I was hooked after that first page. I can't wait to see where this goes.

Finally, Magneto backs up the claims he made in House of X/Powers of X. The X-Men really are the new gods of Marvel.

An incredible piece of art and storytelling. I hate to sound like an echo, but Jimenez has really outdone himself. It took me far longer than normal to read this issue simply because I was enamored with each panel and page. Rather than be overshadowed by the art, DeConnick's story stands on its own. Modern mythology re-tellings tend to come off as heavy-handed or overly parodic (Thor comes to mind), but this is just so natural. DeConnick seems to be sharing a story that's always been there rather than a forced retcon.

I can't remember the last time a comic made me audibly gasp, but that Isca twist... so good. Ewing is really in his element with this one; the politics, the (literal) world-building, and the character development are top tier. Three issues in, and I can't wait to see where this goes.

I feel like I'm reading mythology being built out of the rubble of past failures. This is a reboot that doesn't seem forced like the films, instead I feel like I'm being reintroduced to old friends I haven't seen in years. You can tell that Hickman is passionate about the characters and giving them the respect they've been due. Please please please keep this up.

A great follow-up, and an even better event starter. There's something poetic about Mystique, a mutant who can become anyone, refusing to change for the betterment of a nation.

I have loved Hickman's run on X-Men from the start. I'll also be the first to admit that pretty much all of the event comic tie-ins have been somewhat lackluster. I think "Inferno" is breaking that track record, but I find it so frustrating how easily Mystique and Destiny are manipulating the Krakoan age. Great writing, great art, frustrating character outcomes.

This issue made me uncomfortable, and yet, I wanted more. This was a dark, eerie, grotesque, and somehow beautiful story. The art is child-like and jovial one moment and macabre the next, a perfect complement to the story being told. I was skeptical after the first issue, but I'm hooked now.

An incredible story about emotional and physical abuse. My only complaint is how short the series was. Still, the condensed run makes for a more potent experience.

"We are this sacred land." I love it when I get chills from a comic book. Way of X is an ambitious story amongst an ambitious line or stories. Still, Spurrier handled it with graceful skill.

I think it's safe to say that Duggan can write some truly great X-Men. The Remy poker game was a great touch that added a level of reliability. The team dynamic is exciting and I love the power combos. Jean's description of her powers was believable and gave me chills. Scott is finally a good leader. Sunfire isn't an asshole anymore, and that bbq at the end, though cheesy, still put a smile on my face. Seriously... a great issue.

Teslelephant... I'll admit that made me laugh. Honestly, I really love this book. The team works well together and the seeds being planted are exciting and make me want to keep reading.

I enjoyed the parade that Spurrier put on. Cult has a negative connotation to it, so masking it as culture works well for me. The communistic hivemind was a solid progression of what Krakoa is becoming and I think it was a great resolution to this story. It makes sense that a country composed of evolved beings would have an elevated form of “police,” especially considering how oppressive real-world police can be.

An extremely solid start. The characters each have their own voice, and the Arakki culture is presented seamlessly. Can't wait to see where this leads.

This reminds me of quality Game of Thrones. The backstabbing, the power plays, the politics, all of it.

X-Men Red is everything right with the second Krakoan age. On top of that, Ewing manages to maintain an incredible storyline while juggling an event tie-in.

"You are all important." chills...

That was... surprisingly good.

Definitely the silver lining in this mess of an event. Superboy Prime is easy to mess up, but this issue was perfectly meta.

I had a fear that issue 1 was a fluke, and I'm extremely glad to have that fear subsided. I remember the new 52's Aquaman was a standout amongst the various titles, and once again the reputation holds true for Future State. Despite the fantastical world, we see real humanity from the Atlantian protagonists. Jackson is an amazing mentor, and Andy is a wonderful protege. I would love to see their dynamic grow, but if it comes at the cost of other Future State titles, I'm not sure that's worth it.

Definitely a better messiah.

The grace in which Hickman left this story is admirable. He could have left this in shambles, but instead, he built something that any writer can appreciate and will look back on with praise. I have loved the last few years of X-Men and it revitalized my fondness of the characters that started back with Morrison's run. I admit that my faith faltered during 'Inferno,' and while the story was rushed at times, it did have a satisfying end. Cypher was... incredible. I would have laughed had you told me he would be (in my opinion) the MVP of this storyline, but man was he spectacular here. The Quite Council needed conflict to grow, so kudos to Mystique and Destiny. I didn't think they would win me over, but here we are. I thought I would feel defeated after this run, but I am pleased to say how wrong I was.

Oh this has some potential.

Ewing takes the tools and materials the new X lineup provides and makes art.

That Doom/Storm dialogue was top-shelf stuff.

I like the idea of an older Superman losing his powers and thus coming to terms with his imperfections. I think this was a strong start and I'm ready to see where it goes.

If you were to tell me that Stacey-X was going to be in this issue I would have rolled my eyes and asked "but why?" After reading it, however, I have my answer. Rather than take Joe Casey's or Chuck Austen's (the real pretender) route, Spurrier writes her as a multi-dimensional character that isn't an overly sexualized incel's dream girl. Way of X is a complicated story, but an extremely important one in the Krakoa narrative.

Beast's character development makes sense here. Dark Beast came about because Apocolypes left him unchecked and free to pursue his curiosity. Krakoa has allowed him the same luxury, and the result is a "by any means necessary" attitude.

I had my gripes with the first four issues but Percy delivered with the fifth. Great action, strong dialogue, and that art... so good. I won't say this made up for the convoluted mess of a series, but it was a great issue on its own.

Love an event with lasting consequences. It'll be interesting to see who they put on the council after the shakeup (I'm thinking Beast?). The action was outstanding, and the writing was Hickman-esq. Lots of exposition with plenty of world building/ future set up. Overall, XoS had a strong beginning, extremely weak middle, and a strong end. Not the best sandwich, but enjoyable.

