Russ Burlingame Comic Reviews

If sales figures are any indication, more comic book readers will be picking up Action Comics than almost any comic book in recent memory -- especially one at its hefty price point. That is as it should be, as there is a lot to love in this volume. It is not perfect, however -- and what's frustrating is that you can't really add "...but not for lack of trying" to that sentence.

The issue drags along, Superman's characterization is weird, and there is a compelling cliffhanger, so the story itself is something of a mixed bag.

Action Comics #1002 feels like a significant, and welcome, tonal shift from previous issues of Bendis's Superman run. The sense of humor, the Easter eggs, and the hints and teases of things to come " especially on that first page " are fun and charming little bits of storytelling.

The publisher seems to have decided that the best use of that real estate is to tell stories that center more on Lex Luthor than Superman himself, somewhat fulfilling that promise of early Rebirth.

Well-paced, well-drawn, and full of heart, humor, and solid character moments, The Adventures of the Super Sons #1 is everything that has been missing from the Superman titles since Action Comics #1000.

The beautiful art from penciler Carlo Barberi and inker Art Thibert, with colors by Protobunker, is a highlight of the issue, delivering exactly the tone they need to sell a menacing cadre of kid supervillains.

Reinventing the character, Larsen keeps the core of the original origin, but updates it for new readers and sets the stage for a new take on the character.

This isn't Watchmen, but if you're buying a book about Bubba Ho-Tep vs. Army of Darkness, you know that " and you're going to love what it is instead.

The Time Train series, co-plotted with Back to the Future writer Bob Gale and scripted by John Barber, is a spiritual successor to the Back to the Future animated series, with wacky hijinks taking center stage and Doc Brown's children, Jules and Verne, getting as much "screen time" as he and his wife.

Written by Bob Gale and John Barber, the issue still reads like a slightly aged-up episode of the old Back to the Future cartoon, and centers around wacky hijinks most likely to be popular with very young readers.

Pairing a competent-but-generic tale like this alongside an issue from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's legendary Fantastic Four run does Sound and Fury no favors, as the King's rich, kinetic art leaps off the page and Lee's dated dialogue crackles in a way that the lead feature fails to do.

It feels like a million other mediocre indie comics you have already seen before, and fails in one area where Valiant has consistently succeeded in the years since the company's rebirth: production value.

The stakes " both physical and emotional " are incredibly high here, and because Lemire's previous Valiant stories have been known to slaughter some sacred cows, it does not feel guaranteed that a good outcome is promised at the end of it all. If not, the arc itself might become so pervasively dark that it becomes borderline unreadable, but as a first chapter, this is first-rate comics.

The issue delivers on the promise, despite the absence of some key elements of mainstream comics, and manages to be compelling and emotionally effective.

The endpoint is genuinely interesting, for both Bloodshot and his daughter, but ultimately the journey there feels a little more by-the-numbers than this remarkable series has so far.

Bloodshot: Salvation remains one of the best and best-looking series on the stands, although both the story (by Ray Fawkes and Jeff Lemire) and the art (by Renato Guedes) were a little spottier than usual this week as the book took a hard left into a detour from the title character's magical mystery tour and spent some time in the real world.

. It ends with Lopez returning for a strong final scene between Willow and Xander, but it still feels like a story missing most of its middle.

The way Addison Duke downplays the colors in the background and focuses on making the foreground elements pop really sells that tone.

This issue feels, more than any other since the start of the series, like a spy story.

Phillips's art is phenomenal, with some of the best faces and storytelling in the business, while Brubaker provides the same sharp, heartbreaking dialogue you have come to expect.

It's a fun and surprisingly light chapter in what looks like is going to be a dark and twisty story.

There is a lot of telling rather than showing in Ed Brubaker's script this issue, which makes Sean Phillips's natural talent for conveying emotion and body language all the more important, because it keeps things from feeling slow or procedural.

Strong characterization and beautiful art elevate what could easily be just another fun-but-forgettable vampire story into something special.

The script is utterly absurd, totally ludicrous... and maybe the best thing Scott Lobdell has written in years.

The dialogue is fine, although the schtick of Daffy's lisp is something that works better in animated form than on the page, especially when you get scenes that are more dialogue-heavy and sentences that are more complex than Looney Tunes generally supports.

The result is an elegant solution to the challenges raised by releasing #36 of the comic and the first installment of the TV show on the same day, and it effectively emphasizes a lot of what makes Deadly Class one of the best books on the stands.

Wes Craig's manic, beautiful art takes the issue on a visual odyssey that isn't quite as iconic as the Vegas issue, but certainly is going to be remembered as one of his most ambitious and crazed issues.

Wes Craig manages to create a beautiful, kinetic, and at times disorienting issue, creating a sense of momentum in a comic that could easily have become little more than talking heads.

Wes Craig is great, turning an issue that's half-action and half-talking into a story that feels perfectly paced.

It's a great-looking issue, and has a few surprises that promise some really bad stuff coming down the line for our...heroes? Is that...? Well, you get the point.

It's a satisfying read, especially if you're up to speed on the series, but the long delay between issues might make it hard for people to jump on board this moving train if they haven't re-read the last couple.

Wes Craig's dynamic and frantic art style sells an issue-long, massive, creatively-choreographed battle to the death.

Lee Loughridge and Rus Wooton deserve special notice this issue, because they had to wind through this dark and sometimes distorted world with Marcus and the audience, and their colors and letters, respectively, helped sell the mood of a page.

There's some pretty serious crazy going down, and it seems more or less inevitable that after a fun, character-driven issue that felt like a cool drink the desert, a fire is just around the corner.

It isn't a pretty story, as most in this book aren't, and it seems about halfway through the issue that there's only one or two ways it can go.

With some truly creative panel layouts and visceral, sometimes disturbing images from Wes Craig, the penultimate arc of Deadly Class ends like the series began: with a lot of navel-gazing and moralizing by Marcus, set against a backdrop of violence and fundamental unfairness.

Rick Remender's script is sharp, and the way he is evolving the characters after the time jump works well, but the ending feels like one of those things that Deadly Class has done five times before, and unless it pays off in a different way than it has before, it's a little disappointing that a great book is heading into its final arc with a resounding "again?"

