Connor Casey Comic Reviews

The book brings back some seriously heavy hitters to each tell their own short, including Tom King, Paul Dini, Ed Brubaker and Chuck Dixon and it's fun seeing different artists all take their crack at the duplicitous anti-hero.

The story starts off with a bang and never lets up. Artist Brian Level's depictions of body horror with the villains feels straight out of John Carpenter's The Thing. Don't miss this one.

Its ending is somewhat predictable and feels like it's more concerned with setting the table for a separate Ghost Rider book, but writer Ed Brisson gets a ton of fun out of Carnage as a Ghost Rider (complete with a Carnage Cycle) and there's plenty of dark humour spread throughout.

Add this one to the growing list of impressive tie-ins for the event.

Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales isn't, by any means, a must-read for the event, but it does give a nice bit of context to what Miles was up to prior to his run-in with Carnage in Absolute Carnage #2.

The issue is just as dark as the rest of the event, but it does give a glimmer of hope that Miles might find a way to break free and help the other doppelgangers do the same.

This three-issue tie-in is definitely recommended for fans of the "Absolute Carnage" event and will leave readers chomping at the bit to see how Miles reinserts himself into the story.

Worth a read for fans of She-Hulk.

This issue shows the building blocks for a compelling side story, and it's worth checking out to see what they do with three more issues.

Even if you're not into the rest of the event, definitely give this a read.

The issue continues the side story's excellent pace and somber tone, all while careening towards a climax that will likely be heartwarming or heartbreaking, if not both.

Overall, this is still a must-read for fans of the event, even if the ending wasn't perfect.

Written and beautifully drawn by Stan Sakai, there's much to enjoy here for fans of both franchises, although the swap does make it seem like we won't get the Turtles and Usagi together for at least another issue. The Turtles, will have to deal with Usagi's distrustful friends, setting up a classic hero vs. hero misunderstanding, while the rabbit ronin will need to find his way back to the past.

All Eight Eyes #2 isn't much of an issue in its own right, but it does set the stage for bigger things down the road.

All Eight Eyes takes an interesting turn with its penultimate issue, taking a thorough dive into Reynolds' real backstory.

Overall, it feels like Steve Foxe was just scratching the surface on a much bigger concept, but if you're in the mood to dive into the surprisingly sparse "Giant Spider" sub-genre there's more than enough to enjoy across these four issues.

For all the tortured religious upbringing and haunting imagery, Spencer doesn't quite stick the landing on bringing this Sin-Eater story back around to Spider-Man.

While this all read better in novel form, as a comic it leaves many fans feeling like Shadow Moon, impatient and ready to get to the point.

If you're a fan of the book, this visual adaptation might somehow be fulfilling. But if this is your first exposure to the series, you'll likely find it incredibly dry and plodding.

After two issues of utterly dull meandering, American Gods: The Moment of the Storm #3 finally takes advantage of the medium it's in for the adaptation of Neil Gaiman's original novel.

Somehow American Gods: Moment of the Storm #4 manages to be both, but the former manages to outweigh the latter at least for now.

American Gods: The Moment of The Storm continues to thrive as a visual adaptation of Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

As always, Scott Hampton's art is at its best when he's depicting the more surreal scenes of the story, but after six issues (even longer if you've been with it from the start of the Dark Horse adaptation), his art even compliments the quieter moments. And, as should be expected, Gaiman's writing is unparalleled.

There are some really good ideas and sequences sprinkled throughout the bookparticularly an outlaw gang of symbiotes and Dracula mowing down a group of space piratesbut we'll have to keep reading to get a better idea on what this is all leading to. For now, it's a fun start.

Annihilation 2099 #2 brings us Star Lord 2099, a fun character with the attitude of Peter Quill, the powerset of Captain Marvel, a Wakandan upbringing, a futuristic Warhammer reminiscent of Thor and a talking ship for good measure.

Definitely worth a look if you've enjoyed any of Ant-Man's MCU appearances.

I never thought a team of bug-themed villains could be this much fun, but Zeb Wells has thoroughly proven me wrong.

Zeb Wells' Ant-Man continues to impress with #3.

Zeb Wells' Ant-Man is just pure fun.

Kyle Higgins nails the story beats, and the art is simply outstanding (especially once The Trench shows up).

Arcade Kings by Dylan Burnett is an absolute blast.

Arcade Kings' second issue can't quite match the same brilliance as its opener and it falls victim to repeating some of the same story beats (Joe comes to a new area, meets/fights some new characters, becomes friends with them, fights one of his dad's henchmen).

This remains a ton of fun and keeps building up a fully-realized word. My only hope is that the series is in it for the long haul.

Arcade Kings takes a noticeable turn with Issue #4, stripping away most of the retro video game and anime concepts to leave the reader with a simple yet heart-wrenching argument between brothers that devolves into an intense fistfight.

Arcade Kings #5 once again delivers all the melodrama of pro wrestling and anime mixed with the visuals and visceral action of classic arcade fighting games.

There's not much in terms of story, but going full-speed after well over a decade away would've likely left most readers puzzled.

Arrowsmith picks up in quality significantly with issue #2.

This story keeps on getting better.

It's a ton of exposition to get through but I can never accuse it of being boring.

Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines #5 is stuffed with world-building exposition that hinders the book's pacing compared to previous issues. But, like just about everything else involved in the story, the writing is solid.

Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines feels less like any sort of finale and more like the next chapter in a much longer story.

To say the comic is dense is putting it mildly, though if you're neither a fan of the original books or didn't pick up the adaptation when you first started you're already behind the eight ball.

The second chapter in the ongoing Assassin's Apprentice adaptation actually feels easier to pick up than the first issue for the uninitiated.

We're merely at a slow point in a much grander tale. Still, a slow read is a slow read.

Our hero is on his way to a training arc, which feels like it will open the door to The Assassin's Apprentice actually living up to its title.

I understand that Assassin's Apprentice is a decades-old, multi-book saga with more than enough of a fanbase to warrant this impressive comic adaptation. That being said, the overwhelming bulk of the second volume's fifth issue is a man incessantly abusing pre-teens as a form of "training."

