1. Daredevil #11 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Through Hell – Part 1’
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Art: Marco Checchetto / Colors: Nolan Woodard
This book keeps going places I don’t expect. I love that. Four great set pieces weaving together a story of obligation, duty, guilt and fear. Brilliant writing and gorgeous art. This series is amazing.

2. Batman #78 (DC) ★★★★★
‘City of Bane – Part 4’
Writer: Tom King / Art: Clay Mann / Colors: Tomeau Morey
I loved this book. (Bruce’s disguise – Classic!) Watching Bat & Cat heal and drop all their walls and veils. It was both riveting and romantic. I really love them together… and yes, I know this will not end well. (sigh).

3. Doctor Strange #19 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘The Choice’
Writer: Mark Waid / Art: Jesus Saiz
A stunningly brilliant read featuring a big change for the Sorcerer Supreme. Art, story, everything, just wow. Outstanding.

4. Invisible Woman #3 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Mark Waid / Art: Mattia De Luis
From the cover to the final page, this is a spy thriller done right. I love Sue as a bad-ass spy… and with a new power ability too. Awesome stuff.

5. Invaders 9 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Dead in the Water – Part 3’
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Art: Carlos Magno with Butch Guice / Colors: Alex Guimaraes
Solid issue which answers a slew of questions (it’s about time). Love seeing Spitfire again. They packed a lot into this and it promises more good stuff to follow. Aces.

6. Gwenpool Strikes Back #2 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Leah Williams / Art: David balloon / Colors: Jesus Aburtov
More silly fun, this time wth the Fantastic Four… and Deadpool. This may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but I really like it.

7. Event Leviathan #4 (DC) ★★★★
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Art: Alex Maleev
Tension filed issue as our heroes try to figure out just who Leviathan is and what they’re planning. Nice character interactions – everyone’s a suspect. The art really suits this story well.

8. Black Cat #4 (Marvel) ★★★★
‘Yancy Street Shuffle’
Writer: Jed MacKay / Art: Travel Foreman / Colors: Brian Reber
Solid caper-gone-bad story guest starring Johnny Storm. There’s a lot of snappy pater in this book, but not much actual action. It’s a slow burn, but one that still manages to entertain. Also, is it me or are the FF appearing in a lot of books recently?

9. Loki #3 (Marvel) ★★★★
‘The God Who Fell to Earth – Chapter 3: Your Move’
Writer: David Kibblesmith / Art: Oscar Bazaldua / Colors: David Curiel
Fun read, beautiful artwork and a shocking finale. I enjoy the breezy narrative in this book. It’s a refreshing break from recent, more somber Marvel offerings.

10. Canto #4 (IDW) ★★★★
Writer: David M. Booker / Art: Drew Zucker / Colors: Vittaro Astone
A new character, a couple of entertaining giants and furies. The story is ambling along at its own pace, and I like that its taking its time without unnecessary padding.

11. Absolute Carnage vs Deadpool #2 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Frank Tieri / Art: Marcello Ferreira wth Roberto Poggi & Andy Owens / Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg
Not as many laughs as the first issue, but still an enjoyable read. I admit I’m having difficulty keeping up with all the Symbiots & Carnages in this Event.

12. Guardians of the Galaxy: Prodigal Sun #1 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Peter David / Art: Francesco Manna / Colors: Espen Grundetjern
What a weirdly odd book. I loved the art, but the story? WTF? That is one screwed up ending. I did not see that coming. Wow. A very interesting read.

13. King Thor #1 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Chapter 1: Twilight of the Thunder God’
Writer: Jason Aaron / Art: Esad Ribic / Colors: Ive Svorcina
A long, gristly fight between Thor & Loki centers this book. The Thor Granddaughters have a sequence too, but it feels a bit like plot exposition filler. Overall this book is solid, with beautiful art by Ribic, but it suffers from a sense of ‘I’ve seen it all before’.

14. Miles Morales: Spider-Man #10 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Celebration’
Writer: Saladin Ahmed / Art: Javier Garron / Colors: David Curiel
‘The Secret Origin of Starling’
Writer: Saladin Ahmed / Art: Annie Wu / Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg
A bit of a wheel-spinning issue, albeit a warm and fuzzy one. The fight with Norman and Ultimatum was interesting. The PP Spidey cameo was the highlight of this book, and I’m not sure that’s a good sign. The Starling origin story was a nice, but unnecessary addition.

15. Absolute Carnage: Symbiote of Vengeance #1 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Ed Brisson / Art: Juan Frigeri / Colors: Dono Sanchez-Almara
Carnage as a Ghost Rider was pretty cool. The stakes are getting bigger, and Carnage is getting… crazier? Not the greatest book in the series by far, but not the worst either. Clearly a GR Promo.

16. Amazing Spider-Man #29 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Arrivals/Departures’
Writer: Nick Spencer / Art: Francesco Manna / Colors: Carlos Lopez
Basically a filler issue before ‘Absolute Carnage’ kicks off. I feel I’ve read this story a hundred times. I did enjoy Manna’s art (until the last 2 pages WTF?) and most of the Pete scenes. Pete acted very Spidey-like, which is something writers don’t often get right.

17. Silver Surfer Black #4 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Black – Part 4 of 5’
Writer: Donny Cates / Art: Trade Moore / Colors: Dave Stewart
The artwork continues to carry this book. Norrin continues his sanctimonious pity party. It ends like you expect it too (the sap). I’m crossing my fingers for an unexpected conclusion, but I am not hopeful. We’ll see.

18. Powers of X #4 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Something Sinister’
Writer: Jonathan Hickman / Art: R.B. Silva / Colors: Marte Gracia
I’m completely lost. The Sinister story was intriguing. The Krakoa sequence interesting, and the Phylanx story… indecipherable. Clearly I’m missing something (It’s not Hickman, it’s me).

19. Venom #18 (Marvel) ★★
Writer: Donny Cates / Art: Iban Coello / Colors: Rain Beredo
Aside from the stupidity of all the characters in this story (well, Maker and Dylan), this is a fairly good read. The decisions made by Dylan and Maker don’t make a lot of sense, and serve mainly to move the story along. I did like the final act though, that was pretty cool.

20. Moon Knight Annual #1 (Marvel) ★★
‘Acts of Evil’
Writer: Cullen Bunn / Art: Ibrahim Moustafa & Matt Horak / Colors: Mike Spicer
Your typical time-heist story, this time with three MacGuffins. I did enjoy the various MK iterations, but the ending felt very tired and predictable. Also, – Kang has never acted more stupid. His was a flawed plan from the start.

21. Flash #78 (DC) ★
‘Death and the Speed Force – Part 3’
Writer: Joshua Williamson / Art: Rafa Sandoval & Jordi Tarragona / Colors: Arif Printano
Less action and more… lots more… talk in this issue. There’s some decent dialog, but overall its a bit of a bore.

