this to anyone, really. It's just so gross, and the intentional nature of it doesn't change anything about that. I really think this is a great comic and I hope that enough people were able to see that when they read it. It's better than Watchmen.
9.5
 All-New Wolverine #31 Oct 9, 2018
9.5
 All-New Wolverine #33 Oct 9, 2018

The worst issue of the run so far is followed up with by the best issue of the run so far. I was surprised because Electro isn't necessarily a villain I have a ton of respect for. Sure, he's part of the Sinister Six. He's an iconic villain. But I just don't have the love in my heart for him that I have for Doc Ock or Mysterio or Green Goblin, for instance. A few issues back, I pointed out that I didn't feel like there was a huge difference between these classic issues and modern issues in terms of how much happens per issue. But shame on me, because this issue is honestly the most complete, fulfilling issue of the run so far. As the opening narration says, "This Book-Length Thriller Features a Really Fascinating Super-Villain; It's Chock-Full of Human Interest and Drama; and It Shows Spider-Man, With All His Human Problems and Frailties, Greater Than You've Ever Seen Him Before!". They downplay it a little by the end of the spiel, but honestly they're right. I feel like each issue has teetered on Betty and Peter getting together, and I keep thinking "This is where it happens," but each time it feels like they don't. They're kinda together. In that, they basically act like really, really good friends instead, but I swear eventually, they'll be officially together. We see the money problems return! With an added dose of Aunt May's Health Issues. These will be very prevalent in future issues. I was starting to be afraid that I had misremembered just how big a role these things played in early Spider-Man, but luckily for me, here they are. Oh, also, JJJ! I loved this subplot, it's probably my favorite part of the issue. Peter scamming him to pay for Aunt May's operation was great. I loved every bit of him in this issue. He's *my* hero. Side-Note: I didn't mention this last review in favor of making fun of The Living Brain, but Flash accidentally broke Peter's glasses, with Peter thinking to himself that he didn't need them. This is an important step for Peter, honestly. He looks much better without them. I took the glasses for granted. As for Electro himself, he's fun. His powers should be much more deadly, but give it time. I know that's not a ton on Electro, but he's really not what makes this issue so great. Everything is paced well, a full story is told, and it all works. It's not abundantly silly either. This is truly a great issue. Quote of the issue: "Better Put on These Rubbers-- and the Rubber Gloves I got at the Store, to Help Insulate Myself Against Him!"

This issue really likes to take its time establishing the new supporting cast, while still giving time to the old one... Minus Liz. The drama between Betty and Peter continues briefly, although we know it isn't long for this world as this issue introduces Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn. This issue is almost entirely devoted to the overall narrative of the series rather than focusing on the villain of the month. Not to say there isn't a villain, Master Planner is an intriguing mystery... Or at least, he is if you've never read this story before. But it's still fun to have an issue that's using its cast to the fullest extent. Everyone had a role to play, with some being bigger than others, and that's legitimately great, in my opinion. Quote of the issue: "Peter Parker is the Only Boy I've Met Who Hasn't Given Me a Tumble!"

While last issue mostly focused on the setting up the new characters and status quo, this issue is an all out action issue. It's one of the first times we see just how powerful Spider-Man can be. He's desperate, and he needs that Iso-36 to save his aunt. As Peter, he's angry, lashing out at Betty and Ned. As Spider-Man, he's tearing the underground to shreds, and even manhandles Doc Ock with relative ease. He's reckless, and it culminates in him trapping himself in an inescapable position, having truly failed. It's a great issue, honest. Quote of the issue: "Just Now-- When it Counted Most-- I've Failed!"

This is the big one. Issue 50. It contains one of the quintessential, most well-known Spidey stories ever, "Spider-Man No More!". It is mostly known by the wider public for being adapted in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2, the best Spider-Man movie we had until Spider-Man: Homecoming (Change my mind). What's most interesting to me here is how quickly Peter decides to drop being Spider-Man, and how quickly he decides to be Spider-Man again. Nothing in this story is a new problem for Peter. He only drops the mantle for 11 pages before picking it back up in the final page. The reasons Peter drops the mantle are that the public is afraid of/hates him. J. Jonah Jameson continues to editorialize about him, and even offers a reward for his arrest and conviction. And he's never there for his family and his friends. But here's the interesting thing: Peter has had all of these problems before. The public has hated him since day one. JJJ has offered bounties on Spider-Man before. And Peter wasn't around for his loved ones before too. It actually keeps coming up. It's why he quit the first time way back in, I want to say, issue 17? Part of me sees this issue as a little cynical, you know? Big anniversary issue, you have to do something big for it. Have him quit-- again! Despite my cynicism taking hold here, I do think the issue is well done. For what it is, the pacing isn't even bad. I am so shocked that Sam Raimi didn't adapt the part where Peter saves an Uncle Ben lookalike and that convinces him to become Spider-Man again. That seems like the Sam Raimi thing to do. Oh, and another point to my cynical assessment, we spend a page's worth of material reiterating Spider-Man's origin. You know, in case you forgot it. A classic anniversary issue move. The art is on point, the story is quintessential Spidey, the cover-- man, that cover, everything works here. This is a great issue, all around. It's very fun and the drama seems real. I can see why it was adapted for a movie. I don't see why they added the power loss thing to it, but Spider-Man 2 is not what I'm reviewing... Quote of the issue: "He Really Turns You On, Doesn't He, Gwen?"
9.5
 Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #798 Oct 9, 2018

Very strong issue. We finally get some more MJ, with an interesting subplot that delves into Peter and MJ's relationship. It's probably the highlight of the issue, even over a Spider-Man and Black Cat team up.

This issue was really great. The dynamic between Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson has always been a source of entertainment and a cornerstone of Spider-Man comics and this issue finally brings Jameson back into the cast after he was really underused in the later years of Slott's ASM. It also makes great use of the new status quo set up in Spectacular, which was basically ignored by Slott until the very end. This issue also dives deep into continuity, which is one of the best things about basically anything Spencer writes. We've seen plenty of Jonah trying to make up for his years and years of slandering Spider-Man but now he's gotta make up for all the times he actually put Spider-Man in harm's way, with Scorpion and the Spider-Slayers being his most overt attempts.

Super into this. Loved the opening homages to Kraven's Last Hunt. Directly calling back to it sets a tall order for this story, but I'm hopeful that the creative team can deliver. So far so good!

Really enjoyed this issue. It had a lot of big moments and twists. Really excited to see how this all ends.

This was a great ending. A fitting one too. Can't wait to see what comes next issue.

A really fun issue that reads a lot like a Superior Foes issue.

While I wish we had found out what's going on with Kingpin and Boomerang (which we probably will next issue), I thoroughly enjoyed this issue. This arc was really just a Superior Foes follow-up, and I understand that some may dislike how much that takes Peter out of the spotlight, but I love the Superior Foes series and so I'm definitely okay with this.

I just really love this run. I like the retconning of Silver Sable, because that was kind of bullshit. The plot is intriguing. Plus Doom. I'm so into this.

This issue is really, really funny. The reveal is unexpected, but it makes sense. I wonder how this lines up with Zdarsky's Daredevil. I also wonder what the long term is with this story arc. We've got so much going on already. I'm also curious to see how the Lethal Legion subplot will play out, and how it pertains to ALL the Chameleon related stuff. I know from solicitations that this and the previous "Sins of..." back up is teasing what's coming next in the Sins Rising arc. Nick Spencer is piling more and more on, and if it pays off, it'll be great. But if it's fumbled, that'll be too bad.

Out of all the series that the comics shutdown has affected, I feel like Amazing Spider-Man got it the worst. The timing couldn't have been worse. It happened in the middle of an arc that was very light. Yeah, Gog's backstory was rough, but ultimately it worked out. And that's very nice and good, but it's not very gripping. And then the wait between that last issue and this issue finally coming out was even worse because we knew this big Kindred related event was coming and we were told Spidey and Kindred were finally going to meet. And then we get this issue and they don't meet. They kinda meet. Sorta. If this issue had come back in April, when it was supposed to, it would've been another spooky, hype issue but with follow through imminent. Instead, there was so much hype for this issue that anything beyond a big Spidey/Kindred confrontation is going to be a letdown. So on that front... I'm a little letdown, obviously. But I'm really hyped for Sins Rising. How could I not be? The Sin Eater is really cool, and the Sins monster is terrifying in a really fun way. Bringing the other Spider-People in is something that was teased so long ago, Doc Ock was still Superior Spider-Man (side note: Is he still part of Kindred's plans or does editorial reign supreme?). I'm excited for that. This issue, for all its horror elements and the Kindred teases that I'm a sucker for, is at its best with the few pages where Peter calls MJ. The best parts of Spencer's run is when Peter is allowed to be his insecure self, genuinely. That's why some of the best issues are tie-ins to Absolute Carnage. That's what makes Peter Parker so relatable. If this prelude issue gives us a good idea of the tone this next arc is going to have, we're really in for a treat. I hope this isn't overshadowed by the mass of people who just want to know who Kindred is, rather than read a good comic.

I cannot wait for next week.

This was a really enjoyable issue that piles more and more onto the story. I'm getting slightly concerned about just how much is here.

I really wonder how the stuff with Morlun is going to play out. Otherwise, the trend of great issues continues. The week long wait for issue 53 will be a painful one.

I honestly expected the reaction to this issue to actually be worse than it is. I didn't think OMD was getting undone, but now it's canon enough that MJ and Peter will stay together, which is all I wanted. Get rid of the half-assed romance subplots. Let Peter grow. I think this issue is a good example of reader assumption, and writer implication. So first, reader assumption. Obviously, everyone thought this run was going to undo, or effectively undo, One More Day. We didn't get that. I see a lot of angry comments about Kindred's plan changing, or their reasoning changing, and that's not the case. We just assumed, as readers, that when Kindred was talking about Peter's and Norman's sins, they were talking about Peter making a deal with Mephisto and Norman being a terrible father. In actually, it was Gabriel and Sarah hating Norman for rejecting them and killing their mother, and Peter for not taking what they deemed his responsibility in Gwen's death. This explains why Kindred was mad about Peter reconciling with his other love interests like Black Cat, or why they said they'd protect MJ from him, and why it would be his fault when she did die. Look, I know Kindred's narration gets a lot of shit, but if you actually read it in light of these current issues' revelations, it actually makes perfect sense. The reader assumption was this was all about One More Day, and that was pulled out from under us last minute by editorial. The reality is it was just as much about Sins Past as it was about One More Day, if not more so. Next, writer implication. This is the part where I give Nick Spencer (and the editors) some shit too. Clearly, they failed in some part to firmly establish a twist that is satisfying instead of annoying. I personally don't mind the Sins Past twist, or really, any of the retcons this run has facilitated, but plenty of people do. And I can't blame the readers solely for what they assumed, because the writer (and editors) certainly implied things. Nick Spencer knew he was opening pandora's box here, and the editors did too. You don't do that without a plan that is followed through on entirely. You play with fire, you are almost certainly getting burned. And that's why the fan response is so mixed. I don't know if Nick Spencer planned on leaving at this point, if editorial forced him off, or if he suddenly left. From the backup letter by Nick Lowe, the next run had its big summit in December 2020, and presumably didn't just manifest then, so obviously, it was planned to end here for a while. The whole point of this is if you imply certain things in your work, you need to address it in a satisfactory way, and a sudden mad dash for the end does not make that happen. I don't know what or why the run just suddenly kicked into overdrive so fast that Nick Spencer had to get co-writers on board just to get it done. That's not normal and wouldn't normally be planned, but again, it must have been because Beyond has been in the works for what's probably over a year now. I'm sure we'll hear all about it in 10 or 20 years. So, is this issue a satisfying conclusion to the run as a whole? Yes, I believe so. The first issue of the run said this was about Peter and MJ, and despite many attempts at making it not about that, in the end, that's what the entire thing has been about. They're able to beat back the literal devil with their love, save their friend from torment, and Peter overcame the overbearing guilt that sort of haunts this run, if you go back and re-read it. And their child is going to literally defeat the devil in the future. I know there's a lot of doubt about that tease, and the future of MJ and Peter, but we've seen from the Beyond era that they're sticking together. I don't see Marvel going back on that, because they've made such a big deal about it, he's with (a version of) MJ in the movies, and like this run or not, it sold much better than Dan Slott's run. It always hovered at the edge or just inside the top 10. I get that people wanted more closure on the other subplots this run had, but... to be honest, we got that with the other arcs. We don't need to see Randy and Beetle living together, we don't need to see JJJ angry about Spider-Man still, Teresa doesn't need a page where she looks at herself in the mirror and is confident about it. We got the ending to those things back in other arcs. This issue was about Mephisto, Peter, Harry, Norman and MJ, with Kindred as pawns. I said it in one of my other reviews, but this run seemed damned if it did and damned if it didn't with a lot of things. Fans were complaining about the filler stories, and then they were complaining about the Kindred stuff, and then we don't get absolute closure on the once deemed filler stories, and people are still mad. I don't know what to do here, honestly. The pandora's box was opened, and it won't be closed. I don't think this is a bad run, not at all, and I'm sure it reads much better in trade. In fact, I actually bought the entire thing in trade, and I wanted to do an in-depth review of the entire run where I really delve into it. I wanted to do that much earlier on, and thank god I didn't. Especially when I just couldn't figure out what Life Theft/Pursuit being referenced could possibly mean. I'll get to that eventually though. Oh and speaking of, I guess a subtle retcon that may not fully be realized by people is that Harry technically didn't do the whole Life Theft thing. That was a Mephisto-Harry now. Which btw, makes plenty of sense, Harry was not such a schemer in life. Would I recommend this run to people? Yeah. I think it's good. I might actually get them to sit out the Kindred centric arcs though. It requires a lot of pre-reading, but you know what, one of my friends is reading this run so I guess I'll see how someone who hasn't read any of the stories... elaborated on here feels. She's desperately behind though, so... it'll be a while. I'm excited for the Beyond era, if only for those covers. There's such a nostalgic feeling to them. But maybe that's just because the first Spider-Man comic I ever bought was Sensational Spider-Man #1. It wasn't the first one I had read, but it certainly holds a special place in my heart. I'm taking a half a point off for that Uncle Ben story, it just wasn't very good. I appreciate the attempt. The history two-page spread was fun, and the Beyond story is probably confusing to a bunch of people. I will say, I would've rather had the entire issue just be Nick Spencer's finale. 20 or so more pages could've been used to monologue about sins.
9.5
 Amazing Spider-Man (2018) Annual #1 Oct 9, 2018

This was really well done. Which isn't surprising given the creators on this book. But what really blew me away was how they were able to stick the landing the way they did to create a pretty poignant message about Spider-Man as a character. As you can see in the back-up section with everyone's messages about the final chapter, Nick Spencer, Gerry Duggan and Al Ewing were the real stars of that. I think you can see their strengths come out here. Gerry Duggan got everyone on the right track, he's good with ideas. Just look at his work. Full of good ideas, even if sometimes the execution is lacking. Al Ewing is a problem solver and knows how to take disparate elements and create a cohesive whole with them, as he does here. He knows how to solve these storytelling puzzles. That's why he's so great with continuity and elevating weaker stories. And then you have Nick Spencer, who brings the character and the heart. He understands Spider-Man so well. His strongsuit has always been character. Whether it's Sam Wilson as he struggles to deal with his new identity of Captain America. Or Hydra Steve, who is a perfect inversion of the Steve we all know. Or Boomerang, as he manipulates everyone for his own gain. Or Peter, someone who's always trying to do their best and yet makes mistakes, as we all do. Marvel tends to showcase their talent through anthologies, but I feel like they should do these types of stories instead. This was a very successful experiment and it's one of the few times 80 pages felt like a breeze for me.

This issue is all about breaking Spider-Man down. Quite literally. The art is the standout here, and it is absurd that I'm saying it, but it's true. John Romita Jr. is not my favorite artist, not even close, but I'd be a hack not to admit that this issue lives and dies on his work. And thankfully, it lives. To be fair to Wells, he does create a sense of desperation for Spidey that I haven't felt in a while, not even when Kindred was beating him to death. It really does all work here. This is the least substantive issue so far, but the storytelling is on point, and the creators clearly knew what they were going for and hit it square on the head. For that, this issue surpasses the previous two. I'm not surprised that its scoring is higher for users this time around.

I feel like it's penance for me praising John Romita Jr. lately, but this issue shows some of his weaknesses. Peter's lumpy fucking face is hideous, and not in the intentional way. It just looks really bad. Thankfully, the writing manages to make up for the lackluster art. After the bombast of the last couple issues, this finale is all character work. Reflecting on this new world Spidey inhabits. A perfect bookend to the shock and awe route of storytelling this arc played with. And it all works. I could go through the best moments, but they're all great. Wells nails it. And that Black Cat tease at the end? I'm all for it. If we aren't going to do Peter and MJ, Spider-Man and Black Cat are a really fun pairing All in all, this arc was great and I feel like it won't get its due from a lot of people until well after the title moves past the split of Peter and MJ.

Amazing Spider-Man continues to be a really fun title. Not a ton happens storywise until the tail end of the issue, and that isn't so bad, because the bulk of this issue is a really engaging fight/chase between Spider-Man and the Vulture. The art team and the letterer really make a tense scene even more impactful with an expertly crafted moment. The implications of Norman's actions and words in this issue set up what could be a very interesting arc for the character, which is where this run could very possibly shine most. The new suit looks a bit janky to me, but I'm not fretting over it too much. I want to see Gleason's version of it, as he is the one who designed it. I'm sure it'll last until Dark Web, anyways. Also, I guess I have to catch up on Mutant comics in the next two weeks.

I really expect this issue's strengths to be overshadowed by the fact that Peter is on a date in this issue, and it's not with MJ. Wells' strengths legitimately come from the smaller character moments that are so often ignored by this series' constant motion. We get those strengths in spades here. If Wells' run was just this for 60 issues, I'd be a much more ardent defender of it.
9.5
 American Way: Those Above and Those Below #6 Oct 9, 2018
9.5
 Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) #2 Oct 9, 2018

This was very funny.

9.5
 Archie (2015) #701 Apr 13, 2019
9.5
 Archie (2015) #702 Apr 13, 2019
9.5
 Archie (2015) #703 Apr 13, 2019
9.5
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #14 Oct 9, 2018
9.5
 Astonishing X-Men (2017) #15 Oct 9, 2018

Crazy in hindsight just how much Hickman has stayed the same. We've got a secret Krakoan-esque language. Focus on Smasher. Focus on the Shi'ar. This is my favorite issue so far of this Avengers re-read. The emotional core hit and the story was fun.

This was a really cool, interesting one-shot.

I had varying reading orders for this arc. I decided to just read Original Sin separate from this because, really, this arc doesn't line up with the event. As its own thing, I liked this issue a lot. I saw some complaints about the repetitive nature of the first half of the issue, but I was fine with that because it's been a long time since I read the beginning of New Avengers. All in all, I'm excited to see what happens in this arc because I've basically forgotten the whole thing.

Don't know what to say other than this is great.

I'm very excited about this.

Things are on the precipice now.
9.5
 Avengers (2016) #677 Oct 9, 2018
9.5
 Avengers (2016) #679 Oct 9, 2018
9.5
 Avengers (2016) #682 Oct 9, 2018
9.5
 Avengers (2016) #685 Oct 9, 2018
9.5
 Avengers (2016) #686 Oct 9, 2018

I love Namor.

This issue was a ton of set up and it's all actually interesting. This Avengers run seems big but not in the way that an event feels big. It just feels extremely expansive the way an Avengers comic honestly should be. That's something that was missing from Mark Waid's run on the title, which was such a letdown after Hickman. But this is righting the ship. There's a ton of characters and factions. And I can't wait to explore all of those. And on top of all that, there's still the Avengers BC to explore and The War of the Realms hangs over everything. Jason Aaron is great at this type of thing, if his Thor run is any indication. So I'm excited.

Really great issue that has wonderful character moments for Ghost Rider and Iron Man. Dracula is really cool and the ongoing politics between the various super teams continues to keep me invested.

I'm really into this, honestly.

This was an astounding issue. Maybe a Shang-Chi comic from Hickman or Spencer would be welcome now.

This was a great ending to a series that really lost its purpose about 6 issues in, but managed to be turned around in the last quarter or so. I'm excited to finally be at the endgame of Hickman's run. It won't be long before I hit Secret Wars, and that's exciting.

Conan just makes everything better. So does Immortal Hulk. They're both so great, man.

Well, things ramped up quickly.

Another great issue!

This was a great one.

This was a really great issue. I was lukewarm on this at first, but the last issue and this issue are really, really good.

I genuinely really enjoyed this issue.

This is still extremely fun. My physical collection is lacking a whole lot of DC, but this is definitely a story arc I'll have to buy the physical collection of.

This was a really enjoyable to the end. I didn't expect to like this run so much, but now that it's on the verge of ending, I'm sad to see it go.

I honestly enjoyed this a lot. I did not expect to, but it was a lot of fun tbh.

Yes, it was a giant action scene, but those are hard to make good.

Man, this is one of my favorite bat books since Rebirth at least.

A shift in quality from last issue. This series has been great, and this issue is even better. I really, really like when Mark Russell allows his political commentary to breathe a bit. When it's not equivalent to a political cartoon form of satire. The subtlety really brings out the story and the characters.