The artwork is as stellar as the prose, yet it can't shake the wordiness of its original novel incarnation.

The ending twist might lead to something interesting down the road but you likely won't have to read any of this in order to understand what happens then.

While it's cool to see Ralph Macchio (no, not that one) back in the writing chair, Avengers: Edge of Infinity is nothing to write home about.

The action is solid, Doc Shaner's arrival as the book's new artist is a welcome change and the teased return of another classic villain in the final panels hints at some interesting future events.

While the writing comes off as unusually clunky at times, the twist at the end will leave you smacking your head wondering how you missed it the first time around.

This story needs to start picking up the pace.

Three issues into the new "Divide, Conquer and Kill" arc, and Batman Beyond #33 pretty much solidifies my fear that for all of Splitt's gimmicks, he (or rather they) isn't all that interesting.

Four issues into the "Divide, Conquer and Kill" storyline and Batman Beyond still feels like it's running in place with #34.

Even if the build up has been overall lackluster, that new addition will look to shake things up as this arc heads towards a climax.

Batman Beyond #36 marks the end of the "Divide, Conquer and Kill" storyline, an arc that went on for twice as long as necessary and ended with little more than a shrug.

After a woefully plodding previous arc, Dan Jurgens' Batman Beyond #37 is back on the right track with a new storyline that introduces us to Batwoman Beyond.

This is definitely a fun one.

We get our first taste of Batwoman vs. Blight in Batman Beyond #39, and it's a lot of fun to see this new character interact with Terry's greatest enemy.

The mystery of Batwoman Beyond has been solved and it" kind of works.

I'm not sure if it's the art style (which looks terrible for non-masked characters) or the slow pace, but this latest arc in Batman Beyond isn't doing it for me.

I'm not quite sure what happened here. This isn't usually a problem with Dan Jurgens, but ever single line of dialogue in this book felt off-key.

This issue by itself isn't much, but it's a nice little start to what could be a fun arc.

There's also a weird amount of re-explaining features about the Batsuite that were covered last time, but other than that it's a quick read.

While I may have panned recent arcs in Batman Beyond, seeing the futuristic version of the Bat-Family (Terry, Batwoman, a grown-up Damian, Goliath, an older Grayson, Bruce in the chair) in action was undeniably awesome.

Special mention goes to Sean Chen for some particularly great artwork in this issue.

It's a quick, fun little issue that feels like the final five minutes of an episode from the original cartoon.

The dialogue is noticeably clunky this issue, especially when Terry is interacting with Booster and Skeets, but it has the bones of what would have made a good Batman Beyond or Justice League Unlimited episode.

The time-traveling mini-arc showed a lot of promise but wound up being pretty inconsequential.

Dan Jurgens' run on Batman Beyond closes out with a breezy 50th issue.

Batman fans who have been following since Bane's initial introduction in "Knightfall" are well aware of how unevenly he has been used and the story does a good job of trying to encapsulate all the different aspects of the character from his early days as a calculating behemoth in peak physical and mental condition to his addiction storylines with the fictional Venom drug.

Even if this is your first time with this series it's worth a read.

Freddie E. Williams' art is also a bit off-putting, combining cartoonish proportions with an insane amount of detail that gives everything a literal dirty look.

The Bequest #2 is thankfully nowhere near as dense as that first issue, but it feels like it still hasn't hit its stride yet when it comes to D&D meets modern Chicago.

The Bequest feels like its finally picking up momentum with Issue #3, moving further away from the "D&D Campaign Turned Into a Comic" vibe and more into the social commentary it's clearly more interested in covering.

The Bequest manages to end on a satisfying high note, giving each of the characters at least one standout moment as the tale reaches its final climax.

Fans of the comic character and the real-life Page will undoubtedly get a kick out of this latest romp as the series takes quite a few stabs and Old Hollywood while a crew hopelessly struggles to make a new film on a tropical island.

Unfortunately neither the mystery nor the monster is all that interesting meaning there's not much to latch onto.

It's still hard to see who this book is for.

Aside from aforementioned close-ups on human faces, there's nothing offensively bad about Beware The Eye of Odin #1. And it's possible the story picks up steam in the next three installments. But as an introduction, it struggles to find its footing.

Between the trolls and the Earthen Smiths, the best part of this book continues to be its outstanding creature designs.

Beware The Eye of Odin #3 continues this book's streak of outstanding action mixed with fascinatingly bizarre artwork.

Beware the Eye of Odin has a fist-pumping climactic battle, but it only ever felt like the first portion of a much larger story.

This could wind up falling into the ether of countless team books, but it's off to a promising start and Lan Medina's art is impressive.

Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda #2 teaches its readers two things: 1) Fat Cobra is awesome, and 2) This team-up book is a ton of fun.

Once again Jim Zub's comedic banter between teammates is the standout, with Okoye and Mockbird's interactions being particularly funny.

A fun little issue, but doesn't really have time for the witty comedy the last issue issues brought.

Deadpool's arrival in the latest Black Panther And The Agents of Wakanda essentially turns this into another Deadpool comic, but if you're a fan of that you'll find nothing but laughs in this issue.

Last issue's cliffhanger with Nick Fury (supposedly) coming back into the fold makes for a nice twist, and seems to be hinting at a bigger conflict down the line. Otherwise it's you standard fun team-up group with a little bit of Deadpool sprinkled in.

This comic has Fat Cobra jokes, dragon fights, Okoye and T'Challa partying in Asgard, and closes out with a hilarious Fin Fang Foom pun.

This book has Fin Fang Foom going through an identity crisis while three dragons fights a bunch of heroes. If that doesn't sound like fun to you, I don't know what will.

After only one issue, it's hard to say where Blood Hunt will land within the pantheon of superhero event comics. DC took its shot at "superheroes versus vampires" just a couple of years ago to mixed results and Marvel events have been hit or miss in recent years. But it's been quite a while since I've seen one start on such a high note and it'll have me hooked reading through the summer.

I'll give Issue #2 credit where it's due: it's not camped by the need to read all of the tie-in issues to understand what's happening. Hopefully that trend continues.

