Josh West Comic Reviews

Action Comics #977 puts The New World story arc off to a great start as Dan Jurgens seems to be winding up to deliver another powerful story about the Man of Steel.

Action Comics #978 visits iconic moments in Supermans history that will makes any fan happy to see, and also gives important revelations about Supermans new life. But in the end, there are still so many questions remaining and few answers given.

Action Comics #982 moves the "Revenge" story arc into high-gear with a classic display of Superman's unwavering heroism in the face of impossible odds. Despite a mildly rough hand-off between artists, this issue tells a great story that will leave readers anxious to see how this story ends.

Action Comics #983 progressed this story arc in an enjoyable, yet predictable way. The battle between the Super-family and the Revenge Squad ultimately takes a back seat to Superman and Zod's fight, which was disappointing. But, there's no sign of this story arc slowing down any time soon, and I still have high hopes for the upcoming conclusion.

I can't think of an issue of a Superman series in recent memory that set up a story as well as Action Comics #987 does. The Oz Effect is finally here, and if this issue is any indication of what the rest of this story holds, then we're in for one heck of a ride.

This second entry in "The Oz Effect" misses an opportunity to capitalize on the emotional build-up from the previous issue. Instead, we're presented with a history lesson (albeit an intriguing and beautifully drawn history lesson) about Mr. Oz that, if true, will have major ramifications on Superman's origin story.

After a small dip in quality in part two and three, part four of "The Oz Effect" is a strong issue that shows Jurgens' really has a solid grip on this story.

Aquaman #23 starts a new story arc that finally puts the focus on Aquaman's role as King of Atlantis. With well-written dialogue, a unique plot, and good art, this issue sets the "Crown of Atlantis" arc off to a good start.

Everything Aquaman has been through in Rebirth has led to the events of Aquaman #24. Abnett has written another compelling story that goes straight to the heart of who Arthur Curry is.

Aquaman #26 continues the "Underworld" story arc with intriguing plot development and fantastic art. If you're not reading Aquaman right now, you're truly missing out on one of the best books in Rebirth.

Aquaman #28 doesn't progress the overall narrative very much, but it offers great character moments and sets up  the climax of the story with some important revelations.

Since the beginning of this series, Dan Abnett has put this character through so much, and we've been able to see how it's affected and changed Aquaman. This finale shows exactly where he's landed in his understanding of his role, and gives us a clear idea of what we can expect from Aquaman moving forward.

Batman #20 is one of the most important issues so far in Batman's Rebirth continuity. Tom King's multi-layered story arc concludes in a way that honors the character of Batman and emphasize his true heroism.

Batman #21 is a perfect example of how to set up a major comic book event. The story is gripping, the art is amazing, and this issue will leave you dying to read the next chapter.

Batman #22 is an emotional and compelling Batman story, but ends up feeling irrelevant to "The Button"crossover and leaves a lot of open-ended questions for Flash #22 to have to answer.

Batman #30 is a shining example of Tom King's unique ability to give an emotional and compelling story to a character no one seems to care about.

The War of Jokes and Riddles has officially ended, granted, not the way most expected. But one thing's for sure: the repercussions from this issue will be felt for a long time coming.

Batman: The Devastator #1 works on a lot of different levels, but the driving force behind this book is the emotionally charged story Tieri and Tynion crafted to shed light on the motives of this Batman/Doomsday hybrid.

Tomasi and Manapul put together yet another great Dark Nights Metal tie-in. 

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo do practically everything right in Dark Nights: Metal #1 by creating a fun, gripping, dynamic introduction to the biggest DC Comics event of the year.

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo advance the year's most insane DC Comics story with another unpredictable and thrilling entry.

Deathstroke #19 gets to the bottom of what the "Lazarus Contract" event is all about. But uneven pacing and hard-to-follow flashbacks detract from the story at hand.

For a filler issue like this one is, Detective Comics #957 still manages tells an interesting, yet somewhat redundant story about Spoiler's new perspective on crime fighting.

The story doesn't amount to much in the conclusion of this 2-issue journey, but it's still an enjoyable ride to get there.

Detective Comics #965 kicks off "A Lonely Place of Living" with a well-rounded recounting of Tim Drake's path to becoming Robin. This book has depth, conspiracy, heart, and some freakin' fantastic art courtesy of Eddy Barrows.