Wes Craig's art is brilliant, and the visual storytelling is virtually unparalleled.

As Deadly Class nears its end, Marcus gets surprisingly sentimental"or is that just Rick Remender?

Halfway through its final storyline, Deadly Class provides the audience with a heartfelt and somber issue, reshaping Marcus and Maria in a way that feels shocking and yet completely in character.

It's a weirdly meta issue, with Marcus taking on some elements of Rick Remender's real life and elements of the late, lamented Deadly Class TV series playing into the narrative in a surprising way.

It's virtually impossible to give a series like Deadly Class a perfect ending, so instead of trying, the team zeroes in on a couple of key ideas, making sure to craft a great issue of comics even if it doesn't seem especially concerned with being all things to all people.

Deathstroke #28 brings an impressive script by Christopher Priest together with mediocre art from Diogenes Neves to create a comic that is surprisingly readable in spite of being crammed full of what seems at face value like far too many plot points.

This might not be the best Bombshells entry, but it will leave fans curious to see what comes next.

All in all, the issue reads like the relatively uneventful first chapter of what is going to be a pretty good storyline.

Aside from some minor pacing issues, it's an excellent read.

The "Deathstroke vs. Batman" storyline seems to have blown its wad on a premise that everyone could get behind, leaving the story to wonder how it could keep up with the version fans have written in their heads.

Christopher Priest's Deathstroke is going to be one of those great runs that people talk about for years, and while the Batman arc has been its weak link, Deathstroke #33 is a high point and a great single issue of comics.

Doomsday Clock #4 is arguably the most exciting and interesting issue of the series since #1 " even if the big "twist" is kind of a dud (don't worry -- there's another twist that really, really isn't).

Colorist Brad Anderson turns in some inspired work in an issue that gives us everything Doomsday Clock should be: Johns' character work is inspired, and the narrative gives us several fun mash-ups of DC and Watchmen characters, homages to the Moore/Gibbons classic, and artist Gary Frank's best use yet of the nine-panel grid format.

Another DC hero gets a great bit of characterization that mirrors a classic beat from Watchmen, and the pain and turmoil in that plot is supported by Gary Frank's emotive and heartbreaking art.

This is a watershed issue for the series; it is at once the thing so many fans wanted to read, and the thing that a vocal minority of readers were dreading. For that reason alone, it is worth reading, as it represents at once the best and worst of Doomsday Clock's potential.

The story itself is strong, with a lot of moments that will leave fans guessing at what's next.

Doomsday Clock continues to be one of the best-looking books on the market, with gorgeous art and a perfect color palette to "modernize" the look of Watchmen without losing what made it visually distinct from the superhero comics it was sending up.

Johns still tries to cram a lot of information into this last issue"and some square pegs into some round holes along the way. The results are a mixed bag and, even at its best, it's hard not to be a little frustrated with a series that was billed as a high-minded Watchmen follow-up and instead became a sequel to Infinite Crisis.

It's a proper sendoff to one of indie comics' best-loved franchises.

What is arguably the most fascinating thing about Eternity Girl is the way it manages to tackle all of this darkness, complete with some trippy, spooky, and gruesome imagery, without ever devolving into violence porn or dour hopelessness.

Writer Magdalene Visaggio and artist Sonny Liew create another gorgeous and challenging issue of one of the best new comics of 2018.

Magdalene Visaggio, Sonny Lieu, and Chris Chuckry continue to deliver one of the most ambitious, thoughtful, and beautifully rendered titles on the stands.

Writer Mags Visaggio used the opportunity of a flashback/expository issue to experiment with form and layout, turning what could easily have been the series' most standard issue into something wild.

It is sharp storytelling, gorgeously illustrated, and this series is one of the best new big two titles in years.

Eternity Girl, one of the most captivating and original series in comics, wraps up its run today, and if you have not been reading all along, do not spoil it for yourself (surely, there will be a trade collection soon).

Fight Club 3 #1 is an exciting first issue that easily exceeds expectations, turning in one of the strongest debuts of 2019 so far.

Writer Chuck Palahniuk, artist Cameron Stewart, and colorist Dave Stewart are taking advantage of the comics medium in more creative and ambitious ways with Fight Club 3 than they did with most of Fight Club 2, making one of Dark Horse's most accessible blockbuster titles in recent years feel like a fresh indie art book.

As Fight Club 3 kicks into high gear, we learn some important things this issue -- even if the audience is not fully sure what to make of them.

Cameron Stewart's art and Dave McCaig's colors continue to draw us into a world of disconnected and slow-paced single issues which will undoubtedly build to a cool and complex graphic novel -- at some point.

Through some really great body language and facial expressions, the art team picks up the slack of one of the series' weaker scripts, and of course the calendar fold-out in the middle is, as ever, a delight.

The art remains amazing in this series, and Cameron Stewart goes wild in this issue. It is supported by the script, with some big, crazy ideas"dozens of them packed into a single issue"giving Stewart a lot of room to move.

As with every issue of Fight Club comics, though, there are a few moments where clarity is sacrificed on the altar of a payoff or surprise to be redeemed later.

Pacing has not been the book's strong suit"that's the art and continued creative use of comics as a form"but the sense of urgency and confusion that the pacing in this specific issue engenders, serves it well.

This time around, it seemed pretty clear at the start, but most of this issue feels disconnected and feels like just a bunch of things that happened.

Cameron Stewart's art is a saving grace, but as the story has worn on, and increasingly large percentages of the issues are designed to be visually unappealing, well-executed art can do only so much to make you want to look at it.

While world building was necessary to set the stage last time around, this might be a more enjoyable and accessible overall issue than #1 was.

The Flash #40 benefits a bit from turning your brain off, but it is not because the comic is not good, only that the story of Grodd's pursuit of Speed Force powers seems to be sandwiched between a number of tangentially-related stories, one of which " "Flash War" " has been teased for so long that if you have a passing interest in the comic it is difficult not to wonder how all of this will play into it.

Joshua Williamson's dense script turns what would, in most stories, be a lifeless filler issue into some fascinating and intense interpersonal dramas.