So the people who have reviewed this book hate it because it features a gay character having a gay encounter, and then being threatened for it by a bunch of schlubby dudebros, no doubt inspired by the type of people who would rate this comic a 1/10. I liked it however. The story is interesting, and I really like the character dynamics. I also don't mind gay people, so that really boosts my biases here. My bias for not being a piece of shit. Love to see it.

Better than issue one, certainly. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Hopefully issue 3 sticks the landing.

This was great. The only downside is that the art doesn't work as well when costumed characters are involved. But yeah, definitely my favorite issue so far.

I'll admit, I was not looking forward to reading this issue. I just don't really think Ra's Al Ghul is interesting, at least not usually. But this is great. It turns out when you don't make Ra's a one note old man who can't get over his grandson's lineage, he can actually be kind of cool. I think what helped is that we get Ra's Al Ghul's perspective. We see why he's so motivated, instead of that being taken for granted. I know this issue will probably get a lot of hate because climate denialism is a popular pastime among the stupid, and this issue really isn't subtle about where it falls on that issue. As always, they should be ignored. The art is great, as well. It's Ivan Reis, so that's no surprise. Overall, I'd call the One Bad Day line a success. Some issues weren't so good, but I feel like others will go down as must-reads for their respective characters. Once you get past the sort of cynical, corporate fueled nature of trying to sell out on the back of a single, very over-played story, you can see that there's plenty to offer in most of the issues.

I really love the tone of this one, and the art matches it perfectly. If you want a horror-inspired Batman that genuinely feels like a horror comic, and not something more schlocky (like you'd find in Detective Comics right now), you should be picking this one up.

This issue was a little slow to start, but by the end, it was a very enjoyable read.

It's good.

Alright, I had some doubts about this story after issue two, but I liked how it wrapped up. The only thing that bugs me is that it confirms that The Killing Joke origin is real. And I know a lot of people think of it as Joker's definitive origin, but I liked the ambiguity of it. Also, I'm not sure how to feel about the "romance" between Jason and Babs as a whole. It plays less like a legitimate romance, and more like Jason latching onto whatever form of love he can get, and that's really sad. As an awful person, I like that idea and the twist-of-the-knife conclusion to it. But part of me doubts whether that was the intention. And even if it was, I guarantee this story will be canonized and someone will use it as an excuse to pursue a relationship between the two characters, and I will hate that. But yeah, overall, I think the issue stuck the landing.
9.5
 Black Bolt #9 Oct 10, 2018

Really great issue delving into Felicia's history and trauma, disguised as a King in Black tie-in.

This series is very well written and fun, even with the outlandish (for Black Cat) plot. Sad that it's ending soon.

9.5
 Black Panther (2018) #1 Oct 10, 2018

Very good start. Can't wait for issue two.

I really enjoyed this issue. The art is great.

This is just a very well written series with amazing art. I know it's inevitable that there will be an artist change for the next arc, as that's just how modern comics work, but man, the art really takes this series to the next level.

Much better than the first issue. This series is probably the best we'll get out of the Sandman Universe line. I mean, it's not over written, it's not dull, it's not poorly drawn. Those three problems plague the rest of the line, I think. Except for maybe Lucifer. I feel like this title will actually bring in a lot of new readers, unlike the other three.

This still remains the most compelling of the Sandman Universe comics. It's really well paced and written, and the art is good as well. There's not much to say, but it's a very enjoyable series.

This was really cool! I'm a huge fan of both Buffy and Angel, so I had to check out this reboot. This is like if they took the later elements of the show, such as Willow's lesbianism, Anya and the magic shop, Buffy getting a job, and infused it into the earlier parts of the series. With just a little hint of Angel in there, too, with the inclusion of Wolfram and Hart. And also it's modern. But that doesn't really take away from the charm that the show had, which is probably always a worry when they attempt a "modern reboot". But yeah, I loved this. I don't know if it is as great for people who didn't see the show. If you've never seen Buffy before, you could start here. I just think that maybe without knowing these characters, you won't be as enthused about it as a fan would be. I'm really interested to see where this series goes. So far so good!

Still way into this. I don't mind the reinvention of the characters. I actually find it a lot more interesting than I would if it was just a repeat. And I think it may be a chance for some characters to shine in ways they didn't get a chance to in the show. Like Robin Wood. I feel he was a bit of wasted potential in the show, but introducing him here as a possible friend/love interest nice and early may give him a better chance. Also, making Cordelia the nicest person ever was totally unexpected but it works so far. Xander is an odd character. He's gotten a lot of backlash in the years since the show ended as being a bit of a creep, for lack of a better word. I wasn't ever one to turn against the character, but it's a vocal part of the fandom. So I can see why they're going the way they are with him in this series. Overall, I'm super excited about this series and eagerly await the next issue.

Another great issue. This issue proves that this reboot isn’t pulling any punches and won't rely on the established nostalgia to keep people interested.

Okay, this is a welcome shot in the arm for this reboot. My man, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, the HEADBOY himself, is finally canon. And if that weren't enough, it turns out that maybe Faith, my favorite anti-social slayer, is also out there somewhere? I'm in! And they're bringing in Ripper stuff now. Ethan Rayne is, for some reason, haunting poor Wesley and complaining about Giles. I'm very excited about all of these things, I can't help it.

9.5
 Cable (2017) #156 Oct 18, 2018

This issue was basically all set up and exposition, but it was very interesting. If you're reading the Sentinel of Liberty title, this is a must.
9.5
 Captain America (2017) #700 Oct 18, 2018

Very strong issue. This run hits the modern day head on without being preachy or simplifying things and that's really commendable in comics nowadays.

This issue was great. It seems like every issue has some passionate narration about the American Dream, and since that's Cap's whole deal, it works really well. I like how this run continues to draw on Ed Brubaker's run and deal with Secret Empire and its consequences

Super into this. There's some powerful lines in this. This series doesn't really hold back at all. Secret Empire happened and it had consequences. While I liked Waid's run... until Samnee left, I think this run would've fit very well if it came directly after Secret Empire. But I guess Marvel didn't want the backlash.

Man, this was actually a really good fucking issue. Issues like this are what I want from this run. I feel like Ta-Nehisi Coates is consistently on the edge between exceptional and mediocre. There are arcs here, even half-of-arcs, that don't really work. But then you get issues like these that rope you back in. It really makes you wonder. I think if Coates could get better at pacing his work and if the artists employed were more consistent in quality, that this could be an incredible run. But alas, it's just a good run with moments that really make you wonder why you're reading it at all. I want more of this.

I can't praise this book enough. It is consistently great. It manages to tell a compelling, thrilling, heartfelt story while still being full of outlandish comic-booky things that we all love. The art is great, too. I am super excited to see what Cold War brings us. Both Cap titles are well worth your time, and so this crossover has nothing but good things to stand on. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

I honestly had so much fun reading this, I don't care if you think lesser of me for it.

Really great issue.

I was honestly really impressed with this issue. It did a lot for me. I think it finally undid the damage that Civil War II did to the character a few years back. She's likeable here. We see her at her lowest and she claws her way back up like a hero would. There will always be a stigma around this character because of how certain writers wrote her, but I hope this run, and those willing to give it a chance, changes how people see Carol Danvers as a character. Also, I thought the ending was very clever. Captain Marvel and the reality stone have an inexplicable history and I really didn't think anyone was going to do something with the Infinity Stones after Gerry Duggan changed them in Infinity Wars. It's so obvious: the Infinity Stones merge in the chest of their hosts, as we saw in Infinity Watch, and Star had a hole in her chest ready to go.

This was a spectacular ending to a great story. One of my favorite issues of the run.

This was a surprisingly good issue. I like Kelly Thompson's run, but this arc has had some trouble keeping me invested, and you wouldn't think an issue dedicated to backstory would work so well, but it does.

Now, this was better. After a pretty slow start with the first issue mostly being set up, this was great. It's the best Anaconda movie I've ever seen, and I really had a good time reading this.

I mean, what do you expect? It's another great issue.

This was a really great issue.
9.5
 Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) #1 Oct 18, 2018

I enjoyed this a lot. Really excited to see where it goes. More Cates comics is always good.

Not a ton happens here, but it's all written in an engaging way by Cates. I'm excited we're getting a new arc.

This was great, thank god Donny Cates does Bendis speak without doing *Bendis speak*.
9.5
 Daredevil (2015) #598 Oct 20, 2018

This was really great. It's clear that Zdarsky and Checchetto can tell a Daredevil story. This issue was a lot of establishing the new status quo. It's appropriately dour given Matt's current issues, and I'm sure the revelation at the end of this issue will push him even further down. And I really can't wait for more.

A bit of a slower issue that deals with the fallout of the previous arc. I loved it. It's interesting to see just how much Daredevil impacts the city around him. I'm glad that the repercussions of the last arc aren't just going to be swept under the rug, as without them this story won't reach its full potential. The art is a big change, but I got used to it. Some of the faces and posing could've been better, but it's honestly a minor gripe when the writing is as good as it is here.

This is such a great comic.

Really great issue, as always.

I love Spider-Man.

The guy deserved it, let's be honest.

Yet another great issue. This run is phenomenal and shows no signs of slowing down.

Really good finale with an ending I didn't expect.

Another great issue of Daredevil. Nothing much to say. This is a great series that everyone should read.

The only issue I have with this comic is that the art was a bit rough in places. The rest is so, so good.

This is another really great issue. What more can you expect? I don't really like Elektra, but I'm willing to give her a chance. I like the new costume, at least.

Even a tie-in doesn't slow things down.

Really good issue that doesn't pretend that the criminal justice system is equal, the gall of it.

Another great issue!

Zdarsky made me really care about Mike Murdock and not hate the idea of changing continuity. The One More Day title was very apt, and yet, this story didn't end with characters being ruined.
9.5
 Daredevil (2022) #3 Oct 2, 2022

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Holy shit, I actually liked something attached to Death Metal. This is a really good issue, and I don't even like Superboy Prime. If only Johns had a hand in the main event, maybe then it wouldn't be such a mess. Let's ignore that The Batman Who's Profitable's plan keeps changing again and again, including once more in this issue, after his declaration that he wants everything to end in issue six of the main series. Snyder co-wrote this, and that's almost certainly his end of the issue. Just ignore that this is part of Death Metal, and you'll have a really good one-shot on your hands.
9.5
 Dark Web: X-Men #3 Jan 25, 2023

This was a really, really well done body horror comic. As an Iron Man fan, I enjoyed this a ton. I didn't know Ryan North had such range as a writer. Definitely better than the Alpha issue. I hope the other one-shots can put out stuff as cool as this.

I genuinely loved this one. Rosenberg writes all these characters in a super fun way. I can't believe I'm so positive over DC vs Vampires.

We finally get new material and it's great. Shame this had to be delayed so long.

This is an extremely fun comic. One of my favorite indies because it's not trying to be indie, you know what I mean?

This is the best issue so far. It really delves deep into Old Man Logan as a character. I hope the second half of this miniseries is good. I think they're going to finally resolve the Hulk baby plot thread? That'll be interesting.

Alright, this one was really funny and up there with Duggan's other Deadpool work.
9.5
 Deathbed #2 Oct 20, 2018
9.5
 Deathstroke (2016) Annual #1 Oct 20, 2018

This is just crazy, and I love it.
9.5
 Despicable Deadpool #300 Oct 20, 2018
9.5
 Detective Comics (2016) #975 Oct 20, 2018

I understand why people might dislike this, but I'm totally okay with the twist. This was a great character issue.

Really great issue. Kyle Hotz's art is amazing as always.
9.5
 Detective Comics (2016) Annual #1 Oct 20, 2018

Really good issue, I'm just concerned with how much is going on here. I hope it can wrap up properly.

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9.5
 Doctor Strange (2015) #385 Oct 20, 2018
9.5
 Doctor Strange (2015) #387 Oct 20, 2018
9.5
 Doctor Strange (2018) #5 Oct 20, 2018

I really liked this one-shot. It was a lot of fun.

This was dope as fuck.
9.5
 Doctor Strange: Damnation #1 Oct 20, 2018
9.5
 Doctor Strange: Damnation #3 Oct 20, 2018

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Probably my favorite issue of the miniseries. It was very fun.

A great ending to the first arc. It really all worked in the end, I was surprised. I think the issue went on maybe a bit too long, however.

This was really well done. I've never cared about the Eternals' history, but this makes it very interesting.
9.5
 Falcon (2017) #5 Nov 6, 2018

I really enjoyed this issue. We get three stories and they're all very heartfelt and emotional. But the one that definitely hits that note most is the first story about the courtship of Ben and Alicia. It's probably not a coincidence that this story also features the best art. It tells the reader why the relationship is so important to these characters and why they should care in an extremely effective way. The second story is about Ben's Bachelor Party and it's really fun. I would've wondered why it wasn't in the Wedding Special instead if not for the ending, once again very heartfelt. It reminds me of the better issues of Zdarsky's Marvel Two-In-One. Also, We get a short glimpse at Alicia's bachelorette party, and it's just one quick joke that's somehow not as gross as anything Gail Simone wrote in the Wedding Special, but it very well should be. Something about it works and you're not made uncomfortable with it unlike the Gail Simone story. The final story unfortunately probably has the weakest art. But we get to see Alicia and Ben finally get married and it's really well done. Down to Reed redeeming himself after blowing off all his responsibilities throughout the issue. And on top of that, we get a really cool tease for the next story that I'm really excited for. This would've probably been a 10 if not for some unfortunate art. I was really impressed with this.

This felt so much like FF. I really dug this one, and Immortal Hulk was luckily written well, especially in the epilogue. The Thing/Hulk rivalry is a good one that's been around forever, and this is a nice addition to it, genuinely.

As a Fantastic Four fan, I really love this issue.

This was great. A lot of the complaints in these reviews are stupid.

I really enjoyed this one. It felt like a classic Fantastic Four story despite all the big canon shifts. And the ending was great. There's a lot of criticism for this series for being too dark, and I get it, but I don't think it's the misery fest it's made out to be. It's harsher than the average comic, but that kind of fits with the motif of a life story.

This is really well done. This series has been so different than what Spider-Man: Life Story was, and at first, that seemed like a bad idea. But I can say truthfully that this gamble paid off entirely. This is a series eligible to stand on the shelf with Spider-Man.
9.5
 FCBD 2018: Amazing Spider-Man #1 Nov 6, 2018

I really loved this issue. I love the weird future Waid comes up with. The Chronarch design is amazing, and they should really bring him back. Also, Abra Kadabra's end is surprisingly dark. I really enjoyed the tone of this one. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This book is great fun. Tom Taylor gets these characters and the dialogue is incredible. The art also seemed better this time, probably because Spider-Man was the focus of the issue.

I really like Tom Taylor's take on Spidey.
9.5
 Generation X (2017) #86 Nov 6, 2018

I really enjoyed this issue. The art was great, as was the story that totally did exist. I just had a really fun time.
9.5
 Gideon Falls #5 Nov 6, 2018

This was really great. I love the design of the laughing man. The art here is astounding.
9.5
 God Country #2 Dec 10, 2019
9.5
 God Country #5 Dec 10, 2019
9.5
 Green Arrow (2016) #38 Nov 6, 2018

Really strong first issue. The stuff without Hal reminded me a lot of Dan Slott's Silver Surfer, which I'm overall a big fan of. The stuff with Hal was also really good. I actually didn't find Hal obnoxious in his ego this time, unlike in Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, as well as the last Green Lanterns arc. I'm not sure what the ending was about though. One thing that doesn't really bother me, but it's worth noting, this ignores the end of Hal Jordan. At least in regards to Hal's love life. I don't really care because that felt shoehorned into that last issue anyway, but it makes the decision even weirder given that it was not picked up by Morrison.

What should I say? This is a Donny Cates comic, so obviously it's written well. And Goeff Shaw is drawing it, so it looks great. It's a great comic. Shocking no one.

Can Cates write, or what?

Great issue!

Really enjoyed this one.

Poor Rocket.

I really enjoy this book a lot.

This was a very quick issue, but very entertaining.

I really loved this issue. I'm glad the Moondragon thing is being addressed, especially, as that's been bugging me since Infinity Wars.

I loved this issue. It's so great.

This is a crazy issue. This is part of why Al Ewing is a great writer, who we should all respect. He takes very minor things from continuity and uses them to tell an interesting story, while also retconning other things to make them fit better, while also reinventing everything.
9.5
 Hawkeye (2016) #14 Jul 19, 2019

This is just so much fun.

This is a really great miniseries.

I really love Sinister.

I think this is my favorite X-book.

This is such a fun series.

This is all just nostalgia for me and I like it a lot.

This is really nostalgic for me, and some of the splash pages are insanely good.

Poor Sabretooth.

9.5
 Ice Cream Man #4 Jul 19, 2019
9.5
 Ice Cream Man #7 Jul 19, 2019

Well, this was depressing! I like depression, though.

9.5
 Immortal Hulk #1 Jul 19, 2019

This series is a treat.

There's not a ton to say about this issue. This series is really great. It's starting to incorporate religion, specifically Judaism, into this whole idea of Hell and the One Below All and that leads to some interesting concepts. There's one moment that I think some people might take offense to. It's regarding the confrontation between The Hulk and Jakie McGee. Jackie calls Banner an educated white man whose anger society is forced to accept. And it's never accepted as truth. No one says, "she's 100% right." but she makes a compelling case for why, from her perspective, it looks like that. She doesn't know everything Banner has gone through during his life. All she sees is the Hulk destroying lives and the Avengers giving him slaps on the wrist for it. And that makes her really angry. The fact that Hulk likes that might even suggest that she's in the wrong for being angry, seeing as how he's "devil Hulk". I think the moment fits the characters but I'm sure someone will cry fowl about it. We also see the horrifying "return" of Rick Jones and that's just fantastic. There's also a nice bit of continuity between this series and Captain America, with General Ross appearing in Hell. He was never killed on panel in Captain America, so it makes me wonder whether it's a bait and switch, and this issue did its best not to confirm or deny it.

This series is never not great.

This is still a great book.

Great as always.

This is a deceptively peaceful issue. Everything on the surface seems calm. The art helps tremendously with that. But nothing good is happening, and things are getting worse, and that ending is where it all explodes.

Poor Hulk. At this point, we deserve Devil Hulk.

A change of pace, but still a lot of fun. The pun at the end gives this book at least an extra half point.

This was a really good issue. I hope people realize that The Thing is a great character too, and don't harp on how much focus he has in this issue.

I don't think this is a weaker issue. I really liked seeing Joe Fixit in action. After how crazy last arc was, I think some readers are finding that the slower pace is a hindrance. And side note: the antisemitism in the art by Joe Bennett should not be tolerated. It's a shame that a talented artist like him has such idiotic opinions.

Another great issue in a series that really deserves its praise.
9.5
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #8 Nov 20, 2022

Finally The Builders plotline turns around for the better and Thanos' plotline remains just as interesting.

This was one of Marvel's most successful events. It did what it set out to do while delivering a great story.

9.5
 Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #3 Jul 19, 2019
9.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #3 Aug 2, 2020
9.5
 Injustice: Gods Among Us #33 Aug 24, 2020

Honestly, this dream reality is the most fun I've had with Injustice in a while.
9.5
 Injustice: Year Three #23 Sep 7, 2020

This was a really great issue. This series deserves all the praise it gets and more.

This series deserves to keep going. Chip Zdarsky nails these characters.

I really like how Tony is written here. The art is great. I just wish that this series came out more often. I don't want to fuck with the pacing, because I think the slower pace is beneficial. But I still want more.

Anyone who thinks Christopher Cantwell hates Tony Stark, or is writing a sneak Hellcat book, is an idiot. So much for a character who's always had an ego having an ego. That's too far. The characterization for Tony here is on point. Maybe you should go read more Iron Man. Try Armor Wars and see how the ego compares. So much for a supporting cast. Since when do protagonists have foils? Personally, I think this is a sneak Frog Man comic. Some of you people have really stupid takes, and of those of you I'm aware of, I'm not surprised to see it. The art here is top-notch. CAFU is one of the best artists in comics right now. The only problem with this book is the pacing. It doesn't necessarily bother me while I'm reading this series. It's more of a situation where I just want more of what we get. I wouldn't cut things out to tighten up the pace, but the pace can be a bit slow nonetheless.

This reminds me a lot of silver age Marvel, but it's still modernized, so it's not antiquated. I really enjoy it a lot. I really liked Cantwell's Doom series overall, so I hope what comes next is as fun as this issue was.

Okay, even if you aren't reading the Krakoa stuff, you should read this. It's an incredible character study hidden in continuity. It's very good.

This actually felt like Vertigo Hellblazer. I'm into it. But man, they keep teasing Old Man Constantine from the abysmal Milligan run. Don't you ruin this, you git.

Another really fucking good issue. I hope that Spurrier can keep up with this. Would be great to have another Hellblazer run I can say is worth reading.

This is a really great series so far. Stop with the Old Man Constantine bit though. Every time he appears, I'm reminded that all good things end badly.

This was a great issue.

9.5
 Justice League (2016) #36 Jul 20, 2019

Luckily, this series recovered after the potential misstep at the end of the Witching Hour.

