Psycamorean's Profile

This was solid. Not sure it'll actually matter in the end, but honestly that's probably for the best.

This was pretty good, but it all felt a little rushed, like too much is being juggled and there's not enough page space for it.

This suffers from trying to do too much without the page space necessary to do it. It brings down the entire book because Matt Rosenberg isn't able to really put voice into any of the characters. Their dialogue needs to move the plot along, so there's no time for that snappy wit that Matthew Rosenberg's comics usually have. We see shades of his voice coming out with the inclusion of ridiculous concepts like UltiM.O.D.O.K. But it's not enough to make this issue seem like anything but an average miniseries that didn't have the time it needed to tell a story that was largely unnecessary and only exists to be a cash grab tie-in.

A very unnecessary anthology that got progressively better as it went on. The first Machine Man story felt extremely dated, just like Tom DeFalco's work in 2020 Machine Man. It's not worth reading. The second story with Alkhema was actually my favorite. It was well written, in my opinion! I hope Christopher Cantwell continues making his mark on the Marvel universe. The Doctor Shapiro story was cute and had nice art, but it was incredibly unnecessary and not worth paying for.

This isn't too bad, but I don't like the art, and the story hits all the obvious beats. It exists.

DispatchDCU is wrong in his review saying that this mini had nothing to do with Iron Man 2020. The idea of AI and its rights are the entire point of Iron Man 2020. It's a tie-in to the theme of the event and how the characters in Ironheart deal with it. That being said, this was fine. Unnecessary, but fine.

A few weeks (months?) ago, when Ironheart 2020 #2 came out, there was a review by DispatchDCU from Weird Science Marvel Comics, in which he made the point that that miniseries had nothing to do with Iron Man 2020. In my review for that issue, I openly disagreed with that idea. The core of the event is about artificial intelligence and what rights should be afforded to them. I say all this because if you really, truly want a tie-in that has nothing to do with the main event, look no further than iWolverine 2020. There is simply no reason for this to exist besides Larry Hama, for some reason, wanting to write an Albert and Elsie-Dee story. I can't imagine Marvel coming to him with the idea. It had to have been Larry Hama. This is just so, so disconnected. There's only one reference to the event at all in this issue. Now, if you want to make the argument that Albert and Elsie-Dee are being treated as property with no rights, and this series is about liberating these characters-- fitting fully in theme with the event, that's... Fine. I'm just shocked that this exists. It's written like a 90s comic. The art isn't quite so 90s, but uneven which could mean the same thing. It's really not worth it to anyone to read this tie-in. Stay away! Avoid it! It's not good! I will continue reading it because I am a slave to the comics machine and... once I've already dipped, I'm just going to have to double dip. That's just the person I am.

Well, this is still trash, and it ends as it began: pointless.

Even playing to nostalgia doesn't really make this interesting for me. I can't imagine what someone going in blind would think. Thankfully, this is only two issues.

The second part of Christos Gage's story was better than the first, and Tom DeFalco's story was just as bad this time around. This was a really weak miniseries tie-in.

Not much happened here, and what did happen was rushed, but I didn't find it offensive. I just wish there was more space to breathe with this one.

This was a pretty good issue that was clearly being affected by the page limits of a two issue miniseries. The ending was just rolling by the end there. I don't know if I made it known in my last review, but I remember thinking that this wasn't going to matter, but I'm thinking it might matter now. That tag for Iron Man 2020 #5 gave me hope, I guess. This may be one of the better tie-in series to the Iron Man 2020 event.

This was fine. The best story was Red Hood's story. The worst story was the Grayson story.

These anthologies are always tiring to get through. For every good story, there are a bunch that aren't. Skin the Cat was fine. It didn't leave an impression. Now You See Me was also just fine. Helena had more of the awful dialogue between Batman and Catwoman that Tom King's run on Batman relished in. But the ending was nice. I don't understand where the dialogue pattern came from or why it developed the way that it did, but it's like a knife to the story's Achilles tendon. It takes something that could be great and ruins it. The Catwoman of Earth is just nonsensical and awful. A Cat of Nine Tales has an interesting concept but the execution was a bit off. Little Bird was just oddly weird and very specific. I don't know what the writer was going for, honestly. Is that her version of Year One Catwoman? Born to Kiln was just a fun, simple story. Conventional Wisdom was a fun meta story, and I liked it. Addicted to Trouble was pretty damn boring. I was thinking of jumping back on to the Catwoman series since a new writer was taking over, but this short story convinced me to stay away. The Art of Picking A Lock was nice. It was not a bad way to end this anthology.

