SoldierHawk Comic Reviews

Kraven's Last Hunt is not only one of the quintessential Spider-Man arcs of all time, but one of the best stories ever told in the medium. I hold it up alongside Watchmen as one of the most exemplary demonstrations of what comic books are capable of, and why they are so viable and important as an art form. An absolute must-read for any comic book fan, regardless of your feelings about Spider-Man or Kraven as characters. It's that good, and that important.

An extraordinary conclusion to a brilliant story arc, and a brilliant book. I'm looking forward to the return of Bruce Wayne, but I sincerely hope he doesn't steal any of the thunder Tim Drake has built up over this year.

An extremely strong beginning for Batwoman and her new title. While this issue had much more dependence on Batman than I'd have liked, the writing and especially the artwork is still top-notch. Everything about it demands a buy, and a preorder of issue #1.

Yeah. It was worth a year's wait.

Do I really need to say it? BUY. THIS. BOOK!

A fantastic start for this mini-series. One issue in, and I'm already saddened that there's only three more to go. If the creative team keeps things at this level, though, I have no doubt that an ongoing book will be in the works shortly.

While not quite the wonderful surprise that issue #1 was (mostly because we now know what to expect), this is still a very strong issue and well worth a look. If it continues at this level, Last Mortal will be on my shortlist for best miniseries of the year come December.

A great film, and a worthy (if slightly inferior) successor to the first. Absolutely worth your time and money.

Lots of great writing, lots of great art, lots of great story, and a whole lot of very bloody action. Can't ask for much more than that!

Fantastic writing, beautiful artwork, and a story that's the best of an already wonderful arc. Definite buy.

Brilliant writing, beautiful artwork and a great conclusion to an amazing story. At $2.99, this is my pick for the best bargain on the comic stand.

A stellar issue, even by Secret Six's very high standards. Excellent artwork and a fun, compelling story once again put this book onto this month's "must read" list.

Another very strong issue. Although it petered out a little at the end, I'm really looking forward to the Six's Action Comics appearance, and trust it'll get things firing on all cylinders again. The Six confronting Luthor is something I've been wanting to see for some time, and I'm glad the moment is finally here!

A strong–though definitely not the strongest–issue. Watching Luthor and the Six play off each other is a lot of fun, and forcing the Six to solve a problem primarily through negotiation, rather than violence, is a nice change of pace. Also: Ragdoll is awesome. Best. Plot exposition. EVER.

A grim (but very powerful) issue that sets up a fantastic set of conflicts, and the potential for an excellent finale. I'm really, really looking forward to seeing how the rest of this story plays out.

Conclusion Another fantastic, satisfying–and surprisingly touching–issue. Simone continues o deliver the goods with her outstanding story and dialog, while Calafiore backs her up extremely well with his excellent (though less flashy than in he recent Hellbound story arc) artwork.

A particularly good issue that looks to be leading towards a suitably epic finale for our favorite team of bad guys. I'll be sad to see them go, but at least they're going out in style!

Oh, how I wish all wonderful and brilliant series' were given a send off this good. Sad as the ending may be, I don't think any fan of the series could argue that it was anything but inevitable, and it allowed this hardened and cynical characters to reveal sides of themselves that might otherwise never have surfaced. Brilliant.

This is a hugely ambitious book with a great deal of potential. The first chapter is off to a slightly shaky start (initial exposition, especially with characters like these, is the most difficult part of any arc), but it does lay the groundwork for the meat of the story to come. McCreery and Del Col demonstrate that they have sufficient control of the characters and narrative to convince me it's worth giving them another issue or two to introduce the rest of the cast, complete the exposition, and find their footing. If they can pull all of these elements together into a coherent narrative, this book is going to be one heck of a ride.

In spite of my whining about the artwork not living up to the bar that Sir Ian McKellen or Sir Laurence Olivier set for some of the characters, this is a fantastic book. This is what I was hoping Kill Shakespeare would be when I opened issue #1. Now that the growing (and expositional!) pains are out of the way, it looks like this series is really coming into its own, and is set to blossom into one of the smartest and most creative things to hit comic stands in quite some time.