1. Agents of Atlas #2 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘The Portal City of Pan – Part 2’
Writer: Greg Pak, Jeff Parker / Art: Nico Leon & Pop Mhan / Colors: Federico Blee
Absolutely delightful. Great world building, coupled with an intriguing mystery, some romance and top notch art. So far, this book is everything I hoped it would be.

2. House of X #4 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘It Will Be Done’
Writer: Jonathan Hickman / Art: Pepe Larraz / Colors: Marte Gracia
Gorgeous art highlights this surprisingly dark and grim book. A story of sacrifice and loss that makes for a gripping read from beginning to end.

3. Fantastic Four #14 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Point of Origin – Part 1: Wanderlust’
Writer: Dan Slott / Art: Paco Medina / Colors: Jesus Aburtov
Not a story I would have expected, but a fun book nonetheless. Wonderful dialog makes this very wordy issue a joy to read. The Ben/Alicia sandwich scene was priceless. The art was beautifully simple, even if it did feel a bit odd not having a cover by Esad Ribic. Great book.

4. DCeased: A Good Day to Die #1 (DC) ★★★★
Writer: Tom Taylor / Art: Laura Braga & Darick Robertson, Richard Friend, Trevor Scott & Darick Robertson / Colors: Rain Beredo
Solid offshoot from the main DCeased comic. I really enjoyed the writing. The dialog popped and everybody got a chance to shine. Great (and grisely) stuff.

5. Amazing Spider-Man: Going Big (Marvel) ★★★★
‘Field of Fire’ / L’ife Lessons’ / ‘The Execution’
Writers: Gerry Conway, Ralph Macchio, Erik Larsen / Art: Mark Bagley, Todd Nauck, Erik Larsen, Victor Olazaba, Andy Owens & Dexter Vines / Colors: Carlos Lopez, Rachelle Rosenberg, Laura Martin
Enjoyable mini-anthology. ‘Execution’ was my favorite story, if only for Erik Larsen’s artwork. There were some very cool visuals in ‘Field of Fire’ too. A solid 80th Anniversary book.

6. Doomsday Clock #11 (DC) ★★★★
‘Part 11: A Lifelong Mistake’
Writer: Geoff Johns / Art: Gary Frank . Colors: Brad Anderson
Solid penultimate issue. Things are coming together and the stage is set for a big finish. Hopefully they don’t drop the ball.

7. Savage Avengers #5 (Marvel) ★★★★
‘Chapter 5: The Triumph of Kulan Gath’
Writer: Gerry Duggan / Art: Mike Deodato Jr. / Colors: Frank Martin
Our initial story comes to a close with a big action book… followed by a lot of chatter. A. Lot. There were some pretty cool scenes in this book, plus some promising hints for the future, bit I’m not sure I’m sticking around to see how they develop. We’ll see.

8. Absolute Carnage: Symbiote Spider-Man #1 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Peter David / Art: Francesco Mobili / Colors: Java Tartaglia & Rain Beredo
Compelling story and complimentary art. Who doesn’t like Whie Rabbit? Reads like an old timey horror comic. Necessary? No. For completists? Sure, why not?

9. Something Is Killing The Children #1 (Boom Studios) ★★★
‘The Angel of Archer’s Peak – Part 1’
Writer: James Tynion IV / Art: Werther Dell’edera / Colors: Miguel Muerto
Straightforward monster story with a relatable protagonist. The writing hits all the right marks, and the art has that modern look we’re seeing more and more of. There is a bit of mystery surrounding things, and some light gore. A little tame for an adult, but t I can see teens loving this.

10. Champions #9 (Marvel) ★★★
‘While You Were Away’
Writer: Jim Sub / Art: Steven Cummings / Colors: Marcio Menyz
Champions fighting Champions. I usually tire of this well worn plot, but the twists here kind of make it work. Nice fight sequences, and some snappy dialog. Nova’s helmet feels off, but otherwise the art is solid.

11. Web of Black Widow #1 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Jody Houser / Art: Stephen Mooney / Colors: Triona Farrell
Bought this book on the premise that it was going to delve into the Widow’s early life. It did, and it didn’t, which was a bit of a disappointment. The art was slightly unpleasant, with overly heavy inks and a rough look that didn’t quite gel. The story itself is actually somewhat interesting. Lets see where this goes.

12. Absolute Carnage: Scream #2 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Cullen Bunn / Art: Gerardo Sandoval with Alex Arizmendi, Victor Nava / Colors: Erick Arciniega
Scream and Andi fight Carnage and his minions in a fairly rote fight/break/fight again book. The multiple artists don’t help matters and the book feels erratic. Entertaining enough, but hardly necessary.

13. Justice League #31 (DC) ★★★
‘Justice/Doom War – Part 2’
Writer: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV / Art: Jorge Jimenez / Colors: Alejandro Sanchez
A lot of talk and more exposition. The story is moving along, but it felt like this issue included a lot of unnecessary set-up. Hopefully we get some action in the next issue.

14. Batman vs Ra’s al Ghul #1 (DC) ★★
Writer: Neal Adams / Art: Neal Adams / Colors: Neal Adams
There were a few flashes of classic Neal Adams in this book, but not enough to get past the overly-wordy, OTT and confusing story. It’s a six issue series, take your time and let the story breathe. Sheesh.

15. Alpha Flight: True North #1 (Marvel) ★★
‘Mired in the Past’ / ‘Monsters’ / ‘Illegal Guardians’
Writers: Jim Zub, Jed Mackay, Ed Brisson / Art: Max Dunbar, Djibril Morissette-Phan, Scott Hepburn / Colors: Jim Charalampidis, Ian Herring, Jim Charalampidis
Three stories featuring some of the AF members on the cover, but not all. ‘Mired’ looked great, but made no seance. ‘Monsters’ was quite good, especially the final panel. ‘Illegal Guardians’ made me want to smash Mac in the face. All in all, okay, but the whole thing felt a bit bait and switchy.

16. Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1 (DC) ★★
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Art: Jim Lee, Dustin Nguyen, Andrea Sorrentino & Andre Lima Araujo / Colors: Alex Sinclair, John Kalisz, Dave Stewart & Jordie Bellaire
Sometimes multiple creative teams can be fun and interesting. This was not one of those times. The story was confusing and the changing styles only added to the problem. The art was good, but my unfamiliarity with Rose and Thorn just muddied things for me.
17.
Spawn #300 (Image) ★★
Writer: Todd McFarlane & ScottSnyder / Art: Greg Capullo, J. Scott Campbell & Jason Shawn Alexander, Todd McFarlane / Colors: FCO Plascencia, Brian Heberlin, Peter Steigerwald & Matt Hollingsworth
I felt like I was at a party where I didn’t know anybody. Clearly one needs to know their Spawn lore to get everything in this book. I was completely lost. Aside from that, much of the art was quite good. Some only so-so. I guess I knew the risks when I signed on board.

1. Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane’
Writer: Tom Taylor / art: Juann Cabal / Colors: Rachelle Roseberg
Outstanding. Sparkling dialog.. complete with callbacks. Spot on art with lots of great bits of business. Plus: a surprise guest star. Practically perfect in every way.

