StoryBabbler Comic Reviews

Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War Alpha #1 delivers what's on the cover Hulk vs. Thor! The story is pretty straightforward with the necessary recap to catch readers up to date on everything that's been going on for both heroes.The art by Martin Coccolo is dynamic and compliments Donny Cates' high-octane story, pacing, and dialogue. Hulk and Thor both maintain the spotlight while getting their licks in as the story follows through on the epic art, smack talk, tension, and action from start to finish.

Infernal Hulk #1 kicks things off with a huge bang of a first issue. Readers get the necessary recap, solid atmospheric buildup, and the reveal of the possessed Hulk is right out of an action-horror movie. The titular Hulk illustrated spectacularly by Nic Klein is great as is the following destruction that's appropriately epic and brutal. And by the end of the comic, the seeds of whats to come in future issues are already being planted.

Infernal Hulk #2 has Eldest dive into Atlantis to reunite with a member of their monstrous kin - Ngathil the God-Eater. But things turn sour for Ngathil believes only the strongest should lead, and the battle ensues. Nic Kleins art delivers another great visual treat with Infernal Hulk under the sea. The comic is well paced, the dialogue is fine for both monsters, and the story sets things up for the next issue centering on Bruce Banner.

Mary Jane and Black Cat: Beyond #1 gives a cool team-up between the two leading ladies. The story provides a solid reason why they team up so it doesn't feel forced, and the adventure they have is actually fun. The comic keeps both MJ and Black Cat distinct heroines and delivers some sincere emotional development between the two. This comic works in the Beyond storyline and as a great standalone story featuring these two characters.

The new Fantastic Four #1 kicks off a new, thrilling, sci-fi adventure for Marvel's First Family. The comic starts with brief action of the team battling Dr. Doom before he sends them through time separated from each other millennia apart. The comic does a solid job setting up the stakes, action, and new challenges for the team to overcome in the next few issues.

Giant-Size Thor #1 is pure unadulterated comic book Thor fun. It delivers a straightforward plot that draws both Thor and Hercules together to face a giant robot in the shape of Thor from destroying an alien world. Its epic, has solid camaraderie between Thor and Hercules, and its fun.

Nocterra: Blacktop Bill Special #1 gives an inside look into the nature of Blacktop Bill. It doesn't give any big answers for Nocterra's main story, it just shows what makes Blacktop Bill tick. The pacing, dialogue, and narration mixed with the art makes this book a rough but fun ride to read as it highlights what kind of character Blacktop Bill is and what fans can expect in the main series.

Predator vs. Wolverine #1 kicks off this new series as two deadly fighters clash. This issue is really about the first encounter that Wolverine has with this single hunter. Both of them are young in this issue as reflected in the art, and while the Predator doesn't have much to do until later in the comic, young Wolverine gets most of the spotlight and a lot of the best action in the comic. The final pages of the comic do a solid job setting up the fight between the two characters for the next issue that will feel very nostalgic to fans of the first Predator film.

Star Wars: Thrawn Alliances #1 is the adaptation of the second novel in the new Thrawn trilogy, and it has the original author Timothy Zahn working with comic writer Jody Houser, who worked on the first Thrawn comic adaptation. The story is more of a mystery thriller as Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader are sent by Emperor Palpatine to locate and eliminate a mysterious new threat to the Empire. Naturally, the two butt heads in their differing methods and leadership, but the two come across as military professionals who can work together despite their differences. Readers can expect some intrigue and action in the first issue of this Thrawn series.

Star Wars: Thrawn Alliances #2 has Thrawn and Darth Vader caught in a deadly brawl against unknown enemies in the past and present. Where the first issue was more plot-oriented, this one is more action-oriented with both storylines. The comic continues to do a good job of highlighting the dynamics between Thrawn and Vader in their personalities, how they plan, and the ways they fight separately and together. While not much progress was made in their primary mission, Thrawn and Vader still make some progress as they find the next clues to hunting down their target.

Star Wars: Thrawn Alliances #3 delivers the next phase of the story as Thrawn and Darth Vader confront their mysterious attackers, the alien Grysks. The comic does a solid job in handling the past and present storylines so that they parallel each other's progress and converge well. It's also great to see the Stormtroopers actually be useful and formidable for once in Star Wars.

Star Wars: Thrawn Alliances #4 delivers the fourth part of the story as we get more action and intrigue in both the past and present. This time around there's far more action in the present storyline than in the past as Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers go up against the Grysks here. It helps that the comic does a solid job balancing the shifting perspectives from Darth Vader and Thrawn to the Stormtroopers themselves. All of which is elevated by the art team doing a solid job with the characters and action.

Star Wars: Darth Maul Black, White & Red #1 delivers an exciting new story featuring everyone's favorite Dathomirian Zabrak. The story is pretty straightforward, but the fact that there's only one story here with a beginning, middle, and end helps it out a lot compared to stories in past Black, White and Red series. The story provides some solid new alien villains for Darth Maul to face who visually, and through their powers in the Force, evoke a bit of Aliens mixed with a bit of Lovecraftian horror for good measure. However, the star of the comic, Darth Maul, really gets to shine since he's well-written, he fits the Black, White and Red color style perfectly thanks to the artist, and he is honestly just cool in action. It's a solid comic book to read on its own, and hopefully the next issue keeps it up.

Star Wars: Darth Maul Black, White & Red #2 brings a solid story with the dathomirian Sith on the attack. While the POV of the comic is another character, Darth Maul remains the star of this comic as he's got the best poses, action, and even a cool double-page spread thanks to the artist Carlos Nieto. The premise is pretty straightforward and gets right to why we're here pretty soon. The problem is the lack of challenge for Darth Maul as the comic builds up his opponents as being some of the deadliest bounty hunters around, but they're not and the action ends up being a little underwhelming. However, the comic is still a fine read for a standalone Darth Maul comic.

Black Panther #1 by John Ridley does a fine job setting up a new adventure for T'Challa. It has a solid opening and establishes the new threat along with the emotional stakes for Black Panther going forward. However, some of the main plot elements were partly underwhelming, but the subject matter leaves room for a good storyline that can go well if handled properly in the series.

Fantastic Four Anniversary Tribute #1 delivers a solid comic remake of some of the Fantastic Four's seminal stories. It provides a comic where readers can enjoy the original stories by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby with modern artists redrawing the stories in new and striking ways. It's a comic book that both new and longtime fans of the Fantastic Four can appreciate.

Kang The Conqueror #4 brings the story of the young time traveler full circle as he returns to the far future. But this is where the story shifts from Kang's war against himself to his romance with Ravonna. The series and this comic hinges on the relationship between Kang and Ravonna, and that takes center stage with all the battles and conflicts as window dressing for the comic. The art and colors by Carlos Magno and Espen Grundetjern are spectacular with imagery that does Kang The Conqueror justice.

Kang The Conqueror #5 delivers a series finale that winds up bringing everything in this series full circle. Kang enacts his final plot in the series in his greatest attempt to save Ravonna from her fate, and it all spirals out of control the only way a Kang time-travel plot could. The artwork by the art team is the biggest star here as every major shot of Kang is nothing short of epic for the series' conclusion.

The Swamp Thing #10 concludes the brothers' battle while setting up the next storyline for the series. The fight between Swamp Thing and Hedera reaches its end and is illustrated well, while the comic does its best to bring more emotional impact to their fight. Some of it works, some of it doesn't, but it lands for the most part and the comic looks good from start to finish.

Swamp Thing: Green Hell #2 brings the next chapter in this Black Label story. We finally get to see Swamp Thing and he takes center stage as the main character in this book as he grapples with the new avatar of the Green and the Parliaments themselves. The writing, dialogue, and pacing are good while the art by Doug Mahnke with David Baron's colors are excellent. Going by the ending, Swamp Thing isn't out of the woods yet and we can look forward to even more surprises in the next chapter.

Wastelanders: Doom #1 delivers a post-apocalyptic story with Dr. Doom as the lead character. This works for and against the comic since the writer gets Dr. Doom right as a character, but mileage will vary if readers wanted to see a far more different version of Doom. The story, dialogue, and pacing are good, and the art team does a solid job to make Dr. Doom and the rest of the comic look good from start to finish.

The Incredible Hulk #1 delivers at being a great first issue of a new Hulk run. From beginning to end, readers get their first glimpse into what Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein have in store for Hulk fans in this series, and it looks great. There's horror, tension, and a little bit of action here and there with solid body horror, dark storytelling, and cool monster designs. It helps that Johnson isn't dumping all the big lore additions from Immortal Hulk or brushing over what happened in Donny Cate's Hulk run to tell his story, quite the opposite. He includes them as pieces of the pie in this new "Age of Monsters" story that feels like the best of all worlds for Hulk fans. Overall, this issue is a great jumping-on point for new and hardcore Hulk fans alike.

The Incredible Hulk #2 kicks things off with a new threat emerging to eliminate the Hulk. Phillip Kennedy Johnson does a good job showing the rough beginning of Bruce's dynamic with the character Charlie, who annoys and prods him about being the Hulk but in a way that feels natural for a teenager. The story surrounding Red Creek and the enigmatic Brother Deep feels like a solid horror story that's going to get more intense with the Hulk next issue. And of course, Nic Klein's art continues to be great as it lends itself well to the horror direction this Incredible Hulk series is taking. There's little action in this issue, but based on the comic's ending, the next issue will change that.

The Incredible Hulk #3 concludes this brief clash between the Hulk and the mysterious Brother Deep. Readers will learn a bit about Brother Deep, and thanks to Nic Klein's art, the monster certainly looks the part. However, the monster's origin ends up being more interesting than the actual monster himself. That said, the writing for the characters' dialogue and the story pacing is good, and the Hulk just shines as the best part of this comic book from start to finish.

The Incredible Hulk #4 brings the Green Goliath into contact with the familiar and always strange Man-Thing while introducing a new monster into the series. There are more interactions between Bruce and Charlie that continues to develop their dynamic with Bruce having an excellent moment where he gets real in a way that hits all the right points without feeling condescending or too soft. And of course there's some shocking developments with Hulk and Man-Thing as the comic sets the stage for a confrontation with the new Swamp Siren.

The art by Travel Foreman works well with the monster designs, the Hulk's transformation, and the gruesome action, not so much with the facial expressions. The Swamp Siren wasn't really a threat to either Hulk or Man-Thing, and just like Brother Deep, her backstory is more interesting than what we get in the comic. However, the ending was the most intriguing part as it makes the stakes more personal for Bruce while also raising questions about the new villain the Eldest and their goals.

Incredible Hulk #6 gets the ball rolling with a new location, new side characters, a new threat on the way, and a new Ghost Rider on the scene. The comic does a solid job of setting the stage for this encounter between Hulk and the new Rider without sidelining the main plot involving the Eldest and the monsters answering her call to hunt the Hulk. And when the Hulk and the new Ghost Rider show up, Nic Klein delivers on the art for both characters as the story sets up the fight to come.

Incredible Hulk #7 has the Green Goliath clash with the new Ghost Rider. Thanks to Nic Klein's amazing art we get some great action with both of these anti-heroes for the first half of the comic. Admittedly, the story is a little slow on advancing the plot, nor do you learn anything substantial about this new Ghost Rider. However, the comic uses that time to build up some of the characters and the threat heading their way in the next issue.

The Incredible Hulk #8 wraps up this story arc with a cool team-up between the Hulk and the new Ghost Rider from WWII against their common enemy, the War Devil. The art is the real star here, Nic Klein's art and Matthew Wilson's colors really sell this comic, which is pretty straightforward and to the point with its plot. The action we get, while not inspired, is still pretty cool to see as Hulk and the Ghost Rider use some brutal tried and true methods to take down the War Devil. The only disappointment for this issue is that we don't get to know more about the new Ghost Rider, but there's hope we'll see him again in the series at some point.

The Incredible Hulk #9 begins a new story arc for Bruce and Charlie as they come into contact with a new monster from New Orleans. While the Bruce and Hulk portions of the comic are more expository and short, the slowly built up mystery and menace with Frozen Charlotte was still good. The tone and pacing of the comic make it feel like the beginning of a crime noir type of story but with the Hulk.

Incredible Hulk #10 delivers the second part of the Frozen Charlotte story. Here, we see Hulk rampage a little before finding a friendly ghost who once investigated the titular villainess, and helps him find the monster's lair. Admittedly, this comic is not that excitable, but you do learn more about the history of Frozen Charlotte and her murderous time in New Orleans, even how she got the name. The art from Danny Earls works best when depicting the dark and gothic lair of the new monster, and Frozen Charlotte herself. But while this issue was low on the action, we'll be getting more of that in the next issue as Hulk finally confronts Frozen Charlotte.

Incredible Hulk #11 concludes the story with Frozen Charlotte as Hulk finally faces the monstrous villainess so he can rescue Charlie. The fight is okay but nothing about it is exciting until it gets near the end, where Frozen Charlotte kind of enters her second phase like a boss battle in a video game. It also doesn't help that the comic basically drops her whole backstory on us and the Hulk in the middle of the fight, at what is essentially the last minute in this story arc. We have little context for any of it, so some people will understandably be scratching their heads when they read it.

Incredible Hulk #12 begins a new story that takes the angry duo of Bruce and the Hulk into a dark journey into the Soul Cage. The comic opens up strong with the arrival of Hulk at Strange Academy in a way that only the Hulk can, loud and destructive. It's also good to see Brother Voodoo naturally factor into the story in a way that makes sense considering his expertise. Granted, this feels like a side quest since it takes time away from developing the main plot with Eldest and the Mother of Horrors. However, thanks to Nic Klein's art and the emotional beats of this story, there's still plenty of potential for a solid Hulk story here.

Incredible Hulk #13 delivers the second part of the Soul Cage story. In this comic we get some solid character interaction between Bruce and Hulk especially Bruce who stands up to the green goliath in a way that even caught Hulk off-guard. The grotesque horror and design of the Soul Cage is well done thanks to Nic Kleins art, and the heroes encounter with the Flesh-Weaver felt straight out of a horror story. The only downside is that the fight is pretty short-lived and Bruce is essentially sent off to another location in what feels like a side quest.

Incredible Hulk #14 continues the story but this time takes us into the Hulks mindscape for a change. Bruce takes a brutal trek there that continually gets more soul crushing for him, and this is thanks to Nic Kleins art and the color artist Matthew Wilson. But while the trip feels fruitless, the ending shows that it wasnt as Bruce is presented by a familiar face with an impossible choice hell have to make in the upcoming issues. One that he has motivation to make thanks to Hulk's actions in this issue.

Incredible Hulk #15 begins a new story as it takes us back to ancient times when a different Hulk challenged Eldest. The switch up from the present to the past is a bit of a surprise, but its done well. The art is good and Enkidu is a solid character who evokes elements of Bruce and Hulk while still staying his own person. While the action was brief here, the issue ends with the promise of more monstrous challenges for Enkidu to face next issue.

Incredible Hulk #16 concludes this flashback arc set thousands of years ago in ancient times. We see the fated encounter between the primeval hulk Enkidu and the main villain Eldest. We get to finally see Eldest in action as well as learning more about her, the Mother of Horrors, and their enmity with the One Below All. But not too much, just a drop of that, and hopefully we'll learn more as things shift back to the present day in the next issue.

Incredible Hulk #17 finally brings Hulk face to face with Eldest. Naturally, a fight ensues and it looks great thanks to Nic Kleins art and Matthew Wilson's colors making it look brutal, bloody, and powerful. As a result, Hulk and Eldest look epic and truly monstrous during their fight. And the ending shows that there's still more to come as the plot moves into high gear next issue.

The Incredible Hulk #18 shows the next phase of the story as Eldest tries to control the Hulk, but she finds it harder than she expects. Meanwhile, Charlie finally returns the land of the living and is already trying to find a way to help him out. Theres not much action in the comic, but things are still moving forward in the plot. And we still get some good body horror with Hulk, Eldest, and a few other monsters thanks to the art team.

The Incredible Hulk #19 concludes the latest story arc and celebrates the 800th legacy issue of the Incredible Hulk. The story concludes Hulks confrontation with Eldest as Charlie gains a new monstrous power while we get epic Hulk action thanks to Nic Kleins art. Some moments werent so great while others hit much harder. The backups, like any anthology collection, are hit and miss, with the third story with Red Hulk potentially being the best if not the most interesting for a potential future Hulk story.

The Incredible Hulk #20 follows the conclusion of the fight with Eldest as things cool down a little for Hulk and Charlie. The two even bond a little with her newfound power. However, the cost for that power immediately starts to show, and its not long before both Hulk and Charlie have new monsters to fight with Werewolf by Night and Vrcolac in the next issue or two.

Incredible Hulk #21 concludes the face off between Hulk and Charlie and the Werewolf by Night and the monstrous wolf god Vrcolac. The fights are bloody and vicious with the fight between Hulk and Vrcolac being the bloodiest and goriest. The fights end pretty quickly, but its the revelation of Charlies potential fate thats the bigger takeaway and leaves a somber feeling wondering where things will go for her and the Hulk from here.

