Chris Comic Reviews

The story is fine for what it is, and does a fine job of putting all the pieces in place for the climax.  Watching Evan trying to reconcile his understanding of Apocalypse with his first-hand knowledge of the adolescent En Sabah was a treat.  Dialogue is a bit too cute at times, but ultimately inoffensive.  Mark Bagley's art is solid as ever, and evokes a classic comics look... almost making me homesick for the way things once were.

I just can't help but feeling we just wasted the past... what was it, sixteen months telling this story.  The very definition of an anti-climax, this would not have been satisfying as the end of a one-part story, much less the All-New strand of the Apocalypse Wars "epic".  Mark Bagley still delivers, and gives the overall package a far less lackluster feel.

A nice departure from what has come before.  There's never a bad time for a fun one-off adventure with a couple of the X-Kids.  Enjoyed the story, however at times the dialogue felt a bit too precious in its attempts to be hip.  Bagley's art never fails to impress.  It cannot be stated enough, we need more issues like this... and less that are entwined in endless crossover.

Perhaps the most accessible-to-newcomers of the Sandman Universe line... and luckily, a whole lot of fun to boot!  Twenty pages in, and I already feel invested in Tim Hunter... and am looking forward to the next chapter.

Undoubtedly my favorite offering from the Sandman Universe line.  Tim Hunter is a fairly relatable character, who isn't looking to "fake it til he's made it".  The pacing is great, and the art is beginning to grow on me.

An interesting (though kinda flat) outing with Tim Hunter as he deals with the guilt for his actions last issue.  Unfortunately not much meat on the bone this time around.  Hopefully this picks back up again next issue.

After a bit of a stutter last issue, things are moving forward and a few interesting "trappings" are introduced and explored.

Tim visits the Dreaming and has himself a time.  Some interesting trappings, yet... I can't shake the feeling that something is missing.

It feels like the missing piece of the Books of Magic puzzle fell into place with this issue... forward momentum.  I'm back to feeling optimistic about the direction of this series!

It was never going to be so easy as just Tim and Dr. Rose tracking down the missing student.  If only the detour we're given was half as interesting as it seems to think it is.

This truly is Magneto's book.  You can tell that Bunn has a great affection for the character, and an intrinsic interest in exploring the sometimes skewed views of morality he holds.  During the Magneto scenes, this book shines.  The rest of the issue, however, pales in comparison and feels like unnecessary filler... just putting the X-Men in their place and giving them something to do between the Apocalypse Wars and the Death of X.

Weirdo characters, an attempt at depth, and some "meta" commentary on comic book history.  Basically everything we've come to expect from "current year" Doom Patrol.  It's good for what it is, but I'm not sure it was completely worth the wait.

Overall, a very good issue of Extraordinary X-Men.  Definitely the strongest of the current X-Men titles, and truly the "flagship" of the X-Line.  This is probably the most "consistently good-to-great" book of the lot, and of the Marvel books I read is closest to the "top of the stack".  Lemire appears to be truly passionate about the characters, and Ramos stylized art gives this title a unique and exciting flair.  I find myself anxiously awaiting the next chapter.

While the Apocalypse Wars story line has overstayed its welcome, Extraordinary X-Men still manages to deliver a fun and compelling offering.  The action may be a bit boilerplate, but the characterization is solid.  Humberto Ramos' exaggerated art is a welcome treat (especially when it comes to all matters symbiotic)!

Perhaps the most satisfying ending to an Apocalypse War story, where there appears to be some actual change in the offing.  Lemire provides some great dialogue as well as some intriguing internal conflict among some of the team's old guard.  Ramos' art here seems a touch bit toned down compared to recent issues, though still very fun to look at.

Two very fun stories here that help flesh out the Future Quest universe.  I don't know a whole lot about any of these characters (barring Adult Swim parodies which I feel have aged quite poorly) and still managed to enjoy this even without the luxury (or hindrance) of nostalgia.  Parker brings the fun, and his artistic collaborators bring the joy.  Worth checking out!

A story filled with heart coupled with amazing visuals

Livewire #5 is a great jumping on point for new readers as well as a worthy continuation for existing ones. The creative team comes together to create an exciting and engaging comic that has a relevant and page turning story.

The one shines brightest when Lucifer is nowhere to be found.  The true strengths of this issue are in the dialogue and its ability to make you feel for the Detective and his terminally ill wife.