2. Thor #16 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Once Upon a Time in Asgard’
Writer: Jason Aaron / Art: Mike Del Mundo / Colors: Mike Del Mundo & Marc D’Alfonso
The end of a classic series ends in a fitting way. No real action to speak of in this book, but it was still an enjoyable coda to the Aaron/Del Mundo run. We’ll never see a series like this one again.

3. Mountainhead #1 (IDW) ★★★★★
Writer: John Lees / Art: Ryan Lee / Colors: Doug Garbark
Dark, brooding and packed with more than a bit of intrigue, Mountainhead is a solid read. I love the art by Ryan Lee. It suits the story well. The writing is top notch too. I feel like I know these people (yes, even Noah).

4. Doctor Strange #18 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Strange Visitor’
Writer: Mark Waid / Art: Jesus Saiz
A sweet one-shot. I saw the end coming a mile away, but I didn’t care. This was an uncharacteristically fun book. I love the homeowners, and the way Strange goes about his business. Great stuff.

5. House of X #3 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Once More Unto the Breach’
Writer: Jonathan Hickman / Art: Pepe Larraz / Colors: Marte Gracia
Tight and compelling Eve of Battle book. Loved the tension in this one, and that final page? Aces.

6. Avengers #23 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Challenge of the Ghost Riders – Part 2: Hellrace 666’
Writer: Jason Aaron / Art: Stefano Caselli / Colors: Jason Keith
BIG action book. The Ghost Riders race in Hell, the battle with the possessed Avengers mountain. Boy-Thing… This books had everything, including a sweet reveal at the end.

7. Absolute Carnage #2 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Donny Cates / Art: Ryan Stegman & JP Mayer / Colors: Frank Martin
Lots of action in this book. Carnage is everywhere. Love the packed, crowded art in this book. Really works with the whole Carnage theme. A solid read from beginning to end.

8. Marvel Comics #1000 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Various / Art: Various / Colors: Various
I really enjoyed this book. The Mask narrative provided a nice anchor for the annual stories by the various creative teams. I had many favorites, but I think my top one was ‘The Route’ by Donny Cates & Geoff Shaw. Solid Stuff.

9. Spider-Man: Velocity #1 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Dennis Hallum / Art: Emilio Laiso / Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg
Very fun book with some great puns and sparkling dialog throughout. Emilio Laiso’s art work on Pete’s face is a bit hit & miss at times, but really, that’s my only complaint.

10. Venom #17 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Donny Cates / Art: Iban Coello / Colors: Rain Beredo
Another great Carnage book. The art is simultaneously vibrant, alive, dense and dynamic. A tricky mix we rarely see anymore. Score.

11. Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales #1 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Saladan Ahmed / Art: Federico Vicentini / Colors: Erick Arciniega
Nice looking art and some snappy dialog make this one of the more fun Abso-Carnage books. The story rolls along full speed right up to the end, which I actually found quite a surprise. Solid stuff.

12. Spider-Man: Life Story #6 (Marvel) ★★★★
‘The 10’s – Chapter 6: All My Enemies’
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Art: Mark Bagley & Andrew Hennessy / Colors: Frank D’Armata
There’s a lot of story packed into this finale issue. Nice use of Miles & Otto, MJ, even Aunt May. The ending was nicely done too. As a series, ‘Life Story’ was a bit hit and miss, but at least it ended on a high note.

13. Amazing Spider-Man #28 (Marvel) ★★★★
‘Who Run the World? – Part 3’
Writer: Nick Spencer / Art: Kev Walker & John Dell / Colors: Laura Martin & Andrew Crossley
Lots of story, action… and words in this book. Not as fun as the last issue, but still an enjoyable romp. A slightly slower pace might have given the dialog more room to breathe.

14. She-Hulk Annual 1 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Acts of Evil’
Writer: Alexandra Petri / Art: Andy McDonald / Colors: Matt Milla
Fun little story. Some entertaining dialog along with some pretty nice art, make for an enjoyable, if at times confusing, romp.

15. Power Pack Grow Up #1 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Growing Pains’
Writer: Louis Simonson / Art: June Brigman / Colors: Tamra Bonvillain
‘The Gift’
Writer: Louis Simonson / Art: Gurihiru / Colors: Tamra Bonvillain
The was a very cute book. Clearly for younger readers, but still an enjoyable read. I liked the art too, especially Gurihiru’s work in ‘The Gift’.

16. Flash #77 (DC) ★★★
‘Death of the Speed Force – Part 2’
Writer: Joshua Williamson / Art: Rafa Sandoval & Jordi Tarragona / Colors: Tomeu Morey
The story moves along quite briskly in this second issue of the ‘Death of the Speed Force’ storyline. Still feels a bit lightweight, but I like the other Force characters, plus its funny how everybody dogs on Barry.

17. Superman #14 – Reissue (DC) ★★★
‘The Unity Saga: The House of El – Conclusion: Part 1’
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Art: Ivan Reis with Joe Prado & Oclair Albert / Colors: Alex Sinclair
The re-issue that caused all the fuss. I still don’t see anything worth destroying the original run for (except the darkening of the skin on Lightning Lad). Story wise, nothing changes. A lot of fuss over nothing. Book loses a star from its previous score for being a nothingburger.

18. Batman / Superman #1 (DC) ★★★
‘Who Are the Secret Six?’
Writer: Joshua Williamson / Art: David Marquez / Colors: Alejandro Sanchez
Not gonna lie, I’m a bit over The Batman Who Laughs. That this story is running concurrent with BMWL and DCeased feels like overkill. How many tikes can the DC Universe become evil? Is DC out of other ideas? Art was good, read okay, but c’mon…

19. Captain America #13 (Marvel) ★★
‘The Legend of Steve – Part 1’
Writer: Ta-Nehisi Coates / Art: Jason Masters & Sean Izaakse / Colors: Matt Milla
I’m all for politics in my Captain America stories, but this issue felt a bit ham fisted. It added nothing to the main narrative, and smacked of propaganda. Even if I agree with some of it, I’d prefer we get on with our story and not stop for self-indulgent detours.

20. Batman: Curse of the White Knight #2 (DC: Black Label) ★★
Writer: Sean Murphy / Art: Sean Murphy / Colors: Matt Hollingsworth
Gritty with lots of action, after a bit of a slow start. The story is starting to gel, but its still a bit slow, and predictable. Meh.

21. Absolute Carnage: Lethal Protectors #1 (Marvel) ★★
Writer: Frank Tieri / Art: Flaviano / Colors: Federico Blee
Book commits the cardinal sin of having a completely misleading cover, plus being a bit dull. The story, such as it is, feels rushed, and a bit predictable. Instantly forgettable.

22. Fantastic Four: 4 Yancy Street #1 (Marvel) ★★
‘4 Yancy Street’
Writer: Gerry Duggan / Art: Greg Smallwood, Mark Bagley, Luciano Vecchio & Pere Perez / Colors: Greg Smallwood & Eric Arciniega
I really wanted to like this book, but it fell flat. Also, the switching to different art teams mid-story was a bit jarring. Don’t really see the point. Ah well.