Anthologies are hard and usually not worth it but everyone buys these so I guess they'll just keep happening. Scars was alright. Just a standard horror story but with Joker pasted on top of whatever random monster it would've been otherwise. What Comes After A Joke? proves that Punchline is as bland as she seemed in Batman #92. Her origin sucks. So much for all the speculation and hype. Yawn. Kill The Batman ironically had a better punchline than the last story. It was fine though. Introducing The Dove Corps was one of my favorites from this anthology. It was just a lot of fun, even if it was a bit predictable. The War Within was not very good, but I see what they were going for. The Last Smile was fine. Nothing to say about it. Birthday Bugs was my favorite of the entire anthology. Unironically loved that one. No Heroes was fine. Slightly better than the other "fine" stories here. Penance was just a waste. It just was not good at all. Two Fell Into The Hornet's Nest was okay. It works infinitely better if you've seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Otherwise it's almost unintelligible.

Not a fan of anthologies, but maybe this will be okay. "Dark Things Cannot Stand the Light" is a solid opener, and I don't mind if Alan Scott is gay now. I wonder if this is part of an initiative on DC's part or if Tynion just decided to do it. This is his best work in a while, honestly. "Last Will" was fun. I don't have much to say about it, but it worked. "The Meaning of Fear" was fine. I could've done without it. It's a step down from the first two stories. "Time Alone" was really good. I enjoyed it a lot. I've never read Hard Traveling Heroes, but I think I may give it a shot. "Legacy" was pretty good. I was less enthused with it, but it didn't overstay its welcome. "Heart of the Corps" was very similar to the previous story. It didn't overstay its welcome. "Reverse the Polarity" was fine. I didn't really enjoy it much. It existed. "Four" was alright. I thought it was a bit hackneyed, but I didn't hate it. "The Voice" was good. I didn't mind it. "Homegrown Hero" was... Not awful, but it falls into this trap of being tone deaf. This tends to happen when a bad writer tries to make a point. I'm glad they decided to end the anthology on that of all things.

This was one of the better anniversary anthologies from DC. Maybe it's because I haven't been reading a ton of comics lately, but this felt more engaging than DC's other recent outings. It wasn't amazing, but it was solidly okay. I can't say it made me a big fan of Aquaman, but I did selfishly come up with ideas for if I would write Aquaman. I will not share them here.

This had some ups and downs, but I really don't know why I still bother with these 80th anniversary anthologies. They're never so good that they're worth their insane prices, and they never really get me hyped on the character they're centered around. They must sell because DC's made like 80 of them.

This a great deconstruction of Tony Stark as a character. Gillen really thins the scope of this event down, in a way that doesn't feel off, which seems like it's harder to do than you'd think given some of the tie-ins.

This is essentially what the main Eternals title would have become if it weren't ended at twelve issues. The whole AXE event is much bigger than the Eternals title was, and I'm glad to see our main Eternals team still have a place, and play a major role. If you had been reading Eternals, if you have been enjoying AXE, this is going to be an very enjoyable tie-in.

While the main series is a triumph in itself, this miniseries is the major crux of the story being told. I said in the last issue's review that this series is a continuation of Gillen's Eternals run, and I'd say that holds true in this second issue, but in a more indirect way. Our Eternals aren't given all the focus, but it still remains within the realm of that cast, if that makes sense. There's not a ton to say without spoiling, but the humanistic writing really makes this series charming, much like the Eternals run that came before this.

The response to this issue was to be expected. It really is just another issue of Eternals, although the narrative tries to elevate it to be more. That's not a dig at the issue because Eternals was great. This issue does set up a lot of the moving pieces and motivations for the event that follows, and I can't help but feel that not nearly enough people picked this up. But that is a failure of Marvel's marketing, not Gillen's writing. He's killing it. The only issue I have with this book, genuinely, is the art. It feels a bit unpolished and unfinished, which is not how you want an event book - even a prelude - to look. Pasqual Ferry needs a good colorist to back his pencils, and I'm not sure that's what happened here. Still, it's narratively satisfying for someone following Eternals and someone interested in this event.

This is more like it. Valerio Schiti matches Gillen's writing so well here, and paired with that Mark Brooks cover, this really does feel like an event. Although, with this artist, and the general feeling of Marvel not putting the work in to promote this event, I do get Empyre vibes. Not to say this is like Empyre or of the quality of Empyre. No, this is better. Gillen throws a ton at the readers in this issue, and it may seem a little daunting for some. After all, this did have a year's worth of build up in the Eternals title. But the character work and the scale of events should be enough to draw in new readers. That's the hope, at least.