Things are progressing, but only just.  An adherence to esoteric storytelling is a pretty big hindrance, rendering this book somewhat inaccessible to the uninitiated.

Several potentially interesting concepts at play, which are unfortunately scattered amid unclear transitions and muddy storytelling.

A particularly strong info-heavy chapter... and it's not a moment too soon!  After three issues of difficult to follow storytelling, we are finally given a bit of context to help fill in the how's, why's, when's, and who's.

Everything is coming together, and many of the questions we had are getting answered!

Many more questions are answered in a chapter that is surprisingly not the last for this arc.  Will likely read better in trade... but, these days, what doesn't?

Finally freed from the Skull of Sycorax, Lucifer's tale enters its second act.  Storytelling has become refreshingly linear, and the art does a great job keeping up.

A fun issue, though, some of the storytelling hiccups from the earlier issues are starting to resurface.

Milk Wars rolls on, and so too does the ballad of Violet Page. This issue was a new-reader friendly as it could be given the circumstances, and manages to move the story along nicely. The worst thing about this issue is the five-dollar price tag.

A confusing and unpleasant read. The art does some mighty heavy lifting, however, I could not imagine suggesting anybody to spend five dollars on this.

Not the ideal initial outing... or at least not the one I was hoping for.  This being the final release of the (first wave of?) Young Animal books set a certain expectation, which in my opinion just wasn't met.  I cannot be too harsh on this, as we aren't quite sure where it's headed just yet.  The art storyline is rather intriguing, however, our main protagonist may be too tough of a sell.

A less pleasant read than the opening chapter... but somehow better overall.  The story does manage to progress, though Violet is still proving to be quite the tough sell on me.  There is an immaturity and petulance here, which might ultimately serve the story well... however, it is making these initial offerings a bit tough to digest.

Definitely a step in the right direction.  Great use of multiple timelines, which provide some much-needed insight into the behaviors of our protagonist.  Mother Panic is still almost painfully unlikable and petulant, though three issues in, I'm almost convinced that's the point.

As we enter a new story arc we are given plenty of breadcrumbs to follow and the backstory of our protagonist continues to fill in.  The  art is uneven and a tad confusing, however the story is becoming more and more engaging.

A bit of a mixed bag.  There are plenty of things to like here... even quite like; however several complaints from the earlier issues still remain.  This second story arc is a marked improvement on the opener, and I am hopeful this will continue.

If Mother Panic doesn't cut it out, I might actually start to like it.  Here we see Violet actually engaging in heroic behavior and get a satisfying resolution to our second story arc.  The gratuitous cursing remains, and is still rather cringe-inducing.

Going into its third story arc, Mother Panic has matured into something worth reading.  While not perfect, and perhaps a bit too loose with the gratuitous expletives, the story and mystery surrounding the titular character are becoming more engaging by the page.

Our Violet is maturing right before our very eyes.  No longer is this a character who causes my stomach to churn.  A healthy dose of altruism and a better understanding of her backstory were just what the doctor ordered to make this a book I'm actually looking forward to from month to month.

A satisfying ending to the story arc, with enough threads left loose to keep us coming back next month.  Violet is becoming a character worthy of empathy, and her cast members are being fleshed out quite well.  It's unfortunate that it's taken us three story arc to get here, but better late than never.

Perhaps a small step back in quality from the last story arc, however still worlds better than the first couple.  Storytelling is solid, however, a bit of ambiguity in the art make certain reveals less clear... and therefore carry less impact.

We're definitely building toward an ending... and it feels like we might be rushing a little bit.  Several long-standing questions are addressed, and perhaps a few more are raised.  It looks like, for better or worse, everything is about to come full-circle.

There's an ending... of sorts.  It's a bit rushed and not nearly as satisfying as I'd have hoped, however, that's likely more an indictment on the publishing schedule/plan than anything between the covers.

A very strong return to the (new) world of Violet Paige... damn pretty to boot! Could have easily been the "next issue" of the previous volume... but complaining about renumbering is like yelling in the wind. If that's my only kvetch... we've got a pretty good book!

We're world-building, folks... and having a pretty good time doing it.  This All-New, All-Different Gotham makes you want to learn everything there is to know... and Mother Panic, excessive f-bombs and all, isn't a half-bad tour guide.

It feels as though Mother Panic is finally coming into her own... just as the rug is getting nyoinked out from under her.  A very good issue... enjoy it while it lasts!