1. Daredevil #10 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer; Chip Zdarsky / Art: Jorge Fornes / Jordie Bellaire
Another great book. I love how all the little moments early on come together for the big climax. This book had a great flow. Outstanding.

2. Absolute Carnage vs Deadpool #1 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Frank Tleri / Art: Marcello Ferreria & Roberto Poggi / Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg
Very enjoyable comic. Great dialog and fun bits of business. Deadpool and Spidey make for great comedy. I may have to explore their back issues.

3. Batman #77 (DC) ★★★★★
Writer; Tom King / Art: Mikel Janin & Tony S. Daniel with Norm Rasmund / Colors: Jordie Bellaire & Tomeu Morey
I do love a Damien story, and this book didn’t disappoint. Solid action, with a grim & gritty climax. The Bat/Cat sequences were good too. Very cool.

4. Guardians of the Galaxy #8 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Donny Cates / Art: Cory Smith / Colors: David Curiel
Not what I was expecting – which is a good thing. Interesting and somewhat moving Rocket origin story. Tge final act with the bigger GotG crew was cool too. Nice reveal.

5.Superman: Year One #2 (DC:Black Label) ★★★★
Writer: Frank Miller / Aret: John Romita Jr & Danny Miki / Colors: Alex Sinclair
In what felt like two separate books, I preferred the Navy story. Lots of interesting stuff about Clark assimilating, etc. The Undersea battle story, was good, but was nothing new. I’m confused about Clarks costume though. Who made it and how did it hold up ti the Kraken beating? Seemd like a big omission.

6. Headless #1 (Scout) ★★★★
Writer: Alexander Banchitta / Art: Robert Ahmad
Pretty cool looking comic. Love the limited color palette and spot pink. Very cool. The writing is lively, if a tad cliche. The story is intriguing enough that I want to see where it goes.

7. Valkyrie: Jane Foster #2 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Jason Aaron & Al Ewing / Art: Cafu / Colors: Jesus Aburtov
Solid battle book. Big hits, big stakes, plus a climax I didn’t see coming. Interesting to see where this goes.

8. Canto #3 (IDW) ★★★
Writer: David M. Booher / Art: Drew Zucker / Colors: Vittorio Astone
Lots of exposition in. this issue. The art was a bit hit & miss in the beginning too. Still, it’s a compelling, well written read.

9. Powers of X #3 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Jonathan Hickman / Art: R.B. Silva / Colors: Marte Gracia
A big espionage and battle book. Some interesting things happen, and the ending was pretty cool. Still, it read a bit hallow, and I still feel like I’ve read this before.

10. Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #2 (DC) ★★★
Writer: Matt Fraction / Art: Steve Lieber / Colors: Nathan Fairbairn
A bit disjointed, but still a fun book. The Suoerman cameo was the best part, but the scene with Jimmy’s brother was pretty interesting too.

11. Death’s Head #2 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Tini Howard / Art: Kei Zama / Colors: Kei Zama
This was a big improvement over the previous issue. The art’s still a bit dodgy, but the narrative made more sense. Kate Bishop is a welcome addition.

12. History of the Marvel Universe #2 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Mark Waid / Art: Javier Rodriguez & Alvaro Lopez
It’s a bit of a dry read I’ll admit (No Galactus & Franklin in this issue), but the extensive appendix at the end gives issue numbers to read more about Marvel History one might be unfamiliar with. Which, I suppose s the point.

1. Fantastic Four #13 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘The Fight of Your Life’
Writer: Dan Slott / Art: Sean Izaakse / Colors: Marcio Menyz
This was a crazy good book. I don’t think I have never seen the Thing get beat up that badly. Loved the way the fight was portrayed. Loved the ending. Loved the coda. Loved everything.

2. Silver Surfer Black #3 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Black’ – Part 3 of 5
Writer: Donny Cates / Art: Trade Moore / Colors: Dave Stewart
Visually stunning throughout (that cover!) This issue has a tight, direct narrative that really improves the story. Surfer is valiant and strong in this issue, as opposed to the previous ones where his usual flaws were front and center. I prefer this version.

3. Show’s End #1 (Mad Cave) ★★★★★
Writer: Anthony Cleveland / Art: Jef Sadzinski / Colors: Julian Gonzalez
Dark, Intense and gripping storytelling. There’s a lot of story packed into this book. The art is quite good and fits the subject matter perfectly. I need to see where this goes.

4. Loki #2 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘The God Who Fell to Earth’ – Chapter 2: ‘Can I Help You’?
Writer: Daniel Kibblesmith / Art: Oscar Bazaldua / Colors: David Curiel
This is such a fun read. So many little things add up for a delightful whole. I don’t know where to begin. The writing sparkles and the art never misses a beat.

5. Amazing Spider-Man #27 (Marvel) ★★★★★
’Who Run the World’? – Part 2
Writer: Nick Spencer / Art: Kev Walker & John Dell / Colors: Laura Martin
The laughs continue. The fight between Spidey, Boomerang & the Syndicate is hilarious. Such a fun book. Aces!

6. Sharkey the Bounty Hunter #5 (Image) ★★★★★
Writer: Mark Millar / Art: Simone Bianchi / Colors: Matteo Vattani
Sharkey delivers again in this fast paced rescue mission. Plus Extra Billy gets deep and an old friend returns. The excellent writing & gorgeous art continues. Only one book left. I need more Sharkey!

7. Immortal Hulk #1 Director’s Cut (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Or Is He Both’
Writer: Al Ewing / Art: Joe Bennett & Ruy Jose / Colors: Paul Mounts
The first IH issue reprinted with bonuses, including the pencils for each page along with some pin-ups and notes. The pencils are amazing.

8. Event Leviathan #3 (DC) ★★★★
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Art: Alex Maleev
This may be the best issue of Leviathan yet. The story is gelling and the tone gets tighter and more suspenseful. Cool stuff.

9. Second Coming #2 (Ahoy) ★★★★
‘Second Coming’ / ‘Important NYC Checklists’ / ‘The Fare’
Writer: Mark Russell & J. Endress / Art: Richard Pace with Leonard Kirk, Mat Buechele & Ameilee Sullivan / Colors: Andy Troy
Some fun bits to be sure, but a bit of a darker tone than the previous issue. It’s an interesting direction that I didn’t expect. The two short stories at the end (Checklists & Fare) are priceless.

10. Symbiote Spider-Man #5 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Peter David / Art: Greg land & Jay Leisten / Colors: Frank D’Armata
Great looking book. The Shea Stadium setting gives this story a real NYC Flavor. This was a very cool run. I’m sorry to see it end.

11. Gwenpool Strikes Back #1 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Leah Williams / Art: David Baldeon / Colors: Jesus Aburtov
Fun silliness. The art is aces and there are some pretty solid set pieces, especially toward the end. The FF are in the next issue, so I’ll be sticking around.