Doomsday Clock #1 sets us off on a year-long journey into what could become an instant classic. I'm ecstatic to be along for the ride, and I would invite anyone along who is interested to see the limits of the superhero comic book genre pushed to new heights.

Green Arrow #20 concludes a story that had a lot of potential, but misses the mark due to rushed storytelling and a general lack of character depth.

Green Arrow #24 concludes "The Rise of Star City" with a story that will change Oliver Queen's life. It's not the best issue in this title, but it proves that Benjamin Percy and Juan Ferreyra can make weaker issues seem stronger with their exceptional creative dynamic

For a setup issue, Green Arrow #25 does what it needs to by setting the tone, presenting new and interesting character developments, and clearly telling readers exactly why Ollie's embarking on this new quest.

Green Arrow #28 tells a good story about Oliver's mission in Metropolis, with solid characterizations of both Superman and Lex Luthor, and excellent art from Juan Ferreyra. This is the best issue of Green Arrow in months.

Not much happens in Green Arrow #30, but tstrong dialogue and character development from Percy and some great art from Schmidt make this a fun issue overall.

A solid conclusion to the 'Hard Traveling Hero' story with great set-up for Green Arrow's role in 'Gotham City Resistance' and excellent art.

Thanks to a great script, solid story setup, and phenomenal art, Green Lanterns #25 is a shining example of the best qualities this title has had throughout Rebirth. 

While not without fun and entertaining moments, Green Lanterns #30 has so much story potential that is mostly lost due to an over-saturated plot and under-developed battle scene.

Again, I vote for this title to start following different Green Lanterns now, and give us a new writer.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps shows no signs of slowing down, as this issue kicks off a new story arc that seems just as promising as Robert Venditti and Van Sciver's work on the last arc, "Fracture".

Injustice 2 Chapter 1 sets the series on the right path thanks to good pacing, exceptional writing from Taylor, and top notch art from Renado.

Injustice 2 Chapter 2 brings back fan-favorite heroes, and continues Harley's Suicide Squad storyline. But due to some uncharacteristic surprises, new readers might be caught off guard to the dark undertone of the Injustice universe.

Justice League #24 is a fantastic issue that puts the spotlight on one of DC's most underrated heroines.  Abnett tells a coherent, engaging story with Ian Churchill providing exceptional art.

The cockroach plot is pretty amusing, but the thing that really transcends this issue is Diana dealing with her role in the nun's murder and if she should even assume responsibility at all.

Super Sons #5 delivers a great story that captures the qualities of Superboy and Robin that make them so different and so alike simultaneously. This title continues to be a delight, and something I truly look forward to picking up every month.

Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason have put together another solid issue that continues to make Superman stand out among the rest of the Rebirth titles. Superman's core values and characteristics are proudly displayed as a new chapter in his Rebirth continuity begins.

Character development continues to shine in Superman #21, but the plot suffers due to an overload of content. That said, there was still enough coherent story told to still have me excited for the next issue.

Superman #24 starts to resolve some of the many questions raised in "Black Dawn" so far, but it does so at the cost of some potentially great character moments. 

The conclusion of "Black Dawn" was somewhat messy, but it ultimately worked. The Superman/Superboy moments redeem the a long, drawn-out battle and the story arc resolves nicely when all is said and done.

While Superman #26 is a filler issue, it tells a necessary father/son story that is sure to strengthen Jonathan and Clark's relationship moving forward.

Superman #28 doesn't meet the standard of story telling that Tomasi and Gleason have set during their run so far, but that's not to say it's all bad either. There is great value in the Kent family moments presented here, but unfortunately these moments can be drowned out with the heavy history lessons that feel like a chore to read through.

Overall, Trinity #5 wasn't bad. It just didn't use the strengths of the previous issues to it's advantage. The result is a decent plot development with very little heart.

Trinity #8 suffers from disjointed storytelling, some awkward art, and mechanical dialogue, but despite all of that it's still an interesting read and a seemingly important chapter in the Superman Reborn Aftermath.

Greg Rucka's time on 'Wonder Woman' comes to a close with Wonder Woman #25. Even though there are still some questions left unanswered, this issue goes a great job concluding a major chapter in Diana's life.

Wonder Woman: Rebirth reminded me of all of my best hopes for what all the new Rebirth titles could be. I felt invested in Diana's story once again, and excited to see a freshly invigorated Wonder Woman take the spotlight.