This issue expertly builds towards a twist at the end that I really, really don't want to spoil. It's so well done and it really hyped me up for this event that I was already pretty hyped up for. It works as well as the final twist of Gillen's first Eternals arc did, but there is a distinction here. We should've all seen this twist coming, and the fact that we didn't is really impressive. The art is great, of course. Schiti kills it as always. The only downside to this issue is that there is a moment around the halfway point where I feel that the narration briefly loses the reader, because it is (I'm assuming) setting up tie-ins. I don't know, I haven't read any of the tie-ins yet, but that's what it felt like. The problem isn't the set up, but rather how it slightly jumbles the narrative to do that. But that's small potatoes compared to the overall achievement that this issue really is.

I could see how the twist at the end of this issue may leave some people feeling sour, but I think it worked really well in showing that there isn't an easy way out. The heroes of Earth are going to face judgment, and they've brought it on themselves. There are some great character moments. For instance, Cap's judgment is crushing, but he responds exactly how Cap would. The art is also incredible. This feels and looks like an event, and it lives up to the hype.

This issue is amazing. So many great moments. The ending carries its proper weight. I felt something, despite all the built-up cynicism I have for event comics in general. I really don't want to spoil anything. Everyone should be reading this one.

Everyone who liked this issue is right, and everyone who disliked this issue is wrong. I will not elaborate.

It sticks the landing.

Really good wrap up, especially if you were reading Eternals.

Probably one of the biggest issues of the year. You can tell by how some people have reacted poorly to it. I even saw some people outright lying about the issue to hate it more. Wonderful. I liked it. I do have some bothersome worries about it. That epilogue was quite a sour note to end on, especially after what I thought was a really satisfying twist at the end of the issue proper. It makes me question things a bit. We know from All-In that this is a universe where Darkseid wins and everything is topsy-turvy. Heroes have been stripped of everything, and villains seemingly are doing pretty well for themselves. And that makes me think two things: 1, Isn't this just another attempt at the Dark Multiverse, but boiled down a bit better? And 2, is constraining your new universe to this dichotomy, as this issue presents it, ultimately going to limit this universe's potential to stand on its own?

Neat enough. I didn't realize Clay Mann was drawing this issue until I got to that double page splash that really felt like a parody of Clay Mann's art. It was a jumpscare. I don't like his art. As others have noted, it doesn't really fit. Batman looks like a very different Batman. But I mean, it was pretty good, just hope we get the wheels turning next time.

This was so dope, man. My expectations for this were so high and I was still blown away. I probably looked insane whilst reading this book, as a large, toothy grin spread on my face 5 pages in and kept through till the very end. And I feel like that is only fitting for a book called Absolute Carnage.

I really enjoyed this. Just really fun body horror, with homages to plenty of classic horror movies. Just so much fun.

Still really into it.

This was pretty good, but also needless.

I really enjoyed this. Makes me excited for the new Ghost Rider book.

Man, that ending.

This is just explaining how Hulk got involved in Absolute Carnage. I hope we still get Immortal VenomHulk, despite the ending implying that Devil Hulk wants nothing to do with the symbiote. I mean, VenomHulk is still cool, but the Immortal variant is infinitely cooler.

I liked this, despite some clunky dialogue. Especially the Hawkeye parts.

Still loving this.

I liked this. I thought it was a fun one-shot. I wonder what this Weapon Plus stuff will inevitably amount to, it's pretty odd. But I can't say I'm not excited for what's next.

This was a fine tie-in, but definitely not necessary.

This was a really good finale.

I thought this was okay. Deadpool's hard to get right and I'm not sure that Frank Tieri does it. But I'm hoping that the next issue will be something better.

I liked this more than issue one, definitely.

This was fine.

Lol, fuckin' Demogoblin. I'm sorry, Demagoblin.

I was less impressed by Demagoblin this time.

The best thing about this issue is how Deathlok kinda looks like Deadshot from far away.

Pretty good issue, but not the most essential. That'll probably change with the next two issues.

This was neat.

Probably the ever-so-slight strongest of the bunch. Mostly because it just feels like an issue of Miles Morales, with Carnage undertones. The ending was pretty much what I expected it to be. I wonder how that ends up playing into the main event.

Eh, it's a Scream comic.

This is about the same as last issue for me. It's a Scream comic. I don't expect much of anything.

This was pretty good. But nothing special.

So far this event has been better than I expected it to be. That's the power of a great creative team given a whole lot of slop.