Dan Panosian's art lends The Flash #42 a kind of Silver Age feel that slows down the fast-moving blast radius of the "Perfect Storm" story just when you need it to.

This issue, though, is a lot of running in place, and for the first time in the current storyline feels like padding that could have been halved or entirely left out.

Dense, heartfelt, and gorgeously illustrated, The Flash #44 from Joshua Williamson, Carmine Di Giandomenico, and Ivan Placencia is the perfect end to "Perfect Storm," and sets up the next big story in Williamson's The Flash beautifully.

Joshua Williamson delivers a heartfelt script that propels Wally West's story and makes this issue feel like a direct follow-up to his triumphant story in DC Universe: Rebirth #1, and gives audiences a bit of a calm before the next inevitable speed force storm.

Writer Joshua Williamson channels Geoff Johns for an expository issue that manages to thrill longtime readers and get newer audiences caught up ahead of "Flash War," while Scott Kolins -- who has done some similar stories with this character before -- provides able art assistance.

"Force Quest" is not the best of Joshua Williamson's Flash stories, but what feels a little bit generic as a plot is elevated by strong art by Christian Duce and Williamson's typically sharp dialogue.

A solid -- if somewhat pedestrian -- story of a superhuman sting operation gone wrong is hindered by a trio of villains whose costumes are dull and interchangeable.

It seems like, with the introduction of the various warring forces surrounding The Flash's Speed Force, this title has more or less become a game of giving virtually indistinct powers to a bunch of people and then punching them.

Joshua Williamson keeps his foot on the gas as part two of "The Price of Innocence" barrels through this issue.

A bleak issue, a depressing end to the Batman crossover, and a profoundly dark chapter in The Flash's recent history, The Flash #65 can at least boast strong characterization by writer Joshua Williamson and beautiful art by Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, and Tomeu Morey to get the reader through.

Great art and a solid story sell some iffy dialogue really well.

Joshua Williamson has put together a genuinely intriguing mystery with a creepy premise that is sold perfectly by the art of Scott Kolins and colorist Luis Guerrero.

A solid story and great characterization for Trickster is enhanced by great artwork and visual storytelling from Scott Kolins.

The story itself is serviceable; as with the rest of the Trickster story, it is not Williamson's most compelling work, but it he ably juggles character and plot moments, while giving both the breathing room they need.

Gorgeous art, solid characterization, and an ambitious story are more or less par for the course on this title.

Without a ton of action in the issue, this is likely to be one of those stories that fans either love forever or forget about. I'm leaning toward loving it.

Brett Booth knocks this issue out of the park, with some great facial acting, great body language, and interesting page layouts.

Freedom Fighters #1 is a near-perfect first issue, featuring exciting visuals and some clever, thoughtful world-building that leaves you wanting more.

It should be required reading for our dark and divided times.

Everything about this book feels dark and bleak, from the writing by Robert Venditti to the world the characters in habit to the art by Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira and the colors by Adriano Lucas.

The story is powerful, and in this issue, we get a sense for Uncle Sam himself that evokes some of the best elements of the Alex Ross/Steve Darnall U.S. miniseries/graphic novel.

Robert Venditti continues to blend superhero action with modern day commentary and Golden and Silver Age nostalgia, making the first "real" Uncle Sam issue of the series into a treat.

There's a lot of exposition in this one, and a lot of action. What remains is not a lot of room for forward movement, but there are plenty of revelations about the nature of the world in which this story takes place that will leave fans wondering what's next.

All in all it feels like one of the more procedural issues of the series, but that doesn't make it bad.

There's some strong worldbuilding and character work going on here, too, and it sets up a solid final stretch.

In spite of the issue alone seeming kind of procedural, it follows the terrific setup of the series so far and manages to be the best version of this kind of issue.

Freedom Fighters #11 is a GREAT-looking book. Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferrera, and Adriano Lucas have done one of the strongest issues of the series, complete with some creative layouts and some great action sequences.

It's a finale that brings a satisfying end to one of the best series DC has published in the last couple of years, and does so by balancing the tonal needs of a deeply patriotic and somewhat dated premise with the more cynical and "realistic" feel of modern comics.

In any fair universe, Erik Burnham's long run on IDW's Ghostbusters comics would be viewed as the astonishing feat that it is " and Ghostbusters: Crossing Over #1 reads like a master ignoring the call to create a "definitive" work and instead just reveling in the fun and creativity his existing body of work has provided.

All in all, it's an enjoyable, all-ages fantasy book that feels like what might happen if you put Tellos, The Warlord, and Bone into a blender.

Ken Garing picks up the pace and does a fair amount of world-building in a fun and action-packed installment of his new series Gogor.

The third issue of Gogor blends some dynamic visual storytelling with a lot of exposition. Garing manages to keep the story moving while doing a lot of info-dumping, and the his great approach to faces and body language makes the issue feel quicker than it is.

The big, cool ideas that have been teased throughout the first three issues really start to come into play this month, though, making for maybe the best issue of the series yet.

The art keeps improving and the story keeps getting more involved and compelling, making it feel like Waring had a lot more planned going in than the first few issues made it seem.

Writer Tim Seeley starts in a predictable place, delivers a bold surprise, and then cruises right on into a story that ends up nowhere close to where you expected.

There is definitely room for this to become an interesting story that will read better in trade.

Tim Seeley delivers some of his best writing on The Hellblazer as "The Good Old Days" rolls into its third part, and Huntress takes center stage in some of the scenes.

An issue-long fight sequence, Iceman #10 shows off Sina Grace's excellent sense of pacing and the care which Grace and artist Robert Gill choreograph their action. The result is a better-than-average fight comic, but there is still only so much you can do with an issue-long fight.

The script is serviceable, even if a lot of it is expository dialogue, and the art shows off a strong sense of mood and pacing, even if the faces and figure work are hit or miss.

A trip through the history of the Cooper and Jones clans, Jughead: The Hunger #4 has a suitably O. Henry twist to a dark and violent one-and-done story from writer Frank Tieri, but it is periodically undone by uneven art that sometime descends into the ultraviolent and absurd.

