Henry Davis Comic Reviews

Death Spiral continues to take shape in this week's The Amazing Spider-Man #23, continuing to layer its story at a slowed pace, giving room to every major plot line in this crossover to breathe. While this leaves some major events a tad under baked, the overall thrill of this issue is so classic and fun its easy to look past the expectations one has for the meeting between Peter & MJ.

The Amazing Spider-Man #24 is the first issue in this event that truly hit on the emotional potential this story innately has. With the previous Carnage team now involved and pulling their weight, this issue finally pulls off the mask and reveals it to be a sleeper hit for Eddie Brock lovers.

The Amazing Spider-Man #25 is another inch forward towards the conclusion of this crossover, filling its time with entertaining action and character writing that, more often than not, fails to grasp the potential depth this story has in its core. That being said, it is one of the more thoughtful symbiote slap fests we've had in the pages of Spider-Man in a hot minute, and continues to be fun no matter its short comings.

The Amazing Spider-Man #26 continues to march through Death Spiral with its head down, plugging along at a pace that kills the progression of this crossover event dead in its tracks. Eight issues deep into this story, and it is still struggling to find something to say beyond the promise of shock value.

The Amazing Spider-Man #27 concludes the violent threat of Torment in splashy fashion, leaving itself mostly open-ended to the scars this story has ripped open in our intrepid heroes.  Whether or not this story will become impactful is left in the hands of what comes next in the form of multiple epilogues, but as far as pure spectacle goes, this issue was a hit.

The Amazing Spider-Man #28 is a much needed down beat after an explosive set of arcs that left the life of Peter Parker in the background. The road to #1000 begins here, tying up loose ends and leaving the character in a place where a new trajectory is on the horizon.

The Amazing Spider-Man #29 is a thrilling blast of fresh air after Death Spiral, marching the title forward with an electric visual direction and a strong new villain.

The Amazing Spider-Man #30 is a thrilling issue of high stakes developments, incredible art, and the definitive launching pad for the road to #1000, which has me optimistic, yet terrified as a fan for what Spider-Man's biggest story might have in store for readers.

The Amazing Spider-Man #31 is at its best when it approaches its characters with vulnerability, and at its worst when it fails to trust its audience to engage with its sincerity without any interruptions. I am quite pleased and intrigued with direction the team is taking its new story, and am happy for the time they're taking to develop it properly.

The Amazing Spider-Man #32 is a strong second-half to the story that was kicked off last issue, with consistent greatness in both the writing and art.

The Amazing Spider-Man #33 is more "calm before the storm" storytelling, laying the groundwork for themes that feel fresh within the pages of this title. Without his role as Peter and his mask as Spider-Man, what is left of the man between? The work going into issue #1000 grows more and more mysterious by the day, alongside a new sense of intrigue.

The Amazing Spider-Man #34 is a fun bit of filler, that plays with the powers of Electro in newfound ways but doesn't quite satisfy as a chapter in the road to issue #1000, aside from a new bit of information uncovered about Cormac.

Amazing Spider-Man / Venom: Death Spiral – Body Count #1 is a strong origin issue for Torment that delivers too much, too late. It's the beating, thematic heart of an arc missing its cherry on top, distilled into the origin of a monster.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity #1 is a better read than it has any right to be. It puts its characters first, delivering meaning and promise to figures both major and minor within the Spider-Man mythos.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity #2 is a fun all-ages affair that misses the chance to dig into something deeper by continuing to mischaracterize long-standing heroes like Miles & Cindy for the sake of making the book's 'schoolhouse' feel tonally consistent.

The most offensive truth one can admit about Batman #163 is that its a wholly uninspired retread of stories that have not only been done better, but have been done by Jeph Loeb himself with more finesse. There is an aspect of this story, and this issue, that makes it 'entertaining' in the sloppiest of sense, and that's Jim Lee being able to at least allow the imagery of Loeb's ideas to stand tall above his ability to write them.

Batman/Wonder Woman: The Truth #1 is a perfectly fine story that works best as an epilogue to Batman: Hush, and not so much as a true team-up story between two of DC's biggest hitters. The art is the real star of this story, something we've come to expect from a pro like Jim Cheung.

Black Cat #8 is focused on setting the table for its true conflict, holding the audience over with charming art and dialogue that, thankfully, builds up to something that is thematically richer than what readers were initially led to believe.

Captain America #8 is an uneven slip of the mask in a run that has otherwise been excellent thus far, but it doesn’t signal an overall decline for the title. It’s a misstep made with good intentions, and it still pushes the story forward with the same sense of thrilling momentum as before.

Overall, Captain America #9 is a good issue with a messy soul. On a surface level, however, it remains a thrilling tale of morality that is unafraid to explore multiple ideas of action on a global scale.

Overall, Captain America #10 is a book written for the spectacle and the drama of a superhero story that it's deeper themes are consequentially buried by. Its still a great time, but its flaws are unfortunately very fatal.

Amazing Spider-Man / Queen in Black #1 is a smorgasbord of teases for the Spidey offices biggest stories of 2026, and did exactly what a good preview book does, getting me excited for all of them.

Concrete: Stars Over Sand #1 is worthy of attention from new readers, just as much as it does from fans of Chadeick’s initial work with the character. Sure, it may not actively try to engage new readers by bringing them up to speed, but a beautiful set of unique themes awaits anyone willing to give it a chance.