What a fantastic book, both in art and in story. It took a couple issues to find its feet, but now that it's off and running, I cannot wait to see where it goes. This is exactly the sort of issue I was hoping would come out of the second. It justifies not only the $3.99 price point, but the price of the first two issues as well. If you aren't reading this or aren't caught up, this would be the time to do so.

Not quite as strong as issue #3 overall, but still well worth a purchase. The creators are on a roll, and I don't think anyone who is even mildly interested in this series is going to want to miss out on where the story is going.

Ten issues in, and McCreery and Del Col's versions of the Bard's famous characters have firmly established themselves in their own universe. Watching them plot, fight, talk and interact is a true treat, both as a fan of the original source material and as a fan of the comic book medium. (And speaking of the source material, a personal hope was answered for me when Iago finally, finally quoted my favorite line from Othello: the simple, but so deceptively deep, “I am not what I am.”) I'm not sure how you're going to catch up at this point if you're not on board already, but the conclusion that's being set up here looks to be well worth the price of admission, and the yearlong commitment. (JMS, take note: THIS is how you hold an audience's attention for twelve issues.)

Also, can I just say that Iago's fate might be the single most satisfying panel I have ever read in comics? I've always hated the fact that he never really got his comeuppance in Othello, and this more than made up for that. I confess to more than a little fangirlish cheering on that panel: “that was for Desdemona and Emelia, you bastard!”

This series continues to be one of the best investments any fan of fantasy comics can make. The storyline is suitably epic and globe-spanning, and the art brings the characters and settings to life in a way that few books can do nowadays. Kudos to Top Cow and Image for continuing to put out this kind of quality product, and for employing creators of such high caliber.

Another strong issue from a consistently strong group of creators and a consistently strong event series. This is shaping up to be one of the best arcs of this year, and I have a feeling the conclusion is going to be a doozy. If you aren't onboard yet, get thee thy trade, and hop on. You won't be sorry.

This issue shows that Artifacts is still going as strong as ever. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how this story plays out, and to learning more about the nature of that mysterious #13.

In spite of my mini-rant there, this was still a GREAT issue, and absolutely essential if you have any interest in Artifacts and/or the Top Cow Universe. After a very, very long warm up, Marz is finally starting to pull back the curtain on what the bug “why” behind the series is–and it looks like it's only going to get better from here.

All in all, this is a fresh and exciting direction, and the first time in a LONG time I feel like I have no idea what to expect from the next issue. That's a good thing, and a journey I look forward to taking with this fine creative team.

This annual isn't for neophytes of the Witchblade universe. It was clearly written for people who already know and understand the premise of the series. With that in mind, however, if you are a fan, this is worth the price premium to own and enjoy.

Can I just say how much I love Witchblade lately, and Top Cow's direction in general? Compelling storytelling, beautiful artwork and dynamic characters make this a series not to be missed.

An extremely strong issue, one that gets back to the heart of what Witchblade does best: putting our heroine up against unholy baddies, and letting her use a combination of brain and 'Blade to fight her way out. There's nothing revolutionary in that, but certainly nothing to criticize"especially not when handled so well.

This issue won't show you a great deal of character depth or emotion (although the moral predicament at the end is quite good), but it's a great read, and allows one of the best artists working in comics today to go nuts on some really, really neat looking monsters.

The second of a forgettable (and regrettable) pair of issues. I'm all for giving Gleason a chance to shine on his own, but got God's sake at least write him a good story if you're doing to take the trouble to do it!

One of the standard-bearers for anniversary/milestone issues as far as I'm concerned. Well worth the extra dollar for any Witchblade fan, and a great jumping on point if you're looking to dip your toe into the Witchblade (and Top Cow) Universe.

A wonderful issue, well-scripted and beautifully illustrated. It's also quite a lot of fun, which is something that–quite understandably, given all the sturm und drang going on in the TCU at the moment–has been lacking lately. This issue was able to capture some of that fun without sacrificing excitement or tension.

My love of ancient mythology, the TCU and Stjepan Sejic's artwork make this issue a perfect storm of awesome for me. Even leaving those personal prejudices aside, though, it's still easily the most interesting and engrossing single issue of Witchblade I've read this year. If you're at all a fan of the series, this will not be an arc you want to miss.