Blood Hunt feels like it's jogging in place in issue #3.

Gripes aside, Blood Hunt #4 isn't bad. And I like that they're already teasing at least two major after-effects spilling out of this series. But as this event has continued it has gone from being a potential all-time great to just "another one." Simply put, that bites.

If you're jumping head-first into Bloodshot with this latest "The Long Shot" arc, it might take a little time to get background on what's going on. But once you're caught up it's a surprisingly easy read.

Bloodshoot #3 is little more than a long fight, but if you're up for 90s-style hyper violence then this will be right up your alley.

At the very least the cliffhanger promises for some fun fights.

It's funny, Bloodshot is usually at its most fun when the mindless brawling and shootouts are cranked up to 11. But Bloodshot #8 doesn't have much of either, instead opting to give Nix a pretty excellent backstory (even if you, like me, hated the obvious betrayal from earlier issues) while having Bloodshot deal with the moral quandary of fighting certain assailants.

It's brief (feels like this whole arc could've gone for much longer) but satisfying.

With Project Rising Spirit back up and running, Bloodshot clears the table with issue #10 by giving us a new comedic "guy in the chair" in help Bloodshot and a new sidekick/potential love interest.

It's all still as goofy and ultraviolent as usual otherwise.

Call this one ending on a high note.

It's hard to tell if this story of a fictional rockstar will land, but the imagery will definitely haunt you.

It's still unclear how much of this is truly a horror comic rather than a vivid metaphor for heroine addiction, but I have a feeling they're going to keep toeing the line of ambiguity for as long as possible.

Breath of Shadows #3 pushes the plot forward quite a bit after last issue's meandering.

Breath of Shadows #4 makes it increasingly harder to tell what's "real" and what's "metaphor."

Breath of Shadows swung for the fences but couldn't make it to the warning track.

Bylines in Blood makes for a decent hardboiled murder mystery.

It's still hard to tell where Bylines in Blood is going two issues in.

Bylines in Blood continues to be a tough read due to a thoroughly unlikeable main character, but at least issue #3 has an interesting twist and a soldi cliffhanger.

It's easy to see what Bylines in Blood was trying to do as a seriesmash together the trappings of the hardboiled detective noir genre with a futuristic sci-fi setting. And while the design of that future is an interesting one, it can't overcome how bland the mystery winds up being nor how thoroughly unlikable the protagonist is.

The end result is a surprisingly nonchalant tone, and while the main character isn't very likable there might be something fun here.

. Issue #2 also seems to acknowledge that its titular character is a bit insufferable and knocks him down a few pegs by the end. One could call the book self-aware for that, but having him still be the narrator continues to be grating.

Campisi continues to be a bizarre series.

Campisi: The Dragon Incident certainly ends on a high note with its fourth and final issue.

If you're invested in the Energon Universe and its various books, Cobra Commander #1 won't waste your time. But of all the miniseries involved in the Energon Universe, it's the weakest start by far.

The book immediately reminds us that despite the characters involved this is extremely not children-friendly, and while making Cobra Commander the butt of a few jokes is fun it feels like padding for the much bigger story of Megatron being imprisoned by COBRA.

Cobra Commander #3 is particularly twisted, showing our titular villain endure various forms of torture before expertly manipulating a group of backwoods killers into fighting each other all while tied to a chair.

The character dive into Cobra Commander has been a welcomed surprise, giving depth to one of the most paper-thin villains of the 1980s toy-based cartoon empire.

The Transformers are still very much in the background of all of this, but I get the sense that Image Comics is biding its time in bringing them in rather than deliberately holding them off for a climactic crossover.

Colonel Weird: Cosmagog feels like it's pulled straight out of an episode of the Doom Patrol HBO Max series.

The little moments of character interactions are all heartfelt, making the sudden jumps and loops in time all the more jarring. Pick this up.

Having only a passing knowledge of Black Hammer's overall plot, Colonel Weird: Cosmagog #3 doesn't quite connect like previous issues. But the visuals and dream-like state that has persisted through the series is so brilliantly done that it almost doesn't matter.

Colonel Weird: Cosmagog manages to stick the landing with its final issue, featuring our titular hero finally remembering what (or rather who) has been eluding him throughout this trip through memories.

If you're on the fence about the upcoming game, this might be the thing that tips you over into making a purchase. If you're already sold, jump in anyway.

Ahmed manages to make this feel like a bona fide Daredevil story. He may have swapped legal proceedings for sheltering orphans, but he still nails Murdock's internal struggle between his moral code and his ceaseless desire to combat evil.

After a bonkers start to brand new run, Daredevil #2 feels like a surprisingly standard issue.

A familiar face pops back up at the end that all but guarantees some in the near future, but it also feels like the book is taking its sweet time getting back to that demon idea first introduced in the new #1 issue.

Unfortunately, after a visually gripping debut in the series' opening issue, the latest demon gets wiped out almost surprisingly easy. Hopefully that doesn't become the trend.

Like with Envy, the reader will likely figure out what's going on long before Matt does, but what little we get of the fight between the two is fun.

We get the return of the White Daredevil suit and a fun surprise at the end (though how they'll explain what *he's* doing in New York given everything happening in his current comic and the rest of the X-Men is quite beyond me), but this run as a whole still feels like it hasn't quite made it out of first gear and is becoming a little too reliant on cameo appearances.

It's a letdown, buoyed only by the fact that the fight between the two is pretty solid.

It's fun jumping back into different points in the comic's history (always a trip when they break out the yellow suit), but the current run still feels like it's trying to find its momentum. Had this anniversary fallen during the Chip Zdarsky run, I imagine we'd be looking at a much different special.

In many ways, Daredevil still feels trapped in its old status quo nine issues into this new run.

I've been lukewarm on this latest Daredevil run since the start, but this is a good issue.

I take back what I said in my review for Daredevil #10 demonic Fisk is so much fun.

While many fans are thrilled to see these two working together again, Daredevil & Echo #1 is a bit of a mixed bag.