I was a little concerned with the team roster. Having Rogue and Synch seemed redundant, and I wasn't thrilled about Polaris. Still, Duggan's first issue has left me feeling far more at ease. I think the treehouse was a nice touch, and Ben Urich's incorporation was fantastic. I think this title has a ton of potential and I'm glad to say I'm hooked.

Arakko... that hurt. Great way to kick off a war though, plus that psychic attack was illustrated so well.

Aw man, I was really hoping to have two rich white guys square off to take control of the city.

Well alright then, that's how you start a series. Reminds me of the second season of Reboot (if anyone can remember that...). Thomas makes me interested in these characters, gives me something to look forward to, and also sets up a cliffhanger that I actually want to be resolved. Definitely a gem in the Future State failure.

Aw, remember when the X-Men titles made sense and the team dynamics were entertaining? Hellions' X of Swords tie in seems fluid and natural, a welcome refresher from the main story.

A wonderful blend of horror and humor. I love Wells's take on the team and Sinister has yet to disappoint. Highly recommend this comic to anyone looking for a new take on a Suicide Squad.

I get so confused with all things Arakko. That said, I still enjoyed the team dynamic and you really can't go wrong with this version of Sinister.

Most of the time, I would say an overly zealous crusader with a god complex is a lame character. This is not one of those times.

Filler, but interesting filler to say the least.

Teen-Mutant-Titans

Issue 3 begins with a rocky start but quickly ramps up the momentum. Morrison's take on Superman has yet to let me down.

Bone with prettier colors.

This is so much better than X Lives. I can't believe Percy is writing both.

The X-Men love their time travel almost as much as Wolverine loves awkward poetry. The surfing story was a low point, and while the clock talk was eye-rolling, it was definitely a step up. Overall, I liked this story and the unique approach Percy is taking. I would consider this a safe start to what could be a very complicated story.

Best one yet.

This is what I expected from XoS. Bureaucratic exposition with awesome sword fights mixed in, was that really too much to ask? I was a bit disappointed to see how many Xmen legacy members were willing to throw away their seats on the council, but that just goes to show you how little sense some of the council members make.

Though it seemed obvious Cyclops was Captain Krakoa (CK), I am interested in the back story. With characters like the Red Guardian, Captain Britain, Captain America, it makes sense Krakoa would want a poster boy. CK doesn't seem like a lasting character, but I've been wrong before. Really love the Arakko conflict. Mutantdom found an uninhabitable planet, terraformed it, and by in large left Earth alone. Leave it to an eccentric billionaire to carry on colonizing.

The monster of the week motif would be more annoying if the mini-stories weren't as interesting. Duggan has set up a lot to work with, and I wish he would just commit to something. That said, I still enjoyed the issue, and you can't complain with an artist like Pina.

The X-Men have always been at their best when they work in tandem. The Fast Ball Special is an obvious fan favorite, but I'm digging these new subtle mutant circuits. Jean downloading Forge's input to Iceman was just a nice touch to a new team dynamic.

I thought the drama everyone was upset about was JRJR's art. I'm still not sure it isn't.

I have been complaining about Red Hood for years now, saying how DC can't find a decent writer that understands him. Enter Chip Zdarsky and my expectations were blown out of the water. What a completely refreshing take on an emotionally damaged hero. Batman did a number on Jason as a child, arguably as much so as the Joker, and we finally get to see the effect it's had on him years later. The Blue Hood scene was just the right amount of emotion and that ending... oof. Seriously, no complaints. Harley: meh. I've read this story a million times. Outsiders: meh. Really just couldn't wait for it to end. Grifter: Not too bad. Not all that familiar with the character, but I was entertained for the most part.

Try as I might, I just can't bring myself to dislike young Cable... It's an interesting story with a unique family dynamic. Also, you can't really go wrong with Phil Noto.

I keep expecting to dislike this comic, but time and again I'm proven wrong. Domino is given a real moment to shine here and it's a fun read.

I like the originality, although I can see the potential for some problematic complaints. Superman is no longer an immigrant who adopted American culture. Instead he, and his family, are refugees that have used their abilities to claim a throne/kingdom. I can see the Fox News and OAN headlines now... I just hope I'm wrong.

I was not a fan of how Elektra was written, her dialogue just wasn't there for me. I found the ending predictable, but the flip side of that is that Zdarsky had a goal in mind and made it happen.

A surprisingly good tie-in. I will say that it's frustrating how mutants can claim to be the new gods of Earth in one comic, only to play bureaucratic politics in another. Still, it was fun, and I'm biased towards Phil Noto's art. Bonus points for Jean's costume change.

The artwork is incredible, but I felt like I jumped in during the middle of the story.

It's difficult to pick up where an event left off, but I think Excalibur is on the right track. Extra points for including Blob, it was a nice call back to X-Tremists.

Hey that was fun. Remember when comics were fun?! Not a lot to go on in this issue, but I'd say I'm invested.

Am I excited? Yes. Slightly confused (but in a good way)? Yes. Do I think Wonder Woman is the only good thing to come out of Future State? I mean, yeah kinda. It's a well wrapped story that incorporates the right amount of mythology and originality. I wasn't bogged down with a depressing dystopian future, instead, I got a glimpse of something I can't wait to see more of.

Still the funniest X-title out there. It's a party and a bit of humor never hurt anyone.

By the end of the issue, I found myself asking why did they offer Mystique a seat on the council in the first place? It was made very clear that Destiny was never to be resurrected, so why give her widow such a seat of power? I was also confused about what was going on with Sage. Is anyone able to clarify that?

I was never much of an Iron Fist fan, so this is a nice jumping on point. The whole concept of a rich white dude becoming a savior in another culture always seemed iffy to me (Dr. Strange is the biggest culprit), it's just a played out concept and this is a nice change up. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was a bit exposition heavy, though it sets a solid stage for things to come. Also, that costume is a major upgrade.

While I'm interested in the long-term plan, it would have been nice to have seen Shaw brought before the council. Oh well.