12. Silver Surfer: Prodigal Sun #1 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Peter David / Art: Francesco Manna / Colors: Espen Grundetjern
Highly entertaining book. We get some solid backstory on Prah-d’gul, and an interesting take ion the Surfer. Very cool.

13. Miles Morales: Spider-Man #9 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Saladin Almed / Art: Javier Garron / Colors: David Curiel
Some very cool fight visuals in this book. Nice mix of subtle humor and action. The art remains aces. The staircase fight page… woof!

14. Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #10 (Marvel) ★★★★
‘Feast or Famine’ – Part 4
Writer; Tom Taylor / Art: Ken Lashley, Scott Hanna & Luca Maresca / Colors: Nolan Woodard
Cute finish to the story, with a pretty cool final battle. It was nice to see Spidey rise above his guilt for once. That was a very good sequence. Nice, fuzzy conclusion too.

15. Invaders #8 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Dead in the Water’ – Part 2
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Art: Carlos Magno with Butch Guice / Colors: Alex Guimaraes with Dono Sanchez-Almara
The writing saves this issue. The Magno/Guice art team misses the mark a lot in his book. It’s not that the art is bad, it just looks hurried, and slightly unfinished. This takes away from a great narrative by Zdarsky.

16. Absolute Carnage: Scream #1 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Cullen Bunn / Art: Gerardo Sandoval & Victor Nana / Colors: Erick Arciniega
Stunning artwork in what is essentially a set-up issue for a monster/murder story. I don’t know the players, which doesn’t help. Still, it held my attention.

17. Powers of X #2 (Marvel) ★★★
‘We are Together Now, You and I’
Writer: Jonathan Hickman / Art: R.B. Silva & Adriano Di Benedetto / Colors: Marte Gracia
Interesting, if a bit dry. The art is great, but the book is mostly narration and techo-speak. A lot of set-up that hopefully pays off down the road.

18. Doctor Strange #17 (Marvel) ★★
‘Herald Supreme’ – Part 6
Writer: Mark Waid / Art: Barry Kitson & Scott Koblish / Colors: Brian Reber
‘Herald Supreme’ comes to a close, but it’s an ending I feel I’ve read before, several times. That’s a bit of a letdown. Still, it was done well, so there is that. Mephisto is always a welcome addition. Crazy bastard.

19. Absolute Carnage: Separation Anxiety #1 (Marvel) ★
Writer: Clay McCleod Chapman / Art: Brian Level / Colors: Erick Arciniega
So many questions. How many symbiots does it take to capture a tween? A bit too cute by half, this one. It’s like they were hardly trying (the writers and the symbiots).

1. Absolute Carnage #1 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Chapter 1: The Bleeding King / Chapter 2: The God Son / Chapter 3: The Long Red Dark’
Writer: Donny Cates / Art: Ryan Stegman & JP Mayer / Colors; Frank Martin
Now I get what all the fuss is about. This book was great. Amazing artwork and a story that grabs you and doesn’t let go. Not 100% sure how Normie got involved, but I suppose that got lost in editing.

2. Daredevil #9 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘No Devils. Only God – Part 4’
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Art: Lalit Kumar Sharma & Jay Leisten / Colors: Java Tartaglia
Beautiful book that explores faith, duty, existentialism, and packs in some solid action to boot. The opening chess scene was perfection. The ending, even more so. Great work.

3. Savage Avengers #4 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Chapter 4: Stress Test’
Writer: Gerry Duggan / Art: Mike Deodato Jr. / Colors: Frank Martin
Best book of the series. The art continues to be the best part of this series, but the writing really came thru this time as well. Great set pieces in a big, over the top adventure. Looking forward to the conclusion next month.

4. Immortal Hulk #22 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Who’s There’
Writer: Al Ewing / Art: Joe Bennett with Ruy Jose & Balardino Brabo / Colors: Paul Mounts
Oh man, that ending. For a relatively quiet book, this was a riveting read. The intensity keeps building, until… BOOM!

5. Black Cat #3 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘Holiest of Holies – Part 2’
Writer: Jed MacKay / Art: Travel Foreman & Michael Dowling / Colors: Brian Reber
That was a lot of fun. I love a good caper story. Bats the ghost dog is always a delight. Lots of laughs, and I even got the payoff at the end I was hoping for. This has been an unexpectedly great series… so far.

6. Agents of Atlas #1 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘The Portal of Pan City – Part 1’
Writer: Greg Pak / Art: Nico Leon / Colors: Federico Blee
‘Behind the Veil’
Writer: Jeff Parker / Art: Carlo Pagulayan & Jason Paz / Colors: Dono Sanchez-Almara
Two Atlas stories featuring two teams, and both are really good. Beautiful art by Leon & Pagulayan, coupled with great writing by Pak & Parker make this book a joy. There’s a playfulness to the storytelling that I find particulary enjoyable.

7. House of X #2 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘The Uncanny Life of Moira X’
Writer: Jonathan Hickman / Art: Pepe Larraz / Colors: Marte Gracia
Fascinating look at X-History thru the life (lives?) of Moira MacTaggert-something-something-X. Wonderfully written. Totally compelling.

8. Sensational Spider-Man: Self Improvement #1 (Marvel) ★★★★
‘Burn Job’
Writer: Peter David / Art: Rick Leonardi & Victor Olazaba / Colors: Rachele Rosenberg
‘With No Power’
Writer: Tom DeFalco / Art: Ron Frenz & Sal Buscema / Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Solid one-shot Spidey book. The first story, originally plotted out in 1982, is a fun, almost ‘What-If’ story. The second is a twist on the With Great Power mythos… (by some classic creative heavy hitters). Both are very good and quite enjoyable.

9. DCeased #4 (DC) ★★★★
‘Nuclear Option’
Writer: Tom Taylor / Art: Trevor Hairsine & Stefano Gaudiano / Colors: Rain Beredo
Things are getting real in the Dceasedverse. The art in this book is stunning. This series has turned out to be much better than I had originally anticipated. That cover though… wtf? I know covers don’t always match the story, but this isn’t even remotely close. Why not toss in the Unknown Soldier & Haunted Tank while your at it?

10. Batman #76 (DC) ★★★★
‘City of Bane – Part 2’
Writer: Tom King / Art: Tony S. Daniel with Sandu Florea & Norm Rapmund / Colors: Tomeu More
Well, that was odd. Good, but odd. The Gotahm Girl/Captain Atom fight was pretty cool. The Robins sequence was quite good too. Actually, pretty much everything was pretty good. Kiteman. Heh.

11. Invisible Woman #2 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Mark Waid / Art: Mattia De Lulis / Colors: Mattia De Lulis
Nice spy, chase thriller. I really like Sue as a spy. Teaming her with Widow is genius. Their differences make for some great tension. The drinking scene? Kick. Ass.

12. Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History #6 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Paul Scheer & Nick Giovanetti / Art: Todd Nauck / Colors: Antonio Fabela
The CGR saga comes to a close. This was a fun, if inconstant series. I actually liked they way everything wrapped up. Even Nauck’s art was slightly better in this book (some of those faces though… yikes).

13. Future Foundation # 1 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Jeremy Whitley / Art: Will Robson with Daniele Orlandini / Colors: Greg Menzie
Fun jail break story. Fits in the backstories nicely without interrupting the main story (much). My one knock would be the art, which is a bit of a disappointment. It’s not bad, just a bit… off.

14. Champions #8 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Give and Take’
Writer: Jim Zub / Art: Steven Cummings / Colors: Marcio Menyz
Nova’s back in a fun conclusion to the helmet heist story. Nicely written, with art that’s more hit than miss.

15. Lois Lane #2 (DC) ★★★
‘Enemy of the People – Part 2’
Writer: Greg Rucka / Art: Mike Perkins / Colors: Paul Mounts
Still gritty, with plenty of intrigue and mystery. I like seeing Lois as a real kick ass investigative reporter. It’s a side I don’t see often in the Supes books. Not sure how they’re going to stretch this out to twelve issues though.

16. Doom Patrol: Weight of the World #2 (DC: Young Animal) ★★
‘Space Divorce’
Writer: Gerard Way & Jeremy Lambert / Art: James Harvey / Colors: James Harvey
Not sure how I feel about this book. There are some fun bits, but overall I don’t quite get where they’re taking things. Still, there’s enough here to keep me reading. For now.

1. Canto #1 (IDW) (Second Printing) ★★★★★
Writer: David M. Bonner / Art: Drew Zucker
Original Release Date: 06/26/19 (First Printing)
That was just wonderful. Bonner & Zucker build such a uniquely beautiful and interesting world. Plus, I’m a sucker for a good quest. How’d I miss this? I’m hooked. Now to find a First Printing.

2. Fantastic Four #12 (Marvel) ★★★★★
‘The Honeymoon Crasher’ / ‘Speed of Light’
Writer: Dan Slott & Jeremy Whitley / Art: Sean Izaakse $ Danieles Orlandini, Will Robson / Colors: Marcio Enyz & Greg Menzie
Nice old-timey Thing vs Hulk story, with a twist. Snappy dialog, great visuals and solid action (I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many pieces of Ben break off). Great stuff. The Future Foundation story was a pleasant read as well. (The feels!).

3. Secret Warps: Iron Hammer Annual #1 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Part 5: ‘Secret Infinity Warp Warps’ / ‘Fenris in a Bottle’
Writer: Al wing & Tini Howard / Art: Carlos Gomez & Ario Anindito / Colors: Carlos Lopez & Israel Silva
They actually pulled this story off. Nice job. I admit in the beginningI had my doubts. Both the main story and ‘Fenris in a Bottle’ were gems.

4. Canto #2 (IDW) ★★★★
Writer: David M. Bonner / Art: Drew Zucker
A quieter issue than the debut. The story takes its time with plenty of stunning visuals and some nice set pieces. An unlikely alliance proves a fun and welcome addition.

5. Fornicators Inc. #1 (Aardvark-Vanaheim) ★★★★
‘Cerebus in Hell’
Writer: David Birdsong / Art: Gustave Dore& Dante Alighieri
The Ditko sequence was definitely the funniest ipart of this up and down book. I came in new to this, so am unfamiliar with the style, but I really enjoyed it. Reminds me of some of the indie comics I read in Seattle back in the early 80’s. I may have to explore the back issues.

6. The Batman Who Laughs #7 (DC) ★★★
‘The Laughing House’ – Part 7
Writer: Scott Snyder / Art: Jock / Colors: David Baron
I loved the look and tone of this series, even though I didn’t fully understand it. I left me feeling a bit conflicted. It was a compelling read, but it left me feeling a bit empty at the end. Probably another one of those ‘It helps to know the backstory things’. Ah well.

7. Powers of X (Marvel) ★★★
‘The Last Dream of Professor X’
Writer: Jonathan Hickman / Art: R.B. Silva & Adriano Di Benedetto / Colors: Marte Gracia
This was certainly an interesting read. The art was quite nice too. I’m not too sure where they’re going with this, but I’ll stick around… for now. Hopefully the text sequences will decrease over time. They give the books (Both House & Powers) a stiffness that I feel hurts the flow of the story.

8. Batman: Last Knight in Earth #2 (DC Black Label) ★★★
Writer: Scott Snyder / Art: Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion / Colors: FCO Plascencia
Some good stuff in this issue (Can I be Robin? ), but I’m still a bit lost. Stuff just… happens, with no clear reason or purpose. Odd. I must be missing something.

9. Captain America #12 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Captain of Nothing’ – Part 6
Writer: Ta-Nehisi Coates / Art: Adam Kubert / Colors; Matt Milla
‘Captain of Nothing’ ends, not with a bang, but with lots of set up for ‘The Legend of Steve’. Oddly enough, I liked this issue, even if nothing actually happened (except that final reveal).

10. Avengers #22 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Challenge of the Ghost Riders – Part 1: The Exorcism at Avengers Mountain’
Writer: Jason Aaron / Art: Stefano Caselli / Colors: Jason Keith
For a set-up issue, this was pretty good. Nice to see Daimon Hellstrom again. Art was great, except for the West Coast Avenges page at the end by Al Alburquerque. Yikes.

11. Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #9 (Marvel) ★★★
‘Feast or Famine’ – Part 3
Writer: Tom Taylor / Art: Kei Zama / Colors: Felipe Sobreiro
I really enjoy the easygoing, breezy nature of Taylor’s writing on this series, but this one felt lighter than usual. A lot of set-up, highlighted by a quick backstory, and then it was over. I would have preferred more.

12. Marvel Comics Presents #7 (Marvel) ★★★
Wolverine: ‘The Vigil’ – Part 7 / Iron Man: ‘Market Correction’ / Winter Soldier: S’ne Eo Alia Essent Visibilia Omnia’
Writers: Charles Soule, Ryan North & D. Pierson / Art: Paulo Siqueira with Oren Junior, Rod Reis & Alessandro Vitti / Colors: Frank D’Armata, Rod Reis, Lee Loughridge
After the issue 6 fuss, I figured I’d give this nice little anthology series a try. It’s not bad. Art was good in all three stories. They made their point quickly and succinctly. They just didn’t connect with me. Oddly enough, the Winter Soldier story was my favorite (followed by the Sub-Prime Mortgage man intro to the Iron Man story).

13. Death’s Head #1 (Marvel) ★★
‘The Bo(d)y in Question’
Writer: Tini Howard / Art: Kei Zama / Colors: Felipe Sobreiro
I should already know who/what Death’s Head is, yes? This book tries really hard to be funny, but falls a bit short. The art feels crowded to the point where it detracts from the story. Hulkling & Wiccan were welcome additions, but I’m still not sure about this one.