So far, the Daredevil & Echo series feels much less interested in reuniting the two titular heroes and more focussed on their 19th century ancestors.

Daredevil & Echo #3 certainly cranks up the action this issue, but it still struggles to find anything interesting for its modern day characters to do.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty ends just as it begins with a rush to the finish.

If you're on the side of fandom that feels an infinite multiverse within DC is the right call, this will likely be a fist-pumping one-shot as we move toward the finale of Dark Crisis and DC's next impending reboot. If not, it's at least cool to look at.

Some are definitely better than others Iris West and Linda Park get a fun interaction, Jim Corrigan and The Spectre have reunited which feels like it will be a bigger deal later on and we get to see Red Canary finally meet Black Canary after following-up on what happened in The Dark Army one-shot.

Dark Crisis: Young Justice gets one of the more interesting angles of the ongoing event, showing how the members of Young Justice are dealing with the sudden demise of their mentors.

. The commentary is by no means subtle, but sometimes anvils need to be dropped. But why all of this is happening in a Dark Crisis tie-in series remains to be seen.

It's still unclear if this is directly connected to what's happening with the Justice League over in the central Dark Crisis series, but at least there's some forward momentum.

Jury is out on how well this will all tie back into the event, but if nothing else at least it's trying to say something about fan culture.

It's messy, but it's possible the next issues cleans things up.

Dark Crisis' Young Justice six-issue tie-in lands with a bit of a thud thanks to what feels like incredibly rushed artwork and panel layout.

Dark Nights: Death Metal - Multiverse's End is the kind of insanity you can only find in comic books.

This is a strong recommendation from someone who usually doesn't click with Snyder's work.

This is making a late push for one of the best horror comics of the year.

It's dark, but it's some of Scott Snyder's best work in years

Scott Snyder has managed to capture that masterfully with Dark Spaces: Dungeon, as even as we see characters finally make progress in finding their serial killer in the penultimate issue we never escape the feeling that this will end horrifically.

Dark Spaces: Dungeon's ending is challenging. What first seems like the climactic showdown is satisfying, but the reader can't shake the feeling that it's over too quickly.

Remember that gross-out scene in the first Iron Man where Pepper freaks out about the puss in Tony's chest hole as she's pulling out the electromagnet? Imagine an entire comic dedicated to that feeling of discomfort.

So yes, it's another Nazi zombie story a trope so old it actually predates Sgt. Rock the comic book character by more than 10 years and since became something kids keep mowing down in video games.

The artwork remains the book's highlight, but there's not much of speak of regarding character development.

Some fun banter and solid action make for the best installment of Bruce Campbell's series so far.

I think I've finally figured out what's not clicking about Sgt. Rock vs. The Army of the Dead. It has all the quips and fun action scenes you'd expected from a comic penned by Bruce Campbell, but the zombies never feel like an actual threat.

The book was never meant to be more than a fun romp, and in that sense Bruce Campbell (yes, that one) delivered as the author. And while it never did much to separate itself from the surprisingly large amount of Nazi zombie content that's already out there, it never necessarily dropped the ball either.

There are better vampire stories out there within the DC Universe, and for now this one feels mostly unfinished.

Love Is a Battlefield doesn't break any new ground, but it's outstanding in certain moments. I'd recommend it for anyone who is a fan of the characters inside, even if you're in the "Love Stinks" camp heading into Valentine's Day weekend.

Most of the installments are admittedly skippable and a couple don't even really bother with the theme. But if you feel so inclined, read the Phantom Stranger's "The Longest Night," Super Sons' "Trick or Treat" and the Damian Wayne & Deadman team-up at the end.

So in order to make a zombie story stand out in 2019 you need two things " a killer spin on the usual narrative and the right atmosphere to match it. And by some miracle, DCeased has both.

DCeased follows up its knockout debut with a heart-wrenching second issue this week.

DCeased #3 continues to pour on the tearjerking emotional moments, as Tom Taylor effortlessly strings together moments between Alfred and the now-dead Bat Family, Harley Quinn and Joke, Damien and John Kent and finally, tragically, Superman and his family as the DC Universe deals with a sudden quasi-zombie-infested apocalypse.

It feels like Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III should be more fun. All of the elements are there, but it's not spending enough time reveling in the absurdity of these mashed up characters.

Don't you dare miss this one.

Overall this has been absolutely stellar series that any diehard DC or horror fan should check out. Eat your heart out, Marvel Zombies.

It's an absolute must-read for fans of the event.

Taylor has been at the helm since page one and each new installment brings an outstanding mixture of horror, tragedy, witty comedy and genuine character moments, usually between some of the DC pantheon's most iconic pairings.

After a packed first issue, DCeased: Dead Planet #2 keeps things at a brisk pace.

It's weird so say DCeased: Dead Planet is backtracking, but issue #3 definitely made it feel that way.

Dead Planet #4 is light on the terror (and the zombies), but it's an interesting dive back into the world of the New Gods.

On the upside, Tom Taylor brings back two staples of the series"a tragic death and a surprise superhero mash-up"that keep the issue energized.

I think it's fair to say at this point DCeased has pivoted over from being a full-on zombie apocalypse book to being more of a "here's another Elseworlds we're giving to Tom Taylor to have fun with."

But just like with Unkillables, if you liked the original series and want something to hold you over until Dead Planet gets here this will definitely do the job.

Overall it's a blood-soaked violent riot and I can't wait for more.

Tom Taylor proves once again that he is one of the best comic writers working today when it comes to balancing light-hearted humor with heart-wrenching sadness and horror.

Overall these three issues are just as good as the original series and are definitely worth a look if you enjoyed DCeased.

DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #1doesn't quite justify why DCeased required another series.

Tom Taylor also pulls out one of his favorite tricks by turning the series' top villain into a Yellow Lantern, which is a nice Injustice callback.

It's quite a bold move for Tom Taylor to change things up now, but he has yet to lead this series astray. Also there's a great Lobo scene.

DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #4 feels like a bit of wheel-spinning, as what initially appears to be a civil war breaking out among the surviving heroes is quickly undercut by the revelation that a god is simply pulling a few strings.