I feel like this would have been a great "free comic book day" prequel comic. That said, there was still some greatness in it. Emma was flawless and I loved the uneasiness of all the guests. An even comic like this is something new and I'm excited to see where it goes from here.

I'm all for a change in direction for the Marauders. I think Noto's art works well, and the space theme is better than the yacht antics.

A lot of changes, but also a lot to be excited about. I continue to think Marauders has the most potential of the X-books, but unfortunately, the lows have outweighed the highs. It's never been enough to make me drop the book, but patience has its limits. I did like the shakeup in power dynamics (minus the Cuckoos, just not a fan), and the correspondence from Shaw was a nice touch. I still think it's a bit silly that for a pirate-like crew, so few have water-based powers. It just seemed like a team made up of characters that had nowhere else to go. Pet peeves aside, I'm invested in seeing where the new direction leads.

I wasn't all that interested during the first half but oh boy did it pick up. A much needed palet cleanser.

The earthquake baby mutant thing threw off the flow for me, but other than that a pretty solid issue. Kids do stupid stuff, I get it.

A bit heavy on the exposition but definitely an interesting concept. I'm not sure how a kingdom composed of regret, sorrow, worry, and guilt would work but I guess we'll find out.

A slow start with the Steel story, but it picked up nicely with Midnighter and Apollo. I really enjoy their design and dialogue. I wish I could say the comic maintained that momentum, but I found the June Moone story a bit too weird for my liking. Still, I'm interested to see where this goes. It's already a decisive comic, so I can't wait to see what's next.

The rage this brews in lonely straight white guys is hilarious.

I like the concept of having Jim hunt down the Joker instead of Batman. With the exception of Jason, the Joker has really been nothing but an annoyance to Batman, sparking up a bit of chaos only to be defeated with some punches. Jim on the other hand has been victimized time and again, not to mention his family's trauma. The Batman vs Joker trope is more or less a game that ends predictably time and again, but pit the Joker against a citizen with an incentive? To me, that just seems far more interesting. That said, I think we all know how this will end (or won't end). The Joker will get away and hit reset on another grand narrative. Truly hope I'm wrong. *I didn't read the Punchline story because... well... who cares?

I think this would have benefitted from a longer first issue. The pieces were there for a great hook at the end, but it just fell a little flat for me. Still, love the art and the story has a lot of potential.

Fisherman Wolverine > Surfer Wolverine.

The bulk of the issue was fine, but that ending... great setup.

So much story packed into first few issues, I just wish this had more time to be fleshed out. It's enjoyable, and the writing is clever, just a bit all over the place.

The momentum is picking up, but I wish the constant time jumps would slow down. It's hard to follow and detracts from the moment. Other than that, I'm enjoying the chaos.

I guess I'm among the minority here, but I really enjoyed this one. I think the team has a nice dynamic, and I love the role they play with Krakoa's resurrection. I think all the X titles are floundering a bit after X of Swords, but X Factor is on the right path.

Really want to see Beast confront the Quiet Council. I thought for sure they would pick him as a replacement for Jean but he seems way too ingrained in XForce now.

Wasn't a fan of the Mikhail parts, we get it... you're Russian. Beast was the standout for me; offering a meta explanation of why he's relating more and more to Dark Beast was great.

I'm actually a fan of the world-building. I still have faith in Hickman.

Kind of a lackluster back story for Captain Krakoa.

A bit of filler never killed anyone.

The art was incredible, I can't deny that. The writing on the other hand was a bit too slow-paced and boring for me.

Anyone else think it's weird that Jean eats a peeled apple with her gloves on? Aside from that, not the most exciting issue but the reunion was sweet.

I thought the Unmaker was a little silly and unnecessary, but with that out of the way, I'm interested in where the story will go.

I liked Black Adam better as the Doctor Doom-esque villain he used to be, but I'm not Dwayne Johnson.

Another fascist Kryptonian? lame. That cover art though, so good.

I like the premise of this, don't get me wrong; the mini-civil war just works for me. My problem is Daredevil just got out of prison, a sentence he served because he felt guilty about being a criminal. Now he boasts about it to a teenager... Idk, seems inconsistent to me.

I'm partial to Phil Noto's depiction of Emma Frost, so my rating is a bit inflated. The story is fun, albeit a bit forgettable, and I doubt it will have anything to do with the main story, let alone have lasting effects. Still, it's better than most of the other Devil's Reign tie-ins.

Eternals are eternally petty.

I'm always on the verge of being too confused to keep reading this series.

Future State has set the bar low, and Harley Quinn has barely hurdled over it. I like the idea of turning her into a Hannibal Lecter that tracks down C level villains.

It feels like Tom King finally read Marvel's "Ultimatum" and thought to himself "hey I could do that too." There is no denying his skills and while the dialogue and art are fantastic, the deaths seemed gratuitous and cheap. I'm trying to give King the benefit of the doubt on this since this is the first issue, but come on... I'll hang on to see how things pan out, but it's off to a rocky start.

Future State was so bleak and dystopian that it really turned me off of the "potential future" DC had to offer. Compare this with the bustling hope of Infinite Frontier and I can't shake the dread of the former. The problem with starting at the top is that it's all downhill from there. I don't want to watch as these characters, old and new, devolve into the mess that was Future Sate... That said, the stories were fine, if anything the word 'safe' comes to mind. ** Oh! I have to say, Shazadam is the dumbest name I have ever heard.

Well that was all over the place. So much potential, but Spurrier is just introducing too much all at once.

I guess I'm alone in enjoying Marauders. I like the world-building, and fan-service, though it does come across heavy-handed at times. That said, I think this book is moving forward rather than falling behind.

There's just something cartoonish/childish about this. Space pirates are a nice direction though.

I love a good X-Men space opera as much as the next 90s kid, but this may be a bit too heavy for me. The deep references are fun, but I know a lot of them are going over my head. Personally, I love the art, but the story is getting somewhat hard to follow.