Shout out to Κυανό for the most unhinged review of the year. I mostly liked this. I just wish the ending had more teeth to it. I felt like maybe they were setting up Dreamer and Jon to be an item, but maybe they're just great friends. Either way, it would've been exciting for this clash between Jon and Jay to have more oomph and consequence. Maybe they should've broken up here. Jay as a character seems like a vestige of Taylor's Superman run, carried over but not really needed or wanted. We could give Jon some interesting pathos by doing it as well, as he often seems just as stagnant. But I guess a little hand-waving and "Oh, you"s is enough to get over your mother's assassination.

This event, as a whole, feels like a more competent version of the lackluster events DC has been plagued with since Infinite Frontier (Not that Death Metal was good, just that these newer events have a feel to them that Death Metal did not). It always seems like these events are an afterthought. DC doesn't really seem to have a plan, but the quarter is about over, and they needed some extra cash. Everything from the start of Infinite Frontier has led to this point and... when you look back at the journey, do you feel like it was worthwhile? I don't. And this finale kinda exemplifies why. We don't really get a conclusion here, not a real one. Sure, Amanda Waller is stopped and the day is momentarily saved, but did the characters really learn anything they didn't already know? Even Waller is just sorta brain damaged to end her reign. She never has to confront what she did, or learn a lesson. She goes down screaming into a camera, a maniacal super-villain that pales in comparison to what the character once was. Ultimately, nothing is really challenged. No characters have to confront an inner conflict. It's just smashing until the end where the one group has successfully smashed the other. It feels mindless. These events just come and go, and they're becoming so very tiring.

Desperate for real Waller characterization. Absolutely starved.

This mini lost me as it went on. Even with some sense of real characterization, the writer couldn't help but really turn Waller into a mustache twirler.

In Superman's very first appearance, he's introduced as a champion of the oppressed. In Action Comics #3, his third appearance, Superman intentionally traps a mine owner in his own mine, with rusted safety devices from his own neglect and carelessness for his workers failing to activate. This is directly in response to bad conditions in the mine leading to one of its workers being injured. If you think this comic is hamfisted or somehow out of left field, you've got to try reading some early Superman. I was not very excited for this one as the pitch didn't really feel like something I'd want to read. Thankfully, the pitch sort of buried the lead in what this book would be about. It's taking Superman back to some of his earliest roots, and that's something I've been wanting to see more of for years now. Glad there's a space for it.

Absolute Wonder Woman does what I've been begging the main book to do. The problem with the main book is that Wonder Woman is treated as basically an alien. She doesn't really understand our world despite living in it for.... decades. She speaks weird and she's very, very incongruent in her actions. It's like Tom King has not yet threaded the needle on consistent characterization. He has these moments in his mind that may showcase aspects of her personality, but the connective tissue is lacking. So you get an overly stoic, frustrating character to read about. Kelly Thompson is much, much better at characterization and dialogue, even if you feel she leans into the comedic side too often. She's also a woman, which I don't usually like to make a point of, because I think the idea that you have to be of a certain group to write that group effectively is really lazy, pandering and plain wrong. However, in this specific instance, I believe that it's really helping because Kelly Thompson doesn't have a cookie cutter archetype "othering" of a strong woman, fresh out of the Supergirl oven. She writes her characters with a lot more empathy than that, so this issue, we get that badass, strong Wonder Woman that she needs to be, but not at the expense of well-rounded characterization. All in the span of a single issue! And I'm not saying Tom King hates women or characters, I am only saying that in the writing hierarchy of what's most important to him, characters come last. That's why theme and plot frequently and disjointedly stomp out the characters in favor of The Point. It's also why King is great on unknown, dead or indie characters. With Kelly Thompson, I can tell you from reading a ton of her work, characters come first. The plot might even suffer for the characters, if need be. That's what we need on Wonder Woman right now, because she's currently stuck in this archetypal hellscape crafted by the mediocre 2017 movie that couldn't even support itself in the 2020 sequel. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the art by Hayden Sherman. It's maybe not as clean as some other art, but it's bursting with personality, which is very important. So far, it seems like the main line might just be pigeon-holed by the iron grip of editorial, if what comes out of the far more creative-focused line excels so effortlessly.

I think this is horrible and completely antithetical to the previous run.

Slightly above meh. The Question returns and I hope Bendis realizes he's not Rorschach, but that's for later issues. We'll see. I'm not very interested in the Metropolis crime world so far. None of the characters are particularly original. Clark is very happy about staying separated from his wife and child for reasons... It doesn't fit the Rebirth Superman run, but who cares?? Bendis pokes fun at One More Day because he's never done anything like that. I mean, if you ignore his last five years at Marvel at least. Oh, and his first year at DC if you remember last issue. Of course Red Cloud is one of the OCs Bendis introduced for his Superman run. No one saw that coming. No one. And I guess the stuff with the firefighter is something. The only reason this isn't a straight 5 is because the art is really good. Action Comics is just a dull series.