Featuring beautiful art and colors by Sam Lotfi and John Rauch, Last Stop on the Red Line #1 is a creepy and intriguing beginning in spite of some wonky pacing and unclear moment-to-moment storytelling.

It feels like Maybury has realized the great potential of this series in this issue, which is beautifully rendered with exciting page layouts and an engaging writing style that keeps the story moving and energy flowing, even on the pages that are bathed in text.

While the super-modern coloring is a bit distracting in some spots, the art is beautiful on this title, which sees Star-Lord reinvented a bit to more closely match the hugely-anticipated film adaptation ofGuardians of the Galaxy. The plot unfolds at a decompressed speed that will make for a great collected edition, even if it feels a little thin...and you don't notice the thin plot becuase there's plenty to like about the character work and action. It sets up what promises to be a really interesting series and, like Booster Gold, match humor and heart beat-for-beat while establishing a surprising new mythology for the character. This is a really great first issue. Run, don't walk, to your local comic shop to get a copy on Monday.

The second issue fills in some backstory for the two leads, and it's... unsettling. In that perfectly Lapham way.

The Laphams continue to turn out a creepy, smart, and compelling crime/mystery book, with all of David Lapham's Stray Bullets/Young Liars hallmarks.

With an ending that will leave you wondering what the heck is going on next and a "Lodger" column that provides a darkly appropriate counterpoint to the narrative events of the issue, this might be the best and most urgent installment of the series yet.

A satisfying and visceral conclusion to the first arc of The Lodger ends the only way it can, and leaves you wanting more.

Ultimately, the ending of the Mage trilogy is satisfying, offering a conclusion if that is what Wagner wants, and setting up the potential of future stories -- either those he will tell or at least just the implication that they will be there.

Man and Superman feels a bit like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; it is not what you might expect at first glance, but it is a near-perfect interpretation of the story its creators set out to tell, and the minute you finish it, you want to pick it back up and "go back into the movie," so to speak.

An emotionally satisfying and visually striking issue, Mech Cadet Yu #6 is a perfect showcase for how far these characters, and this world, have evolved in a short time.

It is a fresh start, from a series that was good enough that it did not strictly speaking need one, but the result is a fresh story with gorgeous colors and creative page layouts that leaves us wanting more.

Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa, along with colorist Triona Farrell, continue to deliver one of the most entertaining and YA-friendly comics on the market in Mech Cadet Yu, which ships its eighth issue this week.

Maybe more than any single issue since the start of the series, this captures the spirit of a high-action animated series for kids that seems to be Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa's bar for success with the series.

Mech Cadet Yu features the same creative team (Greg Pak writing, Tak Miyazawa drawing, Jessica Kholinne coloring) that has been on the book up to this point, but the issue feels like the series has "grown the beard" a little bit.

The stakes keep spiraling up in Mech Cadet Yu, which makes it harder than ever to believe that writer Greg Pak has not lost the sense of fun and adventure that launched the series.

Over the life of its 12 issues, Mech Cadet Yu has been one of the most reliably excellent comics on the stands, and its series finale is a fitting send-off to a book that exceeded its potential in almost every way.

Mech Cadets, picking up right where Mech Cadet Yu left off, is a ton of fun.

As always, Tak Miyazawa's visual storytelling and expressive body language is key to selling the issue, which is pretty action heavy (especially in the first half), which means lots of eyeless aliens and expressionless robots.

It's some of Pak's best dialogue yet in the series, but it does leave you wondering where things are headed next and how to re-establish a status quo.

Greg Pak's pacing and dialogue is strong in the issue, keeping the issue humming and giving a real sense for the personalities of the characters. That's great, because the exposition of the last couple of issues slowed the pacing a bit.

As Mech Cadets goes on, the art seems to be increasingly stylized. The pacing is a little wonky in issue #5 something that feels more understandable when you see a handful of pages that are very dialogue-heavy.

The original Mech Cadet Yu story had a clarity of purpose and momentum that Mech Cadets has sometimes lacked, but in the series' sixth issue, it picks up and sprints.

The issue drags a bit here and there, with those minor pacing issues likely caused by the "secret" coming out too soon without sufficient obstacles between our heroes and solving the mystery. Because of this, the back half feels a bit padded, but it is overall a great read.

While writer Jody Hauser and artist Ty Templeton do not recreate the surreality of last week's Justice League of America/Doom Patrol one-shot, the second part of the "Milk Wars" crossover is a strong addition, and Keiren Smith's bold colors give the Mother Panic/Batman special a distinctly otherworldly feel, especially when set against heroes who are all-white and mostly-gray.

The first issue drags a bit, since it has to spend almost half of its pagecount setting up how the world of the story is going to work (a bit like this review), but the eventual payoff is both creative and entertaining.

The whole thing comes together like a Big Two crossover from the '80s or '90s, beginning at around page three and just passing the baton from character to character, introducing the world of the story to the reader in scenes that feel slow and didactic.

The emotive cartooning of Joe Bennett is rarely a poor choice for any project, but Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe " based on a webseries by the Bat in the Sun folks whose calling card is making superheroes look and feel as real as possible in their shorts " feels like a miscalculation.

The series could easily feel like another The Walking Dead, given the nature of a world consumed by murderous creatures, but it plays a little more like what Scooby-Doo Apocalypse might have transformed into after a decade or two.

Nocterra's second issue doesn't have the fevered energy of its first"it would be hard to do, since the first was so immersive that you can't possibly go into #2 as disoriented and ready to be steered"but the pacing is strong and the art by Tony Daniel is terrific.

Three issues in, Nocterra's world is much more fully realized; the visual storytelling here is a little less ambitious than in the previous two issues, but numerous characters get depth and relatability that exceeds the first two issues combined.

Nocterra #4 slows down a little bit, and largely stops worldbuilding to focus on a few, intimate character beats.

Nocterra #5 is the issue that gives Tony Daniel the least to do in terms of action, but gives him room to work on smaller, more intimate character moments.

In an issue that opens with some truly cool creature designs by Tony S. Daniel, Scott Snyder does a great job of recapping enough to get readers back up to speed, without losing any kind of momentum as he interrupts your expository bliss with loud, bright moments of violence.