This issue–and this story arc–gets back to what I feel is the core of Witchblade: Sara using her Artifact and brain to battle otherworldly threats. Tiamat herself makes a fantastic villain, and once again I'm looking forward to learning more about her (and her grudge against the original Witchblade Bearer) in the next issue.

This certainly isn't the only uber-serious zombie story out there; it's not even the only super-serious zombie comic book on the shelf. If you have even a passing interest in either zombies or the Vietnam War, though, it's well worth seeking out.

I'm not a huge fan of horror comics, but the visual style and excellent storytelling taking place in '68 is more than enough to warrant a recommendation. Whether you are interested in the time period or just like zombies, this is not a series you want to pass up.

If you aren't a fan of this series this issue won't change your mind, but #5 will be one to watch for everyone if the slow but steady increase in quality (and the fresh start a new storyline will provide) is any indication.

This may be my single favorite issue of Birds of Prey to date. If the arc keeps going at this pace, we're going to be in for one hell of a ride.

I'm not sure if this counts as the best issue of BoP I've read (with only nine issues out there, such a judgment is hard to quantify at the moment), but I can tell you that this is easily my personal favorite. Miranda's artwork alone is worth the price of admission, and Simone on a writing-like-gangbusters kick (which she is definitely on this arc) is never to be missed. Although they may be a little lost since this issue is, after all, in the middle of an arc, I can't imagine that even non-BoP fans would regret picking up this issue. Plus, hey–$2.99! (Way to go, DC!)

While I wish the ending had provided more closure, this issue was still a nice way to say goodbye to one of my favorite DC books. Since neither the Birds team nor creative team is continuing on the book post-DCnU, I'll be trading it in for Simone's new baby, Fury of Firestorm. While I don't imagine it will capture my heart in the same way Birds did, Simone is worth following anywhere she chooses to go.

Despite Marvel's instance on maintaining the $3.99 price tag, if you have any interest in Captain America, this is one series that it might be worth gritting your teeth and bearing the extra cost for. This part of Cap's history isn't often dealt with, and I have a feeling the ride is going to be a fun and fascinating one.

This is not a particularly deep or complex book (at least not here in the first issue), but that's okay. The key with new #1s for me is summarized in one word: potential. And Shinku, thanks to a great creative team, a fun premise, and strong execution, is a new series that has it in spades. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the mythology and characters develop as the series goes on.

While this book doesn't work particularly well as a Moon Knight story, it's still a good comic. A fun, easy read.

This is a fun issue. Nothing groundbreaking, but if you're in the mood for some classic Deadpool as written by the best Pool-writer working today, give it a look. It's refreshing to read a quick, fun one-shot that I didn't have to buy separate from the main book, too.

The plot is great, the pacing is solid, and the writing is energetic and very funny, and the art complements and brings it all together. I had a wonderful time reading this book and I think anyone who likes the Deadpool character will too.

Despite lacking a bit in the humor and story progression department, this issue is a nice done-in-one breather that allows both Deadpool and the reader to refocus on exactly who he is, and what he's trying to do. After the madcap insanity of the last storyline, that's not a bad thing. It doesn't bring anything new to the table, but it's definitely not bad either.

Fun is the point of most Deadpool books, and fun is what is to be found here. None of the book's comparatively minor shortcomings get in the way, and no Deadpool fan will walk away from this without a grin.

A very well plotted and VERY well paced start to a promising storyline. The heroes are in place, the villain is loose, and I can't wait for the next issue! This is the first initial-storyline issue in a long time that has made me feel that the allocated number of issues isn't enough–this story feels like it could be much bigger and more epic than its three issues will allow.

Another strongly written issue from Winick that is once again held back by visual issues. I'm glad we at least have a consistent penciler and inker for an entire issue, but the look of this book does nothing for me–muddy and uninspiring.

A strongly scripted but poorly penciled conclusion to the Jason Todd “Streets Run Red” storyline. As much as I'm looking forward to having Bruce as the one and only Batman again, I'll miss Dick and Damian's relationship.

Listen up, DC: get me a new artist, and then let David Hine go crazy in this new corner of the Batverse he's carved out. I don't care if you put it in an ongoing, a miniseries, a graphic novel, it doesn't matter. Just, whatever this was? I want more. As fast as Hine can write it.

