Despite my resistance to Donny Cates's obsession with bringing back the '90s...this is a scrappy horror-show with some surprisingly good dialog and a helluva lot of story. Can't believe I'm saying this, but this is worth the $8.

Enchanting. Lois and Clark haven't been this great together in a long time.

A fairly bland issue goes totally mental with the most embarrassingly predictable "twist" I've read in a long time.

Action Comics has had its ups and downs with poor pacing and mediocre plots, but this feels like it's shaping up to a more concrete arc.

Trying overly hard to be progressive to the point of parody. Paying liberal lip service is fine, but Spurrier doesn't say anything profound and actively undermines any progressive message because the tone is so comically absurd. Worse of all, the mind-reading element isn't very original nor is it done in a particularly interesting way. It's such a huge development that it distracts from the core concept of the series (ALIENS!). So in that regard, this first issue is badly paced. Great art though.

I'm not wild about the lackluster art, but the story is promising. I'm especially intrigued to see how Spiderman truly factors into this universe-spanning plot.

The most interesting aspect of this issue was MJ and her discovery of a superhero support group. It's a shame the art is so lackluster.

I was excited at the prospect of developing MJ's and the Thieves Guild's storylines. Alas, her arc is immediately resolved here and I couldn't care less about the now generic villains. There are some humorous moments, but not enough to compensate for the cliche storytelling.

I appreciate The Enforcers as much as the next guy--but doesn't it feel like Spencer is just trying to get through a checklist of slightly obscure Spidey villains regardless of their actual impact on his stories? In terms of plot--it's not very tense. The story is a fluffy, light Christmas affair that would be better suited for an annual or Christmas special.

I wish the surreal concept presented here was more subtle--and that there were fewer villains--and that Kingpin's plan actually made sense.

The end page gives us a more over-the-top look at racism. However, it's the subtler, more complex moments that are harder to shake.

Far too much of Tom King's Batman work lets gimmicks and experimentation get in the way. Too often King tries to tie Batman to over-obvious themes. But somehow, with this arc, he examines the grief associated with a fallible Batman in a harrowing, introspective way.

Something's a little off if Tom King's sudden retelling of a fairy tale is more interesting than the Batman stuff. I guess I'm left asking: what was the point?

It's perfectly serviceable. But like many Tom King issues, Batman #58 just doesn't give me anything truly spectacular or special to remember.

Well...#59 is anything but boring. I appreciate Tom King trying to do the old: "hero is strung out and fighting with everybody because he's being manipulated" story (like Frank Miller's "Daredevil"). So it's a shame that this issue doesn't feel believable from a narrative/character perspective.

Batman is angry. Commissioner Gordon is angry. Got it? Good--but why does it take 20 pages to communicate that here?

My thought process. Hmm. This is a cool concept: staying in Batman's POV the whole time. Wow. Hey... This is really good. Is the whole issue going to stay this way? If it does--that's awesome. Dope, trippy art. Oh. You just had to bring in the whole backstory with Bane and Thomas Wayne, didn't you? Sigh...

Well, it's a surprise to nobody that the newest Snyder/Capullo Batman story is pretentious and sweeping up praise. The post-apocalyptic story is a ripoff of Old Man Logan, the creative team's earlier work on Dark Knights Metal, and even Morrison's Final Crisis (the nihilism and all that). It has an irritating fake-out beginning that doesn't fit Alfred's character in the slightest (but even if it did, it's still a grating fake-out) and Joker is underwhelming. I thought the whole point of this series was to have a unique spin on Batman and the Joker's dynamic, but all Snyder does with it is tell cringe-worthy attempts at mature jokes. This is a big boy comic! Wonder Woman says "shit!" Oh, the horror!

From the generic, toothless opening, I knew this was going to be rough. This series tries to establish Natasha as a protector of women, but the goofy last page undercuts that as well. A tonal mess.

SIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I would consider myself a fan of the show. It's got plenty of problems (whether we're talking episodes, seasons, or "Go Fish"), but it's overall well paced, has brilliant character arcs, and overwhelming charisma. So it's an accursed shame that this reboot(?) is so clumsy. I can't imagine somebody completely new to Buffy getting anything out of this. There's no weight to anything here. #1 feels like a sped-up "best of hits" only understandable by somebody who already knows the original source material. On the other hand, I can't imagine preexisting fans getting any enjoyment from this rushed, illogical cluster**** of the original's acute vision. Willow is a shell of what she was in the original. You can take her to new places--but actually give her a personality. Joyce just shows up to establish Buffy has a mom. There's no real connection or conflict established between them. She just shows up for practically 1 page and goes away. This slapdash attitude defines the whole issue. WHY DOES THIS EXIST?!? This isn't different enough to make it's own mark, but it's such a far cry from the expertly crafted first episode of the original. I know comic and television pacing are two separate entities; yet that's still no excuse for this to have such miserable pacing.

Not as politically potent or exciting as previous issues. Regardless, #5 is proper cap to a solid first arc. Ta-Nehisis Coates is the writer we need right now (and I don't use that phrase lightly).

This title continues to nose-dive with repetitive beats, tepid (sometimes ugly) art, and hackneyed themes.

The constant meta jabs grow tiresome after a while. And I'm certain this issue did not need to be this long. That being said--Bergara's art is some of 2018's best. This almost feels like a Remender comic.

BY CROM--this be a Thor ripoff--but without the charming world-building, humor, cast, or creativity!

Unnecessarily long and tonally confused.

The character conflict continues to shine, but the art remains too ethereal to really ground us in the wonderfully morbid world of goth Jumanji.

While the first issue sets up Doom as more of a very stable genius, this issue abandons that for cliche: "villain on the run" beats. This could have been so much more unique. Also--yes, Christopher Cantwell--we see you are very smarty pants with your Shakespeare references. Very clever and subtle.

OK...so...I love Doom Patrol. I love D&D. But... Maybe don't write this like a 12 year old would (uber rushed pacing, hacky character development, no real stakes or tension). Great art tho.

It's weird, but maybe not enough? The central concept of an evil fitness planet is mediocre at best. However, it's even blander done in the most cliche way possible. Granted, it's likely self-aware...but it's not funny or a subversion. So who cares? Interesting change up of art. Took me a while to get used to all the small panels, but it works. Too many characters now. Casey is all but forgotten. Also, the little editor's notes annoyed me. If you're trying to catch up new readers...you need to do a lot more than that.

The fact that people are eating this up and not rioting spells the end of artistic legacy and integrity. Here are your effective options for this already bad idea for a series: 1. A madcap, wild romp that excessively melds the worlds/characters of Watchmen with the mainstream earth whatevernumber. Balls-to-the-walls Final Crisis levels of insanity. That'd be fun; maybe include some meta themes. 2. A serious attempt to continue the airtight storytelling and postmodern themes of the original Watchmen. This does neither and it's trying to be both (very unsuccessfully). The drab, ugly art from Gary Frank doesn't help. Like...at the very least you could continue the subversive color scheme of Watchmen or try to go for something different. But no, Doomsday Clock is as colorfully inventive as a cement block. This series has no clear drive or hook or resonance. As bad, if not worse, than Before Watchmen.

I usually love Brian Michael Bendis. He's usually a master of dialogue, pacing, and all around storytelling. Usually I defend him against complaints about his comics being too talky or the characters being interchangeable. But for Event Leviathan... I have to agree with his critics. This is like a parody of a BMB comic. The dialog is suffocating. Unnecessarily long and dry, the dialog makes this a chore to get through. I was relieved beyond belief when a corny action scene was roughly inserted in the middle. There's a handful of characters incessantly blabbing, yet, their dialog isn't different enough to truly showcase their personalities. There a lack of scope, and Maleev's claustrophobic style doesn't help. The intrigue/mystery aspect is barely effective because everybody just wonders aloud about the blandest, most obvious of clues. This is a sad, sad excuse for an action thriller, noir, event, and comic in general. You finally get a chance to do a DC event and you do THIS, Brian? I'm getting CIVIL WAR II vibes already...

Artistically, this issue lacks the wealth of details that define Pichelli's best work. In terms of story, it's very heavy-handed and deflates much of the tension from the much better #2.