Some of the regular humans in the book are a little flat, but honestly, it's such a dense issue, with so much to do and so many frames on some pages, it's easy enough to forgive some minor hiccups along the way.

When it slows down for dialogue, not only is Snyder's work razor sharp but the change of pace is so dramatic it really resonates.

Nocterra #10 starts out as a talky character piece, showcasing the well-defined heroes of the series and giving a taste of how Scott Snyder's group dynamic is likely to work for the rest of the "Pedal to the Metal" storyline. Unfortunately, a lot of talking-head pages is not something that plays to Tony Daniel's artistic strengths.

There is a sense of frantic energy throughout Nocterra #11, which goes from the characters to the writing to the art. In an issue full of action, it still has a lot of narration and exposition, giving it a cramped, almost claustrophobic feel at times.

Told mostly in large panels, the issue barrels forward at high speed, filled with kinetic panels, motion lines, and ragged sound effects lettering that all tell the story of people who are more panicked and frantic than they were last time we saw them.

In what might be the most "high-concept" issue yet of Nocterra, writer Scott Snyder gives audiences a lot of new information to digest, while artist Tony Daniel and colorist Marcelo Maiolo provide a look that is heavier on the inks and a little more trippy overall than most of the series' issues. It's a strong issue, with two great stories competing for page time (the present-day story and a flashback story).

Nocterra #15 is an interesting issue, in that while it's relatively common for comics to have dueling storylines that mirror one another in two different locations or timelines, this one does it not with plot but with lore.

There were some pacing issues around the middle, but it's overall a strong ending to "No Brakes," and it will be exciting to see where the world goes next.

The always-reliable Denys Cowan's heavy inks and knack for visual storytelling makes Nocterra's "Blacktop Bill" special a fascinating book to look at. His very analog style clashes with the sleek, digital feel of the comic to create a Nocterra book that is unlike anything we have seen yet from Tony S. Daniel.

It's a beautiful issue, where Snyder drops a lot of lore and fills pages with enough words to make J.M. DeMatteis's Justice League issues blush, but it doesn't lose the pacing, in part because of how masterfully all that plot is matched by the storytelling.

The special throws a lot at you, and as Snyder is sometimes wont to do a lot of it is in expository bursts, but everything it throws at you feels rewarding and entertaining.

Aaron turns in a capable script with some terrific character moments in what's ultimately one of the hardest things to pull off well: the middle chapters of one of these universe-spanning event books. It's been years since I've been as impressed with Deodato's work as in this issue, and they picked the perfect colorist for the projectin Frank Martin. The issue retreads a lot of familiar ground and plays with some overused tropes, but it's beautifully executed on a lot of levels. So far, Original Sin is the best Marvel event in years.

The bottom line:Aaron has some pacing and characterization issues in this issue that he hadn't up until now, but the story itself remains strong and he gives some cool moments so it's fairly easy to forgive. Deodato continues to impress, and the mood struck by his art and Frank Martin's colors is perfect. The big twist ending is clever, but somewhat expected.

For the third month in a row, Kibblesmith's Quantum and Woody flirts at the edges of greatness but never quite makes it to the promised land.

Writer Daniel Kibblesmith has written a story that will read better in the trade " not necessarily a bad thing, but always a gamble " but he did so without telegraphing that is what he was doing, making this issue a genuine treat.

Writer Eliot Rahal takes over from Daniel Kibblesmith and delivers an emotionally effective and high-stakes jumping-on point with a cliffhanger that will propel the arc forward into new territory.

Quantum & Woody has fast become one of the best comics on the stands, and this issue is, even more than last issue's billed jumping-on point, a solid starting place for new readers.

Rocket Raccoon starts off like a shot, and it ends up in a clever and surprising place. In between, it seems like it meanders a bit, but that can be forgiven when you take into account that this is hardly a first issue, despite that All-New #1 on the cover. The art is beautiful and perfectly tuned to the series, and Young has drawn inspiration from a number of sources, not least of which appears to be source material from Rocket's creator. The downside? Relying heavily on the Infinite Comics and evoking a particular other work so strongly make it feel like this issue doesn't stand on its own all that well...and when you've got 300,000 people reading it, that's going to be an awful lot of first impressions and quite possibly a lot of fairly confused new readers.

Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon remains one of the most consistently entertaining, engrossing, and confounding superhero stories on the racks, even when " as in this week's #231 " a given issue is an imperfect jumping-on point at best.

Strange, fun, and kinetic, Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon #232 is arguably the most entertaining issue since #225, when the series took its last major directional shift.

Erik Larsen takes his long-running, creator-owned superhero series in yet another unexpected direction, delivering a gut-punch of an issue that says good-bye to a long-running character in a way that will shape the book for some time to come.

After the intensity of last month, #234 feels like the stakes have diminished. Still, Larsen handles two distinct plot threads well, delivers some great art, and manages to make everything feel organically like it's coming to a head in both stories at once.

A wild and wacky villain, paired with a major win for Team Malcolm, pulls this issue away from the Very Serious Things Larsen has been doing over the last few months and sets up what appears to be a fun, exciting new status quo for the Dragon family and their friends and allies.

A fun issue where the stylized subplot outshone the main story, Larsen seems on the cusp of a new beginning for the Dragon family and other members of their circle.

Larsen's art is sharp and clear, and he writes a cuttingly funny backup story that incorporates a pair of fan-favorite supporting characters.

A great jumping-on point for potential new readers, Savage Dragon #238 sees the culmination of a long-running subplot, but does so in a way that is fully explained and satisfying to casual or non-fans.

Long-running plot threads are starting to come to a head, against the backdrop of a holiday-themed one-and-done.

This month's issue is chock full of plot, a cogent reminder that any comic that unfolds in real time is going to have a hard time keeping up with a handful of superheroes and four superpowered kids.

Savage Dragon #243 is a fun romp. As much as the series has been incredibly NSFW, with both nudity and extreme violence lately, Larsen is no dummy: he knows that making the toddler Amy the central character of an issue has to change the complexion of the issue somewhat.