There's definitely a feeling of compression here, however, Mother Panic is handling the "truncation" far better than the rest of the Young Animal line.  This is still a story I want to read... and a Gotham I'd like to explore.

If you were to tell me this time last year that Mother Panic would be a book I'd miss when it's gone... I'd have laughed in your face... then, maybe offer you my gig as Mother Panic reviewer.  This book has proven to get better with age, truly becoming a book worth reading.

Both the most satisfying ending and overall-read of this second "season" of Young Animal... and dare I say, the only one worth reading.  The creative team managed to craft a riveting story even under the pressures of cancellation/truncation.

A wonderful look at Logan as he attempts to internally reconcile that the Earth he currently inhabits is not quite the one from which he hails.  If he just stops to think about it, he just may find himself taking advantage of his new lease on life and actually begin enjoying himself... or at least not spending his time fearing the next tick over to midnight.  

Old Man Logan is one of the very few titles where I actually get excited when we go into "flashback mode".  This issue includes  a pair of almost "parallel" storylines, and both were crafted in such a way that one complimented the other perfectly.  Top notch art and characterization... overall, another wonderful issue of this wonderful book!

Another fantastic chapter in the saga of Old Man Logan.  I'm never unimpressed by the intriguing narrative and top-notch dialogue. Sorrentino turns in some wonderful pages, making even scenes of Logan at the bottom of a well come off as dynamic.  This book is rapidly moving to the top of my read-list.

Another decent offering from the Old Man Logan team.  Pretty light on action but still a satisfying (and gorgeous) read.  This will very likely read better in collected edition, though sadly, at this rate you'll be able to plow through the trade in less than a half-hour.

A slow and predictably Trigon-heavy start for the Raven maxi-series.  Some strong "Raven-in-Real-Life" scenes do the heavy-lifting and make this one worth a read.

There's a heavy emphasis on Raven being a fish out of water... and there's some tugging on threads from the opening chapter.  This story already feels a bit stretched... it will be interesting to see how they keep it rolling for another ten issues.

When our main character has to ask why all of her stories must involve her father... we might have a problem.  We do get a bit of forward momentum here, though I still have no idea how we're going to get another nine issues out of this.

If you ever wanted to learn what made Raven's mother the way she is... look no further, but prepare to be underwhelmed.  Otherwise, there isn't all that much new... or even necessary here.  This feels more and more like a project needing a story, than the other way around.

More Raven... more Trigon... seven more months?  Probably the strongest issue so far, it feels as though we're actually making some moves forward.  Unfortunately, it's still Trigon-centric.  That record so desperately needs to be changed.  Looks great, and hey... it's got a heckuva nice cover!

I'm not sure what I just read... but I know I didn't much care for it.  I think there was an "ending" here... hidden, deep within the issue... so, yay for that?  Pop Mhan's art continues to impress... and does much of the heavy-lifting.

We interrupt your previously scheduled Raven: Daughter of Darkness #7 for this special presentation of Night Force (Vol. 4) #0.  We apologize for the inconvenience... and for the next five issues.

Much easier to follow than prior issues... unfortunately, that doesn't make the story any more interesting.  If you're buying this for Raven, you're going to be disappointed.

Believe it or not, we get some story progression... even if it isn't all that interesting.  There is a brief nod to Raven's private life to remind us that this is her book.  Art remains strong.

I have a difficult time even calling this book "bad" anymore... it's almost too dull to even form an opinion about.  Thankfully we're nearing the end.  The art is nice too.

We've waited a year, and finally something almost interesting happens.  Actually, nothing happens... we just learn enough about the Shadow Riders' goal so that we almost care about what might eventually happen.  It's still pretty to look at.

It's over... and there wasn't a cryptic "to be continued" on the last page, so that ought to nudge my final score up a point.  Raven eeks out a win in an aggressively dull story.  I have no interest in any potential future new-Night Force adventures.

Try as I might, I cannot figure out why this story needed the Scooby Doo characters to be told.  At its core, it's not a bad issue, in fact I feel it's quite an improvement on the first.  This got quite a bit darker than I would have imagined, and I can't help but feel that in some part the creators are purposely aiming for the Millennial-standby "my childhood is ruined" reaction.

A definite improvement... I might go as far as saying it's finally hit its stride with this issue.  The characters are all becoming more likable as we get to know them better... almost in spite of themselves.  The art continues to be a highlight, where even if you're not a fan of the redesigns... they are at least nice to look at.