An interminably sluggish issue with tepid art and hackneyed character beats.

Dan Slott's love for Doctor Doom doesn't translate to any unique or compelling element here. This whole run lacks the audacity of Slott's previous Spider-Man work or the boldness of Hickman's iconic FF run.

Character conflict between siblings is the only real bright spot in this surprisingly sluggish slog.

A lot happens here. But a more seasoned storyteller could have really wrung some tension from all these developments.

$1 BINVENTURES: Despite the large cast, all the players are distinct. Hickman has a real knack for writing smart kid characters and devious maybe-villains. Bobillo's art is unconventional but fetching. Would love to explore his work.

Corny dialog, nonexistent characterization, and odd moments of grotesque violence waste what could have been a nifty (albeit cliche) concept.

I've always liked the concept of Green Lantern. But every comic I read was so painfully self-serious and unimaginative. Well...those are some things you never have to worry about with Grant Morrison. One of my favorite issues of the year.

This issue drags in several places, but Morrison sort-of continues the pulpy space-cop vibe.

OK... So first these cosmic warlords are bidding over earth like Lovecraftian entities at an auction. Then God shows up.

Feels like an event. The characters have personality and the art is robust, but GOTG #1 doesn't have the thematic or emotional resonance that made the movies so iconic. "You're just angry because this isn't like the movies," I can hear you saying. Well, like I said, this is an entertaining read. However, it has no depth. It's just going through the motions you'd expect in an event or crossover. Not much more.

Kirkman establishes an edgy premise and capitalizes on it with the narrative. But that dialog is...rough. Don't try and be Joss Whedon when you're not, you know, Joss Whedon.

Many people will dislike this series because of its premise alone. "Why do we need a gritty, psychological break-down of all these chipper heroes?" I understand that--but at the same time I'll take anything so long as the story is good. And I'm really digging the mix of humor and pathos so far.

I defended the first three issues. But at this point, Tom King is cruising on angst, as if he expects the very fact that superheroes are acting sad is some potent post-modern powerhouse. This issue grinds to a halt whenever the plot developments are sidetracked for yet ANOTHER 9-panel grid. I'm fine with showing heroes dealing with PTSD. But the gimmick already feels played out. Beautiful art, though.

I...I can't do this anymore, guys. I gotta quit another Tom King series. I don't have the fortitude. The tedious 9-panel grids. The forced attempts at postmodernism. Interminably sluggish pacing. Lack of any answers or progress with the central mystery. Bland characterization. Themes thrust in that haven't been previously established. I still like the first three issues. But I'm not forking over any more money for ANOTHER Watchmen wannabe. Even Moore himself has decried people's obsession with copying him. People should forge ahead and intake new influences to show off what the comics medium can truly accomplish. This ain't it. If people find meaning in Tom King's stuff--good. Maybe his particular sensibilities can hook new readers. But this one (reader) is tired of the Tom tropes.

Hickman's reserved, pompous style doesn't fit X-Men very well. I'm no X-Men fanatic, but encasing them in an exposition and world-building heavy plot comes across as, ironically, life-less. Where's the #drama? The soap opera shenanigans? Instead this feels like a wannabe Dune, with equally distant characters.

The dialog and plotting can be cliche, but I prefer attempts at emotion than none at all (which is becoming more prevalent with writers like Donny Cates).

NOTE: My first issue of this series. Found it for half-price and thought I'd give it a go. The dialog and world-building isn't exceptional. However, the art is beautiful (even if the storytelling can be clumsy and confusing) and there's some palpable tension.

Wants you to simultaneously see Constantine in a new, hipstery, "cleaned up" world--and still in the disgusting cesspool of the 80s/90s urban environment he began in. Art fits very well, but it's stiff and the colors don't differentiate the foreground and backgrounds very well.