If you are a long-term fan, you're likely already sold by the news that Powerhouse is back. If not, this is a solid (and easily accessible) issue, with some cool fight choreography and some great moment-to-moment storytelling enhanced by Larsen playing with the form a little.

It's hard to argue that this issue wasn't ambitious.

In what is more or less a protracted fight scene, writer/artist Erik Larsen presents some memorable imagery"some kind of gruesome"that elevates the battle.

Action kicks up a notch on a few fronts, setting up for the big story that's been teased for months.

In the run-up to next month's Savage Dragon #250, this is a bloody and brutal battle.

The quick cuts and character-driven stories that shape Savage Dragon #250 feel a bit like a clip show, but one that touches on a lot of important moments that have arisen over the last three months, since Savage Dragon #249 took place in late March, shortly after the pandemic really started to obtain a grip on American culture.

The story itself is fairly straightforward, although it's likely to be more surprising to fans who were wrong when they guessed what that #250 cliffhanger meant.

It's a fun, creative experiment that turns a series of brief moments into something more.

Savage Dragon #253 is a solid issue that brings action, drama, comedy, and a look back at the pre-Image history of the character.

For an issue that spends most of its pages feeling like it's a stage-setting issue to start a shift to a new status quo, it ends explosively.

Savage Dragon #255 feels like simultaneously one of the most status-quo-rocking issues in a long time and also the most prototypically Savage Dragon the book has been since the old man died.

After last month's wild ride, it' a relief to slow down, but fans are going to wonder why let up off the gas at a moment like this.

Compared to the recent issues, though, it feels like the plot is kind of thin, as it's clearly building to something big in the next issue.

In an issue that centers on Amy Dragon and her talking tiger friend Walter, Larsen delivers a family-friendly issue, with some real larger-than-life moments of comic strip logic.

Crammed with Erik Larsen's cool character designs and rock-solid characterization, its weakness is the same as the "Savage Dragon Legacy" one-shot that Larsen had as a FCBD issue a few years back: he's trying to do a lot of heavy lifting in a single issue.

The result is an entertaining book with widescreen action, but one that doens't feel as anxiety-inducing as some of the big, bloody battles of recent months (not that this one is lacking in the blood department).

The art is dynamic, which is important, because there's a lot more talking and a lot less punching than most issues of Savage Dragon. Of course, that won't last long.

Erik Larsen delivers some stylish, brutal fight scenes, but they're overshadowed by an event that not only rocks the characters' world but is likely to attract some attention outside of the comic itself.

The issue is kind of all over the place, but each piece has at least a few really great moments, and it leaves you with a cliffhanger that's good enough that it feels totally unfair after such a long wait for this issue, and a one-off adventure scheduled for the next.

Told almost entirely through flashback and narration, the dialogue and storytelling is a little more stiff than you would normally expect from Larsen, but it does the job in getting readers up to speed with Paul's complex history and how he is similar, and different, to Dragon himself.

Savage Dragon #265 is a heart wrenching issue that moves at a breakneck pace, and sets up a new status quo for the series going forward.

For those who have enjoyed the heavy-hitting action of recent issues, this one's a character-driven break, with some family drama, but it does set up some big superhero action in the issues to come, with the return of the SOS to the book in a big way.

Erik Larsen once again proves anything can happen in Savage Dragon even in a fairly low-key wedding issue.

Pacing-wise, and character-wise, it's a strong issue.

In a lot of ways, Savage Dragon #270 is the platonic ideal of a Savage Dragon issue. It's got action, comedy, and a lot of really strong character moments.

Savage Dragon #271 is a driving, relentless issue, paying off and clearing up four separate stories while cutting between them, including three different fights and one of the biggest character moments in months.

Ron Wagner's workmanlike art is not as clear a fit for the world of Scooby Apocalypse as that of the somewhat more stylized and occasionally twisted Howard Porter, but it suits this month's issue well.

While DC makes a big deal of the upcoming wedding of Batman and Catwoman, writer Keith Griffen and J.M. DeMatteis, artists Pat Oliffe, Tom Nguyen, Andy Owens, and Hi-Fi have put together a surprisingly touching love story between two characters fans have also shipped since long before "shipping" was a thing.

Ron Wagner and Andy Owens deliver a likable take on Scooby Apocalypse, but the characters feel off-model, and given how important the look of this title is to its brazen, blackly-hilarious appeal, it does feel as though something is amiss.

Mandrake's art is a little stiff for a series that has been so fluid and kinetic all along, but he is a great draftsman with strong storytelling, so ultimately it is not bad at all; it just doesn't feel like Scooby Apocalypse.

Scrappy Doo's re-entry into the series is a nice surprise; it seems as though DeMatteis has an ear for how to keep his personality consistent without making him the irritating character he is so well known for being.

The issue is a dark one, featuring a lot of combat and not nearly as much of writers Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis's sparkling dialogue as fans of the series are used to " but it sets up a curious cliffhanger that just begs to be answered.

Pat Oliffe and Tom Palmer deliver one of the best-looking issues of the series (which is saying something), although their particular style is well-served by the subdued colors in the zombie-inspired Fred flashback sequence that begins the book, and somewhat less effective in later portions where the book takes on its normal garish hues.

The lead feature, from J.M. DeMatteis, Pat Oliffe, and Tom Palmer, is a gem of a story, juxtaposing Daphne's desperation and anger against the hope and joy that Shaggy has in celebrating his forthcoming child.

J.M. DeMatteis's ear for dialogue and Patrick Oliffe's crackling storytelling elevate the book, but any time Scooby Apocalypse goes basically an entire issue without an action set piece, it tends to drag a bit.

The story itself is solid, and sets up what feels like a bit of a Hail Mary ending, but ultimately an appropriate one for the title. We will have to see how it all shakes out.

A mythology- and dialogue-heavy issue that gives us plenty of insight into the characters, while Patrick Oliffe and Tom Palmer's art us as consistently excellent as ever.

There is a whole lot of plot to get through in this final issue, but given the rapid movement that the series has had for the last several months, the pacing is actually pretty comfortable.

Neither tale is revolutionary, both are fun and well-executed, but the first is a real treat.

They turn it on its head and have a fun, wild, and Easter egg-filled story that is better than it has any business to be.