Unexpected characterization, mystery, drama, intrigue, and dare I say... fun?  The team and title are really coming together with this chapter, which reinforces the belief that this series will read a whole lot better in collected edition format.  The bwa-ha-bros finally get a chuckle out of me, and Howard Porter and Hi-Fi deliver their usual top-quality visuals.

While the art and colors continue to deliver... the story feels like something of a step backwards. It appeared as though we were nearing a breakthrough where the characters would gel and be cool to one another... instead, we're back to bickering. There wasn't a whole lot to move the story forward here, instead much of this issue came across as padding.

Perhaps the strongest issue of this series to date.  While it did border a tad on cliche, it allowed us to see what makes one of the more conflicted characters in the book tick.  The fill-in art does not look out of place, it actually does a wonderful job of keeping up with Mr. Porter.  Again, I'd be remiss not to mention the excellent color work from Hi-Fi.  

I'm hopeful for this book. The art is almost a sensory treat... the mix of psychedelic imagery and its wonderful colorpalette make it easy to get lost in the world of Madness. There may be critics that pull out the old "weird for weirdness sake" card... and, I can't really contest that. This was weird, and without its full context... this is a difficult one to fairly judge. For what it was, I enjoyed it... if you're a weirdo like me, I think you'll dig it too.

Another solid issue of Shade.  A great "feeling out" chapter involving our star... her inhabitant... and the world around her/them.  The narrative remained strong whenever Shade was on panel, however, the Meta angle feels a bit slow to start.  Not an indictment by any means, I just felt the Metan scenes dragged a bit.  Art is still psychedelic and wonderful.  Definitely looking forward to seeing where this goes.

Another enjoyable issue of Shade the Changing Girl.  The art maintains is psychedelic excellence, and the story remains as engaging as ever.  If you haven't tried this title yet, I'd encourage you to grab the first three.  There really are no words to properly convey how captivating this book has become.  It's a rare thing when after just three issues, I already view a book as a "keeper".

Another great installment of Shade the Changing Girl.  Things are coming to a head, and this chapter's cliffhanger leaves me begging for more.  The writing and art meld together in a nearly perfect marriage of psychedelic wonderment.  

Shade the Changing Girl wraps up with another killer cliffhanger.  Just when we think we're going to get some answers, we get more questions instead.  Thankfully these are questions I want to stick around to see answered!  Another strong offering.

A satisfying conclusion to Shade's opening arc. While convenience appeared to play a role, I was pleased with the story and character progression. Some long-lingering questions have been answered, and even more have been asked. Shade has over-delivered month after month, and I am excited for what's to come.

A nice standalone issue that gives us tons in the way of backstory... and provides us with a pretty surprising ending.  Guest artist Marguerite Sauvage brings some amazing work to this book.  What I feared might be a "fill-in" issue turned out to be anything but.

Heartbreaking and beautiful at the start, with a nice amount of story progression throughout.  This story feels like it's happening on several fronts, all of which receive just the right amount of "screen time".  All told, another wonderful issue of Shade.

Another excellent chapter in the Shade-away-from-home story arc.  Pieces are falling into place, and it feels as though we're drawing ever closer to everything coming together.

Everything is coming together, the stakes are higher than ever, and it feels like we're on the cusp of a resolution.  Another excellent, if bittersweet outing for Shade and the gang!

Crazy, wonderful, and beautiful... also, frustrating and ugly.  The perfect way to put this year-long psychedelic adventure to bed for a little while.  A satisfying pseudo-resolution for those of us who have followed since day one.  Don't stay gone too long, Shade... the world needs your madness!

I'm 14 and this is deep.  Overly purple writing... and a lack of linearity in the story made this a bit of a chore to read.  Light years better than Milk Wars, but missing the charm of the previous volume.  The art is still fantastic.

More a collection of psychedelic collages rather than a comic book... and while that isn't a bad thing, it is rather grating, a hair too cute, and wears out its welcome before we hit the staples.

The strongest issue of Shade the Changing Woman yet... and oddly, it's the one with the least of our title character!  We're in the world-building mode, and I'm finally getting to the point of caring!  Still a step down from the previous volume, but a vast improvement on the two opening chapters of this one.

As the end looms near, Shade finally decides to get her rear-in-gear and quit it with the pretentious platitudes.  The art, which is fantastic, will likely have to carry this one across the finish line.