The first half of this is pretty boring and it felt like I was just thrown into a story I hadn't been reading. The second half picked up a lot, but I'm just over this Knull stuff.

Every advanced civilization in Marvel settles matters of monarch rule through trial-by-combat. Riiiiiiiight.

Very slow issue, but the end was a neat payoff.

I've never liked the concept of "The Pit." It seems like an overly cruel form of punishment in a promised utopia. I'm glad to see the uglier side of Krakoa being exposed, but it does seem heavy handed at times, e.g. Melter. I'm hoping by the end of this, rehabilitation will be the goal rather than torture.

Howard just kinda threw us in there. Love the idea and the team lineup, but it was just a lot all at once. Though I was lost for most of the story, I enjoyed the ending, here's to hoping it becomes a bit more stream lined.

Personally, I found it a bit boring, but I can appreciate a slow buildup for a strong payoff.

I get that Solem is being built up as this new arch-rival to Wolverine, but all I can think of is the new 52 version of Lobo...

X Lives was frustrating because it was 4 issues of a mediocre story that ended with a great finale. X Deaths on the other hand was 4 issues of interesting action that concluded with a lackluster 5th issue.

I liked it better when X-Force acted as the Krakoan CIA, now they just seem like an X-Men B team.

If only this issue was a few pages longer. I love the idea of the vault, and the mutant powers working in tandem is honestly one of the best aspects of Hickman's run, but this just seems like a problem of having too many good ideas and not enough time. X of Swords really derailed the flow of X-Men and King in Black isn't helping the matter. So while the other titles are finding their footing, I'm not seeing the same fortitude from the main X story. I hope the Vault gets the time it needs to really shine, fingers crossed.

I don't mind the writing but I am getting tired of the 'villain of the week' trope. I thought this Doctor Stassi was going to actually matter in this issue and he was relegated to the background. Just looking for an ongoing story that'll keep me coming back.

This started off with an amazing premise, but it's slowly becoming a commercial for Image/ Donny Cates in comic book form.

Not bad, but it does seem like Taylor is desperately trying to get a comic picked up for the next DC animated film. Similar to 'DCeased,' there is an overreliance on the shock value of established character deaths. Introducing the Metal Men only to kill them off a panel or two later is disrespectful at worse and lazy at best. **I'm proud to say my complaints don't involve homophobia or sexism.

I want to like this. A Marvel 1602-ish theme for DC makes sense, but Taylor is just ham fisting characters into a limited series, and that just doesn't do anyone any justice.

Uatu looks weird dressed up as the Cosmic Ghost Rider in this issue. Also, was this really what we were building up to, two cosmic beings literally hurling planets at each other? Just a bit underwhelming.

Nostalgia will only get you so far...

Aside from some really great lines from Rogue (that Dolly Parton line made me chuckle), this issue was a bit flat for me. With the Mutant resurrection, I don't understand why Remy is so freaked out about Rogue... The other big complaint I have is that this team has yet to mesh. Captain Britain has yet to really lead anyone, no one else seems to have an inclination for magic, and Apocolypse still feels out of place. Art is decent, and so far it's enough to keep me reading.

I really felt like I missed something with Cypher and Bei.

I'm not ashamed to admit that for a good portion of Excalibur, I don't really know what's going on. I can assume it's all part of some bigger narrative, but a lot of it just goes over my head. That said, I was glad to see Pete Wisdom come back and I'm interested/excited for S.T.R.I.K.E.

I'm confused, Teen Titans has Nightwing acting like a bargain bin Death Stroke but this has him acting as a bargain bin Batman.

The amount of rage this has produced in grown men (many of whom have an anime character as a profile picture) is hilarious to me. It's a YA comic that wasn't written for superhero fans. The title alone should give that away.

Kang was in a show. Kang gets a comic book.

I think this comic is guilty of too much going on at once. So many interesting concepts that just aren't getting enough time to flourish.

I'm not sure this comic knows what it wants to be. Is it a swashbuckling adventure story about life on the ocean? A political thriller that pits the powerful corrupt against the disavowed oppressed? Every time I think I know what it's going for, it switches and I'm left scratching my head.

I had a difficult time understanding Brimstone Love's motivation here, but if all he was there to do was to bring the team together, fine. The new team is fine, though, from a strategic point of view, it's a bit risky to have a Krakoan Captain, a Captain Commander, and a quiet council member all on the same crew. Not my favorite, but those last couple of pages salvaged it for me.

It felt like I only read half of the issue. I'm all for cliffhangers, but that was a lot of exposition for not a lot of reward.

Oh, so this is like a thing you're doing. Multiple story lines that have nothing to do with one another (or do they?!?!). *Sigh* I must have missed that in the description. Not going to lie, I was excited to see Beak make a comeback, always felt that character had more potential (he and SquidBoy deserved a solo title). That being said, this issue just uses him as cheap nostalgia and a piss poor plot device. Can we go back to space now?

Frank and the Hand feels weirdly shoe-horned in my opinion. That said, bringing his wife back is an interesting twist, and while I doubt they'll go this direction, I would like to see her be disgusted in the path he chose. People like the Punisher because he's a good-guy killer, but a killer nonetheless. I understand the pressure Marvel is under regarding the Punisher branding, here's hoping they don't buckle.

All the deaths felt cheap.

This reminds me of an "[insert name here] Kills the Marvel Universe" story. All action, no substance.

My biggest issue with the Dark Multiverse tie-ins is that they're pointless. No lasting consequences and devoid of substance.

90% filler. Though I did enjoy the Beast and Emma Frost conversation.

I'm glad New 52 Lobo is done with.

It really is a shame that this story is ending with issue 10. I honestly thought this X-title had so much potential. Not sure why we're losing this and gaining X-Corps... but money makes the comic world go round.

It was Mystique. Like everyone knows that right? You know, the sad thing is that I actually enjoyed X-Factor a lot. It was a fresh and exciting take on an obscure X-title that fit in really well with the Krakoa world-building. The storylines, though jumbled, were taking risks and I loved the characters. Not sure what happened with Eye Boy and that magic stuff, nor did I particularly like the way Damian and Aurora's relationship progressed, but all-in-all I will miss X-Factor.

