James 'Hopper' Powers Comic Reviews

Batman #26 is a great issue. There is great action, stunning artwork, and answers given that we have been waiting for (Lieutenant Gordon). There are still questions of what the introductory and interjected pages are leading to and when they even take place, but because this issue gave us some answers to such questionable pages I am excited for the eventual reveal. I give this a 4.5/5 and the only reason it is not a 5/5 is nothing mind-blowing happened. This is well worth your money and I highly recommend picking it up!!

Fantastic Four #1 is a great reboot of Marvel's "first family". The Fantastic Four have never been on the top of my pull list. I do find myself enjoying this book. I am really excited that there is something new to enjoy in The Fall of the Fantastic Four. I am happy to have given this book a chance, as there are some serious events being set in motion. I recommend this book as a jumping on point. Prepare for what may be yet another famed run in the Fantastic Four franchise. Hurry up, issue #2!

Guardians of the Galaxy #9 is one of my three favorite comics right now and this month's issue disappointed me in ways that I did not anticipate. They had the perfect opportunity to re-enter the Marvel landscape through Infinity but were given absolutely no role in the event whatsoever. The art style is leaving a lot to be desired, especially when compared to the previous issues' clean, beautiful style. Star-Lord and the rest of the Guardians had a great story line going and, as per the usual MME protocol, it was put on hold for this unrewarding side quest. Save your money and just wait until next month's issue to get your Guardians fix since it should be back to normalcy.

Loki: Agent of Asgard #1 is an amazing pick for you this week. The title of this first arc is "Trust Me" and it is fitting for this issue. Loki is a fantastic protagonist and deserves to have his own run. Is he simply an anti-hero right now on his quest for redemption? I believe so, and I cannot wait to see more of his journey to redeem his name and becoming a new favorite hero in the Marvel universe. Anti-heroes can be so much fun to read and Al Ewing is doing a great introductory job - which is arguably the most critical time to do it. The character interactions are cool and Lee Garbett makes every single panel worth pausing over. If you can only pick up one comic this week, be sure to make this one it!!

Nova #13.NOW continues the improving story of this Nova run and I am genuinely excited for more. Nova is a cosmic character and I am glad to get away from Earth and all of this domestic boredom that has been plaguing this run. Seriously, Marvel: do not make an earthbound, angsty teen don the helm of the interuniversal (that's right) Nova title. It looks like Gerry Duggan wants things to stay cosmic and I am so happy that Beta Ray Bill is, by the looks of things, introducing a lot more adventure to this run. I recommend picking up this title if you are both a new Nova fan and also curious about this new Nova.

I highly recommend Numbercruncher to anyone who is looking for a dark, smart story that will make you scratch your head and wonder just what is going on: are you rooting for the wrong character? how can this end? what is really going on? The Bastard Zane's quest to end the brilliant Mathematician's tricks is a fun ride and I challenge you to read the narrataion in your own voice (unless you are a surly English lout from a Guy Richie film).

Serenity: Leaves on the Wind #1 is a fantastic return to our favorite story in the 'verse! The story picks up 9 months after the movie and that immediately gets me hungry to see and learn what has transpired between then and now. This is, essentially, Season 2 of Firefly and I am so happy to finally have more of this epic!! The characters are beautifully rendered, new developments are underway for this new season, and it reads almost like you are watching an episode.

Superior Spider-Man #24 is a great issue. I have been looking forward to when the new wall crawler would encounter Venom and this was a great chapter in the arc. Parker's relationships in his personal life continued to evolve and were affected by the symbiote's presence. The Green Goblin and his army made moves and continue to lead up to "Goblin Nation" (the game changer that will follow the conclusion of "Darkest Hours"), and we got Superior Venom!! There were only a few battle scenes in this issue and that is a downfall because I want to see what the Superior Venom can really do!!

Thor: God of Thunder #19.NOW is another incredible installation in the saga of our favorite Norse hero. While the issue was a bigger setup than payoff, the overall scale of the run and Thor's evolving role in the universe was deepened. The entire earth is at stake here and Thor is rising to the occasion in a way that only he can: through many millenia and countless struggles. The final page gets my Mjolnir buzzing and I cannot wait for next month's issue!! I know I say that a lot, but the fact that this issue (and nearly every other one in Thor: God of Thunder) has me so incredibly excited to find out and see what happens next is a testament to the overall quality of the comic. Jason Aaron, Esad Ribic, and Ive Svorcina have come through and delivered a must-buy issue.