War of the Undead Gods #5 goes the second route by having him to lose Darkseid in laughably quick fashion, causing this series to feel like it has been spinning its wheels for the past few issues.

There may be only two issues left, but I know fully believe Taylor can pull off an all-time great ending.

The issues calls all the way back to the very beginning of this saga with Cyborg getting a chance to shine, something it feels like we haven't seen since the end of the initial run.

Having shed the trappings of the zombie apocalypse setting the series had embraced, all that was left was a confrontation with the primordial creature that caused so much death and loss. The creature itself is nothing particularly special, nor is the supposed "final battle," but it perfectly embodies the series as a whole.

Deadpool's new solo run is off to a strong start under Alyssa Wong. Not only do they have a strong grasp of Wade's sense of humor, but they also grasp that his comedy works best when the characters around him are able to hit back with sarcastic retorts.

Issue #2 has some particularly graphic body horror imagery (and for a Deadpool comic, that's really saying something!), but this symbiotic angle continues to be intriguing.

Deadpool #3 has a few fun character moments and keeps gradually unveiling what Carnage Jr. (Wade Jr.? Jury is till out on that one) is and how it relates to Wade. There's not much else, and the issue is even surprisingly light on action scenes.

It's also unclear how big of a deal that final-page reveal is given that Carnage (vol. 3) is ongoing, but it should still kick this series into a new gear.

As for the issue itself, it falls a bit flat outside of a few chuckle-worthy lines. But at least the book is finally moving on from Harrower & Doc Ock as the villains as their schtick was starting to get old.

Deadpool #6 takes the book firmly back into the world of slapstick comedy.

Deadpool #7 is built almost entirely out of a punchline-filled scene, so it's your standard Deadpool issue.

After a relatively light-hearted first seven issue's, Alyssa Wong's Deadpool series takes an emotional turn with its eighth issue by finally reintroducing Wade's daughter Ellie to the picture. Well, sort of.

Deadpool #9 delivers one hell of a gut punch.

If this is it for Alyssa Wong's run on Deadpool I'd say she nailed it.

Deadpool #1 didn't grab me. But the comics world is better off with an ongoing series centered around the Merc with a Mouth. This may not have broken any new ground, but it delivers on what it's aiming for and readers will certainly receive a few laughs. Sometimes that's enough.

Deadpool #2 has a character development long-time Deadpool fans have been waiting for.

Deadpool #3 is the strongest of this new run.

Seeing Ellie Wilson grow into her own powers is incredibly rewarding for long-time Deadpool fans.

There's a twist that, somehow feels like the best possible version of what Fox did with Deadpool at the end of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and it could result in Wade's character finally evolving for the first time in what feels like decades. Or maybe will get a comedic rug pull in a couple of issues. Either works!

Typically a Deadpool & Wolverine comic book would be loaded with violence, banter, internal monologues and fourth-wall breaks. This is so much more.

The book tries to keep much of the fourth-wall-breaking meta humor that made Deadpool comics great in the 2010s, but it often shifts back into 90s cheese with over-the-top violence, cringe-inducing one-liners and insane character designs.

The flashbacks to their friendship has some surprisingly emotional moments and Liefeld shows he can still balance Wade's humor with the more serious moments.

Deadpool: Bad Blood sticks the landing on the emotional climax it had been building towards.

This might be the weakest installment of the "Bad Blood" saga in quite some time but it's still got a few good lines sprinkled in there.

It's not bad, but it feels so off-course compared to what Liefeld managed to do with the original Bad Blood miniseries.

While the latest band of rogues is starting to resemble a Youngblood comic (I'm fairly certain the leader of the group was from the original Youngblood #1), I'm just glad we're out of that virtual world subplot.

It may lack the emotional gut punch the original series had with Thumper's origin, but its worlds better than the Millville subplot that took up most of the miniseries.

Having the Thunderbolts work as Mayor Kingpin's hired muscle is a great call and while the lineup (Rhino, Agony, Electro, Taskmaster, Whiplash, a surprise sixth member) seems like it would make for a good Suicide Squad-esque romp, this first issue pulls the rug out from under you by reminding you just how lethal and merciless each of these villains can get.

John Walker is the worst, and unfortunately, the second issue of Villains for Hire centers around him. Your enjoyment will depend entirely on how much you can stand U.S. Agent.

There's not much of a satisfying ending and the book pulls its punches on just how ugly things can get when you're a strike team working for The Kingpin (something it wasn't afraid to do with its first issue), but it still shows just how cruel Fisk can be.

This could be a fun one to follow.

After the spot-on Rob Liefeld parody in the series' opening issue, Dial H for Hero managed to top itself this month by nailing a hysterical Dragon Ball imitation.

Dial H for Hero continues to be a pleasant surprises for DC's Wonder Comics line. Three issues in and writer Sam Humphries has mastered the balancing act of having heartfelt characters, comedic timing and fun takes on various superhero tropes.

This series has blown expectations out of the water with each issue.

If you're not a fan of a comic trying to explain metaphysical fictional concepts, the first half of the issue might not click, but things quickly get back on track with another emotional flashback involving Miguel and Superman.

To say Dial H for Hero #6 is an absolute feast for the eyes is an understatement.

This series continues to be outstanding and shows no sign of slowing down.

Like everything else Sam Humphries has done with the series, the gimmick is excellently executed. Plus the final stinger at the end with Miguel gives a hint at just how insane this series will be willing to go in the near future.

While Dial H for Hero #9 is a bit of a step back from earlier issues, it still shows a ton of promise for where this story is headed.

After a couple of "just okay" issues, Dial H for Hero comes roaring back with #10.

An absolute must-read if you're a fan of the series' revival.

Sam Humphries' Dial H for Hero series was an absolute treat.

This won't be the thing that gets me to finally play one of the games, but I didn't hate it.

Dragon Age: The Missing continues to be incredibly dense for readers who didn't play the games, but it still manages to hold its own with great artwork from Fernando Heinz Furukawa & Rocio Zucchi.