"Hold tight... and hang ten!" I think X-Force has so much potential, but I just don't think the surfing gimmick is actualizing it.

The ending wasn't as bad as I had expected. That's not to say it was good, but it could have been awful considering the first four. I give this issue a 7, but the story altogether is a generous 4. The killer reveal was cheap and lacking in substance. We haven't seen much, if any, of Toad in Krakoa, so I was let down that he was nothing more than a fall guy. I said it before, but it also made X-Factor come across as inept and awful detectives. Watching Toad get sent to the pit really left a bad taste; Wanda's "redemption" seems dirty now, considering it was based on his sacrifice. I did love seeing Thunderbird come back and I was happier still to see the Crucible get replaced. It always seemed too barbaric for Krakoa and with Apocolypes gone, I think it needed to fade away.

Every issue of Cable that I read during the Krakoa arc surprised me with how much I liked Young-Cable. If you are a fan of the 90s and meta-jokes about pouches, you'll probably enjoy this. If you liked the growth of the character over the last few years, maybe side step this one.

This was fun two years ago when Metal was first introduced. Now it's just repetitive and somehow confusing.

The last page was the most interesting part of the entire issue.

So Bruce Wayne is stupid now? Going to his grave was dumb, but the diner scene was laughable. A woman talking about the death of Bruce Wayne to Bruce... ok fine. Follow that up with Bruce stopping a cliche' mugging only to run away and put on his mask. It just came across as silly. I honestly don't get why the Magistrate is bad at this point. They're essentially a better version of what Batman was. Why is it ok for an individual to enact "justice," but a private firm doing it crosses some line? This comic paints Batman as a failure, which is pretty symbolic for Future State as a whole. The only reason this isn't a sub-six rating is b.c the Grifter story was pretty fun. Decent action and a cliff hanger I actually was interested in.

I've decided that the reviews shouldn't have more thought than the comics themselves. Superman Worlds of War seems like a diet version of Planet Hulk Mister Miracle seems like a mess. Midnighter seems like someone read one too many Frank Miller comics and grew up on 90s anime Black Racer seems stupid.

"Impossibly long ago, in the distant future." Unfortunately the stupidity of that line stuck with me to the very end. Like the rest of Future State, it makes little sense and will hopefully be forgotten with time.

I hate future-based comics that destroy the hope of the storylines that come before them. Nothing matters, violence is cool, people are expendable, that sums up Millar's world for me.

I felt like I was reading a bizarre Animal Man story. The sad man character who can't connect to his kid trope is a bit played out for me.

A lot happens in a fairly short issue. I like the concept, and I really enjoy the protagonist dynamic (they aren't going to wind up together, which is a great break from the cliche). With that, it fell a little flat for me. Lots of exposition mixed with some confusing action scenes... rough start but the journey could make up for it.

I'm thinking there's more to Melter's story that he isn't telling us. Also, where was the rest of the council during that barrage court session? This is just lazy writing.

I lost a bit of interest with every turn of the page, and by the end, Mjolnr flashing the audience (with lightning) still wasn't enough to salvage my opinion. For a book that's primary appeal is the art, I was really let down by Klein's depiction of a sentient hammer. Not sure what I was expecting, but She-Electro just seemed lazy.

Could we bring X-Factor back? I get that mistakes were made with that comic, but at least it was interesting compared to the business jargon X-Corp spouts.

I feel like the point of this issue was to be funny, clever, and shocking... it wasn't. I really loved the X of Swords idea, that allure is fading fast. I don't understand the Pogg fight, like at all. Why is Captain Avalon still in this? A dance competition? *sigh* w.e Things I did like: Wolverine and the death mirror. Neat concept. Storm's fight. Although making her 'powerless' was pointless.

The beginning of this book had everything I wanted from Williams' X-Factor run. A detective story fueled by unique and interesting uses of obscure powers. Unfortunately, that's about all the praise I can muster. After three years of Krakoan X stories, we've seen nothing other than leadership, strength, and stoicism from Magneto. I don't know if this is a plot point/clue, but I don't understand the drastic change in character. I would expect grief from Magneto, not child-like rage. The weakest links in Hickman's run have been the event comics, this is shaping up to be no exception.

The premise of this comic is just a bit too cringy for me.

So the Magistrate is essentially the fascist Batman from Alex Ross' Kingdom Come? Sure... The Outsiders was ok, but a bit confusing. Arkaham Knights... oh boy was that rough.

Tim is one of my favorite Robins, so call me biased. That said, this issue is falling into the same problems as the rest of Future State. The rushed backstories, with little emotional weight, result in a boring story and wasted potential. The Lazarus Resin was a cool concept and could have been a big reveal, instead it was little more than an off the cuff reference. Tim is the detective, please don't make him some quasi-immortal fighter.

The one thing I truly liked about this comic was the cover art. They took the mouthpiece off of Batman to show his skin color. It felt less like they were keeping his identity a secret and more like they were hiding his race. I thought the Flash and Aquawoman were interesting, hopefully those stories don't get lost in whatever this story arc is supposed to be about. I guess I just expected more from a major title like Justice League. Finding out the horrible team dynamic was intended left me scratching my head.

I actually had to go back and skim over the first issue b.c I had no idea what was going on. That says more about issue 1 than anything, but all in all, I didn't mind this story. I liked the idea of separating Billy from Shazam (or the Captain?) and showing what it is that Billy adds to the equation. It was an interesting concept, albeit poorly executed.

This comic reads like a Youtube video on 1.5x speed. Just so much packed into a condensed story. The first few pages are nothing but exposition, and even when the action picks up, it's painfully forgettable. Multiverse stuff is tricky because at the end of the day, there's a world where everyone wins and a world where everyone dies. This makes it hard to care about either outcome.