Why Scott Snyder is so popular astounds me. In what universe are people entertained by a Justice League comic that's suffocated by dialogue that's either embarrassingly corny or endless exposition? Snyder distances us from the League by desperately trying to make them gods above us. That self-satisfied, overwritten introduction to the League's Hall is insufferable. Yet, that unnecessary, overwritten voice-over lingers through the whole thing. Capullo has said many times he struggled at first to work on Batman with Snyder's novelistic scripts. Without push-back from artists, Snyder gives us an incredibly stale, text-heavy comic crippled under its own self-imposed ponderousness. To Snyder, intelligence comes from coming up with technobabble (or using Wikipedia to look up calcite facts) and blandly listing them like history tidbits in a GA Henty novel. I'm not trying to be anti-intellectual and say comics have to be stupid and all action and no literary ambitions. Quite the contrary. But Snyder isn't saying anything important here. This is a Justice League comic trying to be fun. Unfortunately, nobody realizes Snyder's comics are a chore and the farthest thing from entertaining. The fight scenes are a slog. Every character has to always be talking about what's happening ("The Neanderthals are semi-aquatic. They seek to merge the toxic subterranean oceans with the seven seas. Transform earth's waters."). Many panels are tiny, not given any room from the restricting script. Jim Cheung is a solid artist, but just skim through the comic and try to pick out a scene that flows well and has dynamism. Hard, isn't it? Why? Lots and lots and lots of text. None of it clever or smart or funny. And most of the text is delivered with the heroes sitting down. It's LITERAL talking heads. #1 takes no risks and has a lot in common with the saccharine safety of The Force Awakens. Why come up with new, interesting villains? It'd be a lot easier to just recycle Lex Luthor and the Injustice Gang. People like them, right? Will they do anything interesting? Not really--they'll just talk. Talk and talk and talk and talk about what they're gonna do with "dammit" thrown in a dozen times because that sounds mature.

Exposition crushes any possible tension or characterization.

Only until the end do we get a real dose of mystical Morrison. But before that it's a perfectly serviceable, blunt fairy-tale.

What's it about? The specific details are impossible to exactly pin down, but overall, Clowes wants us to see himself as a mediocre white man who's only saved by the compassionate "others" he shunned at first.

Hmmmmmmmm... It's extremely blunt. I mean, the first scene literally spells out the themes for us. Oh, and the villains are radical, ruling Catholics who openly espouse any science. Uh-huh. The dialogue is straining to be Morrison, yet it lacks the same flourish. Got DUNE vibes. But Ian Bertram's art is hard to shake. It's very textured, like Frank Quitely or Chris Burnham but has its own flavor. Needless to say, the art makes the book. No matter how silly or obvious the ideas are, they're brought to disturbing life. Did not expect the ending. Not sure it's the best direction but it, shall we say, subverted my expectations (DUN DUN DUNNNN!). Even with its problems, I'll check out the next issues. PS: the afterword says they won't be making it into a TP, so it's best to buy the individual issues. Uh...yeah right. Don't BS us. But hey, if it gets up sales...

Both the detective and bizarre alien stories are promising. But a cliche ending and some difficult to decipher dialog hinder the experience.

Even better than the first issue. Best of all--the dialog problems are gone! Although it spends perhaps a bit too much time on J'onn's past, the pacing, characters, and gonzo world-building are tightly executed.

Long gone is the psychological depth or grit of the olden Marvel Knights. Instead, now we get a slightly bloodier Defenders knockoff.

While the world of "Middlewest" is intriguing, the characters/narrative are too simplistic and cliche.

The dialog isn't perfect and the story is cliche, but the art has plenty of personality (very similar to Chris Burnham) and Bemis's mythological take is fascinating.

It's got some genuine emotional complexity, but I'm personally tired of "metal" being a springboard for sort-of self-aware action stories. Still solid issue though. I'm more interesting in the main character than any of this fantasy/falcon stuff.

The character development is as subtle as--well--a metal robot arm to your noggin. Extremity demonstrated that Danial Warren Johnson can be so much more effective and subtle than this meat-headed, heavy-handed, repetitive, cloying sludge.

The combined wit and emotion of Bendis and Walker makes for an excellently paced, sharp origin.

Presents strong characterization and worldbuilding where the supernatural and scifi converge as only Layman could deliver. Chan's art is not to be missed.

Slower than the previous issues, but it remains an inventive blend of everything from J-horror to Alien that builds on tropes to make its own supernatural statement.