Incredible Hulk #22 begins a new chapter with a classic horror opening with a simple yet dark twist to it. The story is already exploring the ramifications of Charlie becoming a monster and how it will affect not only herself but innocent people. Then theres Bruce being stuck in Hulkscape leaving Hulk in the driver seat, the significance of which is downplayed a little too much in this comic. However, while the comic isnt the most excitable, it's still engaging all the same and sets up a new disturbing direction for the next few issues.

Incredible Hulk #23 concludes this misadventure as Hulk confronts the skin-stealing monster Norgul. First off, the art from Nic Klein with Matthew Wilsons colors continue to shine with the action and characters like Hulk. The plot wasnt that great nor was it terrible. It was a solid side story that laid out the potential for Charlies downward spiral as a monster. However, the setup at the end hints that something big might be on the horizon for Hulk in the upcoming issues.

The Incredible Hulk #24 starts the next phase of the journey as Bruce and Charlie meet up with Clea Strange to help with Charlies monstrous powers. Thankfully, the comic avoids the overdone misunderstanding hero fight trope and gets straight to the meat of the matter. And its not long before the action starts in a more natural manner, which lets the art and characters shine in the comic. And the excitement doesnt stop as the ending sets up more action to come next issue.

Incredible Hulk #25 delivers an epic clash between Hulk and Thor. The fight is big and destructive with angry words and mighty blows exchanged. Naturally, both fighters walk away angry but not mortal enemies. Nic Kleins art and Matthew Wilsons colors really do make this comic worth the buy. Granted, the plot doesnt really progress much, but we get some bits of progression near the end of the comic with the setup for the next issue.

The Incredible Hulk #28 has Bucky show up to inform Hulk about the disappearances of several gamma-mutates, two of whom include Doc Samson and his own son Skaar. And then hes gone afterward. From there, the comic centers on Charlie finally discovering for herself why everyone keeps treating the Hulk like a monster and things dont end well. This comic was pretty disappointing and while it introduces new interesting plot elements, the plot doesnt really feel like it moved until the end. Hopefully, the developments in this issue will gets thing moving into high gear in future issues.

Incredible Hulk #28 starts the first chapter of the penultimate story for the series. Now that both Bruce and Charlie are in the rearview mirror so to speak, Hulk is going it alone which makes him vulnerable to Eldests manipulations. The art by Adam Gorham is solid and combined with the writing, the comic makes it feel like Hulk is about to walk into a horror show.

Incredible Hulk #29 reveals the origins of the Mother of Horrors and how she factors into the greater cosmology of the Marvel Comics universe. Whether or not this addition to the Marvel cosmology will really stick depends on the readers, but her story is told well thanks to Adam Gorham's art and the writing in Hulk's narration. The action and reveals near the end do a solid job of setting up the big clash for Hulk and Eldest in the next issue.

Incredible Hulk #30 concludes this run for the Hulk but not the story. We get a solid fight between Hulk and the Abomination possessed by Eldest, and even an interesting twist reveal concerning the Mother of Horrors. While not the best series finale, its still a good comic book and solid bridge to the new series relaunch. Obviously, the story isnt truly over as the creative team will carry everything over into the upcoming Infernal Hulk series.

Superman #1 delivers on being one of the best jumping on points in comics for not only the Dawn of DC, but more importantly for Superman fans new and old. Readers get to see Superman being Superman, helping people, saving lives, interacting with his supporting cast, and facing familiar supervillains while setting up new ones. The writing from Joshua Williams is on point with the characters, dialogue, and pacing, and Jamal Campbell's art truly shines and makes this comic book come alive on every page in the action, talking, and intense interactions between Superman and his villains. It's not perfect, but it's wholesome, fun, humorous, dynamic, and really captures the spirit of not only Superman himself, but what a Superman comic book should be. Strong recommend for Superman fans old and new alike.

Superman #2 continues its story of frights as Superman faces the Night of the Parasites. Joshua Williams really nails down the danger here as it's something Superman has to use his wit, strength and know-how of Parasite to figure out a way to stop him. Jamal Campbell's art is fantastic from the designs to the facial expressions to the dynamic action, and the environment of a Metropolis during a blackout. This comic book will leave readers ready for the next issue of Superman to come out.

Superman #3 wraps up the night of the Parasites story arc with a satisfying conclusion that lets each of the main characters play some role in it. It's got action, heart, and some bits of humor for everyone to enjoy, even the plan to stop the Parasites allows for Parasite to join in on the fun in his own way. The comic concludes the story with some slow yet steady progression with the Superman and Lex Luthor storyline while neatly setting things up for the next story arc for Superman fans to get excited for.

Superman #4 kicks off a new story as Silver Banshee gets roped into the schemes of Dr. Pharm and Graft to combat the Man of Steel. The story and writing by Joshua Williamson continues to be great, particularly with the handling of Superman and Lex Luthor's new dynamic with each other which has a give and take nature to it. Jamal Campbell's art is just as great whether it's illustrating Silver Banshee and her new powers or just Superman, Luthor, and the rest of Metropolis. One downside is that the fight between Superman and Silver Banshee is pretty short. However, the comic does provide a spicy reveal that I'm confident the creative team can handle and expand on in the next issue.

Superman #5 concludes the story arc with Silver Banshee as Superman resolves the fight, with a little help from his pal and Banshee's new boyfriend Jimmy Olsen. The comic does a good job showing how the two hook up and sells the relationship between Jimmy Olsen and Silver Banshee as genuine. Jimmy even gets his time to shine in his own way with Superman. The creative team do a great job with giving this comic heart, laughs, and a good deal of action. And the ending will definitely create shockwaves for Superman and the rest of DC Comics, at least it should.

Superman #6 starts the new Chained story arc as Superman seeks to uncover Lex Luthor's secret Project: Chained. While the interior artist did change, the art in the comic is still good when it comes to depicting Superman and the other characters. The story quickly brings reader into the story and gets right to what people are here for. The introduction of the new villain is intriguing but it's too early to tell whether they will be a good or bad addition to Superman's roster of villains.

Superman #7 continues the story of the Unchained who rampages through Metropolis seeking Lex Luthor only to be confronted by Superman and his Super Family. Now, the comic does what it can to celebrate Superman in its own way, but it's juggling that with continuing the current story arc with the Unchained. On top of that, the comic is a little too focused with making some big reveals with certain characters that are definitely setup for future story arcs, but they somewhat distract from the main plot.

Superman #8 delivers a destructive conclusion to Superman's battle with the Chained and sets things up for the next story arc. While the Chained and the fight with him doesn't do anything too exciting, and we're just now learning more about him in the very issue he's defeated, the art makes him a destructive and functional villain.While the comic was still fun, the ending does have weird timing with what's going on with Superman in Action Comics. We'll see how this series tackles the concept as it moves on to the next story arc for Superman.

Superman #10 delivers a quick side adventure of Superman in the wild west. The story is written and drawn with the stylings of a classic spaghetti western story, with Superman center-stage against an old villain from his past. Unfortunately, the story is a pretty quick read, since the villain Superman fights isn't too interesting or difficult and is a very easy win for Superman any time of the day. Plus, what we learn about the new character Marilyn Moonlight, who was created in this series, is pretty disappointing. For now, Moonlight has just a cool design but not much else. Hopefully, more is done with her in future issues. On the plus side, the comic doesn't drag this side adventure for multiple issues like most comics would. It actually wraps this story up in one issue before bringing both Superman and the readers back to the present and to the main plot this series has been building up.

Superman #11 brings the Man of Steel in conflict with the newly formed Lex Luthor Revenge Squad. Based on first impressions, this villain team needs some work. Their membership is a little lacking, and they don't seem all that menacing or formidable against Superman since their only edge is kryptonite weapons. Then there's the big reveals with Lena and Leticia Luthor in this comic. They don't hit like they could because we were just introduced to them a couple issues ago and barely got anything with them, so the reveals fall flat without proper build up and character interaction. However, the art and action were still good, and the next phase of Pharm and Graft's plan is far more interesting than the first half, so next issue should be more exciting.

Superman #12 brings the Lex Luthor Revenge Squad stroyline to a close. Unfortunately, the story here feels a bit rushed with the resolutions to the krpytonite incident and dealing with the Revenge Squad. What makes this disappointing is that the series built up Pharm and Graft since the first issue to be a big threat, but now that they've made their big play, now that we've got the Lex Luthor Revenge Squad, it's all been sadly underwhelming. Despite that, the best parts of this comic are Superman and Lex Luthor and the dynamic they share, which is clearly growing stronger, at least in a way that makes sense for these two. So, it'll be great to see more of their partnership in the upcoming story event.

Superman #13 is the second part of the House of Brainiac storyline and brings some new developments for the story. Naturally, Superman finds and reluctantly teams up with Lobo to take down Brainiac and his Czarnian army. There's a few good and weird callbacks to previous continuity in the comic, but nothing too bad for now. The comic also furthers the mystery of why Brainiac is doing what he's doing, but if you've been paying attention to news announcements from DC Comics, then you know why. Overall, a solid second part of the House of Brainiac, and it's looking like the third part might be even better.

Superman #14 brings the third part of the House of Brainiac story and things are heating up. While Superman is facing off with Lobo who's turned traitor to no one's surprise, Brainiac finalizes his preparations for the creation of the Brainiac Queen. Naturally, the art, pacing, and dialogue are good for the most part, and the action is great, but it's Brainiac Queen that's worrying. Sadly, Joshua Williamson doesn't have the best track record recently with making new characters with staying power or distinction aside from Flatline, especially villains. But this story's been good so far, so here's hoping he delivers with Brainiac Queen in the next part.

Superman #15 concludes the House of Brainiac storyline. Sadly, the finale doesnt really redeem Brainiac Queen or the motives behind why Brainiac went to all this trouble to create her. However, we do get epic art from Rafa Sandoval from start to finish this time, and the character writing for Superman, Lex Luthor, and everyone else is still top notch. While the story doesnt exactly stick the landing well, its not a terrible finale, and it has enough of a wholesome ending for Superman and company.

Superman #24 starts off the new story arc strong in a lot of ways and ends strong too. Where at first the issue feels like itll be just another side adventure for Superman and his friends, it quickly becomes something more serious near the end. The art team really delivered in this comic as everyone and everything looks great and the action feels dynamic too. And the ending doesnt disappoint and sets things up for the next issue to be pretty big.

Superman #25 follows up last issue with a deadly confrontation between Superman, Superwoman, and the newly awakened X-El. The artwork from the multiple artists is great, the colors also really elevate this comic, and the action is solid. As a milestone issue, it felt like the comic tried to cram in some things than it really needed, but this doesnt derail the comic. With the conclusion resolving the fight with X-El, the ending shows theres still plenty more to come in future issues.

Superman #29 delivers the second part of the Legion of Darkseid story with a surprise team up between Superman and Superboy Prime. Now, some fans might be discouraged by Primes appearance, but thankfully he is a solid character here whos used well, and despite his meta dialogue its not cringey. Once they get to the future, the story picks up with various developments that show why Darkseids Legionnaires are so dangerous, even for Superman and Superboy Prime. The art is great as usual, and the story continues to deliver, though the twist cliffhanger at the end is either going to be very good or very predictable depending on how things turn out in the next issue.

Superman: House of Brainiac Special #1 brings an issue that expands a little on Brainiac's past and possible motive for his current invasion. Naturally, the stories in this issue are hit-and-miss, with the first one being the best story by default, while the second is the worst, and the third is the second best but it has a bit of trouble. The third story makes a big reveal concerning Amanda Waller and her mysterious secret allies that may divide readers invested in her story and the upcoming Absolute Power event, so mileage will vary on that.

Alien (2022) #1 brings a new story with a slow start. The first issue presents all the familiar elements of the world of the Alien franchise, while introducing a new cast of characters who will be facing the alien Xenomorphs. The first issue has a solid presentation with Julius Ohta's art, but it's also a little more expository than expected. However, this is still a fine beginning to what is hopefully a good Alien comic book story.

Alien #2 gets right into the action with the new Steel Team prepped and ready to face the horrors of Tobler-9. The comic doesn't take too long to show off Steel Team and have them get right into the action. Their encounter with the Xenomorphs falls more in line with the film Aliens as an action-horror story, which works in this story's favor.

Alien #3 follows up on the cliffhanger from the last issue as Steel Team is saved by human survivors. This issue takes thing down a notch and has a slower and more casual tone to it, with a good chunk of the story centered on discussions and the interactions between a couple members of Steel Team with the human survivors. However, the comic picks up near the end and sets the stage for the next issue.

Alien #4 continues where the last issue left off with Steel Team facing off against the Xenomorph Alien Queen. The art, dialogue, pacing, and overall momentum of the comic's story continues to get better after the last issue. Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Julius Ohta, and Yen Nitro really take it up a notch for this issue while seamlessly setting the stage for the next issue.

Alien #5 continues the horror show as Steel Team needs to head back to the scavengers' base that's under attack by alien xenomorphs and a new human/alien hybrid. The comic isn't the greatest, but the story continues to develop in interesting ways, and the art keeps the action-horror element alive as Steel Team faces more of the aliens as things continue to go from bad to worse for them.

Alien #6 concludes the story with not only Steel Team but also Phillip Kennedy Johnson's time on the Alien series. The art from Julius Ohta and Yen Nitro's colors continue to keep this comic visually alive and action-packed while Phillip Kennedy Johnson delivers on the writing for the most part. Admittedly, some of the story feels a little rushed as the comic tries to tie up as many loose ends as possible. However, it still manages to deliver a solid story and conclusion to this Alien series.

Action Comics #1037 delivers on giving readers the big fight between Superman and the new Mongul. The fight itself is well-paced with solid dialogue by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, while the art by Miguel Mendonca and colors by Adriano Lucas make this a fun and dynamic comic book. The biggest problem is the predictability of the fight and how it all ends. But now that the series is going full-throttle with the Warworld Saga, readers will be getting more from this new Mongul storyline.

Action Comics #1038 keeps up the momentum from the previous issue. The story shows the aftermath of Mongul's victory, highlighting the brutal struggles that Superman and his team will have to overcome. All while showing that the Warworld Saga is as much a moral battle as it is a physical one. The writing by Phillip Kennedy Johnson continues to capture Superman's heroic spirit, while the art by Miguel Mendoca and Adriano Lucas' colors make this an amazing comic to look at.

Action Comics #1039 shows the new life of Superman on Warworld. The comic shows Superman fight to survive and endure the brutal environment he's in. Phillip Kennedy Johnson delivers some interesting world-building of Warworld, which goes hand in hand with the artwork from Riccardo Federico and Lee Loguhridge that characterizes the planet as a cruel and soul-crushing place waiting to grind Superman into fuel.

Action Comics #1040 continues the Warworld Saga as Mongul keeps pushing Superman to his limits. The comic continues to show this clash between the two characters on both a physical and ideological level that drives the entire story. The comic's dialogue and story is well-written while the art and colors makes this comic a great read.

Action Comics #1041 has things shift from Superman to Midnighter's side of things. We see Midnighter doing his thing, swearing, busting skulls and taking names while freeing slaves on Warworld his way for his reasons. The abrupt change in artist was definitely a surprise, but Dale Eaglesham and Will Conrad still do a good job on the comic's artwork.

Action Comics #1044 delivers the second part of the Warworld Revolution. This comic takes the time to show off a little bit of the eerie alien called "Orphan" while Superman and his allies prepare to rescue Enchantress from a macabre alien witch. The story and writing by Phillip Kennedy Johnson is solid while the art from Riccardo Federico and Will Conrad is pretty good in bringing this part of the Warworld Saga to life.

Action Comics #1045 provides the next chapter of the Warworld Saga as Mongul's retaliation brings new dangers for Superman to face. The writing was solid as Superman continues to be a strong element that keeps the revolution alive as we see them execute the next step of their plan while facing Mongul's forces. Even without Riccardo Federici's art, the comic still looks good thanks to Will Conrad and Brent Peeples' art and Lee Loughridge's colors.

Action Comics #1047 delivers the welcome return of Clark Kent, aka Kal-El, aka Superman to Earth. The comic sees Superman doing classic superheroics stopping bad guys, saving lives, and kicking off the next story with the return of some popular villains. It's also a solid jumping-on point for new and longtime Superman readers. The comic issue also sees the return of Riccardo Federici as the main artist on the title. Don't know how long Federici will be on the book, but it will be great if he's on the book for at least the duration of this new story.

Action Comics #1048 keeps up the action with the next chapter in this new story arc. Even with a new artist, this comic's writing and art mix well together to make a solid Superman story. There's a lot of heart, good-natured energy, and good old-fashioned Superman action, all while Lex Luthor's cooking up a new plot. It's perfect, but it's a good read and keeps you interested in what's happening in the current issue and what comes next.

Action Comics #1049 continues the plot lines with the New Gods and Metallo returning. While you'd think the New Gods story with Superman would be the most interesting, it ends up being the lesser of the two. The comic does have a resolution with Superman and it's an inspiring little bit for the character. Meanwhile, the writing and art for the Metallo portions of the comic are the best and hold the most intrigue for the series going forward.