It makes for some interesting if not well-trodded sequences (getting stuck in a mirror dimension, everything being upside down) and is a fun enough read if you're not familiar with the subject material and all the proper nouns fly right over your head.

Dragon Age: The Missing #4 takes a staggeringly large step back in terms of artwork.

Duke #1 might not pack the same wallop as the early issues of the new Transformers run, but after enduring the incoherent mess of IDW's run on G.I. Joe in the late 2010s, I'll happily take a more streamlined version of the property rather than the endless parade of goofily-named characters mowing down enemies with extravagant military equipment.

While the government conspiracy intrigue might not be as flashy as readers might expect, it's still infinitely better than previous G.I. Joe I've read in the past.

Duke #3 is straightforward and solid

Duke, Baroness and company make their triumphant escape in spectacular fashion, but the story feels not closer to getting back to the big Transformers crossover storyline that keeps getting teased out.

Overall, the Duke run will likely read better as a trade than week by week as some issues were much stronger than others. As for the final issue, it's just okay.

Dutch #0 feels like the "Old Man Logan" equivalent to so many of the comics that flooded Image throughout the 90s. Over-the-top machines of death and destruction, guns that would snap a man's shoulder after firing a single shot and endless black-op, top secret teams with names that produce an eye roll as a reflex.

Overall, the opening issue isn't groundbreaking, but its execution of familiar tropes is solid.

Dutch wants to be so much more interesting than it actually is.

So Dutch turned out to be little more than a three-issue prologue to Image's plans for its new Blood Squad Seven series.

If you're looking to get into the Halloween spirit and enjoy Poe, give it a look.

The joke is still there, but the story is told so well that you'll wish this was its own series. At the very least, pick up this issue for that.

Snifter of Blood #3 lacks the standout feature like the previous issue, though fans who enjoy a good joke at the expense of Poe's hubris will undoubtedly enjoy him complaining about the success of Sherlock Holmes in the opening story.

The book never fails to be creative in mixing horror with humor, though it still often reads like a long-running inside joke about Edgar Allen Poe.

It's still fun if this is your kind of humor.

For the diehard Edgar Allen Poe fans out there who have enjoyed this series from the start, this is a fun send-off.

There's not much in the way of progressing the story forward beyond getting that sensation across, but if it works on you you'll probably be looking out for the next issue. Though, if you've seen that one episode of South Park about the Wal-Mart, you probably already know where this is going.

This remains a great read, though hopefully we'll start getting some more revelations soon.

All the while I.N.J. Culbard's artwork continues to give off the nagging feeling of discomfort and unease, as even the most basic panels of characters smiling seem deranged.

The rest of the story continues to crawl at a snail's pace, but there's still just enough of a mystery to keep the reader trudging through the palpable sense of dread.

The book still has an mistakable layer of discomfort, but it's so much more palatable now that the story is picking up forward momentum.

But this one-off is much more interested in the twist hiding in its final splash page. Whether or not the twist works is TBD, let's see how the rest of the event plays out.

Falling in Love on The Path to Hell is off to an awesome start.

Every action panel is a grimy, flesh-covered mess, making it abundantly clear that while it's not Hell, it's not much better.

If you're looking for a memorable Fantastic Four Annual, look elsewhere.

It's a short read that feels like it'll get picked up again, but it feels right at home with the rest of this universe.

It's a bizarre book but unquestionably memorable.

Fishflies #2 isn't quite as gripping as the miniseries' opener, but it's still every bit as unnerving.

The nagging discomfort of the world Jeff Lemire has created never ceases, whether it be a scene of a police officer interrogating a drunken, abusive father or when that same officer calls home to his loving wife.

Fishflies #4 proves this series is something special.

Fishflies' mood and atmosphere continue to make it a standout title month after month. But with its fifth issue it's becoming clear that this thing needs to wrap up.

Part of me wants to believe it's a bit too late in the game for Jeff Lemire to bring in an explanation this elaborate, but he manages to tie it back to the original crime on a thematic level.

Folklords #1 shows a lot of promise.

. Basically, if this one managed to hook you in you'll probably be in it for the long haul. If not...well I don't blame you.

At the very least this issue gives us a new character to root for, but very little else.

Marvel Future Fights Firsts: Luna Snow (now there's a mouthful) brings so little to the table it's hard to get mad about it.

While the A-plot features an entertaining extraction mission led by Cover Girl, GI Joe: A Real American Hero #260 keeps having its story screech to a grinding halt to give a handful of other subplots a page or two's worth of advancement.

Netho Diaz's detailed artwork for the action scenes continues to be the book's highlight.

Small talk between various groups is the order of the day for G.I. Joe: Real American Hero #262, so don't expect any action out of this one.

The sense of duty, loss and sacrifice is strongly felt throughout the book and it all feels earned.

After a touching special Independence Day issue, G.I Joe: A Real American Hero goes right back to having the same problems it's always had"juggling multiple storylines with a boatload of characters, all of which come with a name, a surface-level gimmick and not much else.

Like usual, the story seems more concerned about building up the next arc while leaving the current one by the wayside. It's all very monotonous.

. If these new books live up to the hype, 2024 could be a wild year for Image Comics.

Gane's art style of detailed backgrounds and muted colors perfectly fits with the tone, and the ending promises a story that's more heart-wrenching than horror.

Whether or not you've been keeping up with Jonathan Hickman's X-Men run since House of X and Powers of X ended, Giant-Size X-Men: Nightcrawler is pretty skippable.

Fans of the show should give this a read.

Fans of the show, or of wrestling in general, need to give this a shot.

GLOW #3, the latest edition in the IDW miniseries, tackles the idea of psychology head on as two of its main characters argue on opposite sides of what makes wrestling an athletic competition and what makes it entertainment.

Overall this series has been a blast and is a definite recommendation for fans of the show.

If you're fans of the show then you absolutely should check out the ongoing miniseries, but this one is absolutely skippable.

From its story structure to its characters to its art design, everything about Godzilla: Monster & Protectors #1 screams Saturday morning cartoon.

Godzilla: Monsters & Protectors still feels very much like a Saturday morning cartoon about Godzilla. There's just one problem"he's not it the issue at all.