Strong characterization and a meta story make this entertaining, but the art often tips over into blandness.

I'm catching up on my Matt Rosenberg "Punisher" for an upcoming review on AiPT! and I just had to talk about this one in particular. When I read this title, I definitely do not expect a twee, cutesy prison escape story like something out of "4 Kids Walk Into A Bank." Might work on a different title, but it doesn't work for Punisher and it's a waste of time that's self-satisfied in how quirky its plan is. I appreciate Rosenberg's indie, non-traditional sensibilities--I do. That being said, this goofy prison plan is tedious.

Declan Shalvey is one of--wait--the ONLY reason I'm gonna stick with this.

I was just reading this for Declan Shalvey's art, but hoped the story would turn around at...some point. #3 did not change much of anything. Solid art. Tepid writing. Although, Shalvey doesn't do so well drawing epic action here.

The attempts to convey emotions and exposition at the beginning are eye-roll inducing. However...it picks up once the Inciting Incident kicks in. The art is pretty decent and the colors are fetching. I'd read more to see where this goes.

Ever see those original series Star Trek episodes where a good guy gets spiked and turned into an omnipotent egomaniac with a pretentious god complex? Sentry #5 reminds me of that. In a good way.

Shuri cements itself as far more than another D-list series. In fact, it's essential Black Panther reading. The exposition heavy dialog is balanced out by the assured pacing. My podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/full-spread-a-comic-book-podcast/id1430254691?mt=2

The previous two issues brilliantly focused on Shuri's chipper personality and her quest to find her beloved brother. Well, THIS issue is all about Shuri fighting a giant bug. You want more? Too bad!

Shuri continues to nose-dive by continuing to insist a giant praying mantis is a worthy antagonist. But the lack of depth for Shuri as a character (or the possible themes revolving around her) really sinks this issue.

Sigh. Oh, joy. Yet another '80s style Millarworld story with foul language, mild violence, mild sex, criminals, and cliches up the wazoo. If this is supposed to be a feminist piece about getting screwed over by men, it doesn't have any emotional punch to back it up. But by all means, let's keep highly rating Miller's generic stories that are only readable because of his A-list artists. A 12 year old could write these, in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Millar has a sweatshop of 12 year olds churning these out.

Not nearly as good as the original.

The clever writing is great--but the art is the real kicker.

While Bendis continues to give us wonderfully acute insights into Superman's psyche, the pacing feels exceedingly off by the end. Also--shouldn't the Justice League or, I dunno, humans protect the earth so Superman can stop a Kryptonian apocalypse? Just a thought.

The pacing is distressingly truncated. Problem is, the structure has been wonky through all of BMB's Superman, so I can't pin it entirely on this issue. For what it is--#7 has enough striking moments of characterization to be a success.

Didn't have to be oversized. Intentionally harkens back to simpler, slightly less epic Silver Age Superman stories, complete with Jimmy Olsen slapstick. Wish they milked Clark's kidnapping more and spent less time on people trying to find him. Did not care for Supergirl segment, so it was annoying they forced us to try and catch up with all her mediocre adventures. We don't even really need her here tbh and her segment doesn't make a strong case for her inclusion.

It's cute. It's not nearly as funny as it thinks it is. Well, except for the Clark wink gag. That's hysterical and almost makes the book worth it. But it's cute. Eh. Glad to have Matt Fraction back, I guess.

Nobody acts like a real human being in Frank Miller's cliche, fractured monologue filled world. I have no idea why Miller or DC thought JRJR would be a good fit for this rustic story with his ever declining art. Cringe worthy dialog and monologues. Dreadfully dull pacing and story. Clark is constantly told not to show off, but that's all this issue does. Also--this isn't a technical Year One story. It starts when Clark is a Krypton Kal baby up to when he's a teenager. If you want to read an actual Year One take on Superman, read Superman: Birthright. That's everything this wishes it was.

It's got some gnarly Joker stuff to be sure. But if you're tired of Snyder's Batman tropes like I am, you could do better reading "Endgame" than these re-heated leftovers.

Art isn't Coipel's best.