Action Comics #1050 delivers on what Lex Luthor has been cooking up with Manchester Black. Now the big change that the comic uses Luthor to do feels similar to what Marvel did with Dr. Doom in the Young Avengers Children's Crusade storyline, and that's not a good thing. The biggest problem isn't what Luthor did, at least not for this writer, it's the in-universe explanations the writers gave him to explain the how and why he did it. It all just feels like it could've been handledbetter.

Action Comics #1051 kicks off a brand new story arc for Superman and his Super family while Metallo finally makes his move. The best part of this comic has to be the family dynamic and wholesome interactions with the Super family thanks to the writing and artwork. Having the opportunity to have most of the Super family together in a comic is exciting, but it's best not to get one's hopes up since it's only the first issue of a new arc. Going by how this issue ends, readers can definitely look forward to getting more action with Superman and the rest in the next issue.

Action Comics #1052 brings Superman and his Super-Family face-to-face with a refurbished Metallo. For like a hot minute, and then the rest of the comic slows down from there. Unfortunately, the comic decides to put focus on the Blue Earth movement that was created for this story arc and it's the most uninteresting part of it so far. The comic recaptures any sense of suspense and intrigue whenever it shifts focus back to Metallo. Thankfully, the ending of the main story shows that there's more action incoming in the next issue.

Action Comics #1053 shows Superman and his Super Family under attack by Metallo's new Necrohive. Aside from their cool cybernetic forms thanks to the art team, there's not much to Metallo's new drones other than their numbers and that they're powered by kryptonite. While not everything about the main story is that engaging this issue, the character interactions throughout the comic were the best parts especially the family affair with a few members of the Super Family.

In Action Comics #1054, Metallo and his Necrohive strike again as they ambush Jon and the kids to lure out Superman for a deadly encounter. The action and dialogue in this comic is great, and even with the art change, the comic book's art is still on point. It also helps that the battle between Superman and Metallo is cool and how Superman resolves things with Corben is well-written and greatly in-character. The comic also reveals who the mastermind pulling Metallo's strings is, and it's a face many Superman, let alone DC fans will know, which immediately escalates things for the next issue of Action Comics.

Action Comics #1055 reveals the mastermind who's been manipulating Metallo and targeting the Super Family lately - Cyborg Superman is back, sort of. We don't really get Cyborg Superman in action, but the comic does a good job in catching readers up to who he is and what his twisted brand of villainy is like. The creative team do a good job in balancing action with drama in this comic as Superman has to make uncomfortable allies with Metallo and a version of the Eradicator to pinpoint Cyborg Superman. All in all, the comic does a fine job in setting the stage for the big battle between the Super Family and Cyborg Superman in the next issue.

Action Comics #1056 features the big battle between Superman, his Super-family, and Metallo against the new and improved Cyborg Superman. The comic delivers on the fight with Cyborg Superman thanks to the incredible art team on the book. The fight isn't too long though some might say it's not long enough, but it's conclusion is well done as everyone involved gets to contribute, even Metallo. Unfortunately, the storyline with the Blue Earth movement is still the weaker part of this run. So, hopefully the creative team can shake things up with the next story arc they've set up with them in Action Comics.

Action Comics #1057 has Clark Kent interview the mysterious young leader of the Blue Earth movement, Norah Stone. The art and colors from Rafa Sandoval and Matt Herms are great, and while there's not much action in this issue, the writing is okay. It's too soon to say whether Norah Stone is a solid villainess yet, and clearly there's more to Blue Earth than we've seen before. But aside from the interview, not much else happens in the main story, while the backups do some heavy lifting themselves with their stories.

Action Comics #1058 picks back up with Clark Kent fighting Norah Stone's bodyguard who now looks Superman and has his powers too. But as the comic shows, Clark is far from depowered nor is he out of the fight and comes up with a practical and crafty way to defeat this foe. While the fight with these two is the highlight of the comic, we only get a snippet of what Norah Stone's true goals are and it's both disappointing and intriguing so readers mileage will vary on that. The ending does set up a cool new look for Superman that we'll get to see in action in the next issue.

Action Comics #1060 is the penultimate issue of this storyline as it directly sets up the final confrontation between Superman and Norah Stone, or rather Sister Shadow. However, he won't be facing her and her Empire of Shadows alone as he teams up with Etrigan and Bloodwynd to save his adopted daughter. The thing is, this issue's main purpose is to explain Sister Shadow's whole deal and get Superman to where he needs the go for the Annual. The only problem is not much else happens, not with Superman and Constantine, while Sister Shadow's portions of the comic are mostly exposition with some cool visuals but that's it. Despite this, I am confident the creative team will deliver a more excitable finale to this story arc.

Action Comics #1064 begins the first part of the House of Brainiac storyline with a huge bang. The issue lives up to the title's name as we get a ton of high-octane action as Brainiac unleashes his army of robot drones and Czarnian warriors for Superman and his allies to fight. Readers won't need to know too much about what's happened prior to this as the issue is very much a jumping-on point for returning readers. The biggest star of this comic has to be the art team of Rafa Sandoval's art and Alejandro Sanchez' colors. Their work really sells this comic book, and hopefully the next part of the storyline keeps up the momentum.

Action Comics #1065 delivers the third part in the House of Brainiac story. We get more action with Superman and Lobo, which is a huge plus with Rafa Sandoval's art. What's a better surprise is that Supergirl steps into the forefront with a very active role in this story. All while the interactions with Lex and Brainiac drop some hints about what Brainiac's making and why he's possibly doing it, which is brought up in the backup story a little. Overall, a solid issue with cool action, nice character moments, and some neat twists.

Action Comics #1066 unveils the Brainiac Queen in all her vicious glory! Sadly, she is a dud. The entire storyline has built up to her reveal, her moment of creation, and what we get is disappointing, to put it nicely. What's worse is she's just a creature, not a character. Even Brainiac's motives for creating her don't add up. Thankfully, what saves this comic is the character dialogue, action, art, and the dynamic between Superman and Lex Luthor, and Luthor really steals the show in the second half of the comic.

Action Comics Annual 2023 #1 brings not only this story arc but this entire run on Action Comics to a close. Let's get it out of the way, the art is great, the action is great, the Super family is great, and Superman is great. There are issues such as the rushed resolutions with Sister Shadow and the whole Blue Earth movement, but that's sadly to be expected when the run ends on an annual instead of in the main series for some reason. Despite the flaws, this issue still sticks the landing for wrapping up this story arc and Phillip Kennedy Johnson's run on Action Comics in an action-packed and wholesome comic book.

Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1 delivers the epic conclusion to the entire Warworld Saga set up all the back in DC's Future State. The comic gives the big rematch between Superman and Mongul while resolving various other stories introduced in earlier issues. While not everything lands well, the Warworld Saga ends on a strong and wholesome note that Superman fans can enjoy.

The new Fantastic Four #1 tells a fine story that's funny at times, but it's not a great first issue. Readers will get a nice misadventure with the newly wed Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, and Alicia Masters that's drawn well by Iban Coello with Jesus Aburtov's coloring, but that's about it. The ending is what truly gives readers an impression of what may be in store for them and the Fantastic Four in the next few issues, and hopefully there's a great story there.

Fantastic Four #2 follows a misadventure with Reed and Sue encountering a bunch of incognito Doombots. The situation with the weird Doombots is at the forefront of the story as Reed and Sue are trying to figure out just what's going on. The twist is interesting and makes for a neat mystery for these heroes to solve; it's not the biggest reveal but it works for the story that's told here.

Fantastic Four #3 brings readers another misadventure, this time with Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch. Ryan North and Iban Coello give readers an exciting intro to the comic and North really embraces the fun-loving, charming, and mature aspects of Johnny's character that tend to go ignored in most other stories and the pair deliver a fun story for the Human Torch. The comic also has an interesting ending that sets things up for the next issue to be very interesting.

Fantastic Four #4 delivers exactly what it says in the synopsis. Readers will get to see the event that temporarily broke up the Fantastic Four, why it did, and how it relates to the present mystery with the Ben Grimm like dome. The story really balances out the past and present day stories as they parallel each other well. Not to mention Iban Coello's art with Jesus Aburtov's colors really shine through in this comic in both the dynamic action and the emotional scenes with the heroes. Overall, it's a great Fantastic Four comic that accomplishes a lot in just one issue and will leave readers wanting to see what the next story the creative team tells with the FF.

Fantastic Four #5has some old foes face the Fantastic Four, but there's more to their fight than just the battle. Nick Scratch and the Salem Seven come in, fight, and once they've accomplished their goal, the real story is seeing the Fantastic Four figure out what to do next to fix the problem. The writing is good, and the art from Ivan Fiorelli is excellent and maintains the visual energy and action from the past issues. Overall, the comic is a fun side adventure with the Fantastic Four.

Fantastic Four #6 picks up where it left off with the FF discovering that some of the mirror bacteria hitched a ride and they need to stop it from spreading. But they come to a very extreme solution that just throws powerscaling for the FF a little out of whack, and expectedly leads to the general public distrusting them even more. Admittedly, the writing between the Fantastic Four members is still entertaining and heartwarming here, which slightly balances out things. Hopefully, the creative team can reconcile things in the next issue without downplaying the gravity of what happened.

Fantastic Four #7, or Fantastic Four #700, provides a story that's supposed to be a landmark issue for Marvel's first family. In reality, the team ends up being eclipsed by none other than Dr. Doom. Now, his entrance is cool, there's a story reason he's there, and it actually makes sense, sort of, why he does what he does. Dr. Doom carries this book thanks to Ryan North's writing actually capturing his personality well while Iban Coello and Jesus Aburtov bring him to life in spectacular detail. However, the story has a bad case of "Because the Plot Demands It" so nothing really comes of Doom's actions other than retreading the same thing about Doom's greatest weakness and getting some great art of Dr. Doom in action.

Fantastic Four #8 brings a new story, a new mystery, and a new villain for the team to face. It's Sue in the driver's seat this tine as she and Alicia are the main characters for this misadventure, and it doesn't take long before they find a mystery to solve. The writing is solid and the art is good, but the new threat Queen Xargorr feels like a rip-off of Jack Kirby's original monsters in Marvel Comics. Not exactly a bad thing so long as the creative team pulls it off in the end. Thankfully, it looks like things will pick up in the next issue.

Fantastic Four #10 brings us a new adventure with the team that leans more into the horror direction. The comic does a solid job in grounding this horror perspective of the Fantastic Four in the eyes of the aliens very well. There's an increasing sense of desperation and escalating violence as each of the FF appear to the alien characters one after the other. The comic lives up to being a neat misadventure of the Fantastic Four that has an interesting twist to it.

Fantastic Four #11 provides another nice misadventure this time starring Ben Grimm, aka The Thing and little dog as his companion for the ride. The writing is good as the comic provides a fun little wholesome story for The Thing where he has to rely on his wits and his strengths to solve the mystery. The art from Iban Coello also helps sell the illusion and the apparent danger that The Thing finds himself in. Overall, it's a nice fun story for fans of The Thing to enjoy.

Fantastic Four #12 drops the heroic family into another wacky misadventure, this time with Dino Avengers. What sells this issue is that the Dino Avengers and their universe are very much like the main one only everyone's a dinosaur, which means the Dino Avengers actually behave like the heroes we know. The comic sells the concept of this dinosaur parallel universe thanks to the fact that the inhabitants actually do look like realistic dinosaurs instead of cartoonish dinosaurs. While the plot's not the biggest draw, the comic is still written well when it comes to the characters and the ending does hype things up for the next issue.

Fantastic Four #13 concludes the story where the Fantastic Four encounter a world of Dinosaur counterparts, and of course Dr. Doom meets his own dino double and the two team up to try taking over both universes. The comic isn't the most action-packed story out there, but it has fun dialogue thanks to the writing for the characters, and the art from Iban Coello is great as always with bringing these characters to life and making the comic look cool. The only downside is that the comic doesn't do much with the concept of the heroes and villains teaming up with their dinosaur counterparts to stop the two Dooms. However, the comic book is still a fun read.

Fantastic Four #16 shows the team taking some downtime after the kids finally return and it focuses on said kids getting into their own scientific shenanigans. Ryan North really captures the better characterizations of each of the kids, makes them likable, distinct, and the story feels like a fun misadventure for them. Francesco Mortarino's art goes well with the story and characters and makes the comic more enjoyable as things get crazier in the comic. Overall, it's as I said earlier, a nice misadventure with the Fantastic Four's kids.

Fantastic Four #18 lets Franklin Richards shine in his own way. The issue does a solid job of recounting the more essential parts of Franklin's life, and establishing an interesting status quo for the character going forward, at least in this series. The scenario the Fantastic Four find themselves in is pretty standard fare for them, despite how ridiculous it is. The interior artist Carlos Gomez does a great job depicting this battle between the Fantastic Four and apocalyptic forces of nature. There are a few issues in the comic, like reminding us S.H.I.E.L.D. is back, even though they don't do anything. But the comic is still a fun read and mostly self-contained, so you feel like you got a complete Fantastic Four story.

Fantastic Four #20 brings a new little story featuring Ben Grimm, The Thing, and Johnny Storm the Human Torch getting jobs. It's a lot more fun than it sounds. While nothing big or grand happens in the story, it's very much a grounded and fun misadventure for these heroes. It really banks on their brotherly rivalry to bring all kinds of fun hijinks and shenanigans that the two get into. While not being a big story may seem like a downside, it's not for this is genuinely a fun comic story with a beginning, middle, and end that shows more of two of Marvel Comics' best superheroes.

Fantastic Four #23 follows up the aftermath of Blood Hunt with a fun story to cool things down for readers and the team. Like previous stories, there's an initial event that sparks the mystery and threat of this new phenomenon and the Fantastic Four are already on top of it. Granted, this phenomenon is a little similar to a previous story, but it's different enough to warrant two parts. Johnny being the narrator of this comic definitely helps deliver the fun mood this comic is going for.

Fantastic Four #24 concludes this two-part story as the heroes find out more about the aliens in the tiny subatomic ships. The backstory of the alien pilot Zrixa and her people is interesting, but the fate of her people, how it happened, and their final actions were less then satisfying. Thankfully, the highlight is Mr. Fantastic as he takes over as narrator and his thoughts give this comic plenty of life similar to how Johnny did in the previous issue.

Fantastic Four #25 brings a new misadventure for the team of heroes as their contact with Dr. Dooms new latverian dome takes them to a strange and unfamiliar world. The comic is very much a romance story, but reader mileage will vary based on whether they can get invested in the new character and her relationship with Johnny Storm. Sadly, the romance is the weakest part of the comic. However, its not terribly written, its just the comic delivers a more engaging sci-fi scenario for the Fantastic Four thats evocative of classic Star Trek stories.

Fantastic Four #26 has Reed and Johnny take the lead in their own spooky misadventure on Halloween. While the actual ghostly mystery itself isnt that unique or compelling, seeing Reed and Johnny bond and have their own little journey together was fun and enjoyable. Naturally, the art team deliver with Reed and Johnny and their spooky antagonists when they show up.

Fantastic Four #31 starts a new adventure for the team as they try to help Ben get his powers back. And of course its through an odd yet interesting method that leads to a bizarre adventure for them. While the premise of the issue is compelling, its not exactly the most excitable comic. The narration from Valeria provides a new perspective on the story and the Fantastic Fours current journey. But what steals the show is the art from Cory Smith who does an excellent job with depicting Marvels first family and Jesus Aburtovs colors make it even more visually appealing. While the comic may not excite some readers, the ending shows that things might get more intense next issue as the storys far from over.

Fantastic Four #32 brings in the next part of this story with a more odd yet heartwarming story of a time-displaced Valeria Richards. The narration conveys Valeria's thinking process and personality very well, and the scenario she finds herself in is a good challenge for her to solve with so few allies and no superpowers except her genius intellect. While the ending is tragic, it also delivers a solid cliffhanger that eases right into the next issue.

Fantastic Four #33 concludes not only this story arc but this run as a whole. Like the rest of the series, we get a solid sci-fi adventure with an impossible challenge for the Fantastic Four to overcome. Of course, Herbie steals the show this time around and demonstrates why he's a valued member of the team, ending the comic and the run with a heartwarming tone.

Venom #4 continues the story with Dylan captured and the Venom symbiote racing to the rescue while dealing with the Life Foundation. Some character decisions make more sense than others here, and the action between the Venom symbiote and Spearhead is fine but not fun. However, it all comes together and the ending shows that pieces of a bigger plot are moving into place, which will lead to something interesting in the next issue.

Venom #5 picks up where it left off with Eddie Brock meeting the enigmatic Meridius. This issue is more about Meridius than Eddie, who's more of a tag-along in this comic. The artwork in the comic is great, it's written well, but the comic raises more questions than it answers. By the end, you get a feel for Meridius in terms of his personality, powers, and the danger he poses to the Brocks and the Venom symbiote.