Pretty great issue. It felt really epic, but in a good way. Not sure how I feel about the Constantine development. I tend to dislike when characters are artificially made more important. Like Spider-Man being a totem for a Spider-God. Not that this is on the same level but it feels like that to me.

Really good issue.

I actually thought this was a really great finale. I do have some gripes with how much everything seems reset by the end, but still, I really thought this was well done.

This series has no right being as good as it is. But maybe I'm just a sucker because of proto-Moon Knight.

This was great. If I didn't know that the next creative team will undoubtedly kick ass, I'd be more upset about this run ending. But as it is, I'm contented. This was a crazy run, and definitely defines Thor for me. Jason Aaron got me into the character in a way that previous writers couldn't, and now he's one of my favorites. So, this run will always be important to me. It's crazy to see it end.

Really loved this one.

This is a great series that gets more intriguing with each issue. It's basically the only Sandman Universe title that does so.

This is easily one of the best titles DC has, and maybe the best Sandman Universe title.

Gerry Duggan writes a great Kitty Pryde.

I enjoyed this a lot. I like all the characters, so an issue built almost entirely in their interactions is a very good time to me.

I haven't been loving this book, but this issue really hits hard with the emotional manipulating. And, I don't know if it's just hitting home for me because of my own personal experiences, but it really works.
9.5
 Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham Vol. 1: The Golden Age Nov 1, 2022
9.5
 Moon Knight (2017) #192 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 Moon Knight (2017) #196 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 Moon Knight (2017) #198 Jul 20, 2019

I really enjoyed this. I liked the resolution here. If it were Warren Ellis' Moon Knight, he'd have slaughtered those elderly people, so I'm glad he takes more tact in line with his older, pre-Huston characterization. It creates the illusion of growth, and it makes for a much more compelling climax. I'm sure Alessandro Cappuccio could draw the hell out of old people murder, but I think we can all agree, ethereal Mind Moon Knight is something we'd rather see.
9.5
 Moon Knight (2021) #17 Dec 4, 2022
9.5
 Moon Knight (2021) #28 May 8, 2024

And just like that, the series is back in an upswing. This issue was great. We learn about the mapmakers, the Illuminati takes one more step towards damnation and Doom gets involved. Really cool shit.

I really enjoy Namor and Black Panther's interactions.

And very quickly, things pick up.

I'm about five years late to this party, but the reviews on this are crazy. This was a great issue.

This just keeps up the momentum.

This was an incredibly fucked up issue, and I really like that so...

I really love Hickman's side of this book. Hopefully this isn't the end of that.
9.5
 New Mutants: Dead Souls #3 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 New Mutants: Dead Souls #5 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #8 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #12 Jul 20, 2019

I really loved this annual. The perfect refresher after all the Fear State slog. I love how Jason and Nightwing are written together. I'll use my review as a PSA on deaf ears: If you like Lobdell, you have bad taste.
9.5
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #301 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #308 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) Annual #1 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 Phoenix Resurrection: The Return Of Jean Grey #3 Jul 20, 2019

This was really well done.

This is just so cool. Seeing all the pieces fall into place is a treat. Plus, Namor!
9.5
 Public Domain (2022) #5 Jan 12, 2023
9.5
 Punisher (2016) #221 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 Punisher (2016) #222 Jul 20, 2019
9.5
 Punisher (2016) #226 Jul 20, 2019

This issue has basically everything you'd want from a Punisher comic.

This issue continues the trend of this series being consistently amazing. We get the standard dark, gritty, violent Punisher issue, but this series also has the humor. And I think a lot of writers don't realize that the best Punisher has some humor to it. Dark humor, for sure, but humor all the same. That's why a character like Cosmic Ghost Rider still works as Frank Castle. It can't be overstated how integral that humor can be, seriously. This is really shaping up to be a great Punisher run. And because he's not in the War Machine armor, you could easily call it quintessential. (Although, really, you should read the War Machine stuff. It's still Matthew Rosenberg writing it.) I hope we get more of Zemo next issue, and I wouldn't mind seeing more of Jigsaw masquerading as Punisher in the streets of Balgalia. Anything they do here will probably be loads of fun, regardless.

This is still great.

This is so good, man.

Jason Aaron knows exactly what people expected from this run, and has thoroughly subverted those expectations. While telling a really engaging story. I'm excited to see how this all ends.

This is just such a fun book.

This is so much fun.

Slower than issue one, but just as good. Garth Ennis is one of those writers that can write an issue that is mostly talking, and it's still more entertaining than most other comics. The writing here is great, as is the art. I can't wait for issue three.

I love this book and it's barely about Punisher at all.

9.5
 Redneck #1 Jul 21, 2019
9.5
 Redneck #3 Jul 21, 2019
9.5
 Redneck #11 Jul 21, 2019

Well, that's one way to end an arc. After a really sweet issue, we get a pretty painful one where all those good feelings are ripped away from us. It's plain evil. But it doesn't feel unearned, which is key to making something like this issue work where others would fail. Bartlett's vow serving as the issue's narration works really well. It perfectly guides the punch right at your gut, while giving the issue the bulk of the charm that readers come to this series for.

I'm super happy this series is back. I missed it. And we get a really cool issue! I think the new setting is really cool, and I really can't wait for issue 20.

Another great issue!

This series is the best.

This went so fast. Can't wait for the final arc.
9.5
 Rise of the Powers of X (2024) #2 May 8, 2024

I understand some of the pacing problems in this issue may turn some people off, but I think the emotional heft of the story superseded all of that.
9.5
 Rogue & Gambit (2018) #5 Jul 21, 2019

This is a really great issue.

I really enjoyed this one, even if I think we can all say it was tad predictable. How we got there wasn't though. And as someone pointed out, the Biden Derangement Syndrome is real.
9.5
 Runaways (2017) #6 Jul 21, 2019
9.5
 Runaways (2017) #8 Jul 21, 2019

This issue was really great. All the characters are written very well. The tension building over the decisions they will have to make drives the issue. But at the same time, there is some levity. They celebrate Christmas and try to forget their problems, just for a little while, which is something I think most people can relate to.

Man, this series is really great and I never expected it. The characters are all written extremely well and I really can't wait to see where this all leads. I don't know how this series is doing sales wise but I hope it lasts for a long time because it never overstays its welcome and it's clear that the creators really care about the story they're telling.

This was great. These characters are great.

Why is this book so good and so fun?

This was a quick, but very satisfying issue.
9.5
 S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol. 2 #5 Jul 21, 2019

This is basically Ultimates: Mutant Edition, and I'm completely on board for that. Maybe this time it won't be unjustly cancelled. It's an X-Book after all, and those sell now. That final page quote from Dr. Doom was ominous to say the least. Can't wait to see what they just snatched out of the ether.

This is basically just a Hellblazer issue, and Hellblazer is great.

Another very good issue.

This was great.

A really lovely issue.

Well, things are finally coming to a head.

Really enjoyed this. Why can't Terrifics be this?
9.5
 Sex Criminals #9 Jan 7, 2020
9.5
 Sex Criminals #11 Jan 7, 2020
9.5
 Sex Criminals #25 Jan 7, 2020

Cates nails Surfer's inner monologue and Tradd Moore's art is trippy in all the right ways.
9.5
 Spider-Man / Deadpool #26 Jul 21, 2019

This run is all over the place in terms of quality (I mean, the entire series is like that) but this was definitely one of the better issues. Spider-Man continues to question Deadpool about their being comic book characters and this leads to genuinely funny moments involving a Gwenpool cameo as well as Marvel warping reality to keep Deadpool from learning Spider-Man's identity.

This issue is really fun. A lot of the humor lands, including a parody of Mister Miracle, which was really funny. It seems like after... 20 issues or so, Robbie Thompson has found his sweet spot with these characters. I think the problem with what came before was it was all one large storyline and that storyline was never particularly interesting, it was always the characters that made it worth reading, and now that we're to the point where they're on a road trip with frequent changes in scenery and plot, the characters are able to shine through without an overbearing, complicated and boring storyline keeping everything down.

Great!
9.5
 Step By Bloody Step #3 Mar 7, 2023

This was a really tense first issue. It made me feel some dread even! If I had one complaint, the choice to have each page bleed into one side is a bit awkward, at least digitally.

I actually really enjoyed this. Brian Azzarello can write some great stuff in the right circumstance. For instance, his Hellblazer is one of the best parts of the Vertigo run. Other times, like with Batman: Damned or Birds of Prey, he just comes across as cringey. But I really liked this. I like how he wrote the characters. This was what, fifty pages? I read it faster than I read some normal sized comics, and that's a sign of good writing. I don't understand why this series is censored. It's not even fully censored. I don't know if Comixology fucked up or what, but like the first quarter of the issue was censored and then the rest wasn't? I don't get why DC would censor a Black Label book to begin with. It's supposed to be a more adult line, right? I guess not. Oh, and anyone complaining about the Wild Dog thing, I guarantee doesn't actually care about Wild Dog, and just sympathize with the insurrectionists and their attempt at overthrowing democracy.
9.5
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #3 Jul 21, 2019

Really well-done character issue.

I actually had a lot of fun reading this one.

This is an amazing book.

Another runner for DC's best title.

Okay real talk, this obsession with men being "feminized" is probably the most obvious sign that someone wants to suck a dick. I'm an expert, you can trust me. As a half gay, this is just science. But seriously, it's part of larger antisemitic conspiracy pushed by such lovely people as Jordan B. Peterson and/or the last 5 conservatives caught raping children. ANYWAY, this is a fun book.

This miniseries is so good. It's like the best realization of what Russell has been trying to do with books like FF: Life Story and One-Star Squadron. So worth the read.
9.5
 Swamp Thing Winter Special #1 Jul 21, 2019
9.5
 Sword of Azrael (2022) #4 Mar 11, 2023

This is just a ton of crazy fun. This one feels a lot different than the first miniseries, so that's a good start. No repeating. I enjoyed this a ton. Extra points for the spider-mobile.

I really loved the twist here.
9.5
 Task Force Z (2021) #8 Mar 13, 2023

I genuinely really loved this issue. Wasn't expecting something this good from a Taskmaster miniseries, but here we are.
9.5
 Thanos (2016) Annual #1 Jul 21, 2019

I don't know, I'm really enjoying this one.

Another solid outing from Ewing. This manages to fit right in with Immortal Hulk's tone while still telling a larger story. The use of the original Hulk run's panels is actually an extremely clever narrative device. I enjoyed this very much. Makes me excited for this event that really came out of nowhere. Hopefully, the rest lives up to Al Ewing's Hulk, which is no easy task.
9.5
 The Cull (2023) #3 Jun 15, 2024

The best issue yet. The art is amazing, and the story being told is really well done.

This was a lot of fun. It was also insane. I liked it a lot.

I was recommended to read this by LoafyTrophy. I met this recommendation with derision and spite, of course, as it is my natural state. However, like in this book, the paths we take are often surprising! So, here I am, with a foot firmly planted in mouth. This series is great. From the writing, to the pencils, to the coloring. It evokes a solid tone, and the themes are drilled into the reader without the writing losing its way. Each issue is, frankly, better than the last. And while the format may elicit a repetitiveness that can't be avoided, Ram V uses clever ways to keep things fresh in a light, breezy read that deals with extremely heavy topics. My favorite example being the third issue's perspective of a cigarette. As someone who's had to deal with mortality and death in my life, many times over, and all fairly recently, this series does manage to hit on some of the facets of that in a way that'll leave the reader hanging with their thoughts. We need more comics nowadays that continue to impact you well after you've finished reading them. That's what keeps comics viable as a medium. The only way to keep the ever increasing prices feasible is to ensure the reader's bang for their buck. After all, your thoughts tend to last much longer than a movie tends to. At a cover price of $14.99, you really can't go wrong with this one.

Again, a really good issue that takes forever to read. I feel like the historical aspects weren't interwoven as well in this issue. They kind of stuck out.

This was probably the best issue of this first batch of stories, and I am shocked by that. I really enjoyed this one. Maybe I should check out more of Michael Walsh's writing.

Really great issue, and that's coming from someone who's lukewarm on Ram V.
9.5
 The Silver Coin #15 Mar 6, 2023

This is a really fun series. I'll be sad to see it go.... Probably.
9.5
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #9 Mar 13, 2023

Despite losing interest in this series and really not being too invested lately, this ending actually really resonated with me. I thought it was really well done.

This is a mostly Thorless Thor issue. Instead we get see what Roz Solomon was doing during Avengers #12 as well as her introduction into the Agents of Wakanda. It actually gives some real insight into the character and showed a much more disturbed side of her that we don't really see. And it actually elevates what felt like a throwaway line in Avengers to plug this Thor issue into something better and slightly sad. We also get some big developments for the War of the Realms: Malekith has his own bifrost and has already begun traveling to and from Earth and Dario Agger is actually not as supportive as he always seemed for this war. I really like how seemlessly Avengers and Thor are merging. While each series keeps its own plot points, so that readers of one title don't have to read the other to know what's happening, that crossover and overarching narrative really makes each issue of each series a more and more satisfying read.

These one-shots we keep getting are just so great.

A really good epilogue to War of the Realms.

Donny Cates is a good comic book writer, what else is new?

This was a great issue.

I mean, those last two pages alone are worth the read.

This was a quick and brutal end to the arc. I really don't have much to say here. Other than I wonder where this is going. Another Ragnarok?

Literally everyone rating this issue lower than an 8 is wrong and probably immoral. Prove me wrong.
9.5
 Tony Stark: Iron Man #4 Jul 21, 2019

I really love the creepy, dark undertones of this issue. And everything about the 60s Iron Man homage, it was written very well. That theme song is real, if you didn't know. I like how this series has come together.

I really enjoyed this. Tony and Carol are both written really well here.

There's so much that could be said here but I'll keep it short and sweet. The original Ultimate Spider-Man offered fresh, young readers a chance to experience a Spider-Man they could relate with fully. A teenager who's got high school trouble. This Ultimate Spider-Man is for the people who were kids when the original series started. The people who are now in their 30s or just about, and feel the crushing weight of a world they're lost in. A world consumed by late stage capitalist pacification. Something that feels alien to them as they trod through life unfulfilled. That's who this Spider-Man is for. Don't we all wish some magic science orb would tell us we're destined for greatness? It's relatable. I'll finish this off by copy and pasting a letter I wrote to the Spidey office regarding ASM. I don't think commentary on what's said in the letter is necessary. This book is probably the best answer that the Spider-Office refused to give me. Just to get it out of the way, I'm a fan of the current run of Amazing Spider-Man. I think that it gets a ton of unwarranted hate from a loud minority of the readership, and that a lot of that disdain is unjustified. I noticed a letter from the letters page of issue 35 that was super civil, essentially asking why Peter Parker is not able to develop the way other characters have, and I thought the response to that letter was a little bit lacking. I think both the letter and the response to it focused much too heavily on the One More Day of it all. Taking that story and its notoriety out of it, I do feel like Peter Parker as a character is stuck in a cycle. This was even pointed out in the comics themselves in issue 60 of the 2018 run, where Peter talks about being stuck in a cycle and unable to break it, always returning back to the same place, even if sometimes he's an Avenger or running Parker Industries. That tells me that this cycle is a recognized phenomenon on the part of the creative side of things. I understand that serialized comic books are inherently cyclical, but it feels like the cycle for Spider-Man is much faster, and much more abrasive. We've seen some major status quo shifts for comics lately that have made a lasting impact on the characters, and seem to have stuck. Things like the Krakoan Era for the X-Men, or Venom becoming a timeless cosmic god. Why don't we see things like that for Spider-Man? Yeah, his relationships may change, he may be with MJ, or not, or maybe with Black Cat, or not. But the core of Peter being perpetually a mid-20s something with romance drama and poor living standards is upheld no matter what. It doesn't ever fundamentally change, it seems. Even when things are teased to be lasting, they last a year or so at most. I was just wondering why, in an age of comics where we've seen such experimentation on such large levels for other characters, Spider-Man seems to be somewhat stuck in place? Is there a lack of incentive to change things up, since ASM is a top seller? Does it have something to do with movie rights? Is it simply a coincidence?

Some might find the art change distracting, but I think it mostly works, especially for a sit down issue like this one. I could read Hickman's version of dinner conversation forever. He's quite good at dialogue.

I really loved this. All three stories weave into each other really well. Seeing Cyclops and Wolverine back together was great.

Still love what Matthew Rosenberg is doing here. Really excited for what comes next!

This was a really great issue. The letter, especially, was really well done.

Really great first issue.

I had a great time reading this issue.

Mephisto is great.

This was such a great issue. Totally makes up for last issue. I hope that, without Al Ewing, this series can continue being as good as this.

9.5
 Vengeance of the Moon Knight (2024) #1 May 8, 2024

This has been a wonderful book about grief and those who live. While I'm skeptical of the title switch, especially since this issue upends the premise of the series, I do think the tone shift has been incredibly well done. I wonder what this title will be past its initial premise.
9.5
 Venom (2018) #5 Jul 21, 2019

Poor everyone. Really interested in seeing how this affects War of the Realms... because everything I've seen about it feels like Eddie and the symbiote need to be together...

This was such a fun issue. I loved the Predator homage.

I just wish this series was more frequent. It's really great.

This gets me super pumped for Venom Beyond. I'm really excited to see the Ultimate Universe again (and not just have it be a throwaway scene from Bendis' last comic). If I had to guess about the ending, I think they may be in the 2099 universe/future. It looks like 2099, and if you read the most recent iteration of Venom 2099, Knull was there. Virus is probably the least interesting part of this arc for me, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested. I just don't know who he is or his motivations. I'm sure future issues and the FCBD issue will clue me in. Until then, though, this was really dope.

This issue was really great!

I actually really enjoyed this as it really nails these characters. Punisher is great, especially.

I like that this side of the new Krakoan culture is being explored. I think this was a very well-rounded issue. One of the best debuts for an X-book in a while. Mostly because I think Si Spurrier is capable of handling this sort of topic with deftness. Side note: I'm glad they're explaining Blindfold's suicide back in Rosenberg's Uncanny run because it didn't seem to make sense outside of that run if what was coming to Mutantkind was Krakoa.
9.5
 Weapon H #2 Jul 21, 2019
9.5
 West Coast Avengers (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019
9.5
 West Coast Avengers (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019

Really great issue. There's a good explanation for Gwenpool's powers and her romance with Quentin. The team dynamics are on-point. They feel like they're a team instead of a bunch of characters that were crammed together onto a team. This issue also picks up some plot points from Hawkeye, which is a bonus for people who read that.

Another extremely fun issue showcasing the team's ability to... well, be a team.

This is one of my favorites every time it comes out. I just really love the way Kelly Thompson writes these characters. It's a ton of fun.

This comic is so great. Sad that it looks like it'll be ending with issue 10.

I thought this was very good. Not the most climatic ending, but still really great.

This was great.

This was surprisingly excellent. I didn't know what to expect from this event, and the 22 chapters were daunting, but I gotta say, this issue got me on board completely. The FCBD story is repeated here and while I didn't enjoy it on its own, it makes a lot more sense in context and with the benefit of reading what led to this issue. I'm very excited for chapter 2 next week!

I really enjoyed this, even if it mostly set up.

This was another really good issue. I like the elements of body horror with Domino, but that's mostly because I'm sick. And I expected Xavier to come back, and I understand what the purpose of his death was narratively, but it feels weird to me. I guess I just have to get used to the idea that Hickman relayed in one of his interviews. Death is dead, and if it's going to be used, it can't just be a gimmick, it has to be in service of telling a good story. X-Force succeeds in that.

This is such a fun book.

A really great, brutal issue.

Man, Beast. You've been a dick for over a decade, maybe now is when you finally get what's coming to you... This is a great issue.

I really enjoyed this.

I genuinely enjoy the politicking, what can I say?

I like world building and politics. It's just because I'm smarter than the rest of you, obviously.
9.5
 X-Men (2021) Annual #1 Feb 6, 2023

The second half of this story is even better than the first! This story is very prescient, and I think it's worth a read. And maybe more reads every few years or so, since the theme of this book is unfortunately timeless. As for what the Extended Cut has to offer... It isn't much. It just reiterates the point of the story, while tying into that Magneto one-shot Chris Clairemont wrote a couple years back. And there's almost zero supplemental material this time around. I don't see what the point of the added pages were besides giving Marvel an excuse to reprint the book. It's a great story, so I'm not going to begrudge them too much. I don't own a physical copy of this story, but that is definitely something I need to procure. I can't say that I'll opt for the Extended Cut hardcover coming out in December over the trade paperback, mostly because the story stands just fine as it was originally told.
9.5
 X-Men: Red (2018) #3 Jul 21, 2019
9.5
 X-Men: Red (2022) #5 Feb 6, 2023
9.5
 X-Men: Red (2022) #6 Feb 6, 2023
9.5
 X-Men: Red (2022) #16 May 8, 2024
9.5
 X-Men: Red (2022) #17 May 8, 2024
9.5
 You Are Deadpool #1 Jul 21, 2019

This a great deconstruction of Tony Stark as a character. Gillen really thins the scope of this event down, in a way that doesn't feel off, which seems like it's harder to do than you'd think given some of the tie-ins.

This issue is amazing. So many great moments. The ending carries its proper weight. I felt something, despite all the built-up cynicism I have for event comics in general. I really don't want to spoil anything. Everyone should be reading this one.

