Capt. Nostalgia Comic Reviews

Overall, Batman: Damned (Book One), leaves you with an intriguing story but more questions than answers. Returning to the heart of the prestige format stories, Batman ushers in a wave of fresh air. Azzarello is a Gotham City poet and leaves you wanting more. Bermejo crafts art for the book that will haunt your dreams as it balances museum art with the realism of life. Great start and interested to see where they go.

Overall, Batman: King of Fears #1 is a mixed bag of goods. It's filled with beautiful and vibrant art. The writing is astonishing in its' slow pace. Yet stumbles throughout the quick paced conversation between hero and villain and dated remarks of the Joker. King of Fears is a series full of potential but falls just shy in its' introduction.

Overall, Batman: Kings of Fear #2, has some solid art pieces and action sequences. It paints Batman in a vulnerable light, which is something that is few and far between for the character. Though, it's also equally filled with plot devices that just don't make sense. It suffers from the same curse as the first issue " bit too much filler. Though what we do have does keep you wanting more. Here's hoping it pays off.

Overall, Border Town has all the makings of a book that could gain the legacy of The Sandman, Swamp Thing & other Vertigo titles. It's fueled by a compelling narrative, mature themes and terrifying mystery that gives you enough to satisfy but also leaves you wanting more. While the writing is compelling, it is indeed matched by brilliant, realistic and raw art.

Overall, Border Town #2, is an immaculate piece of modern day storytelling. Marrying two worlds together with outstanding writing and raw and colorful art " Border Town is a title worth the follow. Esquivel does a marvelous job of crafting realism with the fantastic for an engaging experience. An experience that is only matched by the art team of Villalobos & Bonvillain with a beautiful and electrifying that throws back to the early days of Vertigo's most iconic properties.

Overall, Catwoman Tweety & Sylvester #1 is one of the best books set in the crossover canon. Gail Simone leads the charge with skillful writing that few can match. The colors of La Cruz make the book pop and leave an impression that stays with you. Not to mention married together with Miranda's art. I can't recommend this book enough. Go out to your local shops and buy, buy, buy!

Overall, Harley Quinn & Gossamer #1, feels like a missed opportunity. The overarching story feels flooded with an unlikely match with even worse chemistry. This does provide a decent number of laughs but its' not enough to save the final product. The redeeming factor of this book, however, is the art. Brito beautifully shines with every panel and every interaction.

Overall, Deathstroke # 35, honestly is a missed opportunity. Something that should be epic and action packed, is instead dry and lackluster in its storytelling. Dont get me wrong, the book does have its moments but they are far and few between. The art does create an environment of warmth and grit. Creating a lasting experience.

Overall, The Doomsday Clock #7, is a welcome addition to an already fantastic series. It paces itself just like its predecessor and with the addition of Manhattan to the series, Johns welcomes poetry to the narrative. This book is beautiful from start to finish. With art that never leaves your soul to writing that leaves you speechless.

Overall, House of Whispers #1, takes a long time to warm up. Even when it finds footing, it's a bit too late. The story focuses a bit too much on exploring the other realm rather than focusing on the narrative at hand. It still manages to intrigue and entertain. The art helps in a big part of that.

Overall, House of Whispers #2, is a welcome addition to the Sandman mythos. It crafts a broken tale with just the right amount of humor to engage the reader and leave a lasting impression. Speaking of lasting impression, the art for this book is utter perfection. The art for this book is like a tattoo, it stays with you long after you finish reading.

Overall, Mister Miracle #11, is again a must buy. This series could be one of the best on shelves at the moment. Married together with emotional writing and raw and gripping art. Gerard and King are a pair that can't be touched. Can not, I repeat, can not recommend this book enough.

Overall, Pearl #1 is a book that is simple in its delivery. The art of Gaydos with simple watercolor engrains art that has a lasting effect. Married together with Bendis' writing and storytelling; it's a perfect match. Bendis' story telling does leave a lot of room for theories and questions. Not necessarily a bad thing. Good solid entry into the series but still too young to see if this series will sink or float.

Overall, Pearl #2, is an issue that continues in the simplistic voice of its predecessor. While also building on the mythology and delivering readers new depth to its characters. Balancing this with a stylistic approach of progressively moving the plot forward. Its matched only by its daring and bold artistic vision masterfully given by Michael Gaydos. If you are not following Pearl, you are missing out.

Overall, Pearl #3, adds a bit of mystery to the mythology here. For the introduction to new characters, it feels a bit misplaced. Though, curiousity still heavily exists for where it will lead. Bendis continues to craft an elegant story of a girl being torn between worlds. With art by Michael Gaydos, the book gets a colorful yet aggressive visual experience few books can offer. I've said once and I'll say it again " if you are not following Pearl you are missing out!

Overall, Scarlet #1, presents an intriguing world and premise. Carrying with it an overload of potential. However for its first outing it's bound to leave readers hungry for more of the book's action sequences rather just mere dialogue. The art of Alex Maleev elevates the book into a marriage of the gritty reality of war with beautiful watercolors.

Overall, The Dreaming #1, is a wonderful companion piece to the previously released The Sandman Universe #1. Whether or not, it has enough to stand on its' own is yet to be seen. Writing by Simon Spurrier and art by Bilquis Evely, the series is off to a great start. The two work great together and I'm excited to see where this series will go.

Overall, The Dreaming #2, not the strongest entry for the series. Its bold in its nature to tell the story from the point of view from the secondary character. Combined with art that balances darkness and vibrancy. The Dreaming is still a title worth checking out. Whether you're a sandman fan or are just curious.