Chris Gozali Comic Reviews

While Slott spends a little too much time characterizing the Zodiac members, Amazing Spider-Man #2 is another fun entry into the web-slinger's new journey.

If this is the last readers see of this family, the love Peter, MJ, and Annie share is a deserved end to an enjoyable series.

American Vampire: Second Cycle #6 sets up what will surely be a large scale adventure reaching all the way to outer space. The first installment of Dark Moon is packed with revelations and action that are told through exceptional pacing and artwork. The vampires are back in action, and it can only get better from here.

American Vampire: Second Cycle #7 is another fantastic installment of an extraordinary series as the entire American Vampire team is in sync and firing on all cylinders. The cohesive text and visual storytelling allow Snyder and Albuquerque to continue thrilling readers as the story of Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones looks to enter a new chapter.

Atomic Robo and The Ring of Fire is another fantastic entry in the Atomic Robo pantheon of stories, and this first issue possesses all the factors that make the series great except one: the titular character.

The real MVP here, however, is Buster Moody (with help from Ludwig Laguna Olimba) whose artwork conveys real horror blended with a breathtaking sense of beauty that makes this one IDW's best titles.

Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-man #5 is not the strongest issue in the current story. However it does enhance the supporting cast that is being cultivated around Miles Morales. Maria Hill and J. Jonah Jameson have strong personal connections to Peter Parker and Spider-man, and it is imminent that whoever this "Peter" is revealed to be, a passionate response by Maria and Jonah will soon follow.

This issue constantly switches gears between the sheer intensity of the action and the quizzical, mysterious moments of conversation. By changing the pace of the story from action to exposition frequently, Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-man #6 triumphs in furthering the mystery of Peter Parker and sets up an incredible new development for the titular character.

Bendis, Marquez, and Ponsor deftly weave emotions, action, and surprise in a very powerful conclusion to a classic Spider-man and Green Goblin fight.

Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-man #9 is a cleverly and beautifully composed issue full of flashbacks and reconciliation that opts to choose a logical yet heartwarming conclusion.

The friendships, uncertainty, and stress of meeting parents that are all part of adolescence are on display in a fun and relatable issue of Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man.

Despite the great development and conflict of Miles's relationship with Katie, the rushed nature of the story unfortunately hurts what could have otherwise been an exceptional issue.

Ultimate End and Secret Wars will both heavily feature Miles Morales, but there's no guarantee that any of the characters the Ultimate Spider-Man team has created as a part of Miles's life will exist afterwards. Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man #12 gives the supporting cast one last moment in the spotlight and shows that, despite its rushed conclusion, both the creators and supporting characters care deeply about the young hero.

The issue lays yet another plot thread on the complex web that Spencer and Eisma have been weaving post-Woodrun. The characterization of Ian is top notch, with refreshing beats of school life and the seething Truant's declaration of vengeance. The unfortunate humdrum of a wordy physics lesson otherwise tones down the intensity of this issue but provides what should be an important clue moving forward in the series.

Towerball takes precedence in Morning Glories #41 and unfortunately makes the issue feel nothing more than a filler chapter. While the impending sacrifice of Jade and resurrection of Jun is an exciting new development, it comes at the cost of Guillame's moment in the spotlight having any meaning towards the character or the overall story.

This issue hits all the strengths of the series: strongly characterized teens interacting with each other in a school of mystery and death. The fate of Jade and the student council presidency loom as Spencer and Eisma head into what will hopefully be another exciting event.

Morning Glories #43 ends with Glories and Truants coming together to help Casey win the election. This character piece on Ike is a strong introduction to the student election arc that delivers some answers and sets up an exciting team for the upcoming campaign.

Spencer and Eisma's final page reveals continue to confound and bewilder Morning Glories readers, raising more questions of the importance of time travel and supernatural powers found in the Glories and Truants. But as Vanessa's mother says at the beginning of the issue, "Always end on a cliffhanger..You know the rules."

Some shaky moments in artwork aren't enough to derail yet another excellent Jade story of Morning Glories.

Mr. N tells Irina that kings and prophets once worshiped her, and Spencer and Eisma make the case for worthiness to readers as well. Irina is one of the few characters in Morning Glories that is both confident and capable ofdoing exactly what she wants, and she will no doubt be a reckoning force as the series goes on.

The combination of the trials of Jack's warrior integrity and Robo-Merc and Aku's stellar dialogue deliver an issue of Samurai Jack that is as Steel-tastic as Robo-Merc's armor.

Zub, Suriano, Beavers, and Burcham deliver a story that could be the penultimate issue of the entire series if they chose to end it now. With beautiful and enrapturing artwork that capture Jack's rise to becoming a worthy warrior to battle evil, Samurai Jack #14 is undoubtedly the best issue in the series thus far.

Samurai Jack #15 re-establishes Jack as an unyielding, unrelenting champion of light against the forces of darkness. With a new blade that is rightfully his, even better adventures in Aku's future await him.

The issue concludes with the introduction of an old foe and a classic team-up trope of hero and villain. While not the most thrilling issue to date, Samurai Jack #16 is a solid beginning to what looks to be a fun heist story.

Fantastic action sequences and strong characterization of the Thief mix with a comical and somewhat disappointing finish to Jack and the Master of Time.

Samurai Jack #19 is a cute, fun adventure added into Jack's anthology of exploits that is a great story for younger readers.

Few finales exist that attempt to tie up stories while leaving the door open for future tales and succeed. Luckily for readers, the Samurai Jack creative team joins the small pantheon of these great endings. They succeed in delivering a finale that both celebrates all the stories that have come before and continues developing the titular character, keeping the door open for future tales while presenting a satisfying endpoint to Jack's epic adventure. But either way, the final words of Mako the Scribe ring true about Samurai Jack: "The Legend Will Never Die."

This is an exciting, packed issue that leaves readers eager for the final act.

The pacing of this book constantly engages the audience; the revelation of the killers and the return of an Unworthy son keep Thors #3 exciting and one of the most fun Secret Wars tie-ins.