Venom #6 is more of a slow, cool down issue as Dylan, Sleeper, and the Venom symbiote go on the run. While they're lying low, the comic shows some of the bigger conspiracy elements unfold, but it's mainly setup with little action. While it's not the most thrilling issue, the comic does a fine job showing where the characters are at, and what's in store in the next issue.

Venom #7 shows Dylan try to be the hero but he ends up taking on more than he can handle. The comic has the young Venom face off against the fearsome, crimson symbiote Bedlam, and Bryan Hitch illustrates him very well. Bedlam looks cool but readers' mileage will vary on this new villain. However, the comic book still manages to finish the more grounded story while slowly advancing the series' overarching plot.

Venom #8 is the beginning of a brand new story arc, this time focusing on Eddie Brock as Venom. The story starts with Eddie trying to figure out his new state of being than quickly shifts to a new time period that directly relates to Kang the Conqueror. The comic delivers the big confrontation between Venom and Kang while also deepening the main storyline in its own way.

Venom #9 is the next chapter in this new saga for Venom. This issue is more of a fill in the blanks kind of story, showing how Eddie Brock figures into everything we've seen since the first or second issue, kind of like issue #5 with Meridius. There's not much action or big reveals until the end, but Bryan Hitch continues to bring his best with the art in this issue.

Venom #10 picks up where the last issue left off and delivers revelation after brutal revelation. The comic establishes the connections between Eddie Brock, Bedlam, and Meridius in a way that loops back to the previous issues done by Al Ewing and feeds into the overarching story. However, despite the dark ending for this comic, there is a sliver of hope for Eddie and Dylan, and it all comes back to Venom.

Venom #11 starts a new chapter for Dylan Brock and the Venom symbiote that gets a little introspective. After the brutal fight and revelation from Bedlam, things aren't looking so well for Dylan. But there's still hope for him as the issue introduces a shift in the traditional dynamic between the symbiote and their host that can lead to cool things for the overall story in the next few issues.

Venom #12 continues the journey with Dylan and the Venom symbiote in this new issue. The writing has a good balance of both emotional and physical conflicts for Dylan and his allies to deal with. The art by Bryan Hitch gets to shine with Dylan, the Venom symbiote, and Sleeper when he sees action. The ending will definitely surprise some fans, especially fans of Donny Cates' Venom run and leaves some interesting potential for what happens next in the series.

Venom #13 picks things up with Eddie Brock this time around and sets things up for his connection to the upcoming Dark Web event. The comic does a fine job capturing Eddie's desperate state of mind and it's not all doom and gloom for the symbiote web-slinger. Mileage will vary on whether or not fans will like this sort of detour for Eddie's story, and hopefully Venom's contributions to the event will be enjoyable.

Venom #17 takes place after the conclusion of Dark Web, but Eddie Brock is not out of the woods yet as he's left stuck in Limbo as Bedlam of all things. The comic is pretty fun and it plays around with time in Limbo that ends up connecting it to a previous issue in the current Thor run. Meanwhile the main story goes into a weird direction that will confuse some readers while having enough intrigue to make others stick around to see what awaits Eddie Brock and the rest of this Venom run.

Final Thoughts:Venom #18 gives us the conversation between Eddie Brock and the mysterious floating hand he met at the end of the last issue. The biggest problem is that this whole comic is just extensive exposition. Readers unfamiliar with the cosmic history of Marvel Comics and with Al Ewing's Defenders: Beyond series will be a little lost. On top of that, the comic kind of devalues Knull in a way that rubs this reviewer the wrong way. Overall, readers can either read or skip it at their leisure.

Venom #20 picks up Eddie Brock's side of the story as he returns back to the land of the living in the present day. Of course, he's not the same as he once was with a new level of control of his symbiote powers making him like the Terminator, as one side character puts it. And that's a good thing for this issue. The dialogue is good, the story is well-paced, and the art from Cafu is impeccable as everything feels like a straightforward action issue for Venom. Looking forward to the big brawl teased at the end in the next issue.

Venom #21 kicks off the bloody brawl between Eddie Brock and Bedlam as he seeks to settle the score with the crimson monster. One good thing about this comic is that it doesn't waste any time getting straight to the fight as we see Eddie face Bedlam in the physical and mental realms. The fight is well illustrated thanks to Cafu's art, it's violent, bloody, and creative, and the writing and dialogue is on point with the fight banter between Eddie and Bedlam and the background characters too. Overall, a good issue and hopefully the next issue keeps it up.

Venom #23 brings together a couple of symbiotes who haven't seen each other in a while - Venom and Toxin. Now, despite the cool cover, there's not that much action in the comic. Bren, the current host of Toxin, asks Dylan for help, they find the threat and take 'em down without much trouble. It's not a thrilling story, but the characters are well-written as they currently are, and the art compliments the symbiotes' designs.

Venom #24 continues Eddie Brock's side of things as he travels to Latveria of all places to see Doctor Doom himself. The story gives a good reason behind this encounter and sets things up for a new fun story arc for Eddie and Doom. And that's the thing, this is a genuinely fun comic thanks to Al Ewing's pacing and solid characterization of Eddie, Bedlam, and Dr. Doom, which goes in hand with Sergio Dvila's art to make this a dynamic comic book to read. Venom and Marvel fans will enjoy this comic book on its own and as part of this Venom run, and they will definitely want more by the end of the issue.

Venom #25 tells an exciting story as Eddie Brock and Dr. Doom are taken through a wild journey through time. With the different time periods featured in the story, the comic allows for the multiple artists the opportunity to illustrate the comic beyond just a couple of pages. The comic does a solid job establishing an engaging dynamic between Eddie Brock and Dr. Doom from start to finish with Dr. Doom essentially stealing the show in almost every part of the comic. Overall, readers will enjoy this comic whether they're Venom fans, Dr. Doom fans, or just a Marvel fan who likes reading a fun comic book story with great art.

Venom #29 picks back up on the Eddie Brock side of things as we see more of the other Kings in Black, this time focusing on the green alternate version called Tyro. We get excellent art with Cafu back on the interior art and Frank D'Armata on colors. Tyro's journey into becoming Meridius is a little slow but it picks up real quick as we see not just the physical but mental transformation from one character into the other.

Venom #30 begins the big fight we've been waiting for: Eddie Brock vs. Meridius. The comic starts out real strong as it gets right into the action with Eddie taking on his variants in the Garden of Time, some more hostile than others. And the art team do a great job bringing this symbiote action to life. But right when it starts to get better, a new major development occurs that may either turn readers off, make them more excited, or just outright confuse them. If nothing else, readers can expect an explanation in the next few issues for this reveal, if the series' track record is anything to go by.

Venom #31 starts off the next chapter strong with the return of Carnage, which only means trouble for Dylan and the Venom symbiote. Despite the big reveal last issue, this story is an excellent jumping-on point for readers new and old without needing to do homework to understand what's happening. It also helps that the story doesn't waste any time and gets right to the meat of what people are here for: Carnage stalking and fighting Dylan & Venom. Ken Lashley's art and Romulo Fajardo Jr.'s colors make Venom, Carnage, and the whole comic look great to read.

Venom #32 brings us the fight between this new version of Carnage and Eddie Brock and the Kings in Black. While we don't get to see everyone fight him, Carnage fighting Eddie and some of the others was still great with Ken Lashley's art. And speaking of, Carnage rules this comic as he takes on Eddie and the others in brutal and maniacal fashion the way only symbiotes can. The ending sets up a new direction for the Venom symbiote that may be a little divisive, but there's potential there for the characters of Dylan, Eddie and the Venom symbiote if it's handled well.

Venom #33 begins the first part of its tie-in to the current Blood Hunt event. The art change to Juan Ferreyra was nice since their style adds a visual sense of horror and surrealism that lends itself well to not only Venom stories but a story with Vampires attacking. The story is chock full of narration from the Venom symbiote who takes the lead in this comic while Dylan finds a safe spot to sleep during the event. While, yes, Lee Price does show up, it's not in a significant manner, but there's another vampiric villain who brings more menace and danger for Venom to face in this story.

Venom #34 concludes its part of the Blood Hunt in this second part. It manages to tell the story it needs to and wrap it up neatly. Its not the most exciting or thrilling issue, but its still okay and the art helps sell the horror angle here. The villains end up having their highs and lows, but the issue finds a way to anchor this story in the history of Venom and have things circle back to the main plot in the end.

Venom #35 follows the aftermath of Carnages destruction of Meridius Garden and sets the stage for the upcoming Venom War event. One thing that was great to see was Eddie and his fellow Kings in Black gang up on Meridius. Even though it wasnt as satisfying as it could be, it was cathartic to see nonetheless. And of course Cafus art and Frank D'Armata's colors were good to see with Venom and Symbiotes in general.

Batman and Robin #1 by Joshua Williamson and Simone Di Meo comes out swinging in the first issue. You get amazing art from Simone Di Meo who makes the action look amazing and dynamic, the characters look good especially the main heroes in and out of costume. The comic sets the stage for classic superhero crimefighting with some twists and turns in motion. If you're looking for a solid Batman book not involved with the current Gotham War event, then Batman and Robin is the comic book to get.

Batman and Robin #2 reveals the new villainess hunting the dynamic duo: Shush. It's obvious who the character is evoking, but we've yet to see if there's a direct connection between the two. The story continues where it left off last issue and smoothly transitions to Damian's first day of high school, which goes about as well as anyone expects. The art and characterization go hand-in-hand in this comic whether characters are talking or when they're engaged in action. Overall, it's a fun comic that sets the stage for more action and intrigue in the next issue.

The comic is a race between the dynamic duo and the villains who are all trying to get White Rabbit, and the art and writing do a solid job in making this an action-packed issue. While Shush doesn't doing anything big, she's at least not annoying or insufferable like recent new legacy characters tend to be, and is a competent threat to Batman this issue.

Batman and Robin #6 has the dynamic duo follow Zach straight to Victor Zsasz to stop one problem and get closer to the truth. Thankfully, the whole Zach is Zsasz's son thing isn't legit, and the whole thing is just one way for the heroes to confirm something in their case. That said, the whole gimmick wasn't that appealing even when the truth is revealed, it felt like something simpler could've been done. However, there is a reveal of a fan-favorite character related to Damian who shows up, so hopefully they're here to actually advance the story.

Batman and Robin #7 sees the return of Simone Di Meo as the main interior artist as well as the return of Flatline. Naturally, Damian and Flatline do a little catching up, which is wholesome, as well as fighting criminals together, which is cool. And there's clearly more going on with her, so we got an interesting mystery there for a B-plot. Meanwhile Batman sees that Man-Bat's got something big cooking, and he's approached by Shush of all people for a team-up. While Shush hasn't been the most impressive new character, this temporary team-up could make things interesting.

Batman and Robin #8 brings us the second part of "Cult of Man-Bat" as the dynamic duo both deal with their own separate things. Sadly, it doesn't all pan out. The subplot with Flatline's sister feels incredibly rushed and underwhelming instead of feeling fun as was intended. On top of that, the promise of Shush as a character and the mystery of her secret identity have kind of worn off their welcome at this point. Meanwhile, Man-Bat's cult has little in the way of threat towards Batman, so it's all on Man-Bat himself to sell the danger the caped crusader has to face. However, since big things are about to happen, the next issue could make things more exciting.

Batman and Robin #9 brings readers the latest issue of this story arc as the dynamic duo close in on Man-Bat and Shush. Sadly, Shush lost a lot of her potential early on in the run, and the reveal of her secret identity and backstory is similarly disappointing, though it can be salvaged if played right. Meanwhile the parts with Batman and Man-Bat felt short-lived as it tries to double down on this more villainous version of him but in ways that contradict his recent comic history. Overall, it was an uneventful issue but it sets up what should be an exciting finale.

Batman and Robin #10 concludes the Dark Man-Bat story, but its not exactly the best finale. The comic wraps up everything it can as quickly as it can, the fight with Man-Bat, Flatlines involvement, Mistress Harsh, and Shush, and it all feels rushed. Unfortunately, this finale also shows how there was all this setup for the story, but they were followed up by underwhelming execution. Thankfully, the ending sets up a clash with a popular villain that should make for a very big story for the dynamic duo.

Batman and Robin (2024) Annual #1 shows Bruce and Damian take a little camping trip away from Gotham that turns dangerous real quick. There's no real sense of danger or anything, but this comic is a nice side adventure for Bruce and Damian who get some downtime with a little bit of action. However, while the writing is fine, the art is what will be hit or miss for readers.

Amazing Spider-Man #78.1 is a fun little tie-in to the main series but doesn't really add much to the main Beyond storyline. It feels like non-essential reading and is more of a fun misadventure starring Misty Knight and Colleen Wing on a side-mission for Maxine Danger and the Beyond Corporation. The quirky tone is in overdrive with Misty and Colleen as they face the new "villain" in the comic, who is unimpressive yet functional to get the plot going.

Amazing Spider-Man #79 continues the Beyond storyline with Kraven The Hunter as the lead villain. The story explores more of Ben Reilly's emotional stakes not just for this comic but for the Beyond storyline as a whole. Readers will also get some cool, good-old-fashioned Spidey super-heroics. When it finally transitions to Kraven's part in the comic, the art is well done, the characters look good, and the action is clear, dynamic, and easy to follow.

The ending, when it comes to the matter of Aunt May and Doctor Octopus, is the only real downer of this comic. It's fairly predictable how it ends for those two, and it feels both sad and telegraphed while reading it. But that doesn't bring this comic down since it has two consequences that will actually matter in the main series, making this a must-buy for anyone invested in the Beyond storyline.

Amazing Spider-Man #80 delivers a fun and surreal Spider-Man story as Ben Reilly faces Kraven The Hunter. The story is well-written as Ben struggles to fight Kraven on two fronts while trying to keep a foot in reality. The art team does an amazing job with the art and colors, especially the surreal visual designs for Kraven and the imagery in Ben's mind. It's a fun conclusion to this two part Kraven story with Ben.

Amazing Spider-Man #81 delivers a fun, if not predictable, superhero clash between Ben Reilly and Miles Morales. Nothing significant really happens here, other than the formulaic encounter between Ben and Miles. The comic is at it's best when they're fighting, both each other and the villain, visually speaking thanks to the art team. The story is very predictable, but hopefully we get better interactions between the two heroes later.

Amazing Spider-Man #83 delivers a heartwarming story with Spider-Man in time for the holidays. It follows Peter Parker's road to recovery as he tries to get back into the literal swing of things while dealing with his injury. There's solid action, dialogue, and the story and art by Patrick Gleason really make this a cool Spider-Man story, both on its own and as part of the Beyond storyline.

Amazing Spider-Man #84 delivers a solid comic book as Ben Reilly comes face-to-face with Doctor Octopus. The writer nails down the pacing, dialogue, and characterization of both main characters, while the art team make the comic book look good and dynamic from start to finish. On top of that, this comic actually moves the Beyond storyline forward a bit, and hopefully we get more in the next issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #85 delivers on the second round between Ben Reilly and Doctor Octopus. The comic's writing, pacing, and dialogue was solid and the art continued to bring in dynamic energy and action. This story not only resolves the fight between Ben and Otto, but it also moves the Beyond storyline forward and leaves Ben in an interesting position for the next issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #86 shows Ben Reilly trying to process what he's learned about Beyond from Doctor Octopus last issue. However, Ben's actions in this issue were kind of foolish given who he's dealing with. The only one who does anything sensible and interesting in this situation is Janine, while things play out as they would with a shady corporation in Marvel Comics. However, the comic's ending does leave potential for an interesting direction for Ben in the next issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #87 shifts back to Peter Parker as Black Cat and Captain America help him recover. Zeb Wells delivers not only a fun but positive story as we see Cap and Black Cat help Peter in this vulnerable state in ways only they can.Meanwhile the Beyond portions show that something's up with Ben Reilly after the last issue, and sets things up for the next part in the Beyond storyline.

Amazing Spider-Man #88.BEY is a fun book if you're a fan of Hobie Brown, formerly The Prowler now The Hornet. However, if you want a story that directly ties into the main series, than you might have to look elsewhere. The dialogue and pacing are good, the artwork is solid and energetic at times, and the story is a fun ride for fans of Hobie Brown.

Amazing Spider-Man #88 has Ben Reilly face off against the new Queen Goblin. So far, Queen Goblin is fine, she has a cool look thanks to the art team, but that's about it right now. It also doesn't help that Marvel accidentally spoiled her secret identity, so the mystery's gone. But the rest of the story is still fine as we learn more of the Beyond Corporation. Hopefully, the action with Queen Goblin picks up in the next issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #89 shows more of the Queen Goblin in action as Black Cat steps up to fight her. However, the comic doesn't follow through on that match-up as much as expected. The artwork is good and the comic is well-written, and there's a surprise appearance that will surely excite fans and get the story rolling in the next issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #90 continues the fight between Queen Goblin and Spider-Man. While the new villainess isn't that great, she serves her purpose well for what she is. Gleason does a good job with the characterization for all of the characters, especially Peter and Ben. His writing coupled with Mark Bagley's art and the colors provided by the colorists make this comic a fun read.