It's fine for the Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic it's going for, but nothing more.

If you've ever been onboard with the character you'll likely enjoy this. If not, it's a slog to get through.

Groo In The Wild has exactly two jokes Groo is an idiot and everyone is afraid of him. And those jokes are told over and over for the second of four issues and it has already stopped being funny.

It's a fun little read if you enjoy the dynamic of the current MCU lineup.

Hardware: Season One #4 plays out like one long chess game between Curtis and Alva, and each tactical move is brilliantly revealed.

Hardware: Season One continues to entertain and the writing surrounding Curtis is excellent, but the latest issue is a bit hard to follow (especially during action sequences) because of some clunky artwork.

Hardware: Season One's final confrontation wraps up fairly quickly, but if you've been along for the ride so far you'll enjoy the finish.

Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti are back to to working on Harley Quinn again, and if you liked their previous runs you'll feel right at home with Harley Quinn & The Birds of Prey #1.

Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey #2 feels like yet another quintessential Quinn story.

Even if you're not the biggest Harley Quinn or Birds of Prey fan, issue #3 of Harley Quinn and The Birds of Prey is just too much fun not to love.

It's still not the animated series (honestly, what is?), but its a great ride for Harley fans.

I wasn't expecting Hawkman to wind up with the best heel turn as part of the ongoing Infected event, but here we are.

Layout aside this has all the makings of a legitimately chilling horror, but so little happens in this first issue that it's hard to call just how far it will go.

The end result in a series of pages that can best be described as psychedelic by way of Hot Topic; it's absolutely flooded with detail but it's intertwined with an unquestionably juvenile outlook at things like classic art, poetry, sex and death.

There's not much in the way of plot in Heartbeat #3, but by this point in the story it's pretty clear that Maria Llovet's goal for this series isn't its story.

What was an introspective, melancholy look at adolescent love and depression has turned into a plodding trudge through a ceaseless inner monologue.

After showing a lot of promise in the initial issues, Heartbeat ends on a flat note with #5.

Hellverine #1 gets a strong recommendation from me, even if you haven't been keeping up with either Wolverine or Ghost Rider. Percy has shown his knack for crafting compelling stories since his days writing Marvel's audio dramas and the artwork revels in the ridiculous nature of it all.

It's nice to get some explanation as to how this new Hellverine came to be, but the issue is otherwise skippable.

If you're a horror fan and either grew up in or are a person with a penchant for mid-90s rock there are fun bits to discover here. Otherwise, it's pretty hard to recommend.

The artwork is still great and there's a fun horror-themed reinterpretation of the "Lucky Horseshoe," but the character dialogue is still teeth-grindingly annoying.

If not for some decent ghost designs there would be nothing here.

But why doesn't Home Sick Pilots finally stick the landing with Issue #4? Because every time the characters talk it's like rubbing a cheese grater on your brain.

If you haven't jumped back into Hulk since Immortal Hulk ended, now feels like a good time.

Image! #4 wraps up a few of the longer-running stories in the series, but unfortunately only "Hopeless" seems to stick the landing.

IMAGE!, the first of 12 Image 30th Anniversary anthologies, features the first of 10 stories from a wide variety of creators. The quality of each varies, but given how many people are involved that comes as no surprise.

The second Image! anthology is once again a mixed bag.

Three issues into Image's 30th Anniversary anthology and certain series have continued to stand out among the rest. "Hopeless" and "Shift" continue to be the best parts of each issue and sincerely deserve to be expanded into their own series.

Image! #5 has the start of what looks like a fun Hack/Slash short story and a couple of previews for some upcoming graphic novels. The rest is skippable, and even the usually-great "Blizzard" story has no real progression.

The highlights this time around include "The Blizzard" (back after a weak previous installment), "Dutch," "The Pro" and the latest Hack/Slash vs. Image.

The highlights this time around are "The Blizzard" (though its artwork somewhat betrays a few emotional moments), an excellent finale for "Dutch," "Hack/Slash" and "Closer."

The standouts from Image! #8 are a pair of Casanova entries, the continuation of the utterly bizarre "Closer" short story and the preview for James Tyrion IV's WorldTr33.

"Dead Eyes" produces the best of them, while "The Blizzard" and "Hack/Slash vs. Image" continue to be the best of the reoccurring installments. The rest ranges from boring to outright depressing.

And while there are plenty of new additions and one-shots this time around, the best remains the story that started it all in Geoff Johns & Andrea Mutti's "The Blizzard."

Image's penultimate issue to its 30th-anniversary anthology is one of its best installments to date.

Image wraps up its 30th Anniversary year-long anthology on a high note, loaded with fun little one-shots like "Dirty Deeds," "Mascots," "Chance Meeting" and "Science Dog." Geoff Johns' "Blizzard," the highlight of the anthology from its opening issue, manages to stick the landing even if I'm not quite familiar with the franchise referenced in the final panels.

Ewing doesn't answer every question here (how could he possibly?) but it's fascinating to see characters like She-Hulk, Wolverine and Thor discuss these concepts.

The first issue isn't the easiest of reads"Jones' powers make for some very odd panels and the story is told completely out of our"but there might be something fun here.

Impossible Jones #2 still can't quite find its footing.

Invasion From Planet Wrestletopia is the perfect comic for wrestling fans. Whether you've been a fan since the days of Hulkamania or just have a passing fandom of modern WWE, you'll feel right at home in this insane story of alien wrestlers, warring factions, heel turns, and corrupt authority figures.

Invasion From Planet WrestleTopia continues to be an absolute treat with its fourth issue.

It's a story we've heard plenty of times, especially when it involves The Joker, but at the very least Joker: Killer Smile #1 seems to know that its series is treading familiar ground.

There's a chance"a slim one"that this might be going somewhere interesting in #3. But so far it's just lacking.

I knocked Joker: Killer Smile back when it first came out because it seemed to be treading through the same tired old themes involving Joker. But credit has to go to Jeff Lemire for how this one wrapped up.