This series is too busy trying to establish these new characters created for this run, so there's not a ton left for Superman to do. He lets the villain go because Red Mist truly deserves more than one arc. She's the golden child of Leviathan for no particularly good reason. Much like Superman, this arc didn't really end, it just stopped. I was excited to see more Question this time around, after his appearance last issue, but he's not here, making his appearance feel all the more like filler. Despite all this, there were a few good moments, like Superman using his X-Ray vision and when he consoles the fire chief. But overall, still a lackluster issue.

This sure was a thing that exists. I think Lois is being insanely irresponsible, and her character usually isn't that. The stuff with Jimmy was fine, although Perry White comes across like J. Jonah Jameson, if he didn't know how to properly berate someone. The hell is "Out of this multiverse"? I'm severly uninterested in the plot revolving around the blue bombs, assumedly set by Leviathan. This issue was like a clip show, of all sorts of plots, but none very interesting.

This was yet another installment in a comic series that sure does exist. I'm not feeling anything for any of this. I'm pathetically apathetic about this whole thing. The tease at the end of more Question pulled at my care strings just a little, but if it's like last time where he cameos and then disappears again, I'm going to upset. I'll be doubly upset if he does play a major role and is written horrendously. At which point, I will look back on his first appearance as a blessing and never call back to it again when discussing this series and its letdowns.

I don't know what it is. Maybe something just clicked. I've found Bendis' writing really annoying lately. Before I thought it was lame and tired, but now I'm legitimately distressed when I read these comics.

Could we get a move on here? I know this says part four, but I feel like it's been going on for at least a three years now. We have plenty of page space to dedicate to Lois musing about undercover work and a random Checkmate callback, but not enough for actual plot. I'm sure this won't be as annoying in trade, but when I'm waiting month to month and I just want to be done with this storyline (which haha, is not going anywhere anytime soon), I get frustrated by how slow everything is. This wouldn't be as much of an issue if the character work was stronger, but it's Bendis so it's not. We just get asides and Bendis speak.

There was one Huntress line here about Talia and I legitimately cannot tell whether it's a typo or not. That's how much the dialogue has worsened. The story itself sure does exist, but it's incredibly slow and I'm completely underwhelmed by all of this.

This was such a pain to read. Bendis' dialogue simply doesn't make any goddamn sense sometimes. The art isn't great. I'm usually not one to be bothered by lackluster art, but the faces here were troubling. This issue was a boring, wordy """tie-in""" and I regret reading it.

There's no real progress here. We already knew that Leviathan was teleporting people through Event Leviathan. This book is a terrible bore because the plot is moving along at a glacial pace and most likely won't even be resolved in this book.

God this is boring.

I don't care about Naomi.

How do I put this nicely? I don't care. I don't care about the Red Cloud. I don't care about Bendis' Court of Owls. I don't care about Naomi. I don't care about anything Bendis is doing here. He's just as tired as his writing, from the looks of it. Only way I can rationalize the constant repetition in his work. And I don't just mean the dialogue. Characters, plots, all recycled again and again and again. I don't care.

This is a goddamn mess.

This was such a mess. The writing and plot are all over the place. It's like Bendis forgot how structure works. Every new development falls flat and makes me dislike this book more. The art is atrocious. Henry Abrams meet JrJr, and let's have a conversation about nepotism.

This issue is poorly paced and if the moments Bendis wanted to land had any chance of doing so at the scripting stage, the ungodly art made certain that they would not.

This story feels like it's going nowhere. Every single Bendis book feels like a rehash of another Bendis book. I feel like we've seen Young Justice do this like twelve times now, and I know we haven't, but everything blends together into a godawful mess. And on top of that, John Romita Jr's art is abysmal. All those action pages may as well have been 60s Batman onomatopoeia. I couldn't really tell you how panels connected or what was happening. This is an atrocious issue. I hope this series sheds readers fast.

This comic makes me want to hang myself.

This is just such a mess. You can have comics with multiple stories running through them. Those stories can be very complicated and nuanced too. You can do it! I've seen it done! But by "you", I don't mean Bendis. I don't remember his other work being quite so convoluted and embarrassing. I think this is a new frontier for Bendis' decline. Sure, he's had runs where plot details are barely explained or referenced, and seemingly slapped together in a haze of smug. But this is just on a whole new level. It'd be impressive if I didn't have to