Pages of repetitive dialogue between Shuri and Storm that results in a predictable heist. The result is ruined relations with Wakanda all because she couldn't wait a couple of hours for her ex-husband to loan her a sword. Guess Nezhno isn't coming home anytime soon...

Rob Liefeld is a reminder that nostalgia doesn't always hold up.

An arm wrestle? Seriously? Also, if the point was awarded to Arakko b.c of the "to the death rule," why didn't Betsy get the point in the last issue? I just don't understand what going on anymore.

I can't wait for this Phoenix arc to come to a conclusion. It just doesn't work for me and the fights are mindless and boring.

I remember 30 years ago, back in 2017 when Metal first dropped. I was excited and so was the comic shop owner that sold me the comic. Flash forward to Death Metal #7 and I'm left wondering what was the point of it all? If it was meant to be a fun one-off story, then they should have stopped after Metal. If they wanted it to be a massive reboot, well that's what Rebirth and Doomsday Clock did. If it wanted to showcase the Multiverse, Morrison beat you to it. Seriously, what was the point?

Cyborg is a Teen Titan again, but not really, but is! NightStroke is angry... sooooo scary Red X is... unknown. I felt like I was channel surfing and just stopped on this story. No clue what was going on, and no idea where it was going.

The problem I keep seeing with Future State is that the "future" it keeps showing us does nothing but paint the heroes in a negative light. The magistrate, w.e the hell is going on with the Teen Titans, Justice League Dark, etc. It's all a bleak post apocalyptic setting that shows how the future is rot with failure. It's lazy writing that does zero justice to legacy characters. Shazam is no exception. Turns out he becomes another Black Adam-esq archtype... gottcha. The funny thing here is that Death Metal was all about "hope," yet if this is the future I have to look forward to in DC, I think I'll pass.

I actually like the political message of this comic, that said, it's far too heavy-handed and feels way too forced. Superman is objectively in the right when he calls out Lex, but imposing his will on Luthor's planet does nothing but destabilize the lives of its inhabitants, that's literal terrorism... not a good look on the Man of Steel. Also, it's odd that United Planets is not a democracy. One person objects and states Luthor should be allowed to join, thus undermining the rest of the representatives. Like the rest of Future State, the future looks bleaker and bleaker.

Pedophiles are bad, so it's ok to murder them. The magistrate is bad because they want to not let people murder pedophiles. That was the message, right?

I expected to see Death of the Endless make an appearance in this, I'm glad to have been wrong. It wasn't a bad ending by any means, but two issues were not enough to drive home the emotional impact I think this was aiming for.

A bricolage that resulted in a mess.

These "what if?" story lines just don't do it for me. House of M was fun at first but just dragged on. This story comes across as if you were to replace Wolverine with Blade (b.c he's getting a movie or show or something) and switch out the X-Men for the Avengers.

Now that X-Factor is canceled, Marauders takes the mantel of being the biggest waste of potential. This could be a swashbuckling adventure comic about a group of mutants building relations, righting wrongs, and delivering Krakoan medicine. Instead, I read as Jumbo Carnation complains about his "drip." I still don't understand why there aren't more water-based mutants on Kate's crew, and while I'm not upset about Tempo joining up, I was disappointed in Duggan's handling of her.

This felt like an obligation to the Heroes in Crisis story line. It was clear that Scott Lobdell wanted to get through this issue as fast as possible in order to get back to his story. Roy Harper's death should have been a critical moment in Jason's life, but instead it was nothing more than a voice message. Death doesn't have to be the cliche'it is in comics, but this issue was a bigger let down than a funeral for Jean Grey.

The X-Men have always been about overcoming adversity, so a Canadian rising up to surf on a metal board just makes sense. Seriously though... such a dumb story plot.

Nothing really happens in this issue, which is a shame considering you read a story for stuff to happen... I wonder if they'll take on Stilt-Man or Shocker next.

Three years of character development flushed down the toilet. Truly disappointed in Williams's handling of Magneto.

Wait, was Mr.Miracle actually good or am I remembering it wrong?

It's still early, but I don't see anything original in this comic. Aside from some one-off tidbits like Arnold, D.C, and the ghost of Central City, this is a story most comic book fans are already aware of. The Crime Syndicate is a one-off group that allows for a 'civil war' type story without all of the lasting conflicts. Let's leave it at that and save the limited series for some more interesting characters.

I honestly forgot this comic was still going on. Taylor just seems like a cash grab type of writer. All bang, no substance.

Something something something HOPE! Blah blah blah HOPE!

I would read a spinoff of Aquawoman and the new Flash. They were the only ones that came across as interesting. The rest of the team's dynamic was just frustratingly childish. I felt like I was reading an old Young Justice comic.

Nightwing and an inept Batman fight the bad guy from Alita: Battle Angel.

Ok… I get it, Wally is having a tough go of things. His family is gone and the love of his life doesn’t know who he is. That sucks and I sympathize. That does not give King an excuse to ruin Wally’s legacy. His revival was considered a “return of hope,” but what did we get instead? A bizarre explanation as to why Wally hacked Sanctuary, accidentally killed everyone and then proceeded to cover it up in the most convoluted way possible..? It reads like a pathetic D-list villain’s origin story, not the first-string Leaguer the Flash is known as. I was one of the few who really enjoyed the direction HiC was taking, humanizing gods and giving an insight to some of their biggest troubles was interesting to me. This took it way too far. There was no mystery to solve and Wally’s murder-suicide will be forever part of his character. Wally is a super hero, not the self-indulgent psychopath King is writing. You have one more issue to prove me wrong, please show me Miracle Man wasn’t a fluke.

I'm not sure why Marvel felt the need to give an entire comic line to the business dealings of Krakoa. A side/ bonus story at the end of various other titles would have been MORE than enough to get the point across. Madrox was the obvious highlight of this issue, and while the demise of that particular "dupe" was predictable, it was still a solid side story. Overall this was a boring issue, and I'm not convinced Monet is a good business person... she just keeps attacking people. Warren is lackluster and I'm itching for Trinary to get more spotlight.