Somehow this book manages to feel both extremely rushed... while at the same taking forever to get to the point.  The issue, like the series as a whole only seems to shine when our main character is off-panel.

A reality of the comics industry mixed with an unwillingness to accept and adapt to that reality, makes for a muddled mess of a finale.  Ten pounds of story in a five pound bag.

Leviathan is gathering intel on the Man of Tomorrow and I can't wait to see what happens next.

A rare Annual... that matters!  A pair of high-quality stories that would feel completely at-home in the ongoing title... which, might be where they belonged in the first place!

I can say with absolutely no doubt that this feels more "Titans" than either New-52! volume, and I am enjoying this title more than I have in over a half-decade.  It's not perfect, though what I'd consider flaws are necessary to the story's progression (ie. this is all about Damian).  I am optimistic that this will become a must-read title once this introductory storyline passes.

This Titans team continues to find itself and mature.  The spotlight on the disparate adolescent paths of Damian and Mara helps to flesh out both characters quite well.  Great forward momentum as we approach the climax of this arc.

A satisfying conclusion to a pretty fun opening arc.  Mostly a fight issue here, however one that facilitated character-development and proper plot advancement.  Now, our players are in place... and we're ready to face the Titan-ic future to come.

Very nice opening chapter for our next arc.  This issue offers an easily accessible jumping on point for new readers, while advancing both the story and the characters.  Percy's dialogue is (for the most part) spot-on, while it seems Koi Pham is feeling more at home with this great cast of characters.

While this was a paint-by-numbers introduction for Aqualad, it was still an enjoyable read.  The team is learning to work together, and Damian has no choice but to learn how to lead... even if he needs to throw out his original playbook.

If you're able to let go of "the way things used to be" there is plenty to enjoy here.  While perhaps a bit weaker than the opening chapter of the Lazarus Contract, this issue does move the story along.  The novelty of seeing the disparate Titans interact along with the cliffhanger make this issue worth your time.

Definitely a step-up from the slog that was The Lazarus Contract, however still feels like it's missing something.  The Jackson Hyde bits are hitting all the right notes, however, the team feels just so soul-less... and the stakes feel lesser with every issue.

Jackson meets his dad and everyone's mad at Robin.  The story is moving along nicely, but the book and characters still feel soulless.

This issue accomplished what is perhaps the final step in putting this team of Titans together.  I'm hopeful that means we have some actual fun adventures on the horizon.

In our first official Dark Nights: Metal crossover the resistance begins to take shape.  If you're not following the event, this one might be worth skipping.  Otherwise, it is a marked improvement on previous issues... unfortunately, that might be due to the fact that the Teen Titans hardly appear!

The Teen Titans still have no heart.  Any significance the issue has feels predicated on inflating the importance of nu-Wally's return, and that feels completely hollow and artificial.  The Damian and Emiko scenes do all of the heavy-lifting here.

Predictable and pretty underwhelming.  Teen Titans treads water for another storyline, and with a(nother) crossover in the offing... it's unclear whether or not this team will ever break out of "team building" purgatory.  An improvement from previous issues.

More like this, please!  Teen Titans finally delivers a satisfying read.  The characters still feel like themselves, however with the obnoxious-dial turned way down.  Why isn't Teen Titans this great every month?

This was a fun character spotlight for Starfire... written by the man who knows her better than anyone.  Worth picking up... just don't go into it expecting to see the entire Teen Titans line-up.

More team-building turmoil (what else is new) and a nagging feeling as though we're circling the drain.  That said, while keeping with the Titans "formula" this was a far more enjoyable issue than I'd expected.  Sadly, that's damning with faint praise.

Not great, not awful... just dull.  A "lame duck" story just filling time until the next volume can begin.

A fitting end to this volume... hell, a fitting final arc for this volume.  It features Beast Boy both quitting... and rejoining the team!  Unfortunately, it's not all that interesting... which, I suppose makes it even more fitting!

A vast improvement on what's come before with spectacular art to boot.  Dialogue (and behaviors) border on the cringy at times, which I can overlook, since this is the first time I've been excited about this title (and property) in quite some time.

Putting aside a little bit of Millennial cringe, this was a pretty great issue.  Excellent Titans teamwork with characterization at the fore.

It's all very compelling... and I can't begin to describe how happy I am to be excited about a book bearing the name Teen Titans again!  Bernard Chang's art is as good as ever, and I also oughta tip my hat to the colorist, Marcelo Maiolo... everything looks great!