14. Manor Black #1 (Dark Horse) ★★
Writer: Cullen Bunn & Brian Hurtt / Art: Tyler Crook
A dark, moody mystery with all the usual suspects: magic types, ancient beings, resentful heirs, amusing locals, plus a runaway (BINGO!) Somewhat intriguing, but not sure if it’s enough to keep me reading. Perhaps Patton Oswald oversold it (or he read ahead).

15. Knights Temporal #1 (AfterShock) ★★
‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time’
Writer: Cullen Bunn / Art: Fran Galan
Much like Manor Black, I picked this up on the strength of Cullen Bunn’s name, but found the story a bit too familiar for my tastes. Time traveling, sword & sorcery, treacherous alliances. It’s very well trodden territory. Also, the art, while quite good, was a tad too dark and murky to fully appreciate.

01. Secret Warps: Arach-Knight Annual #1 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Al Ewing & Jim Zub / Art: Carlos Gomez, Carlo Barberi & Juan Vlasco / Colors: Carlos Lopez & Ruth Redmond
Best book in the new Warp series by a mile. Beautifully illustrated with writing so fun I laughed out loud. Both stories are practically perfect, in every way.

02. Fearless #1 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Seanan McGuire, Leah Williams & Kelly Thompson / Art: Claire Roe, Nina Vakueva & Carmen Carnero / Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg & Tamra Bonvillain
An absolutely delightful read. Three stories, each filled with charm, spot on art and sparkling dialog. The Mille the Model story steals the show. But Campfire promises to be a banger.

03. Amazing Spider-Man #26 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Nick Spencer / Art: Kev Walker / Colors: Laura Martin
Surprisingly entertaining comic. I admit it took me a while to get used to Walker’s take on Pete, but overall I really liked the art. The story was a lot of fun, and really clicked. Great job.

04. History of the Marvel Universe #1 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Mark Waid / Art: Javier Rodriguez & Alvaro Lopez
Enjoyable chronological review of Marvel’s myths and history. Nice use of Galactus narration to Franklin Richards to frame the story. Pleasant art, and a whole lot of information (including exhaustive annotations from a small army or researchers) make for a surprisingly solid read. Looking forward to more.

05. House of X (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Jonathan Hickman / Art: Pepe Larraz / Colors: Marte Gracia
Really interesting read. I am a bit confused why Jean is ‘Marvel Girl’ again, and why she & Cyclops require the masks. Other than that, the mix of text & comic was quite impressive. Very interested to see where this goes.

06. Doctor Strange #16 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Barry Kitson & Mark Waid / Art: Mark Waid / Colors: Brian Reber
Galactus fights… everybody. Cameos abound in this big cosmic battle for reality. It doesn’t end how one might expect, which is a good thing. Lots of tension and suspense. Nice.

07. Flash #75 (DC) ★★★★
Writer: Joshua Williamson / Art: Howard Porter, Scott Kolins & Christian Duce / Colors: Hi-Fi & Luis Guerrero
Solid finish to the Year One story, along with two smaller stories. Nice job bringing it back around to the present day. The Today story was a pleasant coda. The Offer felt like a tag on. I get it , but didn’t need it.

08. Guardians of the Galaxy #7 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Donny Cates / Art: Cory Smith / Colors: David Curiel
The new GotG chapter kicks of with an intense story filled with mystery and high stakes. Looks like its gonna be a cool ride.

09. Valkyrie: Jane Foster (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Jason Aaron & Al Ewing / Art: Cafu / Colors: Jesus Aburtov
This was good. There was a lot of action packed into one book, which I normally like, but I admit I got a bit confused at times. My fault for not reading the Jane Foster Thor series.

10. Batman: Curse of the White Knight #1 (DC Black Label) ★★★
Writer: Sean Murphy /Art: Sean Murphy / Colors: Matt Hollingsworth
Dark, if predictable mystery. Interesting visuals. Loved the look of Joker.

11. Sword Master #1 (Marvel) ★★
Writer: Shuizhu & Greg Pak / Art: Gunji & Ario Anindito / Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg
Not sure how I feel about this book. Gunji’s art in Part One was a bit hit and miss for me. Anindito’s work in Part Two was better, but not without its own issues. The mystery is solid, even if the dialog gets a bit clunky at times.

1. Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #1 (DC) ★★★★★
Writer: Matt Fraction / Art: Steve Lieber / Colors: Nathan Fairbairn
Fun silliness with Jimmy getting himself into trouble. What’s not to love? Sparkling writing and some truly enjoyable artwork make this an unexpected treat.

2. Loki #1 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Daniel Kibblesmith / Art: Oscar Bazaldua / Colors: David Curiel
A surprisingly good book. If you’re a fan of Asgardian shenanigans (as I am) this is a very enjoyable story, filled with quality art, fun characters, crackling dialog, and Thor! Great stuff.

3. Invaders #7 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Art: Carlos Magno with Butch Guice / Colors: Alex Guimaraes
Excellent book that doesn’t ignore things that happenend in the previous issue, and keeps rolling along with even more intrigue and surprises. The writing in this series is incredible.

4. Daredevil #8 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Art: Lalit Kumar Sharma & Jay Leisten / Colors: Java Tartaglia
The first issue in the current DD series that has not rated my top BOW slot, its nonetheless an interesting book. There’s a lot packed in here. Contrivances aside, it’s a fascinating discussion about the ethics of law and crime.

5. Champions #7 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Jim Zub / Art: Steven Cummings / Colors: Marcio Menyz
My first check-in on this Champions series since issue 1. I do love a Nova story, and this pne was a lot of fun. Love the Kaldera character, and the Black Helmet Heist storyline. Fun stuff. Perhaps I should go back for those earlier issues. Note: Original Release Date: 07/10/19

6. Age of X-Man: Omega #1 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Zac Thompson & Lonnie Nadler / Art: Simone Buonfantino / Colors: Triona Farrell
This was actually far more satisfying than I had anticipated. Nicely wrapped up the AoXM saga and cleared up one my big problems with Uncanny #22 (more on that later), and provided a hint of the new X-world to follow. Nicely done.

7. Domino: Hotshots #5 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Gail Simone / Art: David Baldeon & Michael Shelfer / Colors: Jim Charalampidis
Exciting, fun and eventful ending to the Hotshots saga. Did the end feel a bit rushed? Yes. Should there have been a book 6 where Nina has to decide between power and responsibility, instead of resolving this major plot point in a single page? Yes. Do I care…? A little, yes.

8. Spider-Man: Life Story #5 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Chip Zdarsky / Art: Mark Bagley & John Dell / Colors: Frank D’Armata
It’s kind of funny Tony Stark has become Marvel’s de Facto bad guy in this type of story. Some pretty cool stuff in this issue, although the series may have benefitted from being longer. Perhaps they could have allocated two issues per decade, for better pacing. As it is, the whole thing moves a bit too fast.

9. Immortal Hulk #21 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Al Ewing / Art: Ryan Bodenheim / Colors: Paul Mounts
A guest artist plus a focus on a character, other than Hulk or Banner, make this feel like a very different book. Lots of death and surprises, but it felt a bit… empty.