Everyone who liked this issue is right, and everyone who disliked this issue is wrong. I will not elaborate.

It sticks the landing.

This was so dope, man. My expectations for this were so high and I was still blown away. I probably looked insane whilst reading this book, as a large, toothy grin spread on my face 5 pages in and kept through till the very end. And I feel like that is only fitting for a book called Absolute Carnage.

Still really into it.

Man, that ending.

Still loving this.

This was a really good finale.

Absolute Wonder Woman does what I've been begging the main book to do. The problem with the main book is that Wonder Woman is treated as basically an alien. She doesn't really understand our world despite living in it for.... decades. She speaks weird and she's very, very incongruent in her actions. It's like Tom King has not yet threaded the needle on consistent characterization. He has these moments in his mind that may showcase aspects of her personality, but the connective tissue is lacking. So you get an overly stoic, frustrating character to read about. Kelly Thompson is much, much better at characterization and dialogue, even if you feel she leans into the comedic side too often. She's also a woman, which I don't usually like to make a point of, because I think the idea that you have to be of a certain group to write that group effectively is really lazy, pandering and plain wrong. However, in this specific instance, I believe that it's really helping because Kelly Thompson doesn't have a cookie cutter archetype "othering" of a strong woman, fresh out of the Supergirl oven. She writes her characters with a lot more empathy than that, so this issue, we get that badass, strong Wonder Woman that she needs to be, but not at the expense of well-rounded characterization. All in the span of a single issue! And I'm not saying Tom King hates women or characters, I am only saying that in the writing hierarchy of what's most important to him, characters come last. That's why theme and plot frequently and disjointedly stomp out the characters in favor of The Point. It's also why King is great on unknown, dead or indie characters. With Kelly Thompson, I can tell you from reading a ton of her work, characters come first. The plot might even suffer for the characters, if need be. That's what we need on Wonder Woman right now, because she's currently stuck in this archetypal hellscape crafted by the mediocre 2017 movie that couldn't even support itself in the 2020 sequel. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the art by Hayden Sherman. It's maybe not as clean as some other art, but it's bursting with personality, which is very important. So far, it seems like the main line might just be pigeon-holed by the iron grip of editorial, if what comes out of the far more creative-focused line excels so effortlessly.

Still sick so I'm going to have to skimp on the review for the sake of not wanting to do anything. This is actually a great issue. I can't recall how much I've complained about the pacing in this series. I kept going back and forth. Recently, it's been rushed, but not unbearable like issue 10 for instance. But this issue is perfect. It feels like a ton happens on both the Spidey and Peter fronts and I didn't feel gypped at all. A very complete issue, while still being one of two parts. And oh, that argument with Betty will surely cost Peter and us the dear readers later, but it wa so satisfying after so much build up. This is my favorite issue of the run so far, and a genuine 10/10. I hope next issue is at least good enough to not bring this one down. This was just super enjoyable. Quote of the issue: "It Looks Like They Put Too Much Stretch in These Stretch-Fabrics!"

This is another really good issue, or maybe my sickness has turned me uncritical. I just had a really good time with this. This two parter is truly worth the read, in my opinion. Quote of the issue: "That Joker's Too Much of a Dead-Eye Dick to Take Any Chances With!"

This is a seminal issue of Spider-Man for the beginning, and it deserves to be! It's just such a great moment, and if you're truly invested in it, it'll give you chills. The rest of the issue continues the trend of last issue. Peter is desperate and fighting against all odds to save his Aunt. We see by the end that he's truly changed by the experience, to the chagrin of Betty, finally closing that chapter of their relationship. The art here is spectacular. The beginning of this issue deserves to be a large print on the wall of any nerd. This was great, and it felt like a finale in a way. I'm hopeful for next issue's Kraven centric story, but I'm not sure it can stand up against the shadow of an issue like this. Quote of the issue: "Anyone Can Win a Fight-- When the Odds-- Are Easy! It's When the Going's Tough-- When There Seems to be No Chance-- That's When-- It Counts!"
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 Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #6 Oct 9, 2018

This comic continues to fire on all cylinders.

Man, this is just like issue one! Making me feel things! This issue makes it clear why MJ and Peter work, why fans care about this relationship, and that this relationship isn't going anywhere. Peter and Felicia's relationship is finally reconciled after years of her attempting to be Queenpin for reasons that aren't exactly well defined... (Spidey treated her like a common criminal when he was Doc Ock) until now! The reasoning given in this issue is miles better than Dan Slott's reason. So much better. And this reconciliation is so much more satisfying than the Venom Inc. one! Nick Spencer is definitely doing right by these characters and Spider-Man fans definitely deserve it. And all this great character work is wrapped around what feels like a quintessential Spidey story. This issue is amazing.

I really loved this issue. It was really fun and it had plenty of heart. It's a tie-in that's actually worth reading. Nick Spencer really knows how to play to the Spidey fanatic in me.

This was real sad.

This issue is great. I liked it a lot. By the end, I kept flipping through the pages, hoping I'd somehow missed something just so I'd have more of this to read. It's going to be a tough two week wait. I'm just so glad this book is bi-weekly. I'm glad there's actual fallout from Hunted and it isn't just going to get swept under the rug. And I was perfectly okay with the MJ stuff. They didn't do the obvious and it makes more sense for the characters involved, in hindsight. Plus, it would've been so easy. The set up here for the future excites me. I'm just super ready for Nick Spencer's second year of ASM and I'm on board for whatever comes next.

This was fucking dope.

This is probably one of my favorite issues in the entire run. Peter Parker is best when he's most relatable and there's a lot relatable in being a letdown. On the more meta side of things, this is a huge leap forward in undoing One More Day, which is what most every Spidey fan wants. So I'm super excited about that. The next two issues being Absolute Carnage tie-ins isn't necessarily a letdown, but I just hope they aren't just two issues of a tie-in. I hope that the ongoing narrative continues in those issues as well.

The only thing wrong with this comic is the cover. It feels cobbled together and really uninspired. But everything else, from the art to the writing, is absolutely great. Read ASM #105 if you need more context. But you really don't. As long as you have a basic understanding on the tragedies in Spider-Man's history, you should be able to understand why this issue is great. This is so much more than just a tie-in. Any Spidey fan should love this.

Nick Spencer really knows how to make a tie-in worth reading. Not much is developed on the Absolute Carnage front, but that's fine because that's not what is important to this series. What is important is how these events relate to Peter and his ongoing problems. We just got an issue where he's upset that he keeps failing people, followed by these two issues where he struggles so, so hard not to have a repeat of some of the worst times in his life, that he always blames himself for. That's powerful, I think. Oh, and by the end of this issue, the dialogue is practically screaming who Kindred is but why would they keep up the mystery if it's so clearly who it is? Unless... It's not who they try to make it out to be. That dialogue screams X, when it could very well fit Y. I guess we'll see! I'm excited for that and, embarrassingly, I'm excited for 2099.

Yep, still really into this.

This is a ground setting issue, but a really great one. I'm excited for JJJ's podcast (which is what the next arc will be about) and Norah Winters possibly becoming part of the cast (I mean, she was in issue 13, but that was so long ago). I'm also excited to see what Spider-Man can do with the clairvoyant. He is basically the only hero that can be trusted with that, and I love how Nick Spencer immediately addresses Civil War II and its bullshit dichotomy, thus solving that problem before it can really fester. Another thing I love is Peter's insecurities and his attempt at fixing them. Spidey has got to be relatable, that's how he works. I found the video date with MJ adorable. And lastly, man, Kindred is back and he's bringing back the Sin-Eater! That's a nice callback. And if you don't know, Sin-Eater was a cop whose partner was murdered by a bunch of criminals, so he started killing "sinners". He killed Jean DeWolf and intended to kill Betty Brant, but Spider-Man almost beat him to death instead. That crippled him physically and emotionally. After he was incarcerated and then, later, released, he tried readjusting to society, but couldn't. So, he took an empty shotgun and goaded police into shooting and killing him. He is very much a Spidey Sinâ„¢.

Look, I could go on and on about how great this issue is, and I will: First, let's tackle the stuff with Jonah. It's smartly written. Not only is Nick Spencer's analysis of the media spot-on, the way Jonah reacts to it is *perfect*. The concept of Jonah being clickbait before clickbait is interesting. And Bucky standing up for his buddy Cap is a highlight. As for Spider-Man's story, this is just continuing where the last arc left off essentially, which I'm fine with. I was worried that the Silver Sable stuff would be forgotten for several arcs, so I'm glad it's being stuck with. I know the big finale of year two will be Kindred related, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was still the main thrust of the plot. I'm on board for all of it. Also, I don't usually mention art unless it's egregiously bad, as my usual opinions of "it good" or "it bad" leave something to be desired. But I really enjoy Iban Coello's art here. After some not so great (okay, bad) art with issues 35 and 36, and a return to the familiar with issue 37, something different yet great is such a refresh for me. This run is killing it right now, and people need to learn patience. Kindred will come. Just enjoy the ride there because this is some great Spidey.

This issue was great. I loved the whole back and forth with Spidey and JJJ. And the back up was appreciated since no one is going to write Overdrive besides Nick Spencer, and keeping Sin Eater (Yes, that's who it was) around will help out all the people who keep complaining that there's not enough Kindred related material.

It's cool to see year two of Spencer's run really start to come together. I'm wondering if this year will have a finale like Hunted. I'm not sure. Year one consisted of Kraven teases and character refinement. So, it was easy to give it a big finale. There was really only one storyline going. This year we have Chameleon/The Clairvoyant, Kindred, and whatever's going on with Boomerang and Kingpin. I know Kindred is getting his big arc this summer, but does that mean all this other stuff will continue building up in year three? I'm interested in seeing where it all goes. Chameleon, especially, as he's been all over the place. And I include the Symkaria/Latveria conflict with Chameleon. I'm assuming the Clairvoyant gets wrapped into that, too. There's a lot of spinning plates, and while the big picture is forming, it's kind of shocking how big it is getting.

This was a very good start to Sins Rising. I really liked the art. Mark Bagley is just an amazing Spider-Man artist. I really like the feel of the story. I don't know what else to say about the issue. I'm in a bit of a mood so I've had to, more than once, stop myself from typing out some vitriolic things about some of what I deem the Kindred-neers (Yes it's a pun). The subset of readers who only care about Kindred as though that's the only thing in the series that matters? And why am I bringing this up in a review for an issue where Kindred appears in one panel? Because every time Spider-Man gets introspective in this series, I think, "Is this the time they'll get it?" and the answer is always no. While we're on Kindred, since this title is called the Amazing Kindred, I'm going to throw out a little theory, so to speak. There's that one page near the end where Spider-Man is standing on a rooftop, and it's the page where the Kindred panel appears. The Kindred panel has him floating, but generally in the same pose, and he's looking over his shoulder at the reader. And then the next thing Spider-Man says is, "Stop looking over your shoulder, Spidey". So let's be a little bit crazy here for a moment... What if Kindred is OMD Spider-Man? I know absolutely no one else has thought of it yet, but what if that was a clue?

This was another extremely dark issue of Spider-Man, and also very good. It tops the last issue for me, and possibly even the Prelude issue. I just love the concept behind the Sin-Eater in this arc. I love the art here too. I was skeptical about it since Mark Bagley, as we all should know and understand, is a quintessential Spider-Man artist, and the idea of switching artists mid arc is always weird. But this works very well for the context of the issue. This issue houses a genuinely brutal attack on Empire State University that ends in what I feel is an unsettling way, especially given how the art conveys it. And then Nick Spencer tops that with a second reveal that makes it more disturbing to me, but in a good way. Also, hey we're seeing elements from the pointless filler issues that make up the majority of the series come into play. Who would've thought?

Still very into this. I'm like 99% sure this issue was written before the George Floyd protests, so it's remarkable how prescient this issue is (To be clear, the circumstances are very different, but ultimately the themes at play align very well. And the part where police officers almost murder a black man is just the cherry on top). I really like what Nick Spencer is doing, gotta say.

I really like what this arc is doing. I mean, there's a reason why Spider-Man is my favorite character. It's that he's intensely relatable in how he struggles, but is also ultimately a hero. And not just any hero, one of the best. Whenever his morality is questioned, like in this issue, it's always very interesting (if executed properly). And there's something to be said about how often Osborn has been used lately, but this is going in a very different direction than the Red Goblin arc or the Absolute Carnage tie-in. That tie-in, btw, is one of the best stories in this run. Spencer knows very well how to tell that story. And similarly to that arc, this issue, this entire arc, plays into one of the core themes of this run, which is that Peter has immense guilt for not being enough. Not only that, but also that he's constantly haunted by his mistakes. Kindred truly is pushing Peter to the edge, and I'm sure when Last Remains kicks off, it'll be very tense.

As for the reveal, that is the character that makes the most sense given all the information we have, but I was so certain it was a fake out, and maybe it still is. We'll see. As for the rest of the issue, I could not be more hyped. It's very dark, which is fitting, and Gleason's art is phenomenal. We get to see Stan Carter go, which honestly made me feel for the guy. And there is sooo much One More Day over everything in this issue. It's ridiculous and I just hope that Nick Spencer and Marvel editorial are actually going to pull the trigger and undo One More Day (which does not undo the secret identity so no worries there.). The events of this issue are definitely a major step in that direction. I'm very excited for this arc. It'll take me through the end of this horrible year, and I'm ready.

Man, I'm very much here for Sad Dad Norman. I'm still not totally convinced that Kindred is Harry, but regardless of whether he is or not, Norman's pathos regarding Harry is very fun to read for me. I can't wait to see what Norman attempts to do to save Harry, and how MJ will get involved in this. It'll probably go very poorly, but that's what makes it exciting to me. Also, I'm so glad Mary Jane is back. I guess we're all going to collectively ignore that last issue of her solo series, since COVID took it out. But that's fine, I like her more as a supporting cast member in ASM. I'm also very interested in seeing what Kindred is going to do with the Spider-Friends. Could we see him go after Kingpin, maybe? I know I'm just listing off every plot point and saying, "Oh, I'm excited for this," but genuinely I am so hyped about this story and the week long waits between issues are going to be painful. Also, I guess I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Matthew Rosenberg coming on board as co-writer didn't ruin or change things. It reads just as good as the main series does. Even with writers I like, like Matthew Rosenberg (check out Hawkeye: Freefall), that's always a fear when they are brought on as co-writer.

The next main issue is going to be crazy. I didn't expect things to happen so fast. And man, I really, really hope that Marvel actually has a plan to undo One More Day, because it's all over this arc. I'll be a little snide for a moment. Check out the AIPT reviews for this series if you get a chance.

Everything's coming up Kindred! Honestly, there's been a tooon of naysayers that have been saying there's no way that One More Day could be fixed; that Marvel editorial wouldn't allow it. And to be fair, that could still be the case. But the snappy way this issue ended definitely caught me off guard and at least shows me that editorial is probably not as vivacious as assumed. We'll see. I haven't read the other issue yet, but I doubt we'll be getting answers there.

I feel like this is either an issue people will love or hate depending on whether they've read their Spider-Man or not! Peter's trip to Hell is literally the back half of ASM #545, with some slight Kindred enhancements. If you don't know, 545 is the final issue in the One More Day arc, and its back half is the introduction to the big Spider-Man history retcon, Brand New Day. It's when Harry Osborn is brought back to life, now having been in Europe the whole time instead. It's a big deal that this is featured so heavily. Harry even directly alludes to Mephisto (just like Peter did). At this point, if Nick Spencer doesn't fix One More Day, I'd be shocked. This issue is very effective in putting the reader in Peter's position. That final "Gotcha!" is so effective. We knew Harry was Kindred, but we didn't know exactly how. And with the ending of this issue, it's implied that he's been this way since he returned, which again is a huge deal. So yeah, for an issue with not much happening, it's still an incredibly important one.

This was another great issue. There are some concerns about where exactly this is going beyond the immediate, but we'll see. This was a very powerful issue, in my opinion.

I'm super hyped for the next issue, but this was good too. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds, and I just really hope it sticks the landing, because this arc has been so good.

The only problem with this issue is that it doesn't really conclude the story like they say it does. The same as Sins Rising, where it just ends on a significant cliffhanger, to be continued in the next arc. Cue a ton of angry readers mad that they don't have all the answers to Kindred yet. It is funny that all this time there were a subset of readers who just didn't care for anything that wasn't about Kindred and his identity... And then we got his identity and it looks like now that Kindred is revealed, we're going to get more than one arc out of it, and now people are mad about that. It looks like the Kindred era will officially wrap up in issue 58, with the next few issues being fallout issues to Last Remains, or more likely, just the next few issues of the story. But you know... The arcs after that revolve around Mr. Negative, who was in Sins Rising, and Kingpin, who just caused our significant end-of-arc cliffhanger. So idk, maybe this Kindred saga will never end lol. And how do I feel about that? I'm completely okay with it. Could the pacing be better? Yes. But I'm pouring over these issues, just wanting more and more every time I read one. I'm having a great time reading this series. I love the writing, the art and the tone. I'm having so much fun. So regardless of the pacing, and how Marvel decides to label these issues, I'm going to keep reading this series and I'm going to keep enjoying it... Assuming Nick Spencer doesn't fuck it up. You know, I was worried about how everything was going to be wrapped up with this issue, and it turns out... It's just not going to be wrapped up yet. We got at least a few more issues, if the solicitations are accurate. Classic out. If you can't end something, never end it. (That was a joke, I hope this story does have a conclusive wrap up.)

Man, people remain mad about this. Part of me wishes I could join them in their righteous anger, but I... just don't mind what's happening here. For one, on a very emotional, how-do-I-feel level, I'm still enjoying these issues. I like the characters. Kindred's last words (for now) were just so sad and carried so much baggage. We get pay off to what happened in Last Remains, we really do. Kindred will be back and it's so fucking obvious that OMD is at play here. I think some of the frustration is that Marvel has cockteased this sort of thing before, so a lot of abused readers and fans just need someone to say it. Hints aren't enough. An entire issue dedicated to recreating it isn't enough. Kindred needs to be clear. Peter made a deal with the devil. But for me, I don't have that problem. I'm fine with the storyline, that is obviously going to keep going, to not give all the answers exactly right this second. This is where the filler comes home to roost. Then there's the felicific calculus. Nick Spencer's run was never going to end with Last Remains. Do you realize how bad it would be if this arc ended with OMD being explained to Peter, and then we had 30 issues of Peter fighting Kingpin over the lifeline tablet, or stopping whatever Chameleon is up to? The people who called every issue that wasn't about Kindred filler would unironically have brain aneurysms. Plus, this means Nick Spencer isn't wrapping his run up for a while, which means I get more issues of a run I'm a huge fan of. I get slightly frustrated with my scores for this series. I hate that I'm giving out 10s like they're nothing, because it looks like I'm completely blind to any and all problems this run may have. That's not true. I just really fucking enjoy this run. So fuck it, I guess.

This issue is like Schrödinger's Cat. Either the cat is dead or alive, and until we observe it.. It's actually still dead or alive. This week, I'm seeing more and more people who are liking these individual issues, while still complaining about the lack of answers, and are letting the lack of answers determine the issue's worth as a whole. I don't know if this is something that always existed in the comic book community, as I've certainly contributed to it myself, but I find it weird how often we as comic book fans tend to decide a story's worth by how much information it contains (ie how "important" it is), without giving enough credence to how it's written or drawn. This arc clearly had a real effect on the characters in it, that will almost certainly be felt for the foreseeable future. Peter beats Norman relentlessly, as he keeps reliving his multiple deaths at the hands of Kindred in his head. That's not something that's going to be forgotten. This arc promised to put Peter Parker through the ringer and it did exactly that. There were answers in this arc, they just led to more questions. Is that okay? In a long form serialized comic? Yeah, it is. To come away from this issue thinking that Last Remains was just hype, that it didn't actually do anything... That's an extremely reductionist take, and I think it highlights a problem with the fan community and this rabid need it has for something to be obviously epic and earth-shattering, and for the almighty plot to be advanced in such a way. That's a problem because we're seeing the effects of this story playing out on the characters involved and yet so many people discount the entire issue because it's not an exposition dump about how Harry changed, and therefore it's not "important". I think this run as a whole has this problem where too many people think anything that's not Kindred answers is filler. And it's not just ASM, I see this happen with most series. Some of my favorite issues have been lambasted as filler because instead of being plot focused, they've made it character focused. Maybe the solution is to clearly define what is filler and what isn't. Maybe Marvel and DC should put a "FILLER" sticker on the covers of issues that are filler, so this unnecessary use of brain power in the comic book community is snuffed out before it can do more harm.

It seems like the past few years on ASM were all set up arcs, and that this next phase of Nick Spencer's run is going to be pulling all those threads together. The Kindred stuff instead of being mentioned here and there, is going to be an ongoing narrative within other arcs, and it's all tied together. That's extremely rewarding for someone who's been reading this run since its first issue. Again, I hate to look like a blind fanboy with all these 10s lately, but I just really, really enjoy this comic in a way that most other comics can't compete with.

Nick Spencer manages to nail these characters really well. Even the sins-removed Norman Osborn, which is probably really difficult to write. I'm glad Mister Negative isn't just a plot device to get to Kingpin having one of the tablets, I hope he continues to play a role in the story. It looks like the next major arc will be the culmination of all the Boomerang arcs in this run, which should be a lot of fun. But I'm actually more excited for next issue. The cover and the solicitation are promising a very Peter/MJ focused issue, and we really need one of those.