After the somewhat incomprehensible nature of Infinite Frontier from earlier this year, Justice League Incarnate #1 mercifully simplifies DC's massive multiverse plans by narrowing its focus.

Justice League Incarnate #2 starts off with a visual feast as the titular group spends some time in the horror-filled Earth-13.

There are still some fun bits as the story jumps between universes but your milage will vary wildly based on how well you can stomach that aforementioned plot.

It's fine if you don't mind the massive exposition dump.

Overall the miniseries is worth a read if you're keeping up with DC's major events, but most of these cliff notes will likely get covered in the upcoming events.

Consider this a must-read.

It only takes a few pages of mostly wordless dialogue to see how the initial tragedy affected her. But it wasn't until one of her imaginary friends (a pink elephant crossed with Crocodile Dundee) arrives that I knew this book was working.

Kill Your Darlings pours on the exposition with its third issue.

Kill Your Darlings tosses in a few more narrative twists with Issue #4, though the jury is out this time on whether or not they'll work.

Still, it's the same tragic, heart-wrenching writing that has made this series so emotionally impactful.

Dive in if you haven't already.

And yet between the haunting visuals and the stage being set for a satisfying conclusion, the letdown was outweighed by the writing still being genuinely excellent otherwise.

Between the time skip and the final climactic battle, so much of this story called for it to be told as an epic saga on a grand scale, something that spans years rather than a mere eight issues. Yet what we have is excellent, and a surprisingly happy ending given how twisted the tale began.

It shows promise but hopefully the story picks up the pace going forward.

You wouldn't think a book called Killing Red Sonja would be a comedy, and yet the first issue is downright hilarious.

By the end of the second issue he's actually in on the joke, but it's still a slog to care about any of these characters minus the talking boar (because who doesn't love that?).

Worth a read even if you're out of the loop on the much bigger story in the background.

The latest issue of DC's Looney Tunes is headlined by Bugs Bunny in a "Jack and the Beanstalk" parody. And if that sounds familiar, it's because the show did it too with "Beanstalk Bunny" way back in the day. Unfortunately, this version doesn't feature Daffy Duck or Elmer Fudd as The Giant, and it's drained of most of its comedic timing as a result.

Looney Tunes #249 is two-thirds of a great comic.

If you're thinking Looney Tunes might do something special for its 250th issue, get ready for disappointment.

While it's cool to see an issue be given a specific gimmick, there's not much in terms of laughs with this one as you know pretty quickly where each story is going.

By the end, you know why Cullen Bunn structured the issue this way, but this series could have started on a much higher note if the framing device had been ditched.

Personally, I think the ideas presented here are far more interesting than the last issue's splatter-fest but won't mind if the series tries to balance the two going forward.

Lucky Devil #3 assures its readers that, despite the last issue being fairly bloodless, this series is far from finished with its ultraviolent gorefest sequences.

Well, this was underwhelming.

M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games sees Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum (the showrunners of the upcoming Hulu animated comedy series) team up for a new comic series about the titular floating head. And if the show winds up being anything like this, it could turn out to be very promising.

Having M.O.D.O.K. team up with Tony Stark to sneak into a villain's convention winds up being just as fun as you'd expect, but M.O.D.O.K.'s inner turmoil about the memories of his family gives the book a surprising amount of depth.

Your mileage may vary on the Gwenpool fourth-wall breaking antics, but Head Games #3 delivers another stellar one-two punch of solid humor and heart-wrenching drama.

M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games ends on the highest of notes.

All of the mid-80s X-Men references might not click if you weren't reading back then, but this is a must-read for fans of the titular character.

I don't take too much stock in the "daughter" reveal and the New Mutants cast can't quite shed that 90s cheesiness at times, but everything involving Eric's mental struggle is gripping.

Magneto #3 deals with some heavy subjects. Not only does it tackle the toxicity of parasocial hero worship, but it tackles Eric's background as a Holocaust survivor head-on and questions how he could ever side with humanity after being on the receiving end of the very worst of it.

Regardless of how you feel about current X-Men books, the four-issue Magneto run comes highly recommended.

Some interesting visuals are sprinkled throughout, but it still seems more interested in teasing out different mysteries.

Manor Black: Fire in the Blood continues to be increasingly more interested in the flashback storyline than what's happening in the present day.

While the flipping back and forth between time periods brings the pacing to a crawl, Manor Black #3 has some solid visuals and some surprisingly quiet moments that bring real weight to the family drama.

Fire in the Blood #4 has a big reveal and a fun creature design, but it's a twist you probably saw coming if you correctly guessed what the metaphor surrounding the two families has been about.

Good enough for me to want to check out the graphic novel.

Whether you've been a Marvel fan for years or just started reading recently, this one is worth a look.

If you're absolutely dying for new Punisher material or have some deep-seated nostalgic ties to the original Punisher 2099 you might find this enjoyable. But if this is your first step into that world, it will probably be your last.

If you're a fan of the OG 2099 universe, this is worth a look.

Black Panther is the latest hero to be brought into IDW's all-ages Marvel Action line. And while the story isn't a big attention-grabber (Wakanda getting blasted by deadly weather) it is a nice place for fans of the MCU incarnation of the character to jump in and start reading.

Simply put, Black Panther #2 is a mess.

It's a fun little read for kids, but not much else.

So if you're looking for a more lighthearted Marvel tale there's a lot of fun to be had here.

There isn't much to the story beyond visuals (and an amusing callback to a character from classic literature), but if you're in to watching giant monsters brawl it's a fun time.

While it makes for a bit of an awkward experience if you're reading digitally, writer Eve L. Ewing clearly has fun with the dual-sided perspective in the opening issue of the returning Marvel Team-Up, which sees Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel join forces to take on The Jackal.

Did the world need any more Marvel Zombies? Probably not, but the latest spin on the Black, White & Red (now Black, White & Blood) gives it a good try.

If Marvel Zombies is your bag, this series continues to provide.

Three issues in, Marvel Zombie: Black, White & Blood still hasn't proven the need for more Marvel Zombies content. But once again it still manages to knock the reader off their feet with at least one excellent zombified short story.