Geoff Johns returns to Shazam! for the second time in the last decade, and does so while teaming with artist Dale Eaglesham, who worked with Johns on his beloved JSA run. The result is a comic that works with mathematical precision, creating one emotionally resonant page after another, and delivering exactly the fun, zany adventure that fans are expecting after seeing the trailer for the forthcoming movie of the same name.

There is... a lot happening in Shazam! #2, and it feels like none of the three stories get enough time to come fully into focus.

With King Kid, writer Geoff Johns has created a villain who feels like Billy Batson's opposite number in the same ways that Black Adam is the opposite number to Shazam. It's a clever way of approaching the new series, and plays nicely into the themes of family and acceptance that Johns has used Shazam stories to tell in the past, since the villain is both demanding of acceptance and inclusion on his terms and also incredibly exclusionary when it comes to his own territory.

Whereas Shazam #3 felt a bit like it was treading water and leaning hard on the reliably excellent art, #4 is a big step up all around.

The issue's four artists " Marco Santucci, Dale Eaglesham, Scott Kolins, and Max Raynor " are all terrific, but the "jam issue" aspect of the comic lends itself to uneven pacing and visual tone.

After a couple of issues that felt like they were treading water, Shazam! is back in top form this week with an issue that feels like it takes place immediately following the events of the movie that was just in theaters.

Terry Moore steps up the pace of Katchoo's road trip through the "Terryverse" in this week's issue, providing some tantalizing clues as to what is going on with Stephanie, Tambi, and the larger story at play in the ten issues of Strangers in Paradise XXV.

That pacing, sharp dialogue, and beautiful art paired with a genuinely chilling final page delivers an issue that sets up an epic final three issues.

Like the rest of the series, Strangers in Paradise XXV #10 is not perfect -- and it may not be exactly what you expect, or want going in -- but it is beautifully executed, and it feels like home.

This story, by Suicide Squad co-creator Mike W. Barr, reads like a solid but unspectacular story from the '80s or early '90s.

The story, meanwhile, manages to have more story packed into it than the previous two issues combined, but still feel like not much happened.

The second story, by writer Jai Nitz with artists Scot Eaton and Wayne Faucher with colorist Guy Major and Sharpe once again on letters, is a twisting and turning journey. It has some pacing issues, and the combat scenes do not generally flow as well here as they do in the first half. Still, Eaton and Faucher have higher highs and lower lows, so that there are a few viscerally satisfying moments in the issue.

In the lead story, writer Mike W. Barr embraces some of this '80s dialogue to tell a story that is not bad, but feels dated and a little over-the-top for contemporary audiences.

A beautifully drawn issue by Carlo Barberi, Art Thibert, and colorist Gale Altaeb is diminished somewhat by the feeling that we have all been here before with this story.

Super Sons under writer Peter J. Tomasi has been one of the most consistently entertaining series of DC's Rebirth era, and while it is perhaps not a "great" series, few superhero books have been more fun in recent memory.

Peter J. Tomasi's script is sharp and he has managed to soften Damian Wayne and make him more likable without losing the core of what makes Damian, Damian. he also set up a solid (if a little predictable) cliffhanger for the next issue.

A well-worn premisekeeps the issue from feeling as fresh as we might like for such an important debut, but Johns's pacing and characterization carry the day writing-wise, turning out an issue that's a fast, fun read and delivers a lot of information without feeling like it's all about the exposition. Romita's first DC work could stand shoulder to shoulder with just about anything he's done in his long, distinguished career and if he can maintain this level of quality, this will quickly become one of DC's best monthly titles.

Writer Peter J. Tomasi and writer/artist Patrick Gleason create an issue that is both incredibly clever in its structure and yet a bit of a slog to actually get through.

Downer's colors are a high point of this issue, which puts Superboy side by side with his Bizarro doppelgnger throughout. While that makes for some cool, fun, and funny visuals, unfortunately the writing on the Bizarro stuff continues to be a little too" Bizarro.

The writing in this arc continues to frustrate; the team are clearly having an absolute ball, but the determination with which they commit themselves to Bizarrospeak makes sequences " especially ones where Bizarro characters are disagreeing or fighting with one another " nearly impenetrable on a casual read through.

This issue is probably better than their story in Action Comics #1000 in some ways, and an absolute must to celebrate 80 years of Lois Lane and Superman.

This one feels a lot less cobbled together than the Action Comics Special from earlier this week did, and also a bit more grounded with recent events since the Tomasi & Gleason story picks up threads directly from their run on Superman.

With Superman #1, writer Brian Michael Bendis and the art team of Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, and Alex Sinclair turn in a beautifully-rendered, sometimes thoughtful, but ultimately uneven issue of comics that feels like it would be a very good Superman comic if not for a few strange choices that taint the whole affair.

Gorgeous art by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado can't overcome a leaden story that goes virtually nowhere between the first and last page, and the highlight of which is a wink-and-a-nod in-joke.

Depending on the scene, Superman can feel spot on or a little too much like Batman, but King gets the big, symbolic moments right.

It's a thoughtful look at what makes Superman tick, and not without its share of punching.

Maybe there will be a thematic through line established later, but it feels like this is a story King simply wanted to write and here is where it ended up.

The narratives here are good, and the art is stellar, but the fact that two issues in a row have the "a story over static images" setup is something that feels like it could have been avoided in such an action-filled storyline.

The art is largely beautiful and, while sometimes the moment-to-moment storytelling can suffer (those scenes of Earth's heroes being decimated by the invasion could maybe have been punched up by some different choices by Kubert), the layouts and emotions are always top notch.

Sympathy for No Devils saved one of the best issues for last.

The Batman Who Laughs #1 is thematically of a piece with a lot of what Scott Snyder has been doing with Batman in the last few years. The idea of exploring Batman's inner demons, his darkest corners and worst fears while still not giving up hope or the occasional moment for quiet character introspection or even -- gasp! -- a joke illustrates that Snyder, who seemingly came on board fully-formed with "The Black Mirror" all that time ago, is in fact still evolving as a writer of Batman comics.