This was a great emotional issue. I really hope the Mephisto tease means we're on our way to undoing OMD.

A really big shift in tone. I think people who were bored, or annoyed, by Kindred will enjoy this more.

This arc is a lot of fun so far. I liked it a lot. Big shock. I just want to point out that whoever is writing these solicitations should be replaced. I understand their goal is to sell the issue, but so many times, they lie.

I don't think it needs to be said anymore, I still really enjoy this title each and every week. There's a lot of humor in this issue, which is a lot of fun. There's a ton of nostalgia here for me for 80s Spider-Man stories, and while that may be a cheap way to earn my goodwill, it works for now.

I can't really say much that I haven't been saying for pretty much every issue. I'm really enjoying this story. And I'm excited for Sinister War, obviously, as I would be.

Huh, I didn't expect so much in this issue. I don't necessarily remember the Rose being something to fear, but I guess you could describe his lack of skill and reasoning to be pure chaos. The two big things here is Kindred maaaay not be Harry Osborn and Betty Brant is back, and pregnant. The first one, I'm unsure about because the Harry at the end could just be Brand New Day Harry onwards, with Pre-OMD Harry being Kindred. Or Kindred isn't Harry Osborn at all, and is just using his face. Either possibility has its own ups and downs. I'm not sure which I'd prefer, but the latter would be crazy. The Betty Brant thing is pretty much out of left field. Who knows where that's going? But Spider-Man did promise Clone Ned Leeds to keep Betty safe waaay back in issue 15, so whatever trouble that is, Peter will definitely have to deal with. All in all, this is a set up issue but like all good set up issues, it gets me excited.

Lots of set up, but I'm into it.

After the super disappointing Giant-Size issue, this brought me right back in. We immediately started converging major plot lines together, and answers were aplenty. The pace was quick, but not overwhelming, and I am so in. Please let this run end on a high note.

As far as I'm concerned this is a ton of payoff to so many of the mysteries set up in this run, so I don't really care about the artist switch up.

In this issue, we finally get the whole (more or less) of Norman Osborn's sins. The retcon here is... good, I'd say. I was initially mixed about it, but the more I think about it, the less I dislike it. Norman sold off Harry to Mephisto to gain success in his business ventures. That part of it makes perfect sense to me. Norman has always been terrible and this is just yet another thing to add to the list of awful things he's done. So, that part I buy completely. I even really like the idea that the Green Goblin costume is based on Mephisto. That's a cool retcon. The part I'm iffy on is how this affects Harry. By selling his son's soul, Harry's life became nothing but sorrow and failure. It becomes a question of agency. This is no doubt tragic, and in my opinion, it actually strengthens Harry's death in Spectacular #200. He's able to be a hero despite literally having hell against him. But then you have to question how much of his struggle was his own? I think of it as Harry struggling to be a good person despite an insurmountable fate and dread. That interpretation is the one where I don't have a problem with the retcon. The other interpretation is that all of Harry's downfall is because the devil made him do it. That's not quite so nice. But I choose my first interpretation. And with that in mind, I'd say this is a good retcon. It makes Kindred's hatred even more warranted, as now we know why the betrayal of Peter making a deal with Mephisto hits so hard, beyond a general disdain for the devil and a vague insinuation of what that meant for Harry before. And speaking of, now we know why Harry ended up in Hell, and why there are two Harries. Mephisto had a reason to keep the original in Hell instead of changing that along with everything else. The other thing about this issue is that Kindred may not be Harry after all? I'm thinking he might be a Chameleon or something, and this had all started out back before Harry had died originally. I mean, we still don't know exactly what Chameleon's role here is, and they've referenced Pursuit so many times in this run, including this issue. I'm not sure how I'd feel about *that* one. I guess I'll just have to see, but I'm on board for this so far.

At its core, this issue is retconning away the worst of Sins Past and all the related storylines. That's great. I'm very glad about that. I really don't know what to expect from the final issue of this run. The two week wait will be hard, assuming the spoilers don't come out ahead of time. I'm kind of dreading explaining this issue to my friends when they read it and only get like half of it. So... Kindred's body is the result of an evolution of cloning tech, a campaign led by an AI Harry Osborn, to fuck with Peter and Norman, spinning out of his original Pursuit plan with Chameleon. Kindred is the original Harry Osborn's soul, that has escaped Hell, which he was sent to due to Norman's deal with Mephisto, who has possessed the body of Sarah Stacy, and has used Chameleon serum to keep up his appearance as Harry Osborn. The question is, what does that make Brand New Day Harry Osborn if Harry was never revived? I guess we'll find out next issue. We have to. I kind of love comic books being comic books, so I don't mind how convoluted it is. I just worry about the accessibility of this issue to people who aren't clued into the last few decades of Spider-Man.

Alright, this issue lured me in, despite my hesitance with #75. I mean, if you give me a whole bunch of drama and good character work, for characters I truly do enjoy and care about, it's really hard for me to be objective. I will say, I hope the artist switch next issue (I have no fear about Kelly Thompson coming in to write) doesn't mess with the story too much. I kind of expected, with this rotation team, we'd at least conclude small portions of the run before switching things up, even if it's one big 19(+) issue story. So, there's a little disappointment there, but I'm used to artist switching in Big Two comics, so as long as it is good art and competently done, I don't care all too much. All-in-all, I'm excited for issue 77. Also, seeing May be May was a joy.

This issue is amazing. I think Gleason nailed Peter's character here. I've got no complaints there. He really nailed threading that needle of comedy that Spider-Man has to thread. He has to make quips, they have to be pretty good, but they can't be great. And we got that in spades here. While I have some larger issues with Beyond's pacing, I will say this issue does satisfyingly start to wrap up the character arcs present in this era. I believe the front half of the run could've set things up better, but the back half is succeeding nonetheless. Oh, and Bagley's art is top tier. So many pages here I could nerd out about. It's really spectacular. I'm super interested in how this run wraps. Four more issues to go!

This is a really dark comic and I'm completely here for it. There are two things I like most in my media, and those two things are horror and Spider-Man. We get mostly horror here, but Spider-Man does show up, albeit as a cracked, fucked up version of himself (And I don't mean because the writer wrote him poorly). This book calls back to the whole Sin-Eater saga, although as far as I'm aware, the whole snake handling pentecostal part of Sin-Eater's origin is new. I didn't mind that addition to his origin. I'm happy that the creative team is going for it. They're not trying to make this comic (and probably the entire arc) fun, and that ironically makes it very fun for me. If they hadn't leaned into the horror elements, this would've flopped hard. The art team should be commended, by the way. They honestly take the book to a whole new level. I'm really, really excited about Sins Rising. Let's hope it lives up to issue 44 and this one-shot.

This is just Amazing Spider-Man #48.5. Nick Spencer needed another issue or so to tell his story, but that would've ruined the anniversary issue timing. But hey, more Spider-Man? I'm down for that. We finally see why The Order of the Web is working to stop Spider-Man and we get a lot of revelations regarding Norman, and a major development regarding Kindred (in my opinion). I loved this issue. I read it quicker than I read some normal sized issues. It just went so fast. I cannot wait for 850, or really, all of Last Remains or whatever comes next! I'm just very excited about all of this.

I liked this a lot. I don't think Boomerang's story is actually over, but I liked that he was able to pull another Superior Foes, this time on the readers. They just happen to not take it as well when it's happened to them. I'm not sure if the Rose is a villain that excites... anyone, but I think it will go somewhere cool.

Much like last issue, this one relies heavily on its art to make an engaging read, however this time the narrative is strongly wrapped up in the spectacle. When this run started, you had a lot of naysayers talking about Peter's recklessness and his newfound attitude, which I posited then and now, is an integral part of the character dating back to his roots. But with that attitude comes consequences, and in this issue, we get that. Spider-Man is played so well by Tombstone, and you can't help but get excited. Everything is so tense here and the pages fly by, but in a good, fulfilling way. As a climax to this first arc, this is golden. To the people still upset about MJ, you are missing out. Plain and simple.

I meant to re-read Animal Farm in anticipation to Epically Own Tom King in raucous political debate about minute shit no one cares about except for me. I really didn't know what to expect here. I always get worried when well-meaning comic writers want to put out an overtly political comic that *says something*. I'm very fucking particular. Luckily, this issue is great. It's well done, it's paced very well, and the cats are adorable little guys.

King uses this issue to set up his Trump allegory in Piggy. It works very well. If you're an American who's been tuned into politics, everything in this issue should be familiar. From the regressions of rights and the divided nature of the pound's residents, to the dogs calling themselves Stormers. Remember who *stormed* the Capitol on January 6th. Even the hushed and quiet excitement at the election of an unproven, crass, fat and vaguely entertaining capitalist. The rabbits, of course, represent the most vulnerable in society and the ending is appropriately harrowing in that context. Everyone should be reading this. It's fantastic.

I loved this issue. Everything is on point here. It actually makes me nostalgic for those old Tales to Astonish stories, that I know for a fact were the bottom of the barrel of the Marvel age of comics. It's super effective and super fun. Definitely worth reading.

While last issue was a throwback to the 60s comics, this issue is a perfect reconstruction of the Irredeemable Ant-Man run, but... written better. Al Ewing is a better writer than Robert Kirkman. Bold stance, I know. It's really funny. It hits the same sort of notes as Nick Spencer's comedic villain writing can. Super enjoyable.

Al Ewing kills it. This miniseries is so excellent, and more people need to be reading it. Ewing clearly understands these characters and is having a lot of fun playing with them.
10
 Ant-Man (2022) #4 Oct 13, 2022

I really enjoyed this one. This series does get better as it continues. I'm thinking I may have to pick this one up in trade eventually. That's if it can nail its ending, of course.

I loved this one.

A great ending to a great miniseries. I'm not sure why DC published this, but I'm glad they did. If it was simply to get more Bat-Money, they should really start pushing for more out there titles like this one. I think less people would be tired of Batman. The creepiness and tone of this series was very enjoyable. The art, while definitely stylized, works very well here. I hope Dan Watters gets more work!

This was a really great, tense issue.

Another crazy good issue.

A very satisfying end to a crazy Avengers run. It's technically not over yet, what with Secret Wars, but seeing Steve Rogers and Tony Stark unceremoniously die after all the animosity, betrayal and lies seems like the most fitting end to the story that started with "Everything Dies." It's tragic and always elicits an emotional response from me whenever I think about this story.

10
 Avengers (2016) #688 Oct 9, 2018
10
 Avengers (2016) #689 Oct 9, 2018

This is a milestone issue done right. Super excited for so much here.

This issue was crazy good. I loved seeing all these minor characters get a bit of a spotlight. And having Odin secretly advising Black Panther is great. And man, seeing Black Panther get his claws in everything is so fucking cool. He's working to fix the rainbow bridge by having Man-Wolf collect the shards of it in space to get Odin's advisement. Odin's got his crows down in Transylvania to keep tabs on the brewing Vampire Civil War. He's got Ka-Zar down in Atlantis keeping tabs on with Namor and the Defenders of the Deep. He's got Agent Solomon from the Thor comics investigating the War of the Realms. He's got Wasp going out and recruiting Morbius and fighting Space Vampires. It's all so very cool. Seeing the new Agents of Wakanda team build as a B-team to the Avengers is just so cool! And it's yet another set-up issue. This whole arc, whether you've noticed it or not, is mostly setting up cool things for the future. And the set up itself is so cool that we're reaching exponential coolness. We even get cool new explanations for how exactly the new celestial corpse base works. And it makes me look a little down on that issue of Justice League where they go through each room of the main Justice League team... that wasn't as cool as a computer system that runs along the nervous system of a space god, sorry not sorry. If there is one thing that I didn't absolutely love about this issue, it's the very end where they show the cover for the next issue. The next issue is another flashback issue to the Avengers BC. I guess we can expect those at the beginning of a each new arc. But that is very much the weak link of literally everything that's happening in this title. The one thing I don't care about is the Avengers BC. I'm hoping with Odin starting to get a larger role in this series that eventually it'll come back and be something as cool as everything else. But that is all worry and conjecture for the next issue. This issue was awesome!

I really loved this issue. It was a ton of fun to be reintroduced to the Squadron Supreme, now Americanized. And of course, the big bad is who the big bad is. Makes those Avengers BC issues more relevant. Only question I had, really, was how Kyle Richmond is alive. This version of the character died off panel in the Occupy Avengers tie-in to Secret Empire. I'm perfectly fine with him being back because he's a cool character, but there's no explanation given and that irked me. Not enough to impact my enjoyment of the issue, clearly. I'm sure it could be explained away by the nature of the entire team and Phil Coulson's resurrection, but maybe it'll be explained in a future issue.

This is just a really cool, fun comic. The Three Heralds, Cap vs Brood Thor, Iron Man in the past, Ghost Rider vs Silver Surfer, The War Widow... all this is so much fun. I'm having a great time with this arc.

I don't care, that ending alone makes this a 10. The problem with dystopian future stories is that they are so frequent and so often falling into the same tropes. To be clear, these are tropes for a reason. The threat of authoritarianism and fascism has been rolling around in the minds of people for decades and decades, and especially in today's climate. I can only begrudge the tropes so much, is my point. If they're done well, and I believe they are done well here, I do sort of fall into the sway of it. I want to see our heroes beat back the fascists again.

I honestly loved this issue. It's just so well written and the art is incredible.

This is probably my favorite issue just because Satan is such a cool guy.

Maaan.

Super dope.
10
 Batman (2016) #128 Oct 4, 2022

Finally, a Batman story that stupid people don't understand.
10
 Batman (2016) #130 Dec 8, 2022
10
 Batman (2016) Annual #2 Oct 10, 2018

The emotion in this really hit hard. I probably liked this more than the second annual.

Honestly, I'm loving this arc. It is just so much fun. I hope it continues to be. Not much to say.

This is still a whole lot of fun.

Really fun final issue. I'm sad to see this run end, since Gene Luen Yang really knew how to make it fun.

It's so rare to read a DC comic that you could, without any hesitation, call fun. This comic really shines, you guys.
10
 Batman: Creature of the Night #2 Oct 10, 2018
10
 Batman: Creature of the Night #3 Oct 10, 2018

This is my favorite of the One Bad Day one-shot. I'm not going to describe it in three to four loose adjectives that could really mean anything, but I will say that you should read it and enjoy it. Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing are creators you should definitely be watching. They hardly ever miss.

I will definitely pick this up physically for my collection when it comes out. This is so much fun, if you can get over your attachment to a preconception of a character, and let yourself have that fun. If you can't make fun of the things you love, you're a sour sack of shit, honestly. I for one loved how this issue ended with the Nolan Batman technique of not killing someone, yet also not saving them. Whereas I find those movies extremely overrated and their depiction of Batman to be obnoxious, with this I can just have fun with that ending, because this is a ridiculous story befitting of its ridiculous end. Plus, I really doubt this one is going to have fanboys cumming over it, which can only be a good thing.
10
 Batman: The Dark Prince Charming #1 Oct 10, 2018

I have gotten super sick of Batman titles at DC. It seems like they constantly put out more and more and more. But this one is actually fucking good and worth the money. Chip Zdarsky is a great writer and he manages to make one of the most played out things in comics interesting. I hope the rest of the series lives up to this stellar start.

I am Batman'd out. Not even the upcoming movie holds my attention. But this series is dope. Zdarsky crushes what could easily have been a rote, boring cash grab. It's always uplifting when it's clear a creator had a plan and had a story to tell, and didn't just accept a project for the (admittedly necessary) paycheck.
10
 Batman: Who Laughs #1 Oct 10, 2018

This is my favorite thing to come out of Beyond. Give MacKay a whole series about these two, it is so much fun.
10
 Black Bolt #10 Oct 10, 2018
10
 Black Bolt #11 Oct 10, 2018
10
 Black Bolt #12 Oct 10, 2018
10
 Captain America (2017) #697 Oct 18, 2018
10
 Captain America (2018) #1 Oct 18, 2018
10
 Captain America (2023) #5 Mar 17, 2024

I'm not sure why the critics seem so put off by this title. Is it wordy? Sure. But what's being said is usually pretty poignant, and when it's not, it's fairly breezy dialogue that doesn't feel forced. This arc is a near-classic sort of Captain America story. Nazis are bad; progress is good. I don't see the big misstep that I hear about in the reviews. One of the best aspects about the Captain America character that is ever-present in this first arc is his indomitable will. His persistent and unwavering defiance of strongmen. His frank inability to stand by and let hatred go unanswered. It's Cap at his best. This is a trade I would hand to someone who doesn't get Captain America, because I don't think you can read it and come away still misunderstanding who this character is. I have nothing but praise for it.
10
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #4 Sep 27, 2022
10
 Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (2022) #13 Mar 17, 2024

This was great. My favorite issue so far. I didn't really even have time to read this, but once I started, I couldn't stop. That's a sign of an amazing issue, I think.

At first the art change really bothered me, especially the first page. But as the issue went on, it really worked for this story. Which was great, yet again. This series knocks every issue out of the park and this is one of the best.
10
 Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) #2 Oct 18, 2018
10
 Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) #4 Oct 18, 2018

For an extremely fun and wacky (in a good way) series, this series ends on quite an emotional level, which could only work with a character like Frank Castle, in my opinion. And this was also extremely badass.

So let's break it down: Are the characters likable? Yes. Ryan and Otto stand out. Is the story good? Yes. The story is a novel concept with a potential to become better. Is the art good? It's great. You gotta be blind to think otherwise. Or a Sam Kieth fan. Is it really Image's Watchmen? No. That was called marketing. People who set their expectations so high have no one to blame but themselves. Does it pander to general comic fans? As opposed to what? Pandering to niche comic fans? What an indictment. Is it written like a Netflix pitch? No. Go read Undiscovered Country. Also, lol, Netflix. Is it really closer to the comic equivalent of Ready Player One? No. Ready Player One doesn't have a story, nor does the one it pretends to have have any similarity with this story. Aside from the very cynical surface level analysis of "it has characters from other things in it." I have liked the majority of Donny Cate's work, really only disliked his Venom variant covers before this, but this one comes off as really well written, like half the industry wouldn't be able to handle it (Bendis, Snyder, etc). In fact Chip Zdarsky is revealed to be dead in the beginning, and this story actually reminded me of a less repulsive version of his existence.

Not sure what about this issue makes people think Cates thinks he's smarter than the rest of us, but that complaint usually comes from dumb people. This was a great issue, I enjoyed it a lot. I don't know Madman that well, but I do know the Paybacks, so there's a bit of give and take there. I do like the twist that the Superman being teased is actually just Madman though. That's a good, funny twist. I do like that Cates keeps the story grounded, though. That's what separates this story from something like Ready Player One, for instance. Cates and company can't rely on references and guest appearances, that would make for a shallow narrative. I'm happy to say that they're not relying on those things.

This was a very quick, violent ending to the first arc, with a killer twist at the end that almost makes me upset that there's going to be a Chip Zdarsky issue between this arc and the next. This one definitely delivered on the Crossover title, and I wonder if this is going to lead to more of these indie characters getting more involved in the plot.

This is my favorite issue of Crossover. It's very funny, while also being heartfelt. You can tell Chip put a lot of himself into it, literally and figuratively. As much as Chip Zdarsky as a persona is a lot of fun, I think I'd be cool with more Steve Murray. I mean, I know I would be, because where else does stuff like his Daredevil run come from if not Steve Murray?

I'm so on board with this series. It's just so much fun if you love comics, and I do actually love comics. Those first 10 pages by Kirkman are really great. I wonder how they'll come across to someone who hasn't read Walking Dead though.

There's not much I can say about this series that isn't plainly obvious to anyone paying attention. It's great. The best thing Spurrier is putting out, and he's putting out a myriad of great things. If you loved his Hellblazer run, like everyone should have, you will love this. It's not the same world, the rules are different, but the tone and the themes are in line.

This is a spiritual successor to Hellblazer, and it's just as good.
10
 Damn Them All (2022) #2 Dec 1, 2022
10
 Damn Them All (2022) #3 Feb 26, 2023
10
 Damn Them All (2022) #4 Feb 28, 2023
10
 Damn Them All (2022) #5 Feb 28, 2023
10
 Daredevil (2015) #597 Oct 20, 2018

We all knew it was Matt's dream, but it's still impactful because of Daredevil's fearlessness in facing his life and all its difficulties. Where the easy answers given in this issue and what Matt truly wants just don't exist and really can't. Even when he's presented with the opportunity to be with Karen Page and finally rest. There are moments sprinkled throughout comics that define characters and I think this is one of those moments for Daredevil. Whatever MacKay and Zdarsky do after this, Soule indelibly left his mark on the character and deserves a ton of credit for that because Daredevil has become one of the series that is expected to always have top tier creators on it. The competition is tough, but Soule managed to do something great.

Man, I love this.

This was another amazing issue. I loved everything from this.

Man, that scene with Spider-Man.

I loved this issue.

Finally, the Wesley issue we all needed.

This is such a good run.

Another amazing issue! Seeing Fisk and Matt struggle is very entertaining. I can't wait to see where this story goes.

Well, I'm just as into this as I always have been.