Reading this is like watching a wounded animal slowly die. You know what's going to happen and even though you don't want to watch, you have to see it through. There is seldom any action, and without mincing words, it's just a boring story.

I was excited to read Patton Oswalt's story, but honestly, it didn't stand out much. The narration for Zsasz was all over the place, and by the end, I was confused and bored. Everything else was pointless and forgettable.

Its name is Brain Cells? *sigh* fine... I still don't understand why shrinking Metropolis was necessary... The Guardian story was painfully boring and read like something from a 90s dollar bin.

Every time I felt this comic was about to get interesting, it falls back on old tactics that are just boring at this point. Amanda Waller is a puppet master whose only real power is a bomb implant. Yup, control, and freewill subverted for the greater good... or is it?! Just want something new at this point. As for the second story, I can't help but laugh that Black Adam is meant to help defeat something Superman Prime couldn't.

I'm not sure who this comic was supposed to be about. If it was the House of El as a whole, well I applaud Johnson's ambition, but attempting to pull it off in a single issue was a huge mistake. Every time I was about to feel anything for one of these characters the story shifts to a new one. I was getting some Invincible vibes from it, but that's as far as my praise will go... It just came across like another multiverse storyline, and I know that wasn't the intention.

I said that Bruce Wayne came off looking like an idiot in the last issue. While he still looks stupid in this one, he is also laughably lucky. A dead body that resembles him floats to the surface allowing for his escape. His batarang blows up at just the right time. His crazy roommate just so happens to have a sane/attractive daughter. *Sigh* Batman is lucky, yes, but it was always his skills, intelligence, and training that made him successful. Oh Red Hood, why can't they get you right? The pros: I like the new mask. I like Rose being involved, I think the relationship works. I like that he's working with the magistrate, it makes sense, though I expected him to be a Peackeeper or something. The cons: So much exposition, show don't tell! Rose is underdeveloped into a sexist representation of a sex-starved killer, ugh. In fact, both characters just seem criminally underdeveloped.

There's a trend going around on Tik Tok that asks, "what seems like a cult but isn't..." That's all I could think about while reading the Superman story in this. They're setting him up as some sort of religious figure and it's just making me uncomfortable. That said, I enjoyed the duality of Clark Kent and Superman here. There are some things that Clark is better equipped to deal with and it was on full display. Skipped Mr. Miracle and Black Racer. Tried it, didn't like it. Midnighter was... bad? I was just confused throughout the story, and the art wasn't for me.

Genius and evil are oftentimes synonymous in comics. Just look at all the villains with Doctor in their title or the weaponization of science of the various rogue galleries. Among the evil scientists are a special tier of villain that make the reader question just how bad they really are. Ozymandias, Dr. Doom, Killmonger, Black Adam, and of course Lex Luthor. Luthor is interesting because he makes us question Superman's role in the grand scheme of things by making legitimate points that undermine Superman's god-like status. Here, Russell writes Luthor as a Trumpian dictator that is a parody of a parody. Nothing is learned and nothing is gained. Superman and Lois, as well as the United Planets, make mistakes and falter just as often as Luthor does, but they are never questioned or challenged. It's a wasted opportunity to really delve into something more interesting than Superman is good and Lex Luthor is bad.

I laughed out loud reading, "Justice doesn't wear a mask. Or a hood." The Peacekeepers literally look like Red Hood knock offs. Aside from the nitpicking, it was just a bland issue. I don't know or care about these characters and I don't have much interest in learning.

Batman has gone from taking down secret societies, running a team composed of literal gods, and even defeating the mother of the multiverse, only to become a hack who can't even turn in two criminals to the police. This is just sad and a waste of potential. The Magistrate is a boring villain and the fact that DC has tried to convince me otherwise is insulting.

There is something frustrating about preferencing your comic by saying, "By having one representative of every planet system, the Legion has all the different perspectives" only for everyone to sound and act exactly the same. It becomes even more frustrating when that narrative is slow, exposition-bloated, and boring.

I remember when Exodus was telling the story of Wanda around a campfire with young mutants. She worked so well as a ghost story in the age of Krakoa, but leave it to a Disney+ show to come along and force a redemption arc. I liked how this story began. It seemed like an interesting detective story and utilized X-Factor in a way that I think Williams initially intended. Now that we know everything going on with Wanda was because of magic, that just goes and undermines everything X-Factor could have contributed. I just can't understand the reasoning or motivation in this story.

I liked the art. Yeah that's about it.

What started as a nice Silence of the Lambs type story quickly turned into that shitty prequel they made (I can't bring myself to Google the name of it). What a waste of an interesting concept. I honestly thought Harley Quinn was a break out of Future State, whoops.

Television and cinema act like a double-edged sword for comic books. They offer a chance for the masses to gain interest in the characters/stories and also keep the publishers afloat with steady revenue. The downside is when the multimedia begins to influence the comic book instead of the other way around. Does anyone really think Peacemaker is an interesting character or is it because of John Cena? The same can be said for Black Adam and whatever was going on in the second half of this issue. The twist was interesting, I just wish I didn't have to deal with the rest of the story to get there. That said, this was one of the better stories involving Conner in a VERY long time. The 853rd Century story was a mess. Gold Beetle seemed like DC's sad attempt at making their version of Dead/Gwen-Pool and my god was she annoying. Also, why was Sinestro a member of the Quintessence (aka the Super Magic Friends)? Are we really going back to the days of Allan Scott and the Chinese gree magic lantern?

In the first issue, I said that they wrote Bruce Wayne like he was an idiot, if anything this comic is consistent. The beginning wasn't all bad, the mention of how more 'good' could be done if the rich paid taxes is accurate, but the irony of Wayne being the one saying it is not lost on me. I have no idea why the new Batman was in this comic, he served no purpose and drove the story nowhere, which begs the question, where is this story even meant to go? Bruce has devolved into a rogue shell of a man who lives with a mentally disturbed man. He comes across as jealous of the Magistrate for doing a better job than him, and I'm honestly just bored of it all at this point. That said, Grifter was the saving Grace. He's like Constantine, but only if guns were magic.