A sharp and satisfying character piece, this issue ends with a cliffhanger that will have longtime Snyder readers reeling until the next issue.

The action ratchets up throughout the issue, creating a suspenseful and foreboding tone that culminates in yet another great cliffhanger for this series.

Jock provides some of the best artwork of his career in this issue, enhanced by the work of colorist David Baron.

The story is going to a dark, strange, violent, and twisted place, putting each of the characters through the wringer.

The Batman Who Laughs #6 is a disorienting and fast-paced issue, leaving fans on a foreseeable, but still viscerally exciting cliffhanger.

Beautifully illustrated and well-structured, with parallel stories that mirror each other in key moments and provide insight into almost every major character in the tale, The Batman Who Laughs #7 only suffers from how completely it is focused on setting up the next big story with the title character, which takes the wind out of your sails as a reader when the big "ending" is no end at all.

If you have been reading along, you likely can guess that Justin Jordan does a very solid John Constantine and Swamp Thing. What's more is that Joe and Annie's panic and incredibly serious approach to everything plays beautifully off of the crass, casual Constantine.

The issue feels like a big exposition dump, built around a fight with another superhero (here, Doctor Fate), which may or may not have long-term significance to the plot.

As a stand-alone issue, this is better than it is as part of the ongoing story (although the way it answers some questions makes it important to that story). It has a clear throughline at the beginning and end that helps chart the direction for the rest of the series and make sense of the decisions made by characters within the issue before, essentially, returning everything to a familiar status quo at the end.

You can't go wrong with Denys Cowan art, and he (with inker John Stanisci) ups his game in the penultimate issue of Brimstone, giving some exciting layouts to the huge story Jordan is shaping with his script.

A strong finale with a couple of genuine WTF moments, this issue certainly feels of a piece with the recent Annual.

The result is uneven, but a welcome trip down memory lane regardless, giving fans of the "Triangle Era" of Superman a lot to love.

The Man of Steel #1 is certainly not a bad comic; it is gorgeously illustrated, engaging, and includes a few very nice character beats. Still, it feels more like a teaser for something potentially really interesting than the beginning of it.

Two issues in, it was hard not to be blown away by Doomsday Clock, baffled by Metal, and intrigued by No Justice. Two issues into The Man of Steel, it feels like time for Bendis to get on with it already.

Decompressed storytelling is what it is, but even if it reads marginally better in the trade, spending literally one page at a time on Jason Fabok's Lois-and-Jon-getting-kidnapped scene is just" exhausting.

In its weakest chapter yet, writer Brian Michael Bendis's The Man of Steel does not even have excellent art to fall back on.

The sixth and final issue of Brian Michael Bendis's The Man of Steel, featuring art by Jason Fabok and colors by Alex Sinclair, provides a coherent, reasonably satisfying conclusion to the meandering mysteries of the miniseries, sets up a potentially interesting new status quo, and largely succeeds even while none of it feels particularly awe-inspiring.

By the time the story is over it feels like a comic book equivalent of John Wick, featuring a badass woman of color with a kid in place of Keanu Reeves.

John Romita, Jr.'s name is on the top of the book, and it's for good reason: the success of Silencer hinges almost exclusively on his huge, dynamic visuals (along with the rock-solid inks of Sandra Hope), his command of visual storytelling, and a frantic pace that is expressed through his widescreen, emotive artwork.

The somewhat baffling decision to remove John Romita, Jr. from the "artist-focused" New Age of Heroes title The Silencer does not materially hurt the comic, as incoming penciler Peter Bogdanovic continues his string of doing incredibly difficult jobs very well.

Titans Annual #2 takes a setup that feels like it could fit into a 10-page backup story and stretches it out to a 40-page issue, but writer Dan Abnett manages to keep it from being boring by filling those pages with interesting characters and well-written dialogue.

Dan Abnett, meanwhile, uses strong characterization and a surprising revelation or two to convert a frustrating and dull story idea " "the Justice League have benched the Titans because they don't trust Troia" " into something genuinely interesting to read.

A fatally flawed high concept haunts the "Titans Apart" storyline, and the beautiful art and strong storytelling of Paul Pelletier, inker Andrew Hennessy, and colorist Adriano Lucas can't quite overcome it in Titans #21.

Writer Dan Abnett and artists Paul Pelletier, Andrew Hennessy, and Adriano Lucas do the very best with what they have in this issue, which continues that somewhat contrived story of a Justice League who refuses to take the Titans seriously.

The story is solid, but a little uneventful, and primarily follows Nightwing, which feels a bit like it defeats the purpose of it being a team book.

This is the perfect comic to put in the hands of somebody who has not read comics in years and just wants something fun.

Stephen Byrne's body language and facial expressions are put to the test (and pass beautifully) in this issue as writer Mark Russell dives into a commentary on the prison-industrial complex, but doesn't get bogged down in polemic and manages to keep the laughs flowing.

Fun, light, and character-driven writing combines with expressive and kinetic art to make for a hugely enjoyable issue.

There's some fun to be had here, and the art is beautiful as usual, but the superheroics take a back seat to the humor, and the humor in this issue lacks the sharpness of the first three.

Wonder Twins has turned the corner, with the plot accelerating and the story taking over a lot of pages that would have previously been dedicated to character building. That said, the character building we do get in this one is touching and a little melancholy.

Stephen Byrne's terrific art keeps the story moving even while there is a LOT of story and a lot of dialogue packed into only 20 pages.

Mark Russell's story is simple, and feels like a one-off, but it carries over some threads from the first half and gives a satisfying emotional resolution.

Mark Russell's script is tight, with sharp dialogue and a a balance that tips a little more to the heartwarming and less to the zany this issue.

If there is a shortcoming, it's that it very much feels like it's wrapping up one story and setting up another... even though we're three-quarters of the way through the series.

In a stand-alone issue, Stephen Byrne's art and layouts shine.

The art is rich, with a color palette that feels like it has developed over the course of the book into such a rich and unique look that you'd almost like to see it recolored for the eventual collected edition.

The significant talents of Emanuela Lupacchino are wasted entirely on Wonder Woman #40, a comic in which characters say things no human being would say and both drama and comedy fall flat as a result.