A very solid issue, and a great conclusion to the story. The backup feature isn't anything to write home about, but the Cap story is strong enough to be worth the price.

The plot thickens in what looks to be the best Bucky-Cap storyline yet. Let's hope Brubaker and company can keep up this level of work and the pace they've set.

A very good start to "The Trial of Captain America," one that has me more excited for the next issue of Cap than I have been since Steve passed his shield on. Well written, and tense without resorting to melodrama. THIS is the Cap (and the Brubaker!) I want to read.

A decent issue. Nothing particularly special, but I dig the conflicts it's setting up. If they deliver as I hope they will, this setup will have been well worth paying attention to.

Not the strongest issue of Cap in this arc, and sadly threw things pretty off-track from where I would have liked to see them go. Still not a bad issue though, and Dr. Faust's part in the proceedings upgrade the reading experience considerably.

While I have minor gripes with the (deliberate) inconsistency in the artwork, this is, overall, a great issue that illuminates Bucky's character and establishes him as his own unique hero, quite apart from Steve Rogers or the Captain America persona. The story is gritty and compelling, and the art reaches heights that we haven't seen in a Cap book for a long time. Very well done.

A very strong end to the Bucky-Cap era, and an issue that did what I thought was impossible: it may have actually convinced me to buy BOTH Cap books next month, in spite of the prices. Bucky has grown on me during this arc, and I feel like it would be a shame to abandon him without giving the new series a chance.

If you're a Cap fan, you're going to want to be picking up this series until further notice. I know I will be. (If I had to choose, in fact, I'd keep this over Captain America in a heartbeat, and that's saying a lot for me.)

If you're a fan of Diana and have been following this book for a while, it's worth picking up just to stay current (and for the aforementioned good moments it contains.) If you aren't, this is absolutely not the issue that's going to convince you to become a regular.

This is the best issue of a weak arc that"I hope"bodes well for the creative team when they have better overall stories to work with in the future.

Buy it. Not only does it contain the prologue to a huge shift in Wonder Woman's universe, the other stories are well worth the price. (If you want my personal opinion, pay the extra bucks for one of the variant covers when you get it. I'm not a cover chaser at ALL, but the regular cover was so boring and not special considering what an important issue this is that I had no problem paying a little extra for something much nicer looking. My two cents.)

A very solid story, with a ton of potential for future development. Exciting and fun read, and as long as they keep Wonder Woman moving forward"both as a character and in the physical sense"I'm sticking with it.

I'm not sure I'd call this an ideal jumping on place (although really, there are no important events from the past four books that you couldn't intuit from the dialogue in this one), but it's certainly the end of the beginning for this story arc. The pieces are fully in place, there's a (fairly) clear goal for Diana now, and she has some nice new weapons and powers to help her meet the challenges that lay ahead. This is a big step forward, and I'm eager to see where Diana and her people go from here.

This series, and its reboot experiment, is at a tipping point. This issue has at long last laid some good groundwork, and has the potential to be the jumping off spot of a fantastic storyline. If they take the Diana they've created here–the dark, violent one–and show us the journey she takes on the road to becoming the wise and compassionate (but still ass kicking) Diana we know from the other books, this could be an amazing ride. Of course, it could also fall flatter that JMS's “Grounded” storyline, but right now, this issue has made me extremely optimistic.

Against all odds, Phil Hester is actually pulling this storyline–and Diana's character–back from the brink of absolute ridiculousness. I doubt it would be enough to bring a non-comics reader, or a non-WW fan onboard, but I'll happily take it, and give Mr. Hester a large tip of my hat along the way. If he can continue to right this sinking ship one issue at a time like this, we may still have a wonderful character left by the end of this arc and–dare I hope?–perhaps even a fun and interesting conclusion to the storyline itself.

Objectively, and when taken in tandem with last month's issue, this arc is starting to become a very, very strong story. Diana is coming into her own as a character, and the plot and stakes are starting to become very interesting and very high. If you don't bust your brain trying to figure out where, when and how all this is happening, it's an excellent read.

Wonder Woman Finally has legs, a direction, and is moving again! For the first time in what feels like forever, I am actively anticipating the next issue. In fact, genuinely cannot WAIT until next month to find out what happens next! What a wonderful feeling. If Hester continues on like this, I think that, against ALL odds, “Odyssey” might end up being a very good, and very worthwhile, storyline after all.