Just treat him as the DC's Punisher. There, I fixed it.

I wish the Avengers would stop playing with the X-Men's toys.

"God lives in the moment a gunshot ends a life." I have never rolled my eyes so hard it hurts. By the time I recovered and my vision cleared, I was able to see artwork that would make a middle school art teacher proud, and that's about it.

Oh my god... that was just awful. John Stewart: This felt like a horrible Star Wars fan comic that used old Green Lantern characters that no one cares about. Jessica Cruz: One human takes down three Yellow Lanterns. Riiiiight. I would have liked it more if it started off with Cruz as a Yellow Lantern. Guy Gardner: Was this meant to be funny? I feel like it was supposed to be funny. Why have three Lantern stories about depowered Lanterns? This is almost as dumb as making Wally West a murderer again.

Not my cup of tea. Jon is a sidekick, not a very good one, but a sidekick nonetheless. He just isn't that great of a Superman and I can't put my finger on it as to why. I Skimmed Mister Miracle. I just didn't care. Guardian is a joke, right? A Captain America knockoff with the word 'Metro' across his chest? Come on, it's a joke... it has to be.

There's something deeply saddening about the title "Robin Eternal." It implies that Tim is doomed to being always the Robin, never the Batman. DC has never really known what to do with Tim, and after the whole Drake fiasco, I was hoping they'd learn their lesson. Dick has Nightwing, Jason has Redhood. Hell, even Damian has a weird future of being Batman with a trenchcoat to look forward to. With Red Robin seemingly shelved, I suppose a life of faux immortality and rescuing two blond fan girls is all Tim has left.

Throughout the first story, there are alien words that are meant to be common slang terms. "Chaff," "strocking," "kletch," etc. They are as stupid as the stories they spawned from. I do not care about these characters, their war, or their weird alien space god. I was really excited for Future State, I thought it had the potential to be a massive pallet cleanser from the convoluted mess that was Metal. This makes the New 52 look like a masterpiece.

You know when you're reading a book and you get to the end of the page only to realize you haven't actually been retaining any of the material? Yeah, this comic was like that, only I couldn't bring myself to go back and try again. I honestly don't know what happened, and while I feel like I didn't give this comic a proper chance, I'll still be able to sleep soundly tonight.

While reading this, my wife was playing Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" in the other room. I think it was a bit serendipitous considering I will always love Batman, no matter how stupid the storyline ends up being. I understand that as times change so to do the mindsets of the audience. A billionaire taking matters into their own hands and enacting their own brand of justice just doesn't resonate the same way anymore. That said, watching the same billionaire genius devolve into little more than a street hobo fighting a corrupted version of their former self is equally painful. I hated the Magistrate, I didn't like the Peacekeeper, you can't be an alien conspiracy theorist considering all the countless aliens in DC, and while I will always love Batman... I remain utterly disappointed. Red Hood... as always, you have the potential to be amazing and somehow still end up falling short. Rose and Jason work, I'm all for it, but please make the dynamic more interesting than "stoic bad boy" and "Ms. Badass, 'I'm not like the other girls'."

Did anyone really think that a book about business ventures would be interesting? I admit, Howard was handed lemons, but this is far from lemonade. To make matters worse, not only is the story boring, but I'm convinced Warren and Monet are just awful at business. The fight seemed out of character for Warren, and I'm wondering why no one raised an issue with the ethical dilemma that is psychic assault for the sake of "business." I like the cover art though... so there's that.

*RANT* inviting someone to your "hidden fortress" only to ambush them and get all your foot-soldiers killed is stupid. Like logistically that has to be a nightmare... you'd have to get more "expertly" trained assassins and convince them to be sworn to secrecy, only to have the very real chance of being used as fodder hang over their heads. I just found it to be such a stupid cliche. *END OF RANT* I had forgotten about 'Event Leviathan,' so imagine my surprise that it got a follow-up! Oh boy oh boy, a bunch of assholes that all think they're the smartest in the room get together and honestly achieve nothing. I can already sense the exhaustion I'm going to experience from hate-reading this. *mini RANT* I almost forgot, Bendis gets the award for the worst villain dialogue I've read in recent memory: "Robin the Boy Pain in my Ass." Jesus man...

You have got to be kidding me... after reading page after page of Death Metal forcing the word 'hope' into my skull, this is the byproduct? Hey, remember when Tom King made Wally a killer and no one was happy? How about we don't do that again. Jokes aside, this was pathetic.

I can't wait to not care about Titans Academy now. This was such a jumbled mess that wasn't worth understanding. I mean, heaven forbid we get a Teen Titans story that doesn't have to involve betrayal, death, and an apocolypes.

I'm struggling to understand the purpose of this comic in the grand X-Men narrative. If it's to redeem Wanda, I'd argue she works better as a Krakoan Boogey (Wo)man. If it's to remake Magneto into a villain, well I'd say that's lazy and counterproductive considering everything he brings to the X-Men now. If it's to make people miss her run on X-Factor... well, that just isn't working, for me at least. P.S. I'm all for creative uses of mutations. I liked it when Eyeboy's abilities branched beyond simply having lots of eyes. That said, he can see "intentions?" Come on...

A wave of exposition about how great science is, only to watch it fail. I remember how unsettling Heroes in Crisis was, the characterization of Wally was so jarring that I thought it couldn't get any worse. Oh how wrong I was. Sprinkle in a little Cy-Beast and you have one god awful comic.

I was going to write a long drawn out review of why this comic was a slap in the face. Instead, Mr. King, I'll give you the same amount of respect you gave Wally. Fuck you.

You ever agree with the message and idea of something, only to hate the finished product? Cringy, cliche, and sadly forgettable.