10. Lois Lane #1 (DC) ★★★
Writer: Greg Rucka / Art: Mike Perkins / Colors: Paul Mounts
Torn from the headlines, as they say. Pretty straightforward press/espionage story. I enjoyed the dialog and the art. Lets see if it holds up. Original Release Date: 07/03/19

11. Secret Warps: Ghost Panther Annual #1 (Marvel) ★★
Writer: Al Ewing & Daniel Kibblesmith / Art: Carlos Gomez & Ig Guara / Colors: Carlos Gomez & Matt Milla
It’s only my OCD that keeps me reading this series. The art has been solid throughout, but the story is such a muddled mess. Two more books to go. Hopefully it will all come together in the end. Let’s see if I can make it.

12. Silver Surfer: Black #2 (Marvel) ★★
Writer: Donny Cates / Art: Tradd Moore / Colors: Dave Stewart
The art is beautifully unpleasant, which is tough to pull off. The story however is just more Surfer whining. That gets old real fast.

13. Uncanny X-Men # 22 (Marvel) ★★
Writer: Matthew Rosenberg / Art: Salvador Larroca with David Messina / Colors: Guru-eFX
Final issue before Age of Hickman. Everything gets conveniently resolved really fast. What was the point of any of this? Did I miss something? Bah. When will I learn?

14. Batman #75 (DC) ★★
Writer: Tom King / Art: Tony S. Daniel & Mitch Gerads / Colors: Tomeu Morey & Mitch Gerads
What the hell did I just read? None of this book made any sense. Honestly, I’m kind of tired of this never ending nightmare narrative. I just don’t care that much anymore. The second star is for the art, which continues to carry this series.

15. X-Liefelds #1 (Keenspot) ★
Writer: Rob Potchak / Art: Rob Nikolakakis & Eric Kent / Colors: Michael Sanders
Lightweight silliness poking fun at Rob Liefeld tropes & characters. It was fun, but I expected more. Especially at $4.99.

The Hits: A lot of good books this week, but only one standout.

1. Symbiote Spider-Man #4 (Marvel) ★★★★★
Writer: Peter David / Art: Greg Land / Jay Leisten / Colors: Frank D’Armata
Another great book (that cover!). Loved the Kingpin/Mysterio sequence as well as how the symbiote is still mysterious. The art continues to dazzle. Next issue is the conclusion. I want more!

2. Invisible Woman #1 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: mark Waid / Art: Mattia De Iulis
Sue Storm, super spy? I’m in. Compelling story, kick-ass Sue and beautiful art by Matta De Iulis. What’s not to love?

3. Event Leviathan #2 (DC) ★★★★
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Art: Alex Maleev
Gripping storyteling. Griity art. This book has it going on. Nicely done.

4. Avengers #21 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Jason Aaron / Art: Jason Masters / Colors: Jason Keith
Enjoyable breather with some fun bits of business. Nice set up for the next story. Loved the hot tub sequence.

5. Black Cat #2 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Jed MacKay / Art: Travel Foreman / Colors: Brian Reber
There was a lot packed into this book. It’s bit of mystery mixed in with a fun heist story. Very enjoyable.

6. Wolverine & Captain America: Weapon Plus #1 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Ethan Sacks / Art: Diogenes Neves & Adriano Di Benedetto / Colors: Federico Blee
Solid action adventure book. Nice dialog and dynamic art. Turns out the one-shot is part of a bigger Weapon Plus story. Curious to see where it goes.

7. Thor #15 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Jason Aaron / Art: Mike Del Mundo / Colors: Mike Del Mundo & Marco D’Alfonso
The penultimate Thor issue. We get the fate of Maleketh and some set-up for WoR: Omega. Beautiful art, nice story. Hela steals the show (as always). Looking forward to the finale.

8. Second Coming #1 (Ahoy) ★★★★
Writer: Mark Russell / Art: Richard Pace / Colors: Andy Troy
Controversy aside, this was a really entertaining comic. All the characters tread familiar trope, but it what they say that makes them work. God steals the show, but Jesus comes across as an inquisitive visitor, wise beyond his years. I’ll take more.

9. Amazing Spider-Man #25 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writers: Nick Spencer, Zeb Wells & Keaton Patti / Art: Ryan Ottley, Humberto Ramos, Patrick Gleason & Kev Walker with Cliff Rathburn, Victor Olazaba, Dexter Vines, Patrick Gleason & Kev Walker – also: Todd Nauck & Dan Hipp / Colors: Nathan Fairbairn, Edgar Delgado, Dave Stewart & Laura Martin, also: Rachelle Rosenberg
Lordy, it took a small army to put this book together. Not a huge fan of the main Mysterio story, but I loved the Mary Jane, Team-Up and Robot Helpers ones.

10. Miles Morales: Spider-Man #8 (Marvel) ★★★★
Writer: Saladin Ahmed / Art: Javier Garron / Colors: David Curiel
Good to have Garron back. Interesting book. Nice little mystery. Poor Miles.

The Misses: No outright flops, but a fair number of books that were just… okay.

11. Flash #74 (DC) ★★★
Writer: Joshua Williamson / Art: Howard Porter / Colors: Hi-Fi
A bit of a retread of the earlier chapters, but still a compelling read. Some of Porter’s art was bit wonkier than usual too. I’ll chalk this up a bridge issue. High hopes for chapter 6.

12. War of the Realms: Omega #1 (Marvel) ★★★
Writer: Jason Aaron & Al Ewing, Daniel Kibblesmith & Gerry Duggan / Art: Ron Garney, Cafu, Oscar Bazadua & Juan Ferreyra / Colors: Matt Milla, Jesus Aburtov, David Curiel & Juan Ferreyra
Nicely done wrap up of the Jane Foster, Daredevil, Loki & Punisher stories. All set-ups for new titles of course. As cash grabs go, this wasn’t so bad.

13. Batman Universe #1 (DC) ★★★
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Art: Nick Derington / Colors: Dave Stewart
Fairly straightforward Batman story. Interesting that it toes into Batman Who Laughs. Sweet artwork by Derington.

14. Superman #13 (DC) ★★★
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Art: Brandon Peterson & Ivan Reis with Joe Prado / Colors: Alex Sinclair
I’ll admit I love the art, but how many times can they retell the Krypton story? I’ll give points for keeping it interesting, but I’m having a hard time caring about what comes next.

15. Batman #74 (DC) ★★★
Writer: Tom King / Art: Mikel Janin / Colors: Jordie Bellaire
So much psycho babble. The tortures of Batman are beginning to torture me. It feels like forever since I fell for this title. I may be over it.

16. Secret Warps: Weapon Hex Annual #1 (Marvel) ★★
Writer: Al Ewing, Juan Vlasco & Tim Seeley / Art: Carlos Villa & Bob Quinn / Colors: Carlos Lopez & Rachelle Rosenberg
Not sure if I enjoyed this book or not. Like the previous one, It just feels so calculated. The art and action is good. It just lacks any soul.