Another impressive issue of the Teen Titans... another one, and I might think we've somehow teleported back to 2003.  The Titans haven't been this consistently good in what feels like forever!  If you're still on the fence... or have been scared off since The New-52, trust me when I say: it's safe to come home!

I'm a sucker for "trapped" stories, and so, this issue definitely scratched me where I itch.  Characterization was solid... and seeds for future arcs have been expertly planted.

A team-less tale wherein a titanic newbie gets properly fleshed out.  Excellent characterization and art.  Title continues to deliver!

The streak of strong Teen Titans issues continues here!  The mystery regarding The Other continues to build, and several subplots bubble on forward.  Excellent book.

Several wonderful little character studies... which facilitate a potential splintering of stories moving forward.  If you're not reading this, you should be.  This book is worth your time.

And excellent opening chapter, that fires on all cylinders... moving not only this crossover forward, but the Teen Titans' story as well.

Another strong chapter for the Terminus Agenda, that folks who didn't bother to pick up the latest ish of Deathstroke can still follow along with and enjoy!

Who thought an issue-long argument between the Teen Titans could be this engaging?  Probably not anyone who read the Ben Percy run.  But, here we are!  The crossover is in the rear-view, and we can finally move on to the next thing.

It's just a fight scene... and yet, it works. This confrontation was a long time coming, it shines more light on the "Secret Origin of Crush" while advancing the story of The Other.

More Lobo!  More Fighting (but not at the expense of characterization)!  Sometimes, that's all we bastiches really need.

An underwhelming ending to an underwhelming story, which only served to plant the seeds for several underwhelming stories yet to come. At least with it being culmination of a crossover, this Annual/Special is somewhat more worthy of it's $4.99 price tag.

This issue featured Teen Titans characters, however don't be fooled... this is not a Teen Titans story. It is, however, better than most things that have had "Teen Titans" written on the cover in quite some time. Good issue... just not sure it's worth the fiver.

With each subsequent installment of The Fox, Waid and Haspiel have been upping the dramatic stakes and still keeping Patton grounded in his own weirdo reality. This particular combination of the supernatural and the silly is unlike anything else currently being done in comics. So appreciate the title while you can, it's shaping up to be one for the ages.

As much as it pains me to say, this was a great issue.  I'm still not completely on board with our All-New All-Awesome fauxhawked fauxhulk, but I cannot deny that this was a really fun read that added to the overall Hulk mythos.  This may actually be my favorite current Marvel title.  Alan Davis and Greg Pak make an incredible (no pun intended) team.

If you're following Civil War II, this is a must-read.  A bit of a "victim of the event" here, but Pak and Mundo are able to run with it and make it work.  This Amadeus Cho character officially won me over with this issue.  More like this please (just with less Avengers, k?)

Overall, the story kind of dragged however shined when it came to dialogue and character beats.  This issue could have certainly been told in far fewer pages, which is not an indictment on the creative team... more of an observation on the prevailing comics storytelling structure.  I feel torn in my score.  I am completely confident that this is all leading to something great... however, this issue was ultimately a bit of a slog.

A slog doesn't even begin to describe this.  The Apocalypse Wars drags on, doing absolutely no favors to this offbeat X-Force-y take on the Uncanny X-Men.  The talents of all involved would be better used elsewhere or outside the constrictions of an overlong crossover event.  I'm hopeful this will pick up in the next few months... at which time they'll probably reboot yet again or start a new event anyway.

Certainly not worth the several months investment we made.  The art and dialogue while very nice, cannot make up for the overlong much-ado-about-nothing story... I'm hard-pressed to think of a worse contemporary X-Men event than the Apocalypse Wars, and I'm just glad it's finally behind us.

With the Apocalypse Wars behind us, we can get to the type of story many longtime X-Fans remember fondly... the relatively quiet post-Crossover issue.  An opportunity to reflect.  A definite improvement over past issues, and for the most part the art appears "reined in".  If you dropped out during the "Wars", it's a safe time to come back.

I think I can safely say this was a better issue than the first.  Not a home run by any stretch, but it gives us a better understanding of the motivations behind one of the only compelling characters in the series.  It's an odd state of affairs when the most likable member of the cast is the one named "Dastardly".  Didn't like it, didn't hate it.  An improvement, however, that one vital ingredient remains missing... fun.