Magic Order #5 is painfully on-the-nose with its dialog, development, and twists. But what else were you expecting from Mark Millar? This is R-rated Harry Potter. It's bloody awesome.

$1 BINVENTURES: I own the entire Multiversity in TP, but getting this individually is rewarding in and of itself. Just as I remembered, it's oh-so meta one minute then head-scratching the next. Who could ask for anything more?

Now that this arc has ended, I can see the main problem with this series: not enough focus on its main characters' characterization and too much on gory shenanigans. That being said--I do love some gory shenanigans, which this issue delivers. Ultimately, it's a shame that it doesn't live up to the incredible build-up of #5. Here's hoping arc 2 is better.

Jason Aaron has played the "THIS IS THE GREATEST COSMIC BATTLE OF ALL TIME" card a bit too much across his Thor run. However - that doesn't stop this from being a gripping read with excellent characterization.

While I loved Jason Aaron's extended, mostly awesome run on Thor, my biggest overall complaint had to do with all the "WORLD ENDING THREATS" that piled up. Every arc had to keep upping the stakes by proclaiming: "Well, I know I said the last universe crashing event thingy was the biggest thing to ever happen--but that's over now--and now there's an EVEN BIGGER BADDY that won't just destroy our universe, or ten universes, but A BILLION!" The stakes kept getting raised to such ridiculous, absurd points that nothing mattered anymore. That's also happening here. But it's even more obnoxious because Donny Cates is shoe-horning his own characters (or versions of characters) from previous books in. Oh, and brooding Thor is boring and giving him glowy eyes doesn't help matters (and maybe makes them worse).

The attempts at meta narrative can be over-the-top at times, but Typhoid Fever #1 delivers a heart-breaking character study that's partly fascinating because of it's female perspective. The art is also quite good.

This is why I've always had trouble getting into the X-Men--too many blandly written characters and tepid plots. I'll just stick with Astonishing X-Men, thank you very much.

Reminds me more of Jason Aaron's Avengers work than Thor. WOTR mainly consists of apocalyptic action interspersed with humor--which is fine--but most of the war has already been told in previous Thor issues and there's no pathos or cleverness to make-up for all the boring carnage.

What's so aggravating about this issue is that if the excessive, overwritten monologues were cut out--this would be a really creepy issue. Hey, editors? Danilo Beyruth is awesome. Put him on more stuff. He's earned it.

$1 BINVENTURES: Aaron writing feels like it's on autopilot, falling back on the snarky strongman archetype. But Del Mundo's vivid, ravishing art is the true star of Weirdworld.

Like much of Clowes's work, Wilson starts out slow but sure enough rolls into a trudging ball of existential dread.

I've never been into Wonder Woman as a character. Nor have I cared much about the stories written for her. But Wilson's handling of Diana and her mythology has me on board for more. Also, Cary Nord's Kubert-like art is lean and mean.

G. Willow Wilson continues to develop Diana, Steve Trevor, and the mythology in compelling ways. There are too many issues out these days that don't prompt further reading of the series. Luckily, the opposite is true here. WW #59 is dramatic, explosive, and even funny.

This is what I come to comics for--thematic deep dives, strong characterization, and robust art.

Characters flip-flop. Complex threads are either neatly cleaned up or not at all. Disappointment follows. What else is new?

Describe the three mythological creatures in one word: Insufferable.

Hickman's pompous, pretentious, overly-serious attempts to take the inherently goofy X-Men to self-serious levels is fairly grating. But there have been countless writers across the history of comics who've been able to wrench pathos from silliness--so what's the real problem? Exposition. And the fact that our heroes--the X-Men--are continually on a god trip and therefore immensely unlikable and dull.

Scott Snyder is still writing corny dialog, bland characters/plots, and scripts that stifle Jim Cheung. Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev are so perfect together, I'd be fine if they took over every DC character on the shelves today. James Tynion IV is pretty much the good version of Scott Snyder (and Francis Manapul doesn't hurt). Overall, a mixed bag (as these specials always are).

Bendis delivers a full-throttle, chaotic first issue of teenage exuberance. That's a good and a bad thing.