Amazing Spider-Man #91 continues the Beyond storyline with Peter Parker and Ben Reilly teaming up against the Beyond Corporation. However, the story and team-up with the two Spider-Men is less thrilling than expected as they face Beyond's weird villain rejects. While the book is a little more quirky, the secret behind Door Z is a solid surprise that leaves room for better action in the next issue.

The Amazing Spider-Man #92.BEY is far from essential reading. Most of the stories in this comic are either wrapping up stories from previous tie-ins or setup for the next issue of Amazing Spider-Man. Also, the characterization of Monica Rambeau in this tie-in's main story makes her hard to read. However, the art and colors in the tie-in are well done.

Amazing Spider-Man #92 shows off the new form of The Lizard, or Creature Z, and it's pretty underwhelming. The story barely features this new take on the classic Spider-Man villain and really becomes Misty Knight and Colleen Wing's comic for the most part. However, when the comic focuses on Ben Reilly, that's where the writing is at its best and helps set the stage for the next issue in the Beyond saga.

Amazing Spider-Man #93 concludes the Beyond Saga. The whole fight between Ben Reilly and Peter Parker feels a little forced, and the conclusion to Ben's story will certainly leave his fans wanting better for him. However, the art and colors were excellent throughout the issue, the art team did a spectacular job with this comic's artwork.

Doctor Strange: Nexus of Nightmares #1 is a solid standalone story that can be read mostly out of continuity. Ralph Macchio provides a Doctor Strange story with an old-school feel to it given life by Ibrahim Moustafa's art and Neeraj Menon's colors. It's not as epic as the cover would suggest and retreads familiar territory for Doctor Strange, but it's a fine story for new fans of the Sorcerer Supreme.

Green Lantern #9 finally reveals who the main villains are and their objectives in the series. It picks up where it left off with John Stewart having an action-packed story confronting the forces of the Lightbringer. While Jo continues her investigation into the Central Power Battery's destruction and actually makes some headway. The issue delivers some progress on both storylines with some big reveals that, while not world-shattering, will have immediate impact in the next issue.

Reckoning War: Trial of The Watcher #1 delivers a solid story with good, vibrant art by Javier Rodriguez. It's too soon to tell if the story's revelation to Uatu will have long-lasting ramifications or not for Marvel Comics. Overall, this is a sound concept for an official "What If story, and it feels like it should've been its own comic book instead of as a tie-in to the Reckoning War so the idea could be explored in greater detail.

Spider-Man 2099: Exodus #2 shifts focus on to Loki and this new Valkyrie in the dystopian future. The story about them is functional but somewhat underwhelming particularly with this depiction of Loki. Meanwhile, the new Valkyrie serves as a functional supporting character with a background that fits with this Cabal storyline but readers' mileage will vary on how compelling they think she is.

Spider-Man 2099: Exodus #5 provides the penultimate chapter of the Spider-Man 2099: Exodus storyline. You get what it says on the cover: Spider-Man 2099 meets the new X-Men of 2099.Unfortunately, the actual team up between Miguel O'Hara and this team of X-Men comes pretty late into the comic. However, you do see their general backstory, character dynamics, and powers in action against the Cabal's forces before Spider-Man joins the party.

Spider-Man 2099: Exodus Alpha #1 delivers a good story that old and new fans alike can enjoy. Steve Orlando's story has Miguel take on the mysterious "Cabal which has its share of intrigue, solid pacing, and good action for readers to enjoy. Miguel O'Hara and Ghost Rider 2099 both look great in the comic, especially when they're in action thanks to the art by Paul Fry and Neeraj Menon's colors.

Star Wars: Darth Vader Black, White & Red #1 brings Vader fan three new tales featuring their favorite Sith Lord. While anthologies from Marvel Comics are not alway that great, even in the Black, White and Red series, this issue at least is okay. Two out of the three stories in the comic are good. The first story is an ongoing story that's good and will carry over into all four issues. Then there's the second story written and drawn by Peach Momoko, and this one steals the show as the best in this issue with its cool and surreal Darth Vader imagery. Hopefully the next issue of the series will keep up the pace.

Hulk #8 delivers the epic finale to the Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War crossover. You get more great action and art from Martin Coccolo, along with solid pacing and character dialogue from Donny Cates. The ending is a little underwhelming but the heroes leave on a better note than when they began.

Hulk #9 follows after the events of the Banner of War crossover event with the beginnings of a new story arc. The comic further continues to explore Bruce Banner's personal journey as Donny Cates leans heavily into the Starship Captain direction for not only the Hulk but Bruce himself in the dialogue, narration, everything, which is all brought to life by Ryan Ottley's art. If nothing else, they're setting up something interesting for the Hulk to experience.

Hulk #10 shows readers what this Hulk Planet is all about. Donny Cates does a fine job setting up this new world of Hulk-like beings that is brought to life by Ryan Ottley's excellent art showing its brutal rise to civilization. However, the comic is mainly one big flashback issue with little story being told in the present. But the ending cliffhanger does set up something very interesting for Bruce Banner in the next issue.

Hulk #11 picks up with Hulk getting to know the inhabitants of the gamma world by playing their favorite game "Godball". Ryan Ottley pulls double duty here in the writing and art department with Marte Gracia on colors. While the story isn't the most compelling, it still manages to be fun for what it is as Hulk bonds with the people of the planet while sowing the seeds for tragedy and Hulk-like catastrophe in later issues.

Hulk #12 delivers the next issue of Hulk's life on the gamma planet. Everything feels like paradise for Bruce but trouble stirs as he worries that the Titan entity will strike somehow and Monolith only adds more to his plate of worries. Ryan Ottley's art continues to be a major selling point for the series and the writing is right on the money with Bruce, Monolith, and the rest of the story. Considering how this issue ends, there's going to be a lot of trouble for the Hulk to deal with next issue.

Hulk #13 is the penultimate issue of this series and it really delivers on just what a monster Titan is. Ryan Ottley and the rest of the creative team really bring Titan to life, and while his design is a little lacking, that doesn't take away from the threat he is. The sheer destruction and death he brings to Monolith and her people is exceeded by what else he doest to them. And on top of that, the comic manages to deepen the reveals of the true villains behind all of this, though it is a little last-minute. Hopefully all of the reveals make better sense in the next issue.

Hulk #14 is the big finale to the series as Bruce and his allies struggle to stop the rampaging Titan. It's evident that this comic is trying very hard to wrap up everything, and the resolution with Titan is over far too quickly. What keeps this comic alive is the epic art by Ryan Ottley who pulls double duty here as writer and artist, and the big reveal at the end provides a cool glimpse of who masterminded all of this.

The only real downside is that this comic kind of feels like the first five minutes of an episode from Young Justice, even with the backup story. Plus, you don't really see much of the Team or the Outsiders, so it's primarily the Bowhunters crew. A little bit of a nitpick, the action is a little slow and while the artists try, it lacks a strong sense of energy and momentum to it. But these criticisms hardly make the comic terrible. I would suggest getting this if you're either a really big fan of the show, waiting until a couple more issues are out, or wait until the whole series is finished. Either way, it's a good comic that can entertain you, whether you're a fan of the show or a new fan.

Young Justice: Targets #2 continues the adventure but this time with Geo-Force and the Infinitors. The Infinitors get to have their time in the spotlight as a superhuman team, and thanks to the art and writing you can tell who's who and see their powers in action with no confusion. Like before, the story feels like just one part of an entire episode from Young Justice, so you're still left wanting more by the end.

Young Justice: Targets #3 shifts focus to the main team with Robin and Nightwing taking the lead. Their investigations lead them to further connect the dots in this mystery while fighting some villains along the way. What the comic has going for it is how Greg Weisman and Christopher Jones strike a strong balance of solid action, character interactions, and plot progression that's hard to come by in most comics.

Young Justice: Targets #4 continues the action with the heroes on their way to rescue Perdita. The comic wastes little time getting right into the action and provides fun superhero battles with some surprise character reveals. Once again the story, writing, and art really come together, and it feels like things are ramping up by the end of the issue's end.

Young Justice Targets #5 is the penultimate issue and throws in a couple of curve balls for the heroes to deal with that work for and against the comic. The issue has Metallo on the cover, but he doesn't really do much other than monologue. Not to mention the later developments in the comic's story are interesting, but they also deflate any potential tension the comic could've had carry over to the next issue.

Final Thoughts:Young Justice: Targets #6 brings this kidnapping story to a close. The dialogue, banter, and pacing is well-written, but the overall story and how the series of events play out were predictable and underwhelming. However, this does fulfill the purpose of being a side story for the show and characters, and it does show how far they would go for one of their closest allies and friends.

Immortal Thor #1 from Al Ewing and Martin Cccolo is an excellent first issue and a great jumping on point for new and longtime Thor fans. The comic starts a brand new journey for the God of Thunder as it eases readers into Thor's current life as All-Father of Asgard but the familiar Avenger we all know and love. Thor's heroic characterization is strong in this comic and maintains a presence throughout the comic. Al Ewing & Martin Cccolo set the stage for a brand new story for Thor as there are familiar friends and allies, Loki being Loki, and new threats emerging to face him. At the end of the day, this is an excellent first issue and a solid Thor comic.

Immortal Thor #2 delivers the first clash between Thor and the dreaded Toranos of the Utgard Realm. Now, the battle between the two isn't that extensive and not too much happen, but it is resolved by Thor using both his power and guile. The rest of the comic does a solid job setting up the next batch of trouble Thor has to deal with thanks to Loki, but there's a mystery as to why it's happening for readers to learn in future issues. Judging by the end of the comic, readers can expect more chaos to follow in the next issue.

Immortal Thor #3 shows Thor trapped on an alien planet as part of Loki's mysterious big test. Martin Coccolo's art continues to be exemplary here as we see the various interactions between Thor and Loki which range from being serious to comical at times. The only issue is that the big "test from Loki wasn't really that intriguing or intense other than trying Thor's patience. But it does serve a purpose for Thor that's more practical and sets things up for the next issue that may be more exciting.

Immortal Thor #4 shows the God of Thunder seek an audience with Storm and other allies while Toranos draws closer and closer to the solar system. The initial exchange between Thor and Storm goes about as well and as predictable as you'd expect, but the outcome is worth the hassle as we see what Thor's true plan to fight Toranos really is. And when the titanic elder god of thunder finally arrives, we see Thor and his allies get their game faces on which leads into their inevitable clash in the next issue.

:Immortal Thor #5 concludes the fight between Thor and his new Thor Corps against the gargantuan Toranos. The art in this comic is great thanks to the art team, who make this comic look epic. Meanwhile, the actual fight is a little disappointing, and Toranos is an underwhelming villain as he doesn't do much except spout threats and throw his giant wheel. However, Thor's plan to defeat him is creative and a little cheesy in essence but it fits him, his newfound status, and this series, and I'm still excited to see more.

Immortal Thor #6 begins the next phase of Thor's journey to unravel the mysteries of Utgard and its elder gods. The art team did a solid job with the design for the different locations that each set a distinct mood for the story. It's also nice to see young Thor and Loki in their classic designs going on an adventure together as the tone of their part of the story, as well as the art for the location, feel like they're straight out of a classic Disney fairy tale film. While not too much happens in this comic, there's enough to get things started and set the tone for the next part of Thor's adventure.

:Immortal Thor #7 pits young Thor and Loki in a trial of endurace by the one and only Utgard-Loki himself. The art team do an impressive job when it comes to the action, facial expressions, and depicting the scale and massive size difference between the heroes and their gigantic host. The story feels very much like a mythic tale, and even after it's over, the comic leaves with some interesting questions and sets up intriguing ideas for future issues to explore.

:Immortal Thor #8 has the God of Thunder confront his birth mother Gaea, the Earth herself, on why she unleashed the Elder Gods of Utgard. Unfortunately, Gaea's answer and motivation for why she caused all of this is bad, painfully clich for a character like her, and it makes little sense in the context of the main Marvel Comics universe why she'd think unleashing destructive, skyscraper-sized elder gods like Toranos would lead to anything good. The only good things in this comic are the art by Ibraim Roberson and Matthew Wilson's colors, and Thor's stalwart heroic characterization.

Immortal Thor #9 has the God of Thunder confront Dario Agger, aka The Minotaur, CEO of the Roxxon Corporation, only for him to fall into the villain's trap. The thing is, Dario is far from a serious threat, and he comes off like an over-the-top villain straight from the Captain Planet cartoon. He's too cartoonish to take seriously as a villain especially as a threat to Thor. Thankfully, the real villains save this comic as Enchantress and Skurge the Executioner show up to once more give Thor a hard time. Ibraim Roberson's art also keeps this comic alive as the action with Thor and the two villains is done very well.

Immortal Thor #10 concludes the fight between Thor and the trio of villains of The Minotaur, Enchantress, and the Executioner. While we get another new artist, they manage to bring some epic energy to the battle between Thor and the faux Roxxon Thor. It's also great to see Enchantress and Executioner take charge and do away with the Minotaur, but who's to say if this is truly his final death or a decoy of some kind. Time will tell where this story takes the God of Thunder in the upcoming issues.

:The Immortal Thor #11 begins the first part of a family rescue mission. Thor has gathered his siblings, both well known and more obscure, to aid him in rescuing their brother Tyr from the clutches of Oblivions influence. Its nice that Al Ewing is actually doing something with the G.O.D.S. tie-in and making that into a story. This issue has a slow start and throws a lot of characters in it, but if it plays its cards right, this can be an epic story.

:The Immortal Thor #12 concludes Thors family rescue mission of Tyr from the thrall of Oblivion. The story is sadly underwhelming as things happen but theres little stakes since we just met most of these characters, the action is short-lived. And the resolution to Thors challenge with the towering wizard Tiwaz is disappointing. However, the standout character here is the man on the cover Tiwaz, notably for his affable personality that contrasts his power and wisdom. Hopefully we get to see more of him and in Coccolos art.

Immortal Thor #13 starts a new story arc that brings Thor and Hercules together again for a new journey. While the two godly heroes would love to catch up, they do have a mission: Find Nyx, the night goddess, and question her on who turned the wheel Toranos was talking about. But just as they find the night goddess, Loki causes mischief. While its nice to see Thor and Hercules catching up, the comic takes a while to get to the bigger story. By the time the comic finally gets to Nyx, it feels like it has to rush things a little to get to the big surprise.

Immortal Thor #14 celebrates its legacy numbering as the 775th issue of Thor. However, the actual fight showcased on the cover doesn't live up to it. The actual confrontation between Thor and Zeus in his mad state is sadly underwhelming and the fights between them aren't as engaging as you'd like them to be. There's a bit of rushed resolution with Nyx. However, the comic does have some cool double-page spreads, as well as a couple of unintended laughs here and there. Also, the ending leaves some promise to finally getting some answers for the main plot in the next issue.

Immortal Thor #15 concludes the story with Zeus and Nyx, while setting things up for the next story arc. This comic is very dialogue heavy after wrapping things up in the first 6 or 7 pages, so readers enjoyment will vary based on how engaging they find the conversation between Thor and Enchantress to be. Meanwhile, the last few pages reveal the return of a villain who was killed in previous issues, and it looks like hes back to start trouble for the foreseeable future.

Immortal Thor #16 starts a new story arc where the newly resurrected Dario Agger begins a new scheme against Thor. This time he calls up the Radioactive Man and other old Thor foes to fight him. Granted, most of these villains arent that threatening to Thor, especially as he is now, save for one who shows up for a killer moment. However, because of that one villain, the comic has created an exciting situation for Thor to overcome in the next few issues.

Immortal Thor #17 concludes the fight between Thor and Dario Aggers motley crew of villains. Once the fight is wrapped up, the story has Thor conclude his business with The Enchantress, or so we think. This comic isnt that excitable, and it somewhat reminds readers of the slow progress on the Utgard storyline. However, the ending does provide a surprise reveal as to whom Enchantress wanted to bring back. But it still begs the question of why. Naturally, well see in the next issue.

Immortal Thor #19 comes with tales of various characters onAsgard and beyond. Unfortunately, most of the tales are by and large setup, there arent many stories or adventures here. Just snippets of the various goings on in Asgard, and only a few glimpses stand out above the rest because they directly tie into the very next issue and story which looks to be more exciting.

Immortal Thor #20 sets the stage for a grand confrontation between Thor and the elder gods of Utgard. The Utgard gods have thrown down the gauntlet with Toranos as their message, and Thor is immediately ready to face them. While theres not much action in this issue, theres emotional progression as the comic gears up for Thors fight with the Utgard gods. But if readers were looking for more action, the ending delivers a couple of surprise set ups for the next issue that may excite them for whats to come.

Immortal Thor #21 shows Thor challenged both physically and mentally as he faces two opponents on two fronts. Skurge faces him in mortal combat, while Thanos attempts to attack Thors resolve and will. But what the comic does best is demonstrate why Skurge wants to take Thors death so badly, and showing Thors heroic conviction to protect others. Of course, he finally does enter Utgard and already things are not as they seem, setting things up for a great confrontation between Thor and Utgard-Loki.