This was a really good finale to Through Hell. This book continues to be one of the best on the shelves and this run will go down as one of Daredevil's best. You want to get on the train while it's still moving.

This was such a great issue. It really is a pay off to everything this run has been about up till this point. That ending was perfect.

Another amazing issue. This run has been near perfect.

This series is one of the best on the shelves, may it last long enough to become stale.

This was a crazy good issue. Chip Zdarsky juggles all these characters so well. I just... can't wait for Elektra vs Bullseye round 2.

I am very surprised that Marvel let them get away with that final page. Just felt very real, honestly. But yeah, it's Zdarsky's Daredevil. If you aren't already reading this, you should be. If you are, and you don't like it, you're a fool. Oh, and whenever you hear someone spout the narrative that a writer hates the character they're writing, laugh in their misinformed, barely functioning faces, alright?

This was a great issue! Then again, most Zdaredevil issues are. I think it juggled everything very well. I'm not sure how I feel about multiple Bullseyes, but let's see where it goes. Merlyn once again shows how insane he is. He's recognizing patterns and themes on a level the rest of us just can't comprehend. You should see his dissertation on Flat Earth.

This was a really great issue. I hope this leads to something as crazy as is being promised.

Was gonna give this one a nine, but the bootlickers who want daddy dom police stepping on their throats every night have decided to take their sexual frustrations out on this issue. Here's the thing about our prison system in America. It's a business, and the more prisoners there are, the more money the prisons make. This is why recidivism is so high, because there is little to no attempt to rehabilitate criminals, instead just punish them and, usually, make them much worse criminals in the process. This is also the reason we still have a drug war, where nonviolent drug offenses are used to put people away for absurd amounts of time. Prison lobbyists ensure that our prison system keeps criminality up. These people crying about this issue's message, aside from having no empathy for other people, are also incredibly stupid and don't understand the issue. Cops are also incredibly corrupt, and as long as it's not affecting white and affluent people, nothing will change, and these dumbfucks will continue to defend an absurd overreach of police action. Like, I'm not going to kinkshame here, but just because you like the boot, doesn't mean everyone else has to put up with it. But as soon as enough white people are abused, tortured and killed, then it will be a problem. These people are selfish pricks who disgust me. Consider Merlyn, DoorMan, Rachit Mittal, eowyn, fenixalasnegras, and all the others who were too cowardly to even say anything about the issue, to be selfish dumbfucks. The issue is good. The message is good. I hope the next issue really ties things together.

This is a really good issue that I'm rating higher because it makes people mad.

Really fucking great issue. I'm super excited for Devil's Reign.

10
 Daredevil (2022) #12 May 7, 2024

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Both the beginning and ending of this issue were perfect. This is easily the best issue because of that.
10
 Death Of The Inhumans #2 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Deathbed #3 Oct 20, 2018

Probably my favorite issue of the miniseries so far? This was just a ton of fun and the art was so, so good.

A great finale. This is a series that was too good for its own good.
10
 Defenders (2017) #7 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Defenders (2017) #9 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Defenders: Beyond (2022) #3 Oct 2, 2022
10
 Defenders: Beyond (2022) #4 Nov 18, 2022
10
 Defenders: Beyond (2022) #5 Nov 26, 2022
10
 Despicable Deadpool #289 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Despicable Deadpool #290 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Despicable Deadpool #292 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Despicable Deadpool #293 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Despicable Deadpool #294 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Despicable Deadpool #295 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Despicable Deadpool #297 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Despicable Deadpool #298 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Despicable Deadpool #299 Oct 20, 2018

I really enjoyed this issue a lot. It's just so well written and it made me care about the characters and the mystery is intriguing. And the art is great.

I thought this was really great. I had a ton of fun reading this. The pacing is great and so is the art. I like seeing Batman be a detective and I like that this mystery is actually slowly being unfolded. I hope Tomasi stays on Detective for a while, since his Batman is so refreshing after so much of the current Batman run and previous Detective Comics being regulated to sub-par Batman stories, or a team book. Also, maybe Damian can be alright again. Teen Titans just ruined everything Tomasi was trying to do and Super Sons is really suffering from a lack of plot. So having him interact with Batman as a supporting character might be just what the character needs. I've got high hopes for this series.

Man, I love this run so far. Every issue is such an entertaining read. I'm really happy to have a Batman title I enjoy. I'm deathly sick of the current Batman run and I was becoming sick of Batman as a character because of it, but this run is the cure to that ailment.

Great start, super excited to see where it leads. Anyone who didn't like it is a whiny little bitch baby.

I kind of read a lot of comics at once and I made little notes for each issue, so I'd know what to write when the time came to waste my time on these reviews. My note for this one was simply, "Zdarsky. 10/10." So, while I'm not sure what I meant, I think it had to do with Zdarsky's ability to weave all these different plot threads from his Daredevil run together in such a fun way.
10
 Devil's Reign (2021) #6 Oct 2, 2022
10
 Doctor Strange (2015) #382 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Doctor Strange (2015) #383 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Doctor Strange (2015) #384 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Doctor Strange (2015) #386 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Doctor Strange (2015) #388 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Doctor Strange (2015) #390 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Doctor Strange: Damnation #2 Oct 20, 2018
10
 Doomsday Clock #1 Oct 20, 2018

Probably the best issue since issue one. I think if this event had stuck to its originally intended schedule, that the slower issues that didn't really give us (and by us, I mean me) what we wanted would've been easier to get through. The long wait between issues absolutely killed my excitement for this event. But luckily, that's starting to change because this issue clearly proves that this story has the potential to turn around and go from something middling and frankly boring to something worth reading. This issue mostly focuses on Superman. Something we were promised in issue one. And I think it's very well written. And I think the stuff with Firestorm was tragic and frantic enough to not come across as forced. The pacing was integral to that scene. And the ending has me more than a little excited about issue nine. Unfortunately, I have to wait until January for that and I'll probably have forgotten how much I enjoyed this issue. At least now I'm starting to actually consider getting this event in trade when it's over. That's a step in the right direction.

This was really great. I wish this maxiseries wasn't so schizophrenic in quality. If every issue was like this one, or issue 8, I'd love it.

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This issue completes the metaphor. Eat the Rich. It's in the title.

10
 Eternity Girl #4 Oct 20, 2018

This is a great ending to a great event. It manages to tie up loose ends for what seemed like an incredibly messy and unmanageable plotline while still making sure everything we've read for the last five years or so still matters. And it's told in an incredibly entertaining and organic way.
10
 Falcon (2017) #4 Nov 6, 2018

Really loved everything here. The opening plot with the FF losing language was really cool and well done. It's such a fascinating concept that I almost wish was explored further. But we get a whole lot of Doom instead, and this is some peak Doom writing here. Such a good time. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I liked that this nuanced story ends with some nuance. This was a very different type of Life Story than Spider-Man was, but that doesn't make it less valid. It's just a different take, and in my opinion, it works very well. I think this might be a good evergreen story for people who can't get into the FF for some reason or another. It grounds the characters while still showing why they're fantastic.

The conclusion to Mark Waid's first arc on the Flash hits exceptionally hard. It's not the most original story in the world, but the emotions are so raw and real that I couldn't care less. This is what makes Flash interesting. The powers, you can take or leave it. It's the character work that makes this character shine. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

A really great, sad issue. One that is probably character defining for Spider-Man, despite its simplicity. Like Spectacular #310. I'm so glad this wasn't what it looked like.

This is the best title I've read from Future State so far. Everything here is really enjoyable. There are some timeline concerns with the Dark Detective story that I'm willingly looking past, because the story is well written, and looks great. I think Mariko Tamaki is hit and miss, but she's usually better when she lets the art tell the story. Her misses usually have a wordiness problem. The backup by Matthew Rosenberg is great as well. I can't say I'm the most familiar with Grifter, so I'm not sure how in character he is. Based on the responses from others, though, it doesn't seem like he's being written out of character. This reminds me a lot of the Hawkeye: Freefall miniseries from last year, which is why the characterization is in question. Maybe Grifter and Hawkeye are just similar assholes, I don't know. Either way, Matthew Rosenberg writes assholes in a really funny way, that isn't also at the expense of the character's dignity (what little they may have.). This was a decisively good time.

Dope.

The strongest issue in a while.

Really great issue. I really don't know why last issue didn't click with me, but oh well. This issue really stands out, especially with the art. It's pretty damn amazing. And now the mystery is starting to make sense. Norton is the Norton from the past and he sprung up from the landfill wear the black barn once was. What that has to do with the smiley man or the bishop, I don't know. But at least we've got something.

Probably my favorite issue in awhile. This issue was genuinely horrific. I think my interest in the mystery has been refreshened and I'm very interested in seeing what happens next.

Crazy.
10
 God Country #3 Dec 10, 2019
10
 God Country #4 Dec 10, 2019
10
 God Country #6 Dec 10, 2019

Without the annoying dialogue quirks that really hindered my enjoyment of last issue, this issue is the best one yet. We get a really cool story and a great ending that I hope to see play out spectacularly. It looks especially bad considered the last arc of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, so I hope Grant Morrison is aware of that and may even bring it up in the future.

I was super into this despite initially being wary of the amount of prose it had. But it ended up being one of my favorite issues, if not my favorite.
10
 Guardians of the Galaxy (2017) #148 Nov 6, 2018

I think I'm in love.

This was an amazing first issue. Tying together events from so many recent series. It's clear Al Ewing has a plan for Marvel Cosmic.

This is a really great comic, all around. I'll just choose a random part of it to compliment... The subtle character work with Phyla-Vell and Moondragon. Their private mindspace is constructed from the moment Phyla-Vell proposed to Moondragon. This is never explicitly stated, but we can see that Phyla has a ring box. I thought that was neat.

Man, this is very depressing.

I'm confused by some of the critic reviews for this issue. Almost like they don't know what this miniseries was? I liked it though, it's basically a sneak Ice Cream Man issue.

This series is great. Matthew Rosenberg is killing it. Shame this is just a miniseries. But maybe if the sales are good enough, it'll get extended like Amazing Mary Jane.

I really love this book. I really like that Rosenberg is bringing out both sides of Hawkeye's character. Matt Fraction's run made him stupid and while that led to some fun stories, Hawkeye is very capable. You have to be when you've led entire teams and you're one of the longest standing members of the Avengers. So, it's great to see that harder edge of the character again, and hopefully this will lead to more writers not just falling back on Fraction's interpretation because it's the popular one.

This was a great issue. Really love this mini.

Well, let's just give Matthew Rosenberg a Hawkeye ongoing, right?

Yeah, this was a title I wasn't sure about when it was announced, but I think it may be one of my favorite X-titles, if not my favorite, at this point.

This was fantastic. I feel like it's a big problem within the comics fandom where readers are so focused on the plot furthering the overall narrative that when you get a comic that is all character, they act like it's completely worthless. Stop being so lame and pointless yourselves, and maybe you'll learn to enjoy super fun issues like this.

This was a really great issue. I can't wait to see how the last two issues play out.

I wish this book was continuing into the Destiny of X era. I really hope Zeb Wells didn't leave this book for the sake of Beyond alone, as that would honestly be a shame. I loved this series.

Really liked this one a lot. The art was great.

Really spectacular start. The world building here is great and it brings mutants to a really cool place, and all the baggage that comes with that is on display. I can't wait to see what comes next.

A mind blowing issue, as everyone has said.

Damn.

This whole thing is incredibly creepy and cultish and I really enjoy that.
10
 Hulk (2021) #7 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War (2022): Alpha #1 Nov 6, 2022

This is a great issue. King somehow makes the flirtatious relationship here work better than any of his Bat/Cat.
10
 Hunt For Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda #1 Jul 19, 2019
10
 Ice Cream Man #1 Jul 19, 2019
10
 Ice Cream Man #5 Jul 19, 2019

Really enjoyed this one. I hope this series continues to be so good.

This is a miserable comic that takes joy in that misery, and I really enjoy that.
10
 Ice Cream Man #29 Nov 6, 2022

This made me cry.
10
 Ice Cream Man #33 Jan 12, 2023

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Okay, so the first issue of Immoral X-Men was admittedly a bit of fetish domme porn, with some evil X-Men in it. But this one is genuinely a perfect issue. Everything works so well. It's so exciting, I cannot wait to see where it goes. I see a lot of people pointing out that the Nightcrawlers issue was too focused on filling the gaps in the timeline, but I feel like that was necessary for this issue. None of these miniseries are telling their own, individual story. They all build on one another. This is a singular story, a singular event.
10
 Immortal Hulk #2 Jul 19, 2019
10
 Immortal Hulk #3 Jul 19, 2019

I really love this series.

This is probably my favorite series right now. Al Ewing is finally getting the praise he's deserved for years now.

Another amazing issue. This series is probably one of, if not the best, comic out there right now. Horror fits the Hulk perfectly and Al Ewing proves that he understands these characters well enough to twist them in macabre ways that suit the story spectacularly.

This series is still as amazing as it has always been.

This run is crazy good still. Couldn't recommend it enough.

This series never fails to entertain me.

Abomination is legitimately horrifying.

If you don't like this, you have no taste.

The usual with this one. It's great. Probably the best. The ending is really cool. We had an arc about the One Below All so it only seems reasonable...

Dude...

There is a lot going on here. How it pertains to the current story, if you're wondering (as some seem to be) is that in this ninth iteration of the cosmos, the One Below All has finally made a husk of the Hulk. That time fly has all the knowledge there is about the ninth cosmos and the World Breaker. It goes back in time to the current cosmos and is discovered by The Leader. We see the One Below All's plan and the only one who can stop it is the Leader. But yeah, this is great. Very Morrison in style, almost. I think it's just a very weird and cool story, but it has a purpose. I think it's so weird and different from everything else that that is causing some division among readers. It shouldn't. If you've been following the book, a lot of this is set up in previous arcs. The culmination is a weird beast, is all. I'm excited to see where this is headed.

Man, I love this issue. So many observations to go through, so this may be a little scattershot. First, I wonder how that Minecraft reference sounds to people who didn't read Greg Pak's Totally Awesome Hulk run. It probably sounds silly, but last time Amadeus and Bruce interacted, that's what Bruce was doing... before he was murdered by Jeremy Renner (I heard he had an argument with his wife a couple hours before). Second, why isn't Moon Knight in this book yet? Both Marc and Bruce have D.I.D.! They're both moon creatures! This team-up needs to happen! They did it in the 80s, with an amazing Hulk Magazine issue. Just reprint that. It'd probably still work. Seriously though, that has so much potential and I'm surprised it's not yet been done. Third, of course Namor would want to help Bruce! That was great! Immortal Hulk, Tales to Astonish style! And lastly, man, I agree with Hulk, in all my shortsighted glory. It really speaks to any cynical, disenfranchised person out there, which is most of us. It's clearly not the best plan. We know from last issue that it's not in anyone's best interest to do this. But he makes a compelling argument. Which makes Immortal Hulk an intriguing villain. You know his methods are wrong, you know he's shortsighted, but damn it, he is right about the rest of it. And the last few pages just prove that. You truly don't know who to root for here. It's complicated and messy, in the best ways. That's what makes this issue one of my favorites.

I really love this book. This issue we get more typical Hulk, but not at the expense of the story that is being told. Al Ewing can do both.

This issue, like all the rest, is so great. I love it. Everything about it. It's too much to list, so I'll just say, bringing back the Teen Brigade in this context was really cool. Al Ewing is using every bit of Hulk lore he can to craft what is easily one of the best Hulk runs in a long, long time.

A great issue, as always. There's nothing to say here. It's hard to continually praise a comic that's never bad.

This one really dialed up the horror. This was awesome.

Another incredible issue. Xemnu is back.

This is all really, really great.

This was so great.

I don't know how much newcomers will appreciate this issue, but like... It's just so good. Al Ewing does so much here. He recontextualizes every appearance of the Leader, and makes it all work. Not just in his incongruent actions, but also his literal appearance as different artists had different interpretations. This issue also explains really well what and who the Leader is so people aren't confused, while setting up what is about to happen. And the way he writes the Leader as this tinkering scientist who probes the afterlife to learn more is so cool. I mean, even the apparent exposition drops inform the character further through the use of various narration methods. This issue is just so smartly written and I can't get over that.

One of the best issues of the entire run. Everything is coming together and man, way to make The Leader cool again, Ewing.

This is just devastatingly good.

Well, that was unexpected. And so, so great. This arc is fucking crazy. But so is most of the run. I don't think I've ever liked a Hulk book as much as this series. Al Ewing is making it increasingly difficult for anyone else to take over once he ends his run.

We see a bunch of disparate threads start tying into each other, and I have no idea where it's going, but I'm there for it. Also, that cover is so fucking good.

I mean, it's Immortal Hulk, it's great. That ending, man. I usually don't care about spoiling things, but I guess I'll refrain here. I just have to wonder how Al Ewing is going to wrap all this up, since we now know for sure that this title is ending at 50. It's gonna be a lot, and I'm here for it.

It's Immortal Hulk. It's great.

It's Immortal Hulk. Obviously, it's great.

It's Immortal Hulk, it's perfect. A lot of character was snuck into this issue. Also, I wholeheartedly agree with Al Ewing's recommendation that you read "Who Remembers Scorpio?" A fantastic story that I was lucky to come across on my own while reading up on Moon Knight.

It's Immortal Hulk. Nuff said.

This ending was fucking great. I know some people might be a little... confused or disappointed by the ambiguity of the issue. And, ambiguity is being used for lack of a better word here, I just don't know what else to call it. I remember way back during the Hulk in Hell arc, there were a lot of people who turned their nose up to the Judaism mythology present there. So, if those people even make it this far, I wonder if they'll dismiss this too. Hulk is essentially the Job of the Marvel universe here. The One Above All created him as a test. Either he becomes a hero, and becomes Geburah (Good), or he succumbs to all the suffering and he becomes Golachab (Evil). Luckily, in spite of issue 25's dire predictions, he is not broken, and therefore he's Geburah. And from there, it's all about the balance of Geburah and Chesed. Either Hulk becomes the left hand of God, embracing strength, and therefore the breaker of worlds. Or he becomes the right hand, embracing mercy, and doesn't smash everything. I'm simplifying the ideas here, but nonetheless, this is a very smart way to end this book and I can't help but get that needling feeling in the back of my neck that too many people will not appreciate it. This is one of best Hulk runs ever. It deserves all the praise it gets, if not more. I have no idea how Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley are going to transition from this to what they're doing. It's going to be very different, it's probably going to turn some people off, and I just hope there isn't nonstop comparisons between that run and this run. That won't be good for anyone. Seriously, if Al Ewing never writes another issue of comics, he's left an indelible mark on not just Hulk, but Marvel, and the wider industry. I guarantee that, much like with Hickman's Avengers into Secret Wars, there will be attempts to capture this lightning in a bottle again by other creators on other properties. I just hope they're successful. We need smart comics. They're always written by people from the United Kingdom, it seems. Maybe the rest of the world can get in on this at some point.

I'm 1000% into this. Hickman gave Gillen the reigns, and you can tell. This first issue is just as ambitious as HoX/PoX was. It really feels like the start of a new era, taking everything that came before into account, and twisting it into something great. This is a great start to the Destiny of X era.
10
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #3 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #4 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #12 May 7, 2024
10
 Immortal X-Men (2022) #13 May 7, 2024

While this title definitely took a hit with the Fall of X, the way Gillen just pulled the shit he pulled in this issue should be studied. That's fucking wild. Also, I didn't know this was a thing: Mother Righteous hate. She's a great villain. I genuinely didn't know people didn't like her lmao. Sad.

This is really exciting. I hope the rest lives up to the build up this issue had.

This is great so far. There's not much to say aside from everything is working here. If you have any sense, you'll be reading this. There is a tiny bit of concern in me that is worried how this event will wrap up. I know this isn't the end of the Krakoan era, but I hope this event has a finality to it.

This is such a good comic.

A great ending that closes stuff out, while still leaving plenty to explore.

This is probably the most bombastic issue yet. It's also the best issue yet. Two amazing moments: Thanos' "Take your secrets to your grave!" and Mjolnir through the Builder.

This event has ramped up into something very cohesive and great. I think this was one of the best events Marvel had in the 2010s.
10
 Infinity Countdown #1 Jul 19, 2019
10
 Infinity Countdown #2 Jul 19, 2019
10
 Infinity Countdown #4 Jul 19, 2019
10
 Infinity Countdown: Prime #1 Jul 19, 2019

Well... shit.

This issue didn't have Tony Stark in it at all! Despite this, I still enjoyed it. In fact, it's probably my favorite issue of the run so far. What can I say? When you see that little blurb about the suicide hotline at the end of an issue, you know it's going to be good. The art was certainly different, but they did their best to maintain the tone and look of CAFU's art. I'm glad because I was really worried about the art element. And I guess I should address people who think Christopher Cantwell is just trying to write a Hellcat book under the guise of an Iron Man book... That's not how comics work. You don't pitch for an Iron Man book and make it about Hellcat. And if you play that 4D chess of pretending it's an Iron Man book until you get it and *then* turn it into a Hellcat book, the editors don't just stop paying attention once your pitch is approved. It's just kind of an asinine assumption to make.

This series is literally just a picture book of Gurihiru's cute drawings of Jeff the Landshark. If this wasn't freely available on the Marvel Unlimited app, it would be a huge, huge waste of money. But since it's free (assuming you have an MU subscription), I don't have a huge issue with a picture book of cute Jeff the Landshark drawings.

