Matthew Brake Comic Reviews

Force Works 2020 #3 is fun, light superhero fare, that flirts with being too clich and quippy at times, but it has heart.

This issue is a love letter to 80 years of Green Lantern stories. It speaks to our times while having fun along the way.

The Superman family is on the hunt for the Invisible Mafia, but hopefully, they all make it out alive!

Cable #2 is a beautifully drawn book. It's a little unclear where some of its plot is going, but more than likely that will be resolved in future issues.

In Cable #3, a deal is struck with the Space Knights, but it requires negotiating with an old friend...

Cable and Esme try to trick the Knights of Galador on their way to X of Swords!

Commanders in Crisis #1 is a beautiful pastiche of DC Comics crisis events with a timely message for the current social climate.

The Green Lanterns and Justice League Incarnate try to save the Multiverse with the help of an unexpected ally with a grudge.

Death Metal: Legends of the Dark Knights #1 gives fans the backstories of some of Death Metal's zaniest Batmen and lets readers in the Batman Who Laughs' plans for the multiverse!

The Flashes outrun the Darkest Knight, and Wally West reminds everyone that he is still worthy of being The Flash!

Batman hunts down Two-Face while the Joker races an army of Talons in this serviceable, but not stellar, issue.

This is another great anniversary issue from DC Comics, and while it feels like a cash grab, a number of really great talents make this a fun issue!

Empyre: X-Men #1, while tying into Marvel's big Empyre event, is more of a pretext for exploring plot threads in Hickman and co.'s mega X-story. But that isn't a bad thing.

Empyre: X-Men #2 escalates the conflict on Genosha between the X-Men, the Cotati, Hordeculture, and a bunch of hungry mutant zombies!

The conflict on Genosha continues to escalate when Magik finds the source of the Genoshan zombies and the Cotati seedpod hatches!

The Empyre tie-in series comes to an end! Find out the fate of the Scarlet Witch, Explodey Boy, and more in this somewhat anticlimactic final issue!

In Excalibur #10, Betsy deals with her divided loyalties while her brother Jamie plays with reality.

Picking up where Excalibur #9 left off, Jubilee grieves Shogo, Apocalypse reveals more of his plan, and Captain Britain makes it inside the Starlight Citadel...oh, and Gambit steals stuff.

Betsy confronts Lady Satyrne, Apocalypse's plans come to fruition, and Gambit makes a hard choice.

As Joshua Williamson's run on The Flash approaches its end, the Legion of Zoom goes on the offensive.

Giant-Size X-Men - Fantomex #1 sees the title character visit the world. Again. And Again. With some interesting cameos along the way.

Magneto does a favor for a friend and goes for a swim with Namor, but these giant-size issues are less an exploration of the characters they're named after and more about seeding plots for the future.

The X-Men discover a way to cure Storm, but they'll have to battle their way through The World to do it!

Revisit the first appearance of Krakoa in this stunning tribute to Len Wein and Dave Cockrum and the story that changed the X-Men forever!

Hawkeye Freefall #6 is full of the combination of heart and wit that'd one would expect from a Hawkeye story even as it portends dark things ahead for The World's Greatest Marksman.

Hellions #2 continues to show the struggles that some mutants have integrating into Krakoan life while sending that group on a terrifying mission that brings them face to face with the Goblin Queen!

In Hellions #3, Madelyne Pryor reveals her plan, and Psylocke proves she's the alpha!

The Hellions try to escape the clutches of Madelyne Pryor and the Quiet Council makes a controversial decision.

Legion of Superheroes #6 continues to expand the world of the 31st century while sowing seeds for future conflicts.

Legion of Superheroes #7, in typical Bendis fashion, is a bit prose heavy, but this is a beautiful book and continues to be a creative reimagining of the team!

Legion of Superheroes #8 is an artist extravaganza wrapped in a bit of a mediocre story.

The trial of the Legion concludes, a new threat looms on the horizon, and a new romance blooms!

Kate Pryde's fate is finally revealed, and Storm has a heart to heart with a member of the X-Desk.

Krakoa celebrates the return of Kate Pryde...and Kate gets some new tattoos.

New Mutants #10 has beautiful artwork, a lot of potential, and a bit too much talking.

New Mutants #11 wraps up the nightmare arc, while setting up a confrontation with their greatest nemesis of all...social media!

Nightwing Annual #3 shows us the Dick Grayson we haven't seen in a long-time in a fun, action-filled adventure.

The students of Strange Academy experience their first day of classes. While this quirky group of misfits learns to get along in order to survive, they begin to suspect that the faculty may be keeping a dangerous secret from them.

Fans of The Question will love this entry in this series, which plays on the noir components of the character and continues Lemire and company's tale of mystery and intrigue. This is everything a Question tale should be!

Lemire, Cowan, and company have crafted a complex tale about racism, injustice, and the nature of evil in the world, that offers its readers no simple answers or happily ever afters. This series shows the heights that the DC Black Label imprint can reach when creators are given free rein to tell complex stories with characters (other than Batman and Batman related properties!).

After a bit of a lag in forward moment in the previous issues, Cates brings Thor and Galactus face-to-face with the Black Winter in this beautifully drawn issue, with a bit of a surprise revelation waiting at the end.

In the finale of Thor's confrontation with the Black Winter, an old friend visits Thor, and more darkness lies ahead for the King of Asgard.

Thor continues to be haunted by the vision of the Black Winter, the growing heaviness of Mjolnir, and makes up with an old friend.

Wolverine #3 picks up the cliffhanger from last issue, where we find out that things are not nearly as bad as they seem. Wolverine again proves that he's the best at what he does!

Wolverine #4 finds Logan seeking solitude in the cold north, only to find that there are threats there waiting for him and things that go "bump" in the night.

In Wolverine #5, readers see Wolverine be the best at what he does against a bunch of freakin' vampires!

In Wolverine #6, Percy and company write more than just a crossover tie-in issue, giving readers one of the strongest issues in the series to date!

X of Swords has arrived in this giant sci-fi/fantasy tale of discovery, war, and betrayal!

X-Factor is a solid new X-title. It clearly defines its purpose for existing as a title, and I for one am happy to add another X-title to the queue!

X-Factor #2 is far from a self-serious issue. Its creative team presents a fun, wacky story in Mojoworld. Some of the characterizations can be a little shallow at times, as members of X-Factor are either scowling and serious or quippy, although eventually, everyone gets a quip or two in.

X-Factor discovers the fate of a missing mutant, while also encountering an old friend trapped in the Mojoverse.

X-Factor #4 is a strong second chapter for X of Swords, raising the stakes of this event and disrupting the Krakoan status quo!

X-Force #10 is a solid issue that addresses the threat in Terra Verde while seeing shake ups in the team.

Krakoa suffers another attack as Colossus struggles to avoid leaving life on the farm.

Beast plays around with fascism and devious alliances form on the path to X of Swords!

X-Men #10 explores Gabriel Summers inner conflict while tying into Empyre and teasing more menaces to come!

X-Men #11 sees the Cotati invade Krakoa and mutantkind's savior rises to the challenge!

Excalibur told us "how" X of Swords was happening. Now X-Men #12 tell us "why." X of Swords is upon us!

X-Men/Fantastic Four #4 brings the mini-series to a close, resolving Franklin Richards' status as a Krakoan citizen (for now), but not without establishing an underlying sense of menace.

While the original graphic novel certainly holds up, the new framing sequence in this extended cut will quickly be forgotten.