The Immortal Thor #22 shows Utgard-Loki take the narrative reins while Thor and Skurge find themselves trapped in the Endless City. Despite the set up, the Endless City itself isn't the most captivating location nor the most mind-bending in its execution at least. The threats within the labyrinthine city aren't the most excitable, however, seeing Thor and Skurge's and one other ally work together helps balance things out. And the ending shows that as Thor heads deeper into the city, there's still a greater threat awaiting him that we'll see in the next issue.

Immortal Thor #23 brings the thunderer and his allies face to face with the Minotaur-like god Kemur, the primal god of kingship. The fight between them is good, and the narration and backstory do the heavy-lifting with characterizing Kemur who doesnt speak the entire comic. The narration goes a little overboard with the concepts its playing with, but the art and the fight make up for it. While the ending feels a little anticlimactic, it does set up that more is still to come as Thor has yet to face Utgard-Loki and the rest of his elder gods.

Immortal Thor #24 has the god of thunder face off against the might of the elder gods of Utgard. The art team really delivers this issue with the epic depiction of everything from the Utgard gods to Thor and his mighty powers in action. There are a few wrinkles in the comic, especially with the ending, but its still an enjoyable comic that concludes this storyline, or at least this part of it for now.

The Immortal Thor #25 concludes the storyline with the gods of Utgard but generates so many questions, some of which are not met with straightforward answers. While some things add up about the events in this comic, some do not. The direction that this comic sets up for Thor are both a little worrying and intriguing. We'll see where Thor's journey goes from here.

Carnage #1 has a solid start to what can possibly be a good Carnage series. The story and characters feel like something out of a show like Hannibal or Dexter, but with the Carnage symbiote as the star, and the art fits the twisted and dangerous nature of the villain. Hopefully the series keeps it up and delivers on its dark hook for Carnage.

Carnage #2 continues the Carnage symbiote's dark journey with a couple of tag-alongs. The comic is a little light on the horror but it explores this sense of dark "transformation" between all three characters in several ways that will continue in the next issue. The art from Francesco Manna with Dijjo Lima's colors continue to make the comic look great.

Carnage #3 has the crimson alien face off against the supervillain The Spot. The fight between Carnage and the Spot is well illustrated by Rog Antnio with Dijjo Lima's colors, as both villains get to show off their stuff in excellent art. It ends with the obvious winner but the story doesn't stop there as we finally get a glimpse of Carnage's plan and what we might see explored in the next issue.

Carnage #4 shows the next piece in Carnage's plan to greater heights of murder and chaos. However, this issue is a little more slower than previous issues. Not much happens for Carnage or both Detective Shayde and Neeley, but at least Neeley has some interesting setup for the next issue. Other than that, it's a fine quick read.

It also helps that there's a consistent through-line with the trajectory of where Carnage and Kenneth are going in the story. It doesn't feel too aimless considering the dark logic behind Carnage's actions in past issues, but the series keeps those secrets close to the chest to keep readers in suspense as to what happens next. But it's understandable if some readers feel the book is just going all over the place when it could've just stayed on Earth.

Carnage #6 keeps things going as Carnage's trail of destruction leads them to the Norse realm of the dead and Malekith the Accursed. The story follows Detective Jonathan Shayde for a while before shifting back to Carnage's fight with the forces of the dead. The new art from Rog Antonio feels in line with Francesco Manna's art and makes everyone in the comic look good.

Carnage #7 picks up where it left off with Detective Jon Shayde working with Malekith The Accursed to escape Niflheim and keep him out of Carnage's hands. Sadly, the comic doesn't do much with this interesting duo, and the two barely do anything together as a team other than fight nameless, generic giants. However, there is a development in the end that makes Carnage's chase for Malekith make sense, and it leaves some promise for the next issue.

Carnage #9 continues where the story left off in the previous issue with Carnageand Kenneth Neely arriving on Nidavellir for someone in particular. The comic finally reveals just what the Canrage symbiote has in store for its piece of the Venom symbiote codex. Before that reveal, the comic feels a little slow and lacking momentum in the action and dialogue interactions. Hopefully the next issue turns the excitement back up.

Carnage #10 brings things to a head as Carnage coerces the Dwarf Drorin to forge him a new weapon based on the weapon All-Black the Necrosword. Things don't go as planned for the crimson symbiote as Drorin makes his own plans with Kenneth Neely, but once Jonathan Shayde shows up, it all goes sideways. The comic sets up the next big step in the story for Carnage and it has potential to be a good one. We'll see where it goes from here as it looks like Carnage is ready to live up to its name.

Carnage #11 picks up where it left off with Carnage having everything it could want, and Kenneth Neely trying to convince Cletus Kasady to stop Carnage. The real meat of the comic is Neely and Kasady and their "conversation in the comic. It has a little bit of tension as you're left wondering what Kasady will do to Neely, and there's even a couple of humorous moments too. But it gets dragged down with some exposition that's somewhat necessary but feels like it should've been introduced earlier in the series to inform readers. But the end leaves on an interesting note as more mayhem is bound to follow.

Carnage #12 brings things to a head as the serial killer Kenneth Neely is now partnered up with Cletus Kasady who's just as much of a wild card as his symbiote counterpart. The art from Francesco Manna and Erick Arciniega's colors continue to be a strength for this series in depicting both Carnage and Cletus Kasady in his new symbiote form. Sadly, the portion with Carnage and Detective Shayde continues to be the low point of this comic, while the better parts are with Kasady and Neely as murder and mayhem ensue. Readers who still like what they see here can follow the continuation of this story in the title Carnage Reigns Alpha.

Final Thoughts:Guardians of the Galaxy #1 brings us a new journey with the Guardians. Here, the creative team really leans into the space spaghetti western direction as implied by the cover in various ways. For now, the comic all but ignores what came before in previous series, so fans of the previous Guardians of the Galaxy run by Al Ewing might feel some whiplash here. It's also clear that the comic is trying to go for some synergy with the MCU with the depictions of Nebula and Mantis in particular, which might throw some fans off considering their recent history in the last two runs. The action and art from Kev Walker does work well for the space western story told here. Overall, not a bad comic but time will tell if it's a good start to this new Guardians of the Galaxy run.

Guardians of the Galaxy #2 brings a new chapter in this space western style tale. Star Lord has the team try to play peacemakers but it blows up in their faces and action ensues. Unfortunately, the action is pretty short-lived and since there are no real stakes, it's more of a waiting game while getting through all of the exposition from these new alien races introduced in this run. Ultimately, the comic is used to build up the danger of the impending "Grootfall" and hopefully the next issues follow through on it.

Star Wars #37 continues the new Dark Droids storyline as the second part of the event. Here we see Lobot become one of the first victims possessed by the mysterious force at work in the Star Wars galaxy, and we see how far Lando is willing to go to protect his friend. The writing and art really help sell this issue, but this new threat still leaves a lot to be desired. So, we'll see how the rest of the Dark Droids storyline continues with presenting this new threat.

Star Wars #38 kicks off the next phase of the Dark Droids storyline as Lando goes to Jabba's Palace to find the droid he needs to help Lobot. Turns out that not even Jabba's Palace is safe from the new threat that's assimilating more and more droids by the second. The comic does a good job conveying a zombie-like story but with droids. There are plenty of callbacks and teases to the film Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, though it would've been nice if some moments actually led to more than just casual fan-service. However, the comic sets up a fun scenario that fans of the film will find exciting for the next issue.

Avengers #4 starts the battle between the Avengers and the new threat - the Ashen Combine. We see half the team go up against some members of the new villains, while Cap and Black Panther infiltrate the villains' HQ in orbit. The art really brings this comic to life and infuses it with a strong dynamic energy and is enhanced by the colors as well. The writing is solid as all the characters have distinct voices and their battles are evenly paced and handled well, so no one fight takes up the entire book.

Avengers #5 continues the battle between Earth's Mightiest Heroes and the alien villains the Ashen Combine. The comic shows off Vision and Captain Marvel take on two members of the Ashen Combine, one of whom is okay while the other is more engaging. The art and colors work great in this comic, particularly near the latter of the half of the comic that highlights the Avengers' unconquerable spirit as individuals and as a superhero team.

Avengers #6 concludes the battle between Earth's Mightiest Heroes and the Ashen Combine. Each of the Avengers are given their moment to shine as they each take down their respective opponents in competent and cool ways only they can do. The characters are well written, their tactics makes sense, and the art makes them all look great. While the Ashen Combine were not memorable villains, they provided enough of a warm-up for the Avengers to face before the real challenges arrive in future issues.

Avengers #9 has Earth's Mightiest Heroes face the newest group of opponents, the Twilight Court. The comic is more of a series of matchups between them and the Avengers, and it seems more focused on showing off the Twilight Court. Granted, it doesn't take long before the Avenger turn things around and they win the fight sooner than expected, though how it's resolved makes sense in the context of these new characters. However, there's still the mater of this "Myrrdin" figure, and their plan for Kang will hopefully make things more interesting in the next issue.

Avengers (2023) #10 concludes this battle between the Avengers and the new Twilight Court with a focus on their leader, the enigmatic Myrddin. Unfortunately, what we get of Myrddin is serviceable at best, uninteresting at worst. We get a sense of his personality, but the comic is mostly him monologuing to Kang while his Twilight Court get bested by the Avengers. On top of that, the comic sets up a new unknown threat for the Avengers to face, but it feels like a repeat of what the previous Avengers run just did as far as the scope of the threat. What will make or break this issue at least, is whether or not readers like what they get of Myrddin here.

Avengers #11 delivers more of a cool-down story for the Avengers as their oldest friend and ally Jarvis shows up to help. Jarvis is definitely the show stealer here since his personality is well-defined, fun, and he mostly takes over the comic when he shows up, which is nice to see. However, it's a little sad to see the early signs of the comic being forced to put a hold on its own stories to tie into the Fall of X crossover event. And while Ivan Fiorelli's art is good, the action wasn't that thrilling since the Mad Thinker's minions were pretty generic enemies to see the Avengers fight.

Avengers #18 concludes the second part of Hyperions suicidal ultimatum with the addition of Storm to the team. Firstly, the art team do a great job on everything from the designs to paneling and the action when it happens. Storms role here is fine but nothing excitable. She was more of a go-between with the Avengers and X-Men. Well likely get her in action with the team in future issues. The main conflict was resolved a little too easily, but nothing too terrible.

n Avengers #19, Dr. Doom, now the Sorcerer Supreme, calls up Earths Mightiest Heroes to have "chat" with them. Unfortunately, not much really happens here. Its mostly Doom and the Avengers throwing classic philosophical platitudes at each other concerning power and what to do with it, all with some good art from Farid Karami. While the conclusion was pretty predictable, there is a nugget of intrigue concerning what Dr. Doom is planning to do in the foreseeable future.

Avengers #21 has the Avengers and X-Men face offin baseball. Dont let the cool cover fool you, its just a fun little get-together between the Avengers and the X-Men. On the one hand, its nice to see the superheroes hanging out and being chummy together a little bit. On the other hand, it could be setup for darker things to come in a future story where they turn on each other, as usual. Hopefully, something more fun and positive comes from this issue and the heroes actually stick together in future stories.

Avengers #22 gets back on to the main plot with a fun story to do it. While its not exactly new to them, seeing the Avengers engage in a heist is a little fun and changes things up a little. Some of it is a little too over the top, but its not so bad seeing some characters out of their element, thankfully because its part of their plan and not bad writing. Other than that, the cover kind of spoils the big reveal at the end.

Avengers #23 continues the heist story, this time from the Black Cats perspective. With Black Cat as the main POV character, the heist reads better and has more energy to it than it did with the Avengers. The art team do a great job illustrating Black Cat and Kangs mad dash to escape the casino, and action ensues throughout the comic. And right when it feels like the jig is up, the thieves pull the rug right from under the Avengers and gear things up for the next issue.

Avengers #24 concludes this cosmic heist as Kang reveals the ace up his sleeve and the heroes have to switch gears to save the day. The art continues to be the best part of the series. The actual plot and characters are okay, Black Cat continues to steal the show, but the other characters are just okay with Kang being the weakest written of the bunch. While the resolution wraps things up as neatly as possible, the ending is either going to excite or worry readers.

Avengers #25 begins a new story in the midst of One World Under Doom. While the Avengers are away on Earth, some of the new Masters of Evil decide to launch an home invasion of their new HQ and take it for themselves. The new lineup is a mixture of hits and misses, but the writing for them is solid as each villain feels like their own distinct character. The art team of Valerio Schiti and Federico Blee deliver excellent art with the paneling, faces, and the action with Sam Wilson.

Avengers #26 has Sam Wilson go up against the new Masters of Evil in the Impossible City, where he uses his wits and his new suit to take the fight to them. Andrea Broccardo does a good job with the art and maintains a dynamic tone throughout the comic whether the characters are talking and when theyre fighting. The ending escalates the tension and delivers a solid cliffhanger for the next issue.

Avengers #27 brings the return of Black Panther as he comes to aid Sam Wilson, Captain America, in his fight against the Masters of Evil. The action is great in this issue as the artist does an excellent job in delivering epic superhero action. While the Masters of Evil are on the back foot, the Mad Thinker plays his ace and sets the stage for the final phase of this fight.

Avengers #28 concludes the Masters of Evil story arc with a fight between Captain America, Black Panther and the Mad Thinker. The fight is drawn well, the character dialogue is good, some parts of the fight were better than others. However, now that things are wrapped up by the end, it seems the series will be moving forward with its main plot.

Avengers #29 answers the questions of what the Grail really is and how it came to be. And what Reed Richards' connection to it is. Mileage will vary on the reception to the answers. Sadly, the comic really is just exposition dump, and aside from a warmhearted interaction and callback between Reed and TChalla, thats about it in the emotion and character departments. Also, Myrddin wraps things up with his Twilight Court, but since we hardly knew them their departure from the plot feels uneventful.

Avengers #30 starts the fight for the Grail as the Avengers journey to find it before Myrddin does, but the villain is two steps ahead. The comic does a solid job setting this up as a big event for the Avengers. They even get to fight some Marvel Zombies, or at least the ones left on Battleworld. However, the big reveal of Myrddins true identity will shock a few readers but not many others who probably saw it coming since his introduction. Well see how things unfold in the next issue.

Avengers #31 reveals the journey of how Kang the Conqueror dons the mask and identity of Myrddin to seize the Grail. Sadly, the motivation and story behind why Kang becomes Myrddin is underwhelming. Kangs transition into becoming Myrddin isnt that exciting nor enlightening about Kang as an individual, but mileage will vary from reader to reader. But now that we know the how and why Kang became Myrddin, the story can focus on the battle between Kang and the Avengers next issue.

Avengers #32 picks back up with the fight between the Avengers, Kang the Conqueror and his horde of Marvel Zombies. While the heroes clashes with the super zombies are solid, its clear this was a fight that needed more than a couple issues. The comic does set up the return of some characters we thought were dead, but mileage will vary on who likes their return or not.

Avengers #33 tells the tale of the Twilight Courts survival and how they rediscovered their heroic roots. Obviously, the comic is well-written and makes good use of the art to do its best showing the Twilight Court in their lowest moment before finding their heroic spirits again. Now that their story has been told, all the pieces are on the board for the big battle in the next issue.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #18 starts Vader's hunt for Crimson Dawn, and things take a more unconventional approach. We get to see more of Vader's motives for why his fight against Crimson Dawn is more than just fulfilling his imperial duties. The comic introduces some new characters, has some solid action, and begins the next storyline for Darth Vader.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #33 picks up where the last issue left off with Darth Vader feeling an incredible disturbance in the Force that causes his power to go berserk. The addition of this "Force Wave" feels weak and out of nowhere to provide an incredibly convenient excuse for why events play out in the comic when anything else could suffice. Not to mention it feels like the comic's story and themes are a little too repetitive of the themes from the past story arcs with Vader and Sabe. Hopefully this story arc isn't that long and brings some conclusion to this Handmaiden storyline so the series can move on to more exciting stories with Darth Vader.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #34 concludes the long storyline with Vader and the handmaiden Sabe. The resolution is very predictable to anyone who's been reading this series' past story arcs, and it feels like it's long overdue so the series can move on. The art by Adam Gorham really picks up the weight and is what holds this comic together with everything that happens in it. Now that the handmaiden storyline is hopefully over, the Darth Vader series can proceed to a new storyline.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #35 continues with Darth Vader seeking a means to regain control of his mastery of the Force and seeks out Doctor Aphra to aid him. Greg Pak does a good job introducing Dr. Aphra and her history to readers that makes sense to her selfish character, while Raffaele Ienco makes Darth Vader look good in every page and panel, particularly when he's in action. It's not the most thrilling comic but it's enjoyable and sets up more action for the this dark trio in the next issue.