I closed this issue with a sigh of relief. Even if it isn't the most visually breathtaking book you'll read this month, at least it's pulling Wonder Woman back from the brink of absolute disaster–and Hester is even managing to dig a decent story out of the steaming pile of catastrophe he was handed. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do of his own accord once this slog reaches its conclusion.

Hester continues his strong work on the series, but there just aren't enough plot reveals for the second to last chapter of a yearlong story arc. The art, while serviceable, still suffers from the inconsistency to be expected with multiple inkers and pencilers. While I look forward to seeing how the final issue plays out, a great deal of my excitement for the conclusion has been quashed by the knowledge that any character changes generated by this storyline will be negated in September, and that I'll need to get to know not only a new incarnation of my favorite character, but a brand new creative team as well.

Odyssey comes to an interesting, if not satisfying, end (though frankly, how they can tout this as a conclusion given the reveal at the end is beyond me.) Although I've enjoyed getting to know this version of Diana, and look forward to seeing how she deals with this final challenge…I think to her, of all the DC characters, this coming reboot will be a kindness.

This is the Wonder Woman issue I've been waiting for since “Odyssey” began. It will in no way change your mind about the storyline itself if you've determined it's not for you, but if, like me, you've been following dutifully along (no doubt gnashing your teeth in frustration the entire way), this issue may help alleviate some of that irritation. It took 13 issues, but we finally have a fully formed plot and motivated villain! Huzzah!

A solid issue when taken on its own merits, but the whole thing is dragged under by the enormous weight of the continuity mess trailing behind it. Still, the ending is very good and serves as an appropriate send-off to Diana's DCU career.

While I may debate the necessity of this renumbered series, the fact remains that it is a very well executed introduction to Steve Rogers and his allies. The story is solid, the artwork is beautiful and its an overall excellent inaugural issue. Plus, Steve as Cap again? Hell yeah!

There's absolutely no denying that this book is beautiful, and the story itself is well written. The new series is also a great jumping-on place for Cap neophytes who have just seen the movie, or who were put off the Cap book by Steve Rogers' absence. Longtime Cap fans may well find less to enjoy here, however. Personally, I'm certainly not ready to write this off–especially not with art like this!–but Brubaker's going to have to have to give me more before I commit to making this a permanent addition to my pull list.

Action-packed, with a lot of big exciting fight sequences, but not a whole lot in terms of character or plot development. Still, the fights are very well done, and its hard to complain when a book does what it sets out to do so well.

Despite the problems it might present for someone not familiar with the character, Bendis lays the groundwork for a good opening storyline for the series. The artwork is unique, fits the tone of the book perfectly, and is well worth appreciating on its own merits outside of any story context. A strong start for a series that I hope will continue to pick up steam as it matures.

Well written a beautifully drawn, but I'm not a fan of how Bendis executed this (admittedly very creative) take on Spector's multiple personalities. I have a feeling this is only a slight hiccup however (at least I hope that's the case) and will be back on track shortly.

If you liked the first two issues, you won't be disappointed by this one in spite of the lack of actual Moon Knight action. If you were one of those shaking your head in dismay, though, this issue will not be changing your mind.

This Arkham Asylum II installment isn't as good as the outing with Mad Hatter, but it does tell a fairly light and entertaining tale. Non-fans won't be missing anything by skipping it, but if you enjoy Harley and/or Joker, it's worth a look.

Not a great take on Killer Croc in my opinion, but there's no denying that his characterization is solid, the story is decent, and the artwork is very good. Still, I enjoyed the story in spite of the complaints I have, and I'm not sorry I picked it up.

A great story, well told, and beautifully illustrated. Very good buy.

An unexpected story, but a treat to read (and re-read.) There are enough details in the book, and especially in the art, to keep any real riddle-fan busy sorting truth from fiction for quite some time.

For what it is, this book is a decent read. The mythology of Krypton and the way it plays out is very interesting, but the main physical plot and conflict fall rather flat. Still, especially with how this one ended I think the arc is really at a tipping point. The next issue will either make or break it. I'm hoping for the best.