There's literally nothing here, it's just cuteness. So I think I'll use this review to talk about the Infinity Comic design. I personally hate it. I tend to speed-read things, so maybe it's on me, but the constant scrolling honestly gives me a headache. I'd rather just have a traditional digital comic book rather than this experience. I try not to let the readability affect the scores, because I think it might just be a me problem, and some of these series are genuinely worth reading. This one isn't, but it's very cute, and it's free so... best comic ever?
10
 It's Jeff Infinity Comic #3 Oct 28, 2021
10
 It's Jeff Infinity Comic #4 Oct 28, 2021
10
 It's Jeff Infinity Comic #5 Oct 28, 2021

Best picture book ever.

Still perfect.

Still the best comic ever made. Beats Watchmen.

Honestly, this beats anything Alan Moore ever wrote. There's not even any rape.
10
 Jessica Jones (2018): Purple Daughter #1 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Jessica Jones (2018): Purple Daughter #2 Jul 20, 2019

Yeah, I'm way into this. And the idea of Milligan Constantine being the big bad is very apt. I hope this title continues to impress.

Probably my favorite issue of the series so far. It all works very well. It's a tight done-in-one. The writing, the art, the coloring, everything. It all works. There's not anything I can say bad about this one. This is a very pure 10/10.

Man, this run is fucking amazing.

Another amazing issue of Hellblazer. Every time I read a new issue, there's always the fear that this could be the one that pisses away the good will and it's all going to come crashing down. Thankfully, this is not that issue. This is another nearly perfect issue. I'm still completely on board.

As per usual, this was great. Shame DC canceled it.

Old Man Constantine pulls a Kindred to get the plot moving along. Knowing what this is, I'm very concerned about how well the last two issues will wrap up this series. I'm starting to get the feeling there won't be a clean wrap up here... But for now, this was a very enjoyable issue, as always.

Alright, all that build up (which was probably the most enthralled I've been with Hellblazer yet) leading up to the conservatives literally fucking Albion, the personification of Britain, was great. It gave me a much needed laugh. For the thousandth time, it is a shame that this series is canceled.

This is probably my favorite issue of the run. And it's such an incredible shame that this is the end. If DC had any sense, they'd bring it back, even if the sales aren't what they'd like. Sometimes a story is worth publishing even if it's not a major seller. It'd look good to have one of the most critically acclaimed and universally praised series on shelves.
10
 Justice League Dark (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019

This issue was wonderful. Each story worked incredibly well, and this was a nice horrific done-in-one. Probably my favorite issue of the series so far, it just leaned straight into horror. And we got to see The First of the Fallen! That's exciting. Even though it wouldn't really make sense given the story, I so wish it could've been Constantine that confronted him. That would've been great. But what we got worked too.

Yup.

Super cool issue.

Preeetty crazy, tbh.

I mean, this is basically Death Metal done right? We can agree with that, I think. So much awesome action, so much cool art. It was basically the climactic fight at the end of any superhero movie. And that's it! I really enjoyed it.

It's funny that one of the reviewers said this was a heavy issue, because I think this is one of the lightest issues of Immortal Hulk in a long time. Sure, Savage Hulk is sad and rages over the abuse Bruce suffered as a child. But the ending is definitely a happy one, even if that happiness is almost certainly fleeting. The art is really great. The symbiote monster is such a cool design, and I wish we were given more shots of it just so I could look at how cool it is better. Silent issues are a dangerous thing, but I think the creative team did a great job with this one.

This issue was so good, man.
10
 Legion of X (2022) #2 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Lockjaw (2018) #3 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Lockjaw (2018) #4 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Love Everlasting #3 Dec 1, 2022
10
 Love Everlasting #4 Dec 1, 2022

Probably the best issue yet. Really into this now.

I thought this was really well done. I just wish this writer was writing the new Hellblazer series that's coming up instead of the far lesser Si Spurrier. Dan Watters would write a great Constantine.

This is probably my favorite issue of Lucifer. Constantine and Lucifer should hang out more.

This comic is great.

The very beginning started out of bit slow, but call me a simp for loving everything to do with the gems and the eyes. That was so good. As a cat owner, I found myself getting really into the cat issue. Literally the only thing that I dislike in this volume was the use of the cursive script for a few pages. It slowed my illiterate ass down just a hair. After a series of one-shots, everything came together very well. Holy shit, the ending of this run was great. It's a shame DC canceled this series. Clearly, they're in need of more titles of this caliber.

If you're a Daredevil fan, this series and this issue is great. Kingpin and Matt have another confrontation and it's just as good as it always is. The character work in this series is excellent.
10
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #2 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #4 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #5 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Marvel Two-In-One (2017) #6 Jul 20, 2019

Basically everyone's already read this book. I'm re-reading this annotated version because I think it's worth it. This is a genuinely masterful series. I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about Marvel history, through the eyes of a journalist. It's incredible!
10
 Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age #1 Dec 4, 2022
10
 Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age #2 Dec 4, 2022
10
 Mister Miracle (2017) #4 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Moon Knight (2017) #188 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Moon Knight (2017) #189 Jul 20, 2019

This is really well written. I think Jed MacKay nails Moon Knight's character here. I'm glad they finally, and efficiently, summed up his continuity. As a fan of continuity, I like when they explain it instead of ignoring it. They always eventually explain it, but it's easier when you get it out of the way early. I'm excited to see what the long term of this series will be.

This is the best issue yet, simply because it dives into the pathos of Moon Knight. It's really cool. Genuinely, Jed MacKay gets Moon Knight. I'm really happy with this one.

Uh, yeah, this was fucking dope. I wish I had a ton to say about it, but honestly, I'd just be repeating myself at this point. MacKay gets the character so well, and is able to really make use of these loosely tied one-shots to give us memorable, poignant stories that I can't help but heap praise onto.
10
 Moon Knight (2021) #10 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Moon Knight (2021) #11 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Moon Knight (2021) #15 Dec 4, 2022

MacKay is going to go down as one of the greats. This Moon Knight run has been fantastic and I what's next is going to be just as incredible.

Oh man, this is a great issue. I like seeing the heroes still be heroes... For now.

This is less a prelude to Infinity and more like the first tie-in to the event, taking place in the immediate aftermath of issue one. This is probably my favorite issue of the title so far. Everything works perfectly here.

Another amazing issue.

The New Avengers tie-in to this event is probably the best part of Infinity.

I like how much this issue is the culmination of everything in the event thus far.

Really great issue.

Tony's last line of "Oh God... This is it." hits very hard.

An extremely tense issue, and the release at the end doesn't help. M

Another amazing issue.

Still great.

Perfect end to this crazy, crazy arc.

Superior Iron Man is such a great version of the character.

Very tense issue.

A very epic issue.

I loved this.

This is a great annual that I've actually never read. The art is amazing and the writing is top-notch.

This is just a ton of fun.

I love this book when Hickman writes it. The characters are all so entertaining.

I really loved this issue, even if I thought the backup was a little less good than the main story. It's really weird that this title has turned around as hard and as fast as it has.
10
 Newburn #8 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #5 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #7 Jul 20, 2019

I'll be completely real, the people rating this incredibly low are just stupid people. Incurious, unwilling to think about anything, boring people. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This is a great issue of a superhero comic that I'm sure will get a lot of shit for having a hero that cares about people in it.
10
 Old Man Hawkeye #1 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Old Man Hawkeye #2 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Old Man Hawkeye #3 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Old Man Hawkeye #4 Jul 20, 2019

Honestly, this is a great miniseries. It hits that sweet spot of being funny while also being gut-wrenching. The closer you are to the grind of low wage labor, the more gut-wrenching it can be. In the past, I've been critical of Mark Russell's political commentary, not because I disagreed fundamentally with it, just because it felt a little overplayed. But this, maybe simply due to my own recent experiences, feels fresh to me.

I loved this issue. It was a depressing parody of the grind of Capitalism, and that should speak to anyone with a brain in their head.
10
 One-Star Squadron (2021) #5 Nov 6, 2022
10
 One-Star Squadron (2021) #6 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #299 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #302 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #303 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #304 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #310 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Phoenix Resurrection: The Return Of Jean Grey #5 Jul 20, 2019

This was a crazy issue. It's kind of the X-Writers flexing too, as so much of what happens here is predicated on what came before across pretty much every title. The amount of synergy and continuity in this entire era of X-Men is something that should be taken note of. I just feel like this sort of thing is underappreciated in comics, for some strange reason. It's so important, and when it's done right, it enhances the experience.

Now that things have been firmly established, I'm enjoying this more. I find these timelines more interesting than confusing, and I like how it's all coalescing.

This was an epic issue. It really sold the idea that this was the X-Men's last stand.

This was a great issue! I honestly didn't see the reveal coming regarding X³, but I really should've. This issue is a really good contrast with House of X #6. That one had a hopeful ending ushering in the Dawn of X. This ending recontextualizes that into something far more dour. Which is classic X-Men! This issue also makes it very clear that this is the 616 universe, with Moira's journal entries giving her perspective on X-Men stories of the past. So a lot of answers were given and everything is set for what hopefully will be a great relaunch.
10
 Public Domain (2022) #4 Jan 12, 2023
10
 Punisher (2016) #218 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Punisher (2016) #220 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Punisher (2016) #223 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Punisher (2016) #224 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Punisher (2018) #2 Jul 20, 2019

Man, Matthew Rosenberg's run on Punisher has been great and this issue continues the trend. We get plenty of Punisher being Punisher, with some darkly humorous moments. Nick Fury Jr. being a conniver is always welcome. Punisher is way too good right now.

This series is always the best, man.

10
 Punisher (2022) #7 Jan 12, 2023

I had so much fun reading this.

This miniseries was the best.

Can't wait to pick this up in trade. This was a fantastic ending.
10
 Punisher: The Platoon #4 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Punisher: The Platoon #6 Jul 20, 2019
10
 Redneck #4 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Redneck #5 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Redneck #6 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Redneck #8 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Redneck #9 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Redneck #10 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Redneck #12 Jul 21, 2019

This was really great. It's another slower issue, which just seems to be how this arc will be, but I like the characters so it's fine. And thankfully they handle the gay thing in a not so tired way. If they had, this book wouldn't be getting a 10.

Man, what an issue! And they're taking a break on that cliffhanger?? That's harsh.

This issue was really cool. The art fit perfectly.

The Burning Man is so cool, and I'm a sucker for any Lost Colony of Roanoke stuff.

This is very, very good.

This was dope, and I'm once again surprised by the twists and turns this series tends to take.
10
 Resurrection of Magneto (2024) #2 May 8, 2024
10
 Resurrection of Magneto (2024) #3 May 8, 2024
10
 Rise of the Powers of X (2024) #3 May 8, 2024
10
 Rise of the Powers of X (2024) #4 May 8, 2024

I loved this issue, unironically. The stuff with the Titans was great, and god, that scene where Robin is forced to recite his new friends' weaknesses is so hard hitting. Just all around an exceptional comic.

This does the whole radicalization thing that Punchline tried to do, but better. But I guess Punchline was going for a newer, internet addled sort of indoctrination, versus this more classic form of it. But still this did it better. Again, I try not to think of this comic as something related to Watchmen, and I find myself enjoying it. I feel like that's how this book should be read.

This was a great issue. Read it. I liked how they turned Pontius Pirate into Spider-Man. To note though, I don't think Steve Ditko is responsible for Spider-Man's personality. Which is what makes him so endearing. Just look at Ditko's other work, like Mr. A or the original incarnation of the Question. It's not exactly great character work, due to his... need to inject his Objectivist ideals into everything. And we know that Stan Lee would use his dialogue to change the character beats and intent, and their reactions. Also, I'm gonna put out a hot take here: Spider-Man, as the popular character that we all know and (should) love, really came into form with the John Romita Sr. era. I mean, his Spider-Man is THE Spider-Man we all see in our heads for a reason. But you know, just compare an issue of the later Lee/Ditko era, like "When Falls the Meteor" to something from the Romita Sr. era like "Doc Ock Wins!" You'll see a substantive difference in the character of Spider-Man. So... Yeah, that has nothing to do with this issue, but it's what I felt like typing out. Regardless of that minor... kinda sorta disagreement with an implication that may not have even been intentional, I really loved this issue.

This is a great issue, full of payoff. I really am shocked that this is the same writer that couldn't even come close to making things like Heroes in Crisis and Batman work as conspiratorial mysteries.

This is a great, yet expected finale. I really went into this miniseries super jaded, not just for DC milking the Watchmen brand, but also for being very lukewarm to negative on Tom King's writing. But, despite that, this is an incredibly well written series. I'll probably pick this up in trade. It's the best thing I've read from Tom King since Vision, and I hope this isn't a fluke, and he'll continue to write great stuff.
10
 Runaways (2017) #5 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Runaways (2017) #9 Jul 21, 2019

This is honestly one of the best comics on shelves today and I never expected that from Runaways.

This was a great issue! Drag Fabian Cortez as hard as you want, Ewing. We all support you.

This issue is crazy and you should all be grateful for being witness to it.

This is great. That's all. I loved how much Abigail Brand plays everyone. I always love Machiavellian characters, though. Or as others would call them, "skanks."(?)

Really loved this issue. If you think this twist wasn't built up to... I don't know, you're just kind of stupid. It has been made note of several times that Abigail Brand is not loyal to Krakoa, has larger plans for SWORD, and is not above manipulating and harming her allies to achieve her goals. But I guess the guy who thinks that the character obviously referring to Bucky would have knowledge of a divergent timeline Cable-Cap, and is using that as some sort of dig at the writer's comic knowledge, may not be very bright.

This is a really great issue.

This was a crazy issue.

The first time I read this issue I was blown away, and I still am.

There are so many great moments here.

An amazing ending! I'm done with my Hickman's Avengers re-read and it was a very fun time, barring things like Axis, which I should've never re-read. This was the first event that I was all-in on back in 2015. I read every single tie-in. And I've been reading Marvel comics consistently since then. So it was cool to go back. So much has happened since, but this all still stands up very well. Maybe it won't in another 5 years or 10, but for now, it's one of the best Marvel events ever and a very definitive last Fantastic Four story, which I think is partially hindering the current run. But then again, Marvel Two-In-One was great, so maybe not. Anyway, I loved this event and it's an example of what Marvel does at its best.

Fucking great.

I love this series.

This was so good, man.

I don't understand some of the critic reviews here. Complaining that this is just more ASM, or that it comes directly off of ASM's story is like complaining that King in Black is just more Venom, or that War of the Realms was just more Thor. This issue gives you everything you need to know if you're just jumping in now. I highly recommend you don't, just like I'd recommend you go back and read Cates' Venom before reading King in Black, or Aaron's Thor before reading War of the Realms. As for this issue, a lot of exciting things happen. I really hope OMD is on its way out, and I'm super excited for whatever comes next. This feels like quintessential Spider-Man to me.

You know, I usually wait until I read everything over the course of the week to post my reviews, but I read this issue Wednesday morning, because I'm really enjoying this run of Amazing Spider-Man, if you couldn't tell by my very fair and balanced reviews, and after I did, I went to look at the reception, and I saw... a lot of hate for this one. In an effort to ensure that my review is seen, I feel like it's worth it to forgo my typical reviewing strategy in favor of pumping this one out now. Now, you're probably thinking that my score is a reaction to these negative reviews, and not what my score would've been if the user reception was more positive. That's not the case. I alluded to it above but you can check yourself - I am very positive about Nick Spencer's run - and of course that means that maybe I don't see the cracks in the firmament that these other people see. I'm used to this run having a divisive reaction; I've poked at the other side of the aisle a lot. But I actually like The Dark Knight Detective, who posted a very long, very negative review of this issue. All my interactions with them have been civil and nice. So, I'm not doing this to start an argument or to invalidate what they said. Comic book opinions are a fine thing to disagree on. And I'm not meaning to single them out, either. I know they weren't the only one, but they clearly put forth an effort with their review, whereas I don't think I could say so for the others. And therefore, I think it's something worth engaging with. Their first point is about the price. I completely agree with this. I also don't like spending more and more money for less and less comic. This is a trend that I believe started with DC's Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen miniseries. It's something that Marvel especially has taken advantage of. Any event comic is now at a baseline $4.99. It's not dependent on page count or formatting, it is just what it is now. I think this is price gouging and given the circumstances of the American and global economy at the moment, as prices rise due to inflation caused by a sudden spike in spending by consumers as the pandemic (hopefully) comes to an end, that this is even more intolerable than it would be otherwise. Their second point is about the multiple artists, and the extremely fast shipping of this title. While I can't speak to any of the potential reasons why the shipping is so fast, I will say that most likely, they want to get the title to a big milestone as quickly as possible, at least that's the best reason for the speed right now. I think when Beyond starts, the speed is definitely because the Ben Reilly stuff will end at 900, and they want to get through it as quickly as possible in case sales aren't great. But I will say, sales on Amazing Spider-Man have been much better with Nick Spencer's run, with the main title typically hovering just outside the top 10 selling comics of the month. So, this could simply be a case of the title being a money maker for Marvel, much like why Batman ships bi-weekly over at DC. This makes me think it is unlikely that Marvel is giving Nick Spencer the boot. As for the artists changing up, I don't mind it. Specifically, in this issue, the change ups were mostly saved for scene changes, with each artist keeping up with their scene. Bagley, of course, doing the main set piece of the issue. Therefore, I especially don't mind it here. As for Beyond, based on solicitations, it looks like there will be several creative teams working in tandem, meaning one artist and one writer pairing, which I think is much more agreeable as there shouldn't be artist switches mid issue. Change ups are most annoying when there isn't any structure to them, but I don't think that is the case in this issue. Their third point about how they read comics is entirely subjective and perfectly reasonable. I, like most people, prefer when good writing is matched with good art. But I will say, I am much more okay with bad or off art if the writing behind it is great. But if the writing sucks, and the art is great, I am much less forgiving. I think the narrative supersedes all else and if that is lacking, I am not happy. Now for the story itself, this issue doesn't have much in the way of progression, that's true. However, it does establish why all these villains are working for Kindred. Their individual motivations also had to be explained within the context of this event. This is all necessary for the story, within the confines of this event miniseries. That's what this issue does. We also do get some form of plot progression, with Ana Kravinoff seemingly killing Spider-Man. I guess that's a cliffhanger, but I have a feeling he's dead or close to it. I guess we'll see. As for Kindred, he's obviously divisive among the fandom. I don't mind him in this issue because his whole role is explaining why these villains are working for him. I don't mean to hit it over the head too much, but that's the point of the issue. I think Sinister War will end with OMD being openly addressed, but there's a chance it'll be saved for the final giant issue of the run. Their next point about not caring about OMD being fixed is something I actually firmly have to push back against. One More Day is a terrible storyline that changed Spider-Man in ways that have been a burden ever since. Like, Peter's constant dating that never goes anywhere because Mary Jane is right there and Marvel knows that's what fans want. Peter's shift from an adult with relatable problems to a man-child, perpetually stuck in a status quo that doesn't allow for real character growth. There is more to it than whether Mary Jane and Peter get back together. The stories would have to change, for the better. That's part of the whole thesis of Nick Spencer's run. Peter is consistently referencing this exact loop he's stuck in. And sure, from the solicitations, it looks like Peter is out of commission. Let's assume that's true. Ben Reilly is not going to last long. Like I said earlier, I expect him to be gone with 900. But even if it goes longer, even years, eventually Peter will be back, and assuming OMD is fixed, Marvel can't pull that genie out of the bottle again. It would be so despised that it's just not worth it. Beyond the "good" kind of controversy that Marvel sells comics on. Peter will be back, and hopefully will be able to grow in a way that he hasn't since the mid-2000s due to Marvel's obsession with keeping him young. We have Miles now, who can fulfill that role of a teenage Spider-Man. Peter can, and should, grow up. Assuming OMD is undone here, that is a big step in the right direction. Look, I've read all of Spider-Man, all of it, and I can say without any uncertainty that Peter getting remarried to MJ would be a definitive improvement on the character and the title. And therefore, regardless of Ben Reilly taking up the mantle for a brief moment (just like in the clone saga), I care about what happens with Peter here. As for disliking the various parts of this run, I mean, that's just subjective. I cared because... I mean, it's just what the run was. I like the run, so of course I cared about the plot. I will say the Chameleon stuff wrapped pretty poorly. With all that said, I respect The Dark Knight Detective's opinion and decision to drop the title(s). I have no love for the editor on ASM, personally. He's a very mixed bag (Remember JJ Abrams' Spider-Man?). But I do think the lineup for the new Beyond era is solid, on both fronts. So, I hope if they do check it out in trade, that they like it and some goodwill can be built on that.

This issue goes by so fast. Seeing the Sinister Six and Savage Six fight Spider-Man was super cool. I liked the face turn with Boomerang's team. Sin-Eater returning with his own team of left over villains from Sins Rising/Last Remains created a nice cohesion. Glad to see that Morlun actually had a reason for being in this run and Spencer didn't just pull that out for shock. I gotta say the art is much more consistent here. There are still shifts, but all of the art looks really great. The pacing on this was very fast, it really feels like an all-out brawl.