:Star Wars: Darth Vader #36 brings this part of the journey between Darth Vader and Doctor Aphra to a close. The whole issue is Vader testing out his new Force Shield on the attacking droids and while he looks cool, mileage will vary if what he does with it is actually exciting. Nothing big really happens in this issue, it feels more like a callback to Kieron Gillen's Darth Vader run than anything else, especially with the return of Aphra, Triple-0 and Beetee-1 for good measure. But nothing significant is done with either of them, they have no interesting interactions with Vader, and by the end it felt like the comic was reusing old ideas instead of exploring new ones for Darth Vader in his current condition.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #37 is the third part in the Dark Droids crossover event. This issue actually shows how dangerous this new galactic threat could be as imperial droids are possessed and start mowing down the Imperials on The Executor, meanwhile Vader uses whatever he has on hand to fight this new threat. The writing and art is good and the setup with this new threat is solid as it gives the comic a sort of zombie story vibe to it. However, the dialogue of the annoying droids and the overuse of flashbacks to well-known scenes in Star Wars films and TV shows are a little excessive in this comic.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #38 continues the Dark Droids crossover story with Vader's side of things as he fights to retake his flagship. The story is well-paced and the characters are competently well-written and Darth Vader does look cool in the art taking down the possessed droids. The only problem is that the comic wasn't as exciting as it could've been and lacked a sense of danger for Darth Vader for the most part. However, the end of the issue sets up a new challenge for Darth Vader in his side of things in the Dark Droids storyline that could make things more exciting.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #39 continues the battle between Vader and the Scourge which has a new droid body to fight with. The story and art really work in tandem here and while the Scourge's new possessed droid provides the physical challenge, the real meat of this story is resolving the inner turmoil within Darth Vader. That's where the art writing and art really pop in this comic and it feels good seeing Darth Vader go all out against the Scourge's possessed droid.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #41 concludes this portion of Vader's part in the Dark Droids event. After his defeat against the Emperor, Vader seemingly allows the Scourge to merge with him, but it's a ploy from the Dark Lord to gain its power for himself. The comic doesn't take the idea too far into any interesting directions, but we get some good art with Vader in action against the Scourged droids.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #42 begins a new story arc for the dark lord and the Galactic Empire. Here we get new artist with Adam Gorham and he does an excellent job with the interior art which lends itself to the action that comes with a Darth Vader comic book. We get plenty of good action and even Vader experimenting with some new tricks with not only the Force but with what he's learned from his experience with the Droid Scourge. The inclusion of Enric Pryde felt unnecessary and he didn't really do much here. Hopefully the next issue sells the concept of the Schism Imperial well to not only Darth Vader but the readers.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #43 brings the first part of a new story arc featuring the Schism Imperial faction. It starts out with a solid introduction to new members of the faction and later narration would highlight their core philosophy and attitude towards the Empire and why Darth Vader could temporarily be aligned with them. However, while it doesn't leave a bad impression, it's not a great one either, so more issues are needed to further flesh out this new group and see whether it's a neat addition to Star Wars or not. Other than that, the art was good and seeing Darth Vader and his new cyborg crew in action was nice.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #45 delivers a new part to the Schism Imperial storyline as Pryde's loyalty to the Empire and Darth Vader is questioned by the other members. To put it nicely, this comic is underwhelming due to not only having little to no action, but the characters and their writing feel very juvenile. The problem isn't Pryde being a believer in Darth Vader, it's how he's written that's the problem and that extends to the rest of the Schism Imperial characters. On top of that, the comic wastes the journey to Tython and nothing memorable or extraordinary happens there until the end. Thankfully, the next issue looks like it will be more interesting.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #46 brings the first chapter of Vader's invasion of Exegol. Here we get to see Darth Vader and the Schism Imperial make their first big play against Emperor Palpatine by infiltrating the planet Exegol to seize its secrets. We have Raffaele Ienco back as the interior artist, which helps make the comic fun to read when it's good. The fighting isn't too intense or spectacular, but there is a neat little trick used by Vader. However, the ending does show that there's a bigger fight for Darth Vader in the next issue that could get exciting.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #47 concludes the raid on Exegol while setting things up for the immediate future. While the comic skips the actual raid, we get the stage set for Vaders confrontation with the juiced up Summa-Verminoth. Admittedly, getting to see Vader with all his upgrades blast the creature into bits was cool to see. What matters now is seeing what ramifications will spin out of this event for Darth Vader and the Schism Imperial.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #48 shows as one conflict ends, another begins. While Luke Skywalker deals with Sabes "test", Darth Vader deals with the inevitable betrayal from Administrator Moore and her allies in the Schism Imperial. With the comic focusing on both father and son, its clear the upcoming issues will explore the dynamic both Luke and Vader share even light years apart.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #49 brings the penultimate issue to this run. Darth Vader is being tortured by the vengeful MARS Corps, while Luke Skywalker fends off attacks from Administrator Moore and the Schism Imperial. There are some underwhelming parts to the comic, but the best parts are seeing Luke Skywalker in action fighting off the Schism Imperial's strikes, and the issue does a solid job setting up the finale between Vader and the Schism Imperial.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #50 concludes the long journey for Vader. Admittedly, the road to this final issue has more than its fair share of flaws and bumps in the road. But the high points still stand out, and the stronger parts of this issue accomplish the goal of laying the psychological groundwork for Darth Vader's character in the film Return of the Jedi.

Defenders: Beyond #2 brings back the Beyonder and his people in full form. Al Ewing manages to streamline the history of the Beyonder and his species in the wider Marvel cosmos and gives the Beyonder a distinct voice, look, and personality to match. The art by Javier Rodriguez is great at delivering the more surreal environments the Defenders find themselves in, and it's not half bad when the action starts.

Defenders: Beyond #3 has the Defenders continue their cosmic journey, this time they're up against the Phoenix Force. The art from Javier Rodriguez continues to look amazing, this time with the Phoenix taking the center stage as the star attraction. It also helps that everyone on the Defenders plays their own part in getting past the fiery cosmic force of nature.

Defenders: Beyond #4 is the penultimate issue of the miniseries. However, this issue is the most predictable and underwhelming when it comes to the Defenders' encounter with Glorian. While one or two temptations are interesting, the rest feel silly and easy to reject, so it's had to believe that any of them are really tempted by Glorian. The main standout in this issue is Javier Rodriguez's art and colors with the latter half of the comic setting things up for the final issue.

Defenders: Beyond concludes this series but introduces a bigger story that will pick up later in time. However, this issue is a rather unsatisfactory series finale and the big reveals in this comic make the series as a whole feel like one big setup for another story later in the future that might take a while. The saving grace of this issue is Javier Rodriguez's art which keeps everything vibrant and interesting once the Defenders are inside the House of Ideas.

X-Men: Red #1 opens with a solid introduction to the main cast and their lives on Arakko, aka Mars. Al Ewing does some solid work establishing the internal conflict of Storm, Magneto, and others while Stefano Caselli and Federico Blee provide some good art for the comic. This isn't the strongest first issue, but the series does have the potential to deliver a compelling storyline with more excitable issues.

X-Men Red #2 delivers on the story, art, and cover fight between Storm and Vulcan. The comic shows readers what the X-Men Red and the new Brotherhood of Mutants teams are made of. The story, dialogue, and pacing are evenly balanced as Storm, Vulcan, and other characters get their time to shine thanks to Caselli's art and Federico Blee's colors.

X-Men Red #3 brings a more action-oriented chapter in the series as Tarn the Uncaring steps into the ring. While the Arakkii mutant villain gets his time in the spotlight, he isn't that impressive but provides a serviceable role in the story. However, the character who steals the show in this comic book is without a doubt Magneto when it comes to the story, dialogue, and art.

For fans wanting to see what led to the aftermath of Mars seen in A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1, X-Men Red #5 provides what you're looking for. The comic doesn't waste any time and goes right into the action, showing the red planet under assault by Uranos and his war machines. The fighting between Uranos and the mutants is cool with some unexpected twists and developments.

Final Thoughts:X-Men Red #6 continues to show the Arakkii mutants' defenders fend off against the war machines of the Eternal Uranos. Like previous issues, Magneto and his fight steal the show for most of the comic in terms of action, dialogue, and art. There is an explanation for his current state of being, but readers' mileage will vary on whether or not they buy it.

X-Men Red #7 directly follows up after the events of A.X.E.: Judgment Day #5 and shows the fate of Magneto and the people of Arakko. On top of that, it resolves the matter of Isca The Unbeaten and her betrayal, brief as it was, but the encounter proves to be both intriguing and anticlimactic. However, the ending does bring the promise of something better and certainly more exciting happening in the next issue.

X-Men Red #8 starts the final story arc for the series. Now that A.X.E.: Judgment Day is over the series can get back to its main story with Abigail Brand as the main villain. However, this issue is mainly setup and feels like it's cramming a little too much into it before it really gets things going. Madibek does a good job with the art especially when it comes to the Sci-Fi locations and aesthetic. While this issue is mainly setup, it ends off with the action just about to start so things will get more exciting in the next issue.

X-Men Red #9 continues where it left off with a newly resurrected Vulcan with his full mental state in order and ready to be emperor again. However, the fights don't really have any tension to them since past issues have undercut any menace Vulcan could've had in the series and Abigail Brand barely has a presence in this comic.

X-Men Red #10 concludes the storyline with the treacherous Abigail Brand and her plots for the cosmos, but the comic is sadly underwhelming. Despite the artwork by Stefano Caselli and Federico Blee's colors, the fight between Storm and Vulcan isn't that great. It doesn't help that previous issues have done the legwork to undercut Vulcan as a genuinely threatening villain and real challenge to Storm. As a result, there's no stakes or investment to this fight which has a foregone conclusion before it even starts. The story with Abigail Brand wraps up a little too quickly and her fate is left too uncertain, so hopefully another story will expand on what happens to her next.

Final Thoughts:Carnage Forever #1 tells a couple of good dark stories with Carnage to celebrate the character. The first story is good, but the others feel more like backups, so mileage will vary. The artwork and colors for the first two stories are good all around, so readers can expect Carnage in the book to look good.

Miracleman #0 delivers an Anthology that celebrates 40 years of the character in the modern age. It containsseveral stories all exploring different facets of Miracleman and his universe. Some stories will be more satisfying than others, whether it's the story, dialogue, or art. The comic does have a surprise in the end for fans of the character.

Red Goblin #7 continues the chaos set up in the previous issue as Normie's new symbiote Rascal goes berserk before it's stopped with a little help from Miles Morales Spider-Man. On the other hand, Crossbones shows up to fight the new Goblin Knight, and it's entertaining but also somewhat deflates his menace near the end of their fight. The comic does a fine job with the fights thanks to the art, as well as wrapping them up and setting the stage for the next issue.

S.W.O.R.D. #10 continues the series' new story arc which is in full-swing in this issue. After the revelation in the last issue, Wiz-Kid takes center stage in this comic. At first, some of the things he brings up are interesting, then it gets repetitive and uninteresting as the comic goes on. Mileage will vary on on whether what he says is compelling or not. The fight with the Lethal Legion gets some development, and introduces a neat concept for this current iteration of the villains, but not too much happens there.

S.W.O.R.D. #11 delivers the series finale that concludes this battle between S.W.O.R.D., the Lethal Legion, and Henry Gyrich. The art and action in this book are solid, and the writing is good with some fine pacing. The only problem is it's pretty predictable until the third act, where it drops a huge revelation that could definitely impact things for the X-Men and S.W.O.R.D. going forward.

Thanos: Death Notes #1 is more or less an anthology series that has three stories about the Mad Titan. Each story tries to cover and explore a certain aspect of the cosmic super-villain with some pulling it off better than others. However, this comic is just a tie-in to the core Thor series and barely adds much beyond identifying who the next major villain will be and what the story will focus on, which takes away a little focus from Thanos.

The Joker #15 finally concludes the globetrotting game of cat and mouse between Jim Gordon and The Joker. The resolutions in the comic are quick & predictable as it wraps up as much as it can while leaving a few doors open for a few characters. Jim gets his conclusion, which may prove dissatisfying to some fans of the character, but it at least puts him in a better place than where he began when the series started.

Doctor Strange #1 gives readers a chance to become reacquainted with Stephen Strange again. There's an undoubtedly positive presence to Stephen Strange that Jed Mackay gives to the hero even with everything that's happened in his life. But it's not just him feeling good about being alive, it's that readers get to see him be a sincerely helpful doctor to his friends and allies as well as be a mystical superhero too. The comic does its job to establish Dr. Strange's status quo moving forward while setting up the next big story for Stephen and his allies.

Dr. Strange #2 brings Stephen Strange and Clea into conflict with Stephen's old foe, Nightmare. But things are not as they seem. The story and writing is good and everyone is consistent with their characters, at least how Jed MacKay writes them. And while it's underwhelming to see Nightmare diminished once again as a villain, the story and the art made up for it in some ways. By the end, Stephen and Clea's story converges with Wong's from the first issue and set things up for the next issue.

Doctor Strange #3 takes some time from the main plot to show Parlay Day, where Stephen Strange and Dormammu spend a day together. The one thing that makes this book interesting is the trash talking between Strange and Dormammu, not much else sells this comic issue beyond that. Unfortunately, as a result this book is pretty skippable since nothing really exciting or fun happens until the tail end of the issue. The backup story might be cool for Runaways fans, but it just feels like fanservice that's in the Doctor Strange title for some weird reason. Overall, not great, not terrible, just an okay issue.

Doctor Strange #5 has Stephen and Clea come for the wedding of Umar and the warlord Tiboro, but readers came for the wedding crashers. The art and character banter are what sell this comic since most of it is character conversations until a little after the halfway point. Of course, the real show stealer is the big reveal of the main villain for this story arc. And mileage will vary from reader to reader since it's an idea that's been overdone, to put it mildly, in Marvel Comics. Hopefully, the next issue really sells the idea of the main villain in spectacular fashion.

Doctor Strange #6 reveals the origin story of "General Strange" and what happened to make him into the man he is. While there are some aspects of the comic that are interesting when it comes to depicting moments of General Strange's madness and brutality, the story unfortunately doesn't fully deliver on the concept of Stephen Strange fighting a mystical war for millennia that drives him mad. On top of that, the bonus page tied to the upcoming G.O.D.S. story was sadly underwhelming in this comic.

Doctor Strange #7 continues the confrontation between Dr. Strange and General Strange. The exchange between Stephen and his darker self was well-written and the emotional writing for the character is compelling in the comic. However, said confrontation wasn't really that eventful as it could've been. While the main event wasn't that suspenseful, the rest of the comic did a fine job setting things up for the next issue that should make things more interesting.

Doctor Strange #13 has the good doctor deal with a living fantasy role-playing board game called "Cobolorum". Off the bat, it feels like a fun concept, a Jumanji type story but with a Dungeons & Dragons version. However, the story's concept feels a little too big for the series to fully explore since it kind of has Strange and his adventuring party speed run through to the end. Also, the reveal of the main villain is a little underwhelming considering how they were depicted in a previous series written by Jed Mackay. However, with the main villain now established combined with the inherently fantastical nature of this story, there's still potential for the story to become more exciting in the next issue.

Doctor Strange #14 concludes the story of Cobolorum as Stephen and his allies face the game's evil dungeon master, Baron Mordo. Unfortunately, Baron Mordo is far from a serious threat or an entertaining villain here. He's more like a bad Saturday morning cartoon villain. On top of that, the comic's resolution feels a little rushed to wrap up the current story, so that it can tie-in to the upcoming Blood Hunt event. Thankfully, the art was good and Strange's solution for handling Cobolorum after the battle was quite empathetic.

Dr. Strange #18 shows how the aftermath of the Blood Hunt events finale affect Stephen Strange. The comic has some good and bad parts. The bad parts include Baron Mordos appearance which feels like an afterthought, and the unsatisfactory explanation of why the Vishanti wont take the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme away from Dr. Doom and give it back to Strange. But the best parts are the emotional moments with Dr. Strange as we see him at his lowest, at his most furious, and at his most wholesome with Clea. Its not the strongest series finale, but it has some nice parts to it.

Alien Annual #1 goes a few years back in time to show the Company's first live test run of a Xenomorph. Phillip Kennedy Johnson tells a solid Alien short story that has a beginning, middle, and end with a solid plot, dialogue, and pacing paired with Salvador Larroca's art gets to show off the alien Xenomorph once again.

Alien #9 shows how the colonists of Euridice fare against the alien Xenomorphs, and they're not doing too well. The writing by Phillip Kennedy Johnson is fairly good, especially with the character dialogue and pacing. The art by Salvador Larroca is good except when it's supposed to be scary and energetic, making the comic feel slow here and there.

Alien #10 shows the survivors of Euridice struggling to find hope and safety in the wake of the Xenomorph attacks. The story is fine and doesn't waste any time to get right to the horror of the comic, but it takes a few weird turns along the way. There are a couple of new surprises for Aliens fans, but mileage will vary on whether these new additions are good or not.

The storyline on Euridice inches closer to the finish line with Alien #11. Jane and her friends finally reach Gamma Station but trouble's not far behind as Xenomorphs relentlessly hound them. The dialogue and pacing are good, and the comic connects some things back to the first story arc. However, it feels like a last minute addition that may or may not have that much weight in this story, but we'll see if it bears fruit in the next issue.