Easily digestible, maybe worth picking up if you love 'Pool and you can find it in a dollar bin at a con" But asking readers to pay four dollars for something like this is insulting.

The plot has greatly improved in both quality and focus, Swierczynksi is writing a great Deadpool, and Jason Pearson's art is great fun to look at as well. The $3.99 price point still grates on me mightily though, enough to say give it a pass if you're not a 'Pool fan. If you do like the Merc, though, there are far worse ways to spend four bucks.

This was a brilliant crossover idea and, at two issues in, has so far been executed very well indeed. Niles, Jones and Mandrake do an excellent job of capturing the old "X-Files" feeling, and (I'm sure) will jump right back into the vampire action next issue. An absolute must read for fans of The X-files or 30 Days of Night; anyone else may well find a good time and fun story here, but it would hardly be considered required monthly reading.

In spite of my slightly bitter-sounding rant at the end there, this issue is actually quite a lot of fun"the best issue of Merc With A Mouth I've read in some time. If you're a Deadpool fan, you'll enjoy this plenty.

The series continues to be very action heavy and very silly, at the expense of any characterization of" anyone, really. A decent read if the tone is something that appeals to you, though.

Conclusion A fun, action packed conclusion to a great mini-series, but one that still leaves room for quite a bit of disappointment on the character and relationship development front.

Not a spectacular beginning, but good enough that it's worth sticking around for at least an arc or two to see how this develops. I hope Tomasi is able to find a way to balance the Wayne's family relationship with their crime fighting partnership more effectively in future issues.

Overall, a small improvement. I still wouldn't advise non-Deadpool or casual Deadpool fans to spend their $3.99 on this"there are FAR too many other 'Pool titles, all much better, that you could be spending your money on"but for the faithful, it's a baby step forward. Cross your fingers, spit on your hat, and hope the trend continues.

This issue takes some steps in the direction this series should be going, but ultimately ends up like the sad circus clown that's reduced to hitting himself in the face with a pie to garner a few scattered laughs. There are moments of amusement to be sure, but they are overshadowed by the far too over the top and overly ridiculous gags and characterizations.

conclusion: A light, fluffy romp with one of DC's best new characters. However, four bucks is extremely steep for a book like this. I can't recommend it at cover price unless you really, truly love the character. Otherwise, waiting for a sale or bargain bin is definitely the way to go.

As long as the contemplative, personal tone can be maintained for the duration of the storyline (or at least if breeches in this overall mood are less jarring), I think this has the potential to be a fantastic new chapter for Superman, and a great opportunity for passing fans like me to jump fully onto the Man of Steel's bandwagon.

Not a great effort. Now, I do have to hand it to Wilson"he had the thankless job of coming up with something to cover for JMS' rather abrupt departure. I feel for him, and respect the extreme difficulty of what he was tasked with here. But a comic has to be judged on its own merits and, while this has the potential to be mildly entertaining in its harmless simplicity, it ultimately has far too much working against it to garner any sort of recommendation from me. For completists only.

In spite of some very…simple…writing and plotting, this is still far better paced, and far better written, than any book under the Grounded story to date. It is by no means great, but it IS competent, and much more fun than Superman has been in recent memory. That's not saying a whole lot, but at least it's a small ray of hope for this much-abused storyline.

Its not that this issue is badly written or scripted (although I really, really could have done without the super clunky exposition and ridiculous techno babble.) Its just that this arc (still) seems to be going nowhere, and is beginning to head 180 degrees from the objective it seemed to set out for itself at the beginning. Confusing sums it up best, really.

Grounded continues to keep Superman's feet on the floor, but it's still not clear exactly what it's supposed to accomplish with this. The story is just meandering from one situation to the next. In theory that is the point of the story, and it has the potential to be effective, but only if the character involved changes, and demonstrates what he's learning by the experience. That's what makes The Odyssey a classic, and this ineffective: Odysseus grows as a character in the course of his story, while Superman seems to be in the same place, psychologically speaking, at the beginning of each new issue as an excuse to introduce another guest to try and work out his problems. I'm relieved the end is now in sight, and we will soon be able to start a fresh storyline.

Not a great book for your money. If you're a Captain America or Black Panther completist it may be worth a look, but it's not one you're going to want to read for the story or art.