Corpse Knight #1 is a strong first issue that presents its hooks with masterful pacing and presentation. Although it may not have impressed me with a sense of depth or individuality, by the final page I found myself excited by the potential of its future installments.

Daredevil #1 is the kind of slow, thoughtful relaunch to a character that we haven't gotten much of in the modern comics space. With a profound sense of melancholy and a brilliant new status quo, the future for this run is bright.

Daredevil #2 is a great second issue, one that establishes the team's diligent approach to character building and mystery that leaves Matt with a back against the wall in a satisfying manner.

Hank Howard, Pizza Detective: A Slice of Life #1 is a treat, with a more emotional resonant tale and tone than the title would lead readers on to. If you see this floating around the spinner rack, grab it before its gone.

Iceman: Omega #1 is a fine release that suffers from poor communication of its nature as a collection of Marvel Infinite reprints. What's here is fine in the context of quick fix reading, but the weakness of its format really shines when given the direct market treatment.

What ultimately makes this issue land is how confident it is in slowing things down. By prioritizing character over spectacle, the team give this world room to breathe, allowing its emotional core to come into sharper focus before the inevitable chaos to come. This book is all about change, in about finding something to fight for beyond what we’ve been programmed to. If this is the foundation for the back half of Invincible Universe: Battle Beast, then the series isn’t just gearing up for bigger fights, it’s building toward something far more meaningful with its resolution.Battle Beast #7 is an excellent return to the series, showcasing where the first arc left our heroes as they move into the second half of this series changed for the better.

Iron Man #3 continues to nail its balancing act between the heart of Tony Stark and the espionage of A.I.M. with great humor and drama alike, its noticeably lighter take allowing the team to slowly build towards greater things whilst maintaining focus on its most immediate plots.

Iron Man #4 is a visually delightful and emotionally impactful issue, driven by a sudden sense of unpredictability when it comes to cruelty of A.I.M. Carmen Carnero continues to prove herself a dynamite artist not just with her style, but her knack for creative paneling.

King Spawn #55 is an excellent starting point for Spawn, greeting both new and old readers alike with a promise of thematic elegance that has me ravenous for what comes next.

Marc Spector: Moon Knight #2 is an excellent issue driven by its visuals, the art elevating an issue all about high-octane action into an absolute work of art that continues to keep Jed MacKay's lengthy time with the character alive and fresh.

Marc Spector: Moon Knight continues to astonish with its visual storytelling, utilizing decades of comics history and inspired visual choices to deliver one of the most exciting fights I’ve read all month. Tying it all together, of course, are the expert choices in coloring that Rachelle Rosenberg makes that finalize the brilliance of this title.

Narco #1 is an engaging first chapter in a story made so by its purposeful lack of expository information. With charming characters as its backbone and a simple, yet effective art style, this issue was surprisingly cozy read that I implore readers to check out while they can.

Find out more about the series, and pick up the first volume for yourself here!

Punisher vs. Spider-Man #1 takes its time in setting up a character-driven tale of the past that explores the relationship between Peter Parker and Frank Castle in a refreshingly grounded way.

Queen in Black #1 is fluffy fun fitting of a summer crossover but doesn't go the distance in giving readers a reason to invest in the event alongside the likes of Avengers: Armageddon. Buried under the weight of inter-publisher competition and the shadow of its predecessor, it's likely that the end of Al Ewing's time with Venom will peter out with little fanfare.

Queen in Black #2 refocuses the stakes of this event on relationship between MJ and Dylan, utilizing the last few years of their lives to establish a subtle, yet rich emotional bond that may just elevate this tale beyond its popcorn fun.

Queen in Black: Defenders of Light and Dark #1 is a necessary chapter in the Queen in Black saga as our heroes take the fight directly to both Hela and Knull simultaneously. While brilliantly illustrated, the secret delight of this tie-in is it acting as a secret title for Cloak & Dagger.

Sirens: Love Hurts #2 keeps up the momentum of the last issue without any trouble at all, paving the way forward for itself with equal amounts of humor, heart, and horror.

Sirens: Love Hurts #3 is the ultimate issue in this Black Label series, turning up the heat on our characters relationships with one another instead of raising the stakes or exploring the madness behind its main antagonist. While this may dissuade other readers, the heart of this story has always been the dynamics between our main cast and their personal lives, so a continued exploration of that over the cartoonish villainy of Horoscope is a welcomed decision.

Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day #1 is a timeless return to an era of Spider-Man that readers feel strongly about, leaning into its strengths and cutting off the weakness to tell a story that is great for every kind of Spider-Man fan.

With smart genre subversion and layered character writing, The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace #1 has hooked me in for a ride that is, in all aspects of its storytelling, rife with atmosphere and emotion that lead down a road only our closest demons are willing to travel.

The Oddball's Odyssey #1 is a brilliant piece of cartoon storytelling, one that steals the laughter from your lungs as much as it captures your heart. It is an ode to the days of the independent cartoonist, with a powerful theme that resonates deeply.

New Titans #33 may not kickstart this new era with a bang, but its recognition of recent woes for the title and its promise to step beyond is exciting enough to give this opening arc a fair shake. The art is sublime, and the future of the Titans looks bright.

White Boat #3 is a conclusion that takes just as many twists as it does turns, managing to still stick the landing as a personal tale of lost relationships. Its a classic Scott Snyder joint, and makes for a wild read well-worth catching up on.