I'm becoming increasingly ashamed of liking this when I look back at all the backlash this issue is getting. But I can't help it. I just think it's a good comic. It's not the most plot heavy comic, and it's not the place for all the answers. That's Amazing Spider-Man. This is just a big fight. And it's well done. There's an amazing Bagley double page spread in here of Spider-Man fighting all these characters. I liked the resolution to this story. Boomerang completes his character arc by sacrificing himself for Spider-Man. For being the hero Peter thought he could be. Doc Ock ends up outsmarting Kindred, which is such a Doc Ock thing to do, and I'm very glad about that because no one wanted Ock to be a villain again, and he's not. Kindred loses here, and this time it's not some ploy, he just loses. I could see the Mephisto bookend could be annoying and frustrating to some, but I think it shows that Peter beat Mephisto. By being Spider-Man. This is a refutation to Kindred's whole ideology regarding Peter. He thinks Peter causes pain and misery to those around him, but by being a hero, he was able to reform people and make them better. Kindred was counting on these villains to kill Peter. But because Spider-Man is a hero and is a good person at his core, his own villains went against Kindred. Kindred lost, and Mephisto lost, just because Peter is such a hero. And I think that's worth something. It seems this run is damned if it does, and damned if it doesn't. So much is overlooked by the readers because all they want is One More Day undone. The complaint that nothing is happening is kind of a bullshit complaint. It's not that nothing is happening, it's just that you aren't getting the immediate answers you want. Like, think back on how much of this run was deemed filler just because it wasn't about Kindred. And it turns out, it all mattered. And is this partly Nick Spencer's fault for creating a mystery and deciding to not fully unravel it until the very end? Yeah, I guess so. But I feel like this speaks to a broader problem with comic book fans, spurred on by the hyperbolic promises of every single story being the biggest story ever, and having a major event every single year. People don't have the patience anymore for this sort of thing, and everything a writer does before delivering every answer is overshadowed. And I have to add that caveat of *every* answer, because there have been answers, just not the big One More Day answer. You know what, I'm not ashamed after all.

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10
 Spider-Gwen (2015) #27 Jul 21, 2019

This was great!

I really love this series as a Spider-Man fan. But even as a general Marvel fan, this is such a fun concept. This is really great.

Maybe someone should check on Zdarsky. First Invaders, then Daredevil, now this.

Zdarsky even handles one of Spidey's most controversial decades well.

I feel like this issue manages to fit in all the disparate elements of mid 2000s Spider-Man really well. This was so fun to read.

This was really sad and bittersweet. It really nailed the tone it was going for. This was great. Can't wait to get the trade.

This is great. So great I'm going to rebuy this series in hardcover just to have it!

I genuinely loved this! I know Peter is a Spider-Murderer now, but honestly this is the real Symbiote Spider-Man. The art started off a little weird to me, but it really grew on me throughout the issue. I love how the artists portray the black suit. Also, two pages stick out to me. I'd love to own some large prints of them or something. The black cat pages are just so good looking. The coloring is so good. I could gush about those two pages forever. Also, I guess Chip was good at writing. I guess.

Well, I didn't expect that! I'll chalk it up to being an alternate universe, but Peter does not know how to drive a car, I'm pretty sure. Like, he had a Spider-Mobile in the 70s that he could not drive, and I think he finally learned during the Parker Industries era in 2015. I mean, he could ride a motorcycle somehow, but I don't remember him driving. But, I'm possibly mistaken.

This was great. Not much needs to be said. Read it.

Ooo, that's such a neat twist.
10
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #4 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #6 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #9 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #12 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #15 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #16 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Superior Foes of Spider-Man #17 Jul 21, 2019

Probably my favorite issue so far, as it was the funniest and most focused one yet.

I genuinely love how Batman is written here.

Lots of stupid people using this series as a way to out themselves. You might wonder why they still read the book, if they hate it so much. Well, it's a lot easier to read this book when you read it for free online. Which many of these people do. I know this because they use the same pseudonyms on those websites. Just google their usernames, and their insipid comments will pop up. This is a really well-written issue, that's only controversial because it involves politics, and people who disagree foam at the mouth to misinterpret and wax poetic about what they just watched on Newsmax and Fox.
10
 Superman: Space Age (2022) #2 Feb 26, 2023

I don't think this is a depressing ending. One of the things about being hopeful in life is that at some point, reality hits you. At some point, you recognize that things are bad, they are likely to get worse, and there really isn't much you can do about it. At least not on your own. And there are a few ways you can take this, but I feel the best way is to have hope in spite of that, and use that hope to bring about what change you can. This series embodies that idea, I think.
10
 Tales of Suspense (2017) #100 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Thanos (2016) #13 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Thanos (2016) #14 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Thanos (2016) #15 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Thanos (2016) #16 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Thanos (2016) #17 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Thanos (2016) #18 Jul 21, 2019

I've been a bit burnt out on Batman lately. The insistence of DC to pump out at least 10 Batman comics per month (I can't say this is an exaggeration because I truthfully think the number might actually be that high) really sticks in my craw, especially since the quality is not maintained. Even the main title is currently waffling a bit. I don't have much patience for Batman these days. However, I have always been a fan of the conceptualization of the original incarnation of the character, purple gloves and all. I've always loved the original costume, and the vibe of a grimy sort of loner Batman. At my most cynical, I see modern Batman as sort of a homogenized food-stuff version of what's ultimately a much more interesting form of the character, in my opinion. All that's to say, I saw the cover to this and I knew I had to read it, in spite of my typical disdain for Mike Perkins' art, or my indifference to much of what Dan Jurgens writes these days. I'm glad I read this because it's very fucking good. It's great, even. The art matches the tone perfectly and the writing, while a bit on the nose at times, manages to generate some really great moments. We get a Batman who actually does detective work, something fans of the character are so desperate to see in today's Batman media that they'll be satisfied with the non-detecting present in The Batman film, or the slightest inkling of investigation that was quickly abandoned in recent main title arcs like Mindbomb. Here he actually does the whole dark detective thing pretty much the entire book. He even pulls out a magnifying glass at one point, that's how you know it's serious. I guess all it took was stripping him of his ridiculous fantasy technology that does all the work for him. We get a Batman with personality and jokes. He's certainly still Batman, but now he feels human for the first time in a long time. That might be the essential ingredient that modern Batman is missing the most. He needs to be interesting and fleshed out as a character instead of the writer taking for granted that the reader will care because he's in a bat costume. Clearly, a lot of work went into this comic. Not just in making sure the tone was right or that the characterizations were on point, but also in the historical placement of this story. I was frankly surprised by the political commentary in this issue; not so much with what was being said, but how deftly Jurgens parallels the late 30s with that of modern times. It never feels ham-fisted or forced, and it never takes you out of the world. It's very smartly done. I really hate to say that a comic about the earliest possible Batman shows up the multitude of comics about the modern incarnation because I feel like that's a step away from anemoia, which is bad. But.... I enjoyed this more than a lot of what I'm currently reading involving the caped crusader. I can't wait for issue two. I'm definitely getting the hardcover when it comes out. This is worth reading.

Man, this issue was awesome. The writing and the art were incredible. And I think this is the most integral issue yet in the overarching story of The Best Defense.

Well, unsurprisingly, Al Ewing nailed it. The mystery is explained and Strange's plan works magnificently. I think they did something special with this series. I hope we get more cool things like this in the future.
10
 The Cull (2023) #4 Jun 15, 2024

Actually really liked this one.
10
 The Fix #2 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Fix #3 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Fix #5 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Fix #6 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Fix #7 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Fix #8 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Fix #10 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Fix #11 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Mighty Thor (2015) #703 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Mighty Thor (2015) #704 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Mighty Thor (2015) #705 Jul 21, 2019
10
 The Mighty Thor (2015) #706 Jul 21, 2019

I actually really liked this one. I felt that Jace's backstory was really engaging, even though I've seen it before.

I was slightly wary of this comic. Not for any uncouth reasons, which I'm sure will be shouldered by a very different crowd within the next few days, but just because this is prose with illustrations, not a normal comic. And as much as I like reading comics, I don't much like reading. It's a paradox, sure, but I'm used to reading the average issue in 5 minutes. I had to take a break in the middle of this for work, but this took me over an hour to read. That's a lot for someone as uneducated and easily frightened as I am. If this issue wasn't really well written, wasn't telling an interesting story, wasn't a great display all around, I would've dropped it midway through, cutting my losses. Fortunately, this is a really good fucking issue. I think everyone should take the obscene amount of time to read it, and get on board for the rest of the series as well. I mean, I don't know what to say beyond that.

This is a very well written series that makes me care about characters that I've otherwise never had any reverence for. The fact that it's *a lot* of reading may turn some people off, but it manages to tell an interesting story that calls back to history without just repeating it.

Probably my favorite issue of the miniseries so far. Me and a friend were making fun of the potential response to this issue, you know, how it's about a woman, a gay woman at that, and she didn't even have the good grace to be white about it. And... well, it's unfortunate to say that's the genuine response some bigoted idiots have.

This is great. As someone who read the Outsiders run that makes up the bulk of this issue's narrative, this is not at all out of character or out of context. This is of course colored by Anissa Pierce's perspective, but it is a perfectly reasonable perspective to have on these events.

Loved this one. Down with Capitalism.
10
 The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #31 Jul 21, 2019

You know, as an American, I really hate Americans who don't understand the point of America. You know, conceptually. They think it's supposed to just be a super cut throat, white dick party and that, if you're invited, you better lube up. But... no, America isn't supposed to be that way. It is that way because we as Americans have abused the idea of America in order to commit atrocities and bloom hatred, and exploit everyone to the highest degree possible in favor of a small class of billionaires that work together with the establishment politicians to keep it this way and further erode what little is left of us. This should not be a controversial stance. I don't understand the people who simp so hard for America. In my view, I think the most American thing you can be is anti-American, because the state as it is now, the class system that crushes us all, is something to rebel against. Wholeheartedly. Now, we can argue about how rebellious America truly was in the colonial days, how it was mostly the rich leading the charge for independence for financial gain. But I'm willing to claim that rebellious attitude for us, regardless of history. The same way that dumbfucks who don't know their history claim Americana for themselves. In the beginning of this issue, Steve Rogers has a brief monologue about this idea of Americana. This falsehood. This narrative of a Utopian American society that never existed. The one you saw on TV, in advertisements, and yes, even in comics. The white picket fence that never existed. People look back at Americana and yearn for this simple, fake 1950s. You wanna know what was actually happening in the 50s? Black people were still forced to put up with Jim Crow laws, and when they didn't, they were beaten and sometimes killed. They were lynched. I don't think I need to link you the wikipedia article on Emmett Till to get the message across. I don't think I need to link an image of his bloated, disfigured face to get across that the 1950s were terrible. And hey, I know a lot of you don't give a shit about black people, that's why they're never in your pathetic advertisement fantasy. But women are. And hey, things weren't real good for women either. The legal opinion on sexual harassment and rape in the 50s was that it was accepted practice for women to deny wanting to have sex, when actually she really wanted to. That women often had rape fantasies. And “since it was ‘always difficult in rape cases to determine whether the female really meant ‘no’, a woman should be required, to convey her resistance by more than with a ‘mere’ verbal protest, or such infantile behavior as crying.†But hey, I know you all want a tradwife who never says no and is obedient to your every whim. So what about children? Well, what about the children! You don't want to actually parent them, you just want to send them off. Don't you dare talk about your feelings, Timmy, you have a paper route to go to. That's the fantasy, boys! So I guess we can concede that you only care about yourselves. In that case, you probably had a job where you were constantly misled into fucking yourself out of your worker's rights through targeted campaigns against unions, even by the government itself! Hooray! And maybe you like being fucked, but do you like being murdered? Guess what was waaay more likely in the 1950s? Murder! So let's say it all worked out and you could shoo away your boy after a long day of lynching blacks, just so you could rape your wife... You would then be shot dead in the middle of the night by a burglar! Oops! I guess 1950s America was actually a pretty terrible time. But don't tell old Ronald Reagan, or peak-physique Trump! They'll need a new way to syphon votes from a populace that has been lied to and brainwashed into wanting something that never existed, and in return, going along with more and more bootlicking and being fucked. Oh, and while they're at it, they've got little boots of their own on their hands and knees willing to step on any foreigners for daring to come to the cultural melting pot built by immigrants. Good old Nationalism and Jingoism. They go hand and hand with Fascism by the way. Keep mythologizing God Emperor Trump, it'll be fine America, I swear! Steve goes on to talk about the actual American Dream, which was originally coined by James Truslow Adams. He described it as "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement." So, a meritocracy in smart people vernacular. Here's the thing about meritocracies. They don't and can't exist. People will always have biases and therefore society will always have biases. We can never truly base the success of someone on only their merit. How do you even quantify that? Spoiler, you can't! The American Dream is a dream for a reason. It's something to strive and reach for, and it's something to fight for. It is not something that has ever actually existed. But we never give up because we want to make things as good as they can be. FOR EVERYONE. No matter race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, lack of religion, etc etc etc. The people in this review section, and broadly the conservative base, make me fucking ill. You people are the real un-American types. As an Italian once said, "Get Over Your White Dick". Steve Rogers still believes in the American Dream, he just doesn't believe in your pathetic, worthless, childish version of it that you have spinning in your head when you masturbate into The Art of the Deal. And if you don't believe me, Christopher Cantwell said Cap still believes in the American Dream on Twitter! So it's true: https://twitter.com/ifyoucantwell/status/1411561163372986374?s=20 As for the rest of the issue, it's well written! This series, as the title suggests is all about the various diverse parts of American society, and how they come together and unite. I like it. The new Captain America, Aaron Fischer, seems fun. There actually is a known problem with gay teen runaways due to familial abuse and rejection. And a lot of them do end up traveling the rails. It's a real thing, look it up. This comic is why I know it's a thing, so good on that. Seriously, fuck the people who don't have basic reading comprehension and decided to fill in the gaps with their idiotic conspiracism. I'm looking at you, Merlyn.

Very strong, patriotic issue. I honestly think this series might be a great litmus test for fascist sympathizers.
10
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #5 Mar 13, 2023
10
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #6 Mar 13, 2023
10
 The Vampire Slayer (2022) #7 Mar 13, 2023

I went into this series really not knowing what to expect. Sarah Gailey is a really good writer, but Boom's consistent mishandling of the Buffy property, along with an insistence on alt-universes, made me very tired. Fortunately, Gailey nails it. This is such a fun read.
10
 The Variants (2022) #4 Mar 13, 2023

Oh man, I really loved this issue. Totally makes up for the less stellar first issue.

This is just Thor being Thor. A nice done-in-one that continues to set things up for the War of the Realms while still being very entertaining in its own right. Plus, this issue starts to involve Aaron's Avengers. So it'll be nice to see whether these two titles become companion pieces, as well as what role Asgardians of the Galaxy will inevitably play. And if Infinity Watch is more connected to The War of the Realms than previously thought.

Poor Odin. This run of Thor has been great.

This is a really cool issue.

The writing and art here are top-notch. A really amazing issue.

I really enjoyed this one. I have faith that the consequences of this issue will not be ignored, like some others expect. Just a feeling I have.

This was great. I have heard Donny Cates hype up this arc for literally close to a year now, and this was a great first issue all the same. Here's hoping it keeps up!

This arc is living up to the hype still.

Favorite issue in a while, honestly. All it is is character work, and it's good character work.
10
 Thor (2020) #26 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Thor (2020) #30 Mar 13, 2023

This is my favorite issue of this series yet. I love how Tony is written here. He's got his ego but he's also willing to do what's necessary to save the day. Even if it pushes some moral boundaries. I loved the fakeout with Controller. At first, I thought "Of course, Tony would know" and thought it was a cool way of subverting expectations. And then at the end it turns out that Tony's ego got the best of him and Controller's plan is much more malicious. The ending is actually really dark, with everyone going out into the streets and killing each other because they think it's just a VR game, and that's what makes Tony's hubris earlier in the issue so much more devastating. And on top of that, we get more Aaron Stack, who's always really fun. Tony's mother gets trapped in eScape with a virtual Howard and Maria Stark and it's really unclear what that is about and who made it. The picture with of the Stark family switching between Tony and Arno is probably a clue. But I like how all the disparate elements from the first series of one-shots are coming together in a fun, clever way.
10
 Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #2 May 8, 2024
10
 Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #3 May 8, 2024
10
 Ultimates (2024) #2 Oct 14, 2024
10
 Ultimates (2024) #3 Oct 14, 2024

This series is the best thing coming out of this universe, and unlike tradition, it's not because the rest of the Ultimate line is trash. Deniz Camp is fucking killing it.
10
 Unbelievable Gwenpool #23 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Unbelievable Gwenpool #24 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Unbelievable Gwenpool #25 Jul 21, 2019

And this issue is even better than the last and probably the best issue of the series so far.

I really hope Cates comes back to comics fully soon, as this series proves he can still write some dope comics.
10
 Vengeance of the Moon Knight (2024) #2 May 8, 2024
10
 Venom (2016) #159 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Venom (2018) #1 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Venom (2018) #2 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Venom (2018) #3 Jul 21, 2019
10
 Venom (2018) #6 Jul 21, 2019

Ugh, I love this.

This book is so very good.

This issue is amazing. It hits hard with grief, ruined father/son relationships, loneliness and slow death! New dog Venom is actually pretty adorable, while also symbolizing the relationship between Eddie and the symbiote extremely well. This is one of my favorite series at the moment, if not my number one favorite. (It's truly a toss up between some amazing titles.)

Amazing issue and really emotional too. This is probably the definitive Venom run. I can't praise it enough. The writing, the art, everything.

This is one of the best series Marvel has right now. And this arc is really getting dark.

I'm so happy Cates is back. This issue kicks ass.

This is definitely the best tie-in, unsurprisingly. Really interested in where this is going.

There's a ton of cool shit in this issue that reveal just how big this run is going to get, and that's really awesome. But we also get a pretty emotional moment between Eddie and Dylan that I think shows that, despite the spectacle and big things coming, the characters won't be forgotten in favor of those things.

This was a great issue. I don't really want to spoil anything, so I'll just keep quiet, but that final line was so great.

One of my favorite issues of Venom.

This was a great ending. It caps off the Cates run very well, while also setting up new things that are legitimately exciting. Can't wait for the Ewing/V run... Hell, I can't wait for Extreme Carnage, and there's no way that's good.
10
 Venom (2021) #5 Nov 6, 2022
10
 Venom (2021) #9 Nov 25, 2022
10
 Venom (2021) #10 Nov 25, 2022

Best issue of the week. Ewing is so good at pulling threads and maximizing their effect to tell new, entertaining stories. Join my Discord, if you want to chat about comics or whatever: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

Weird cover choice, no wonder they had to put that weird banner on there. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/
10
 Venom (2021) #25 May 20, 2024
10
 Venom (2021) #30 May 20, 2024

This was a great conclusion to a great event. It also wrapped up, for the most part, Jason Aaron's Thor run.

Man, this issue was great. All the characters and their interactions are written great. The art is great. This is a great one-shot.

Great.

This issue was so fucking good. I loved it. I think this is the type of stuff Si Spurrier should be known for. Super smart concepts and writing that fits perfectly in the larger narrative, while still having a broader point.

Fabian Cortez is the worst. I don't know, this is really well written and I don't understand the people who think the series is getting worse.

Ugh, such a good issue. Spurrier said that this wasn't the end, and I really hope so. This is just such a good series. I need more of it.

This is all very cool and weird, and enjoyable. I'm very happy I decided to read this.
10
 What's The Furthest Place From Here? #7 Mar 16, 2023

This is an excellent indie series, and one of my favorite books to read. Highly recommended to literally everyone.

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

Cannot recommend this series enough. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This is really outstanding. The writing and the art are both great, and as someone who finds Wonder Woman and the Amazons kind of bland, this was entertaining. If you don't like this, you have no taste.
10
 Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons (2021) #2 Mar 16, 2023

As someone who's not really a huge fan of Wonder Woman or the Amazons, I really enjoyed this. The writing is stellar, but the art is next level. I'm definitely getting the hardcover, praying to whatever god there is that it's not comprised of construction paper and hope like DC's hardcovers usually are, and it'll be the only Wonder Woman comic I've ever put on my shelf.

Yeah, I think this ended really well. The landing has been stuck.

This is a great comic.

This may be my favorite issue so far. It's full of talking heads and politics, but it's so entertaining and intriguing.

Well, I'm rooting for Mystique.

This was a very important and poignant issue.
10
 X-Men: Blue (2017) #25 Jul 21, 2019
10
 X-Men: Grand Design #1 Jul 21, 2019
10
 X-Men: Red (2022) #3 Feb 6, 2023
10
 X-Men: Red (2022) #4 Feb 6, 2023
10
 X-Men: Red (2022) #7 Feb 6, 2023
10
 X-Men: Red (2022) #8 Feb 6, 2023
10
 X-Men: Red (2022) #9 Feb 6, 2023

This is my favorite X-book currently. I read all 10 issues in one sitting. I didn't intend to, it just happened. This book is so fucking good. It's criminal.

I don't understand the hate here. I think these characters were all written very well.
10
 You Are Deadpool #2 Jul 21, 2019
10
 You Are Deadpool #3 Jul 21, 2019
10
 You Are Deadpool #5 Jul 21, 2019

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