Alien #12 concludes the story arc on Euridice. How Jane and the survivors make it out is believable for the story it's in, but how everything else proceeds is somewhat predictable for an Alien story. By the end, things are wrapped up between all of the relevant characters as neatly as possible as the comic prepares for the next story arc.

Eternals #8 continues to show more of the slow but steady progress of the small group of Eternals learning to change their ways. The book tries to show how each of them are trying to change in themselves while living among Deviants. Some are better executed than others, to say the least. The real stars are Thanos and Druig, who steal the show again as they are the ones driving the plot forward in this series right now.

Eternals #9 is a more exciting issue as it continues Thanos' invasion of the Deviant city of Lemuria. Once again, the comic focuses more on Thanos and his interactions with the city then it does on the Eternals except for a couple of them. The second artist on the book was a surprise, but their portion of the comic was well-drawn.

While Eternals #10 has the Eternals sneaking into Avengers Mountain, it reads more like setup for Marvel's upcoming Judgement event. Not that much happens here, but there are some interesting developments on Thanos' side of things in the story. Also, the comic does set things up for more action between the Eternals and Avengers to look forward to in the next issue.

Eternals #11 follows through on having the Eternals face off against the Avengers, or at least some of them. The reasons for the fight are still a little ridiculous, but they work for the story the comic's telling which leads to some solid action scenes. The art change with Guiu Vilanova is a surprise, but the artwork is still good and makes the comic a fun book to read.

Eternals #12 concludes the "Hail, Thanos" storyline, which ends with a weird thud. The comic quickly wraps up the fights between the Avengers and Eternals so it can finish the main story while laying the groundwork for the Judgement Day event. However, the main storyline with Thanos has some rushed developments for him, and it ends on an unsatisfying conclusion.

Final Thoughts:Eternals: The Heretic #1 tries very hard to sell Uranos as a villain worse than Thanos but comes up short. From his design to his personality and power set, Uranos doesn't really stand out that much as a memorable character. However, Uranos' backstory and contribution to the main series do fit within Kieron Gillen's worldbuilding for the Eternals. Also, the art by Ryan Bodenheim does a fine job depicting Uranos and the ancient Eternal civilization.

Fantastic Four #38 tells a fun story that is a bit of a jumping back on point for Fantastic Four readers. The story has its flaws, notably the comic introducing a potential retcon for one of the main villains in the comic. However, the comic book still manages to be fun for what it is, and the art and colors by Francesco Manna and Jesus Aburtov are pretty good.

Fantastic Four #39 resolves the court battle between the Fantastic Four and The Wizard with unsatisfying results. This issue was more uneventful compared to the last issue, but the art team does a solid job trying to portray the more emotional scenes. There is another "big reveal" made in the comic about The Wizard, but once you know the truth about it you might end up questioning where Dan Slott is going with it. Ultimately, this two-part story just feels like filler.

Fantastic Four #40 continues the Reckoning War and moves it into the next phase as the FF prepare to face the new villains. However, much of the comic book feels like more setup as it moves characters into place for future issues. It's okay, but it looks like the next issue will kick things into high gear.

Fantastic Four #41 continues the Reckoning War as the Fantastic Four face threats on two fronts. The most engaging part of the comic is with Mr. Fantastic's team facing off against the two warriors of the Reckoning, Rapture and her brother. They're not great villains, but they're distinctive and serviceable for the story, and it's where readers will get the most action and entertainment. Sadly, the portion dealing with the Human Torch and Annihilus is pretty underwhelming by comparison.

Fantastic Four #42 brings the next part of the Reckoning War. The art by Rachael Stott with colors from Jesus Aburtov and Erick Arciniega continues to be top-notch in this event. However, the big brawl between The Thing and Mr. Fantastic fails to deliver as the reason behind the fight is contrived, making the whole fight feel forced.

Fantastic Four #43 has Doctor Doom face off against the mysterious alien warrior called the Cormorant. While seemingly a one-off character, the comic does delve into the Cormorant a little that explains his relevancy now in the Reckoning War. The art from Rachel Stott and Andrew Di Vito with Jesus Aburtov's colors is at its best in the fight between Doctor Doom and the Cormorant. There are a series of side developments shown along with Doctor Doom's big fight, some of which advance the Reckoning War's main story.

Fantastic Four #44 is the penultimate issue of the Reckoning War and it's serviceable. It gets all of the main characters together so the Fantastic Four and their allies can finally face the Reckoning. Some story elements have poor payoff to issues of build up while others work well in the comic. The new artists in the book are fine since they don't take over the whole book, and the pages when the art changes is noticeable but still looks good.

Fantastic Four #45 wraps up the whole Reckoning War story as a massive epilogue issue. Everything is resolved and characters are mostly put back into their original places, but Dan Slott makes some big changes that feel excessive even for the Marvel Universe. It does end on the promise of new things on the horizon for the Fantastic Four and the Marvel Universe, but we'll see if these changes actually have any staying power.

Fantastic Four #46 sees Dan Slott's debut of Mr. Fantastic's estranged half-sister, sadly, she doesn't leave a good lasting impression. She's not much of a compelling character and doesn't really add anything to the FF dynamic as a supporting character. The comic also ignores the recent history and relationship established between Reed and his father Nathaniel Richards in Jonathan Hickman's Fantastic Four series for this story. The best positive thing about this comic is the art from Cafu for both the cover and the interiors, making it a good looking comic. Overall, Reed's new half-sister doesn't seem like a welcome addition to the Fantastic Four or Marvel Comics.

Fantastic Four #47 is a tie-in to the larger A.X.E.: Judgment Day event, but it's far more of a standalone story than anything else. It delivers exactly what it says in the synopsis: Die Hard with the Fantastic Four. The Invisible Woman is the main star here and the art from Juann Cabal with Jesus Aburtov's colors make the comic's action look good.

Fantastic Four #48 concludes this Die Hard-style story with The invisible Woman and Oubliette battling it out in the Baxter Building. The Invisible Woman has some cool moments in the comic, but the resolution with Oubliette was very underwhelming. The reveal about the villain leaves some potential for her future, but it's not set in stone whether anyone will do anything good with it in the near future. Also, while it's technically a tie-in to the Judgment Day event, it ultimately contributes little to the wider event and felt like it could've been a standalone story.

Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha #1 kicks off the new Reckoning War event that Dan Slott has been building up in the main series. It's a serviceable first issue that sets up all the main players and reveals who the new villains are. It serves its purpose to get things started, and the art team does an excellent job to make the comic and everyone in it look amazing.

Avengers #50, or Avengers #750, is more about celebrating the Avengers as a concept than the characters. It wraps up the World War She-Hulk storyline and brings some closure to several other characters in the series. However, the big story is the formation of the new Multiversal Masters of Evil, which has some promise as the comic sets up the next big storylines. The Thor backup story is well-written with excellent art and is an enjoyable comic book short story from Christopher Ruocchio and Steve McNiven.

Avengers #51 kicks off the new story arc with the Avengers vs. the new Multiversal Masters of Evil. The comic has a rough beginning, but when the new Masters of Evil show up, it gets much better. It's a good-old-fashioned clash between the heroes and villains, the art team do a great job illustrating the characters and action, and it's clear by the end that the fight has only just begun.

Avengers #52 has Captain America and Captain Marvel square off against two members of the new Multiversal Masters of Evil. The artwork, colors, and action between the heroes and villains are the saving grace of this comic issue. The story's focus on the kid Starbrand is underwhelming, but the comic evens it out with the Avengers facing the new Masters of Evil.

Final Thoughts:Avengers #53 continues the death hunt as Black Panther, Namor, and Valkyrie face off against Doom Supreme and Kid Thanos. The artwork is great as always, but the writing is serviceable with too much exposition hyping up these new Masters of Evil. The comic doesn't go far enough to truly show this Doom's great and terrible powers, and Kid Thanos barely does anything cool in the comic. It's fine, but I wish it was fun.

Avengers #54 concludes the fight between the Avengers and the new Multiversal Masters of Evil. The issue is mainly wrapping up some of the leftover fights and plot points from previous issues. It ends on a bittersweet note of victory for the Avengers, while promising bigger things to come later down the line.

Avengers #55 delivers a solid story with quick action and story developments that add up to moving the bigger storyline forward. The Serpent Society are used in a way that makes sense to the story being told, but their presence is very short-lived. Nighthawk is the main star of this comic, and mileage will vary if readers like the direction the story is taking him and the Avengers in.

Avengers #58 shows readers the Ghost Ronin, a new Japanese Ghost Rider from the past who steals the show mainly due to his design. However, as with the previous issue, the Avengers are backup characters in their own book and they don't really do much except talk and stand in awe of the Ghost Ronin. Hopefully the next few issues actually have the Avengers doing something again.

Avengers #59 takes the Avengers to the Wild West where they meet new users of the Phoenix and the Starbrand. The new characters are alright, nothing spectacular or memorable, but they're fine for this western story. However, there's no sense of danger or stakes in this comic, so it feels like it's only meant to show off the new characters instead of progressing the larger story.

Avengers #61 has the teen Starbrand, or Brandy, take center stage in this comic. Brandy is the main star of this comic, and readers' mileage will vary on that since she hasn't always been the most compelling character in this run. Not much is lost if you skip the issue. However, this issue does give Brandy some depth to her character that's mixed in with an interesting theme tied in with the Starbrand power and its users.

Avengers #63 is the second part of Jason Aaron's Avengers Assemble storyline where the Avengers and Multiversal Masters of Evil finally fight it out. The art from Javier Garron looks good and the action scenes are fine, but there's not much more than that. Aside from one or two fights, the battle between the Avengers teams and the cosmic Masters of Evil just doesn't have as much kick to it.

Avengers #64 delivers the fourth part of this storyline, but it's rather underwhelming. Yes, the comic delivers the big fight between Iron Man and the evil version of his father, Howard Stark, but the fight lacked strong emotional stakes since the Avengers have been on a winning streak against the Multiversal Masters of Evil, who similarly get taken down a little too quickly. However, the last few pages do end on the promise of the action getting ramped for the next part of the storyline.

Avengers #65 delivers readers the tale of how Avengers Prime came to be who he is. While the artwork and colors were good as usual, the story was very lacking. The origin story of this version of Loki is good on paper, but it wasn't pulled off in its execution. Overall, the comic was not as thrilling or compelling as it could've been. But hopefully the next part of this story will show this Loki in action.

Avengers #66 continues the deadly battle between the Avengers and Doom Supreme and his army of Dooms while showing what Mephisto has been up to. It's not the most amazing thing done with Mephisto, but it's fine. Despite the potential of what this powered-up Mephisto has to offer as a villain, he doesn't do much here, and it seems like the storyline is saving that for the next few parts instead of really showing Mephisto in action for this issue. Other than that, the comic is mostly recap and setup for the next two parts with some new appearances that should definitely provide more engaging action.

Thor #26 delivers the penultimate issue of the Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War crossover event. Readers get to see just what a Hulked-out Thor can do against the genuine article but the story doesn't stop moving as Donny Cates delivers some big action-packed moments illustrated by Martin Coccolo. Fans will enjoy the final moments in this comic as the event reaches its final issue.

Thor #29 kicks off a brand new story arc that looks like it will finally focus on that vision Thor had about Thanos. The comic delves right into the meat of the story and goes from point A to B to C to get everything set for the journey to come with Thor and Runa as he sets out to rescue his baby sister Laussa from Corvus Glaive.While the story isn't that excitable, it does get there near the end and sets up the next issue for even more action for both the heroes and the villain. Nic Klein's return to art on the book is a welcome surprise and makes the book look good like in previous story arcs in this series.

Thor #30 continues where the last issue left off with Thor and Runa seeing a glimpse into the past of Bor and Thanos having their own epic showdown. The comic keeps providing quick glimpses of cool moments like this that have more engaging things going on than the present story. However, there are still some fun things in the comic where Nic Klein's art gets to take over. There's also a surprise reveal at the end of the comic hinting at another popular Marvel supervillain showing up in this series.

Thor #31 concludes the previous story arc, while opening the door for the next story arc. Readers get an answer to what lies beyond the big door from the previous issue, but they also get more questions than answers, and it's not long before Thor is sent off to the next big problem connected to all of this. Not much happens in this issue, but its setup for the next issue ends up being far more intriguing than what happens in this issue. Hopefully, with who we see on the cover of the next issue, the story and excitement start to pick up again.

Final Thoughts:Thor #32 continues to show how far the plot thickens with the missing dead of Helheim and Valhalla and how Dr. Doom fits into all of this. However, most of what's set up isn't that thrilling or compelling in the execution. Dr. Doom's presence here isn't that great and his involvement with Hela's capture and the missing dead of Valhalla and Helheim is pretty underwhelming so far. The art change from Nic Klein to Juan Gedeon is very noticeable in the comic especially when Thor is in action. Overall, the comic is not terrible but it's not great either.

Thor #33 continues the journey as the God of Thunder finds himself in Latveria to face Dr. Doom. Unfortunately, the comic's actual story isn't as exciting as the synopsis makes it out to be. The comic tries exceptionally hard to show how epic and dire things are in the story, but they fall a little flat due to the art, character dialogue, and narration. Hopefully the next issue brings things back up a notch.

Thor #34 appears to be the penultimate issue of this story arc, where we see Thor vs. Dr. Doom vs. Thanos for the fate of a mysterious child who unsurprisingly turns out to be Hela. Don't let Nic Klein's cover fool you though, there's very little action in this comic between these three and Juan Gedeon's art sadly isn't up to the task of bringing such a battle to life. It also doesn't help that the comic wastes too much time on themes that are supposed to be grand but are poorly told and end up being extremely derivative of subject matter explored in past Thor runs. Unfortunately, this comic fails to deliver what should be an otherwise fun and epic comic featuring a battle between three of Marvel Comic's most popular heavy-hitters.

Thor #35 is the finale to this Thor run and it tries its best to wrap up everything it can into as neat of a bow as possible. As expected, not everything is handled well, some character resolutions are rushed, some story elements are overlooked if not outright abandoned, like Thanos and the Black Stone. Surprisingly, the endings to the stories with Thor and his father Odin are a little unexpectedly wholesome. The creative team do their best to give this story arc as clean a conclusion as possible, but sadly they fail to stick the landing.

Avengers Assemble: Alpha #1 kicks off the biggest story arc for this Avengers run. Everything with Mephisto, the Avengers B.C. team, and the mysterious Avenger Prime converges here as the two Avengers teams meet and have at it with each other. However, this issue's not exactly a good jumping on point for new readers. The art by Bryan Hitch is good for the most part, with some scenes feeling a little more static than others, but it's good overall.

Avengers Assemble Omega #1 finally concludes not only this storyline but Jason Aaron's entire Avengers run. Unfortunately, it's pretty underwhelming in most of the writing, particularly with Mephisto's motives and goal, along with how abruptly the villains are defeated so the Avengers could all basically fight a cosmic flood which feels aimless until the solution finally shows up. The only good things are the art as always from all the various artists in this issue. And the more heartfelt send-offs that Jason Aaron gives to some of the characters and especially the artists he worked with as he tries to end the story on a respectful note.

Avengers Forever #14 shows the big clash between the armies of Avengers and Dooms. The artwork is good and the comic goes for a more chaotic battle but the comic fails to deliver on some of the things it brings to the table, like Doom The Living Planet who doesn't do much in the comic. However, it does make one character, an alt. version of Steve Rogers feel like a compelling character to follow throughout all of the pandemonium. Judging by the ending of this issue, the next chapter of this story will be taking things up a notch.

Avengers Forever #15 is the penultimate part of this storyline in Jason Aaron's Avengers run, but it's a little underwhelming. We do get some good art from the art team, but it's the story that's lacking unfortunately. There is a nice talk between Robbie and Brandy (the Starbrand girl) but that's really the extent of their presence. There's a weird moment with Doom Supreme and Dark Phoenix that feels out of place, you'll know it when you see it. And the action with Mephisto in his current giant state is sadly mundane compared to all the crazier action going around. The ending sets the stage for the final part in this storyline, and hopefully the creative team can stick the landing.

Avengers: 1,000,0000 B.C. #1 is where Jason Aaron's provides the "answers" about Thor's true parentage. Unfortunately, the comic fails to make the reveal (and the retcon) of Thor's origins worth the wait and hassle. Not to mention, the rest of the Avengers B.C. team fall to the wayside as backups to the bitter melodrama between Odin and the Phoenix host.

In X-Men: The Trial of Magneto #4, Magneto's almost nowhere to be seen. The real focus is on the Scarlet Witch as she struggles to get herself together in the middle of all this chaos. However, the comic raises more questions than it answers, and the process of how Wanda resolves it, especially with her sons, is poorly executed. The only interesting thing left in this series is finding out who the killer is.

X-Men: The Trial of Magneto #5 brings this chaotic mini-series to a close with unsatisfying results. The comic answers who killed Wanda, but the reveal is not as impactful as expected. On top of that, the comic adds a big revelation on top of the other that doesn't make things clearer but more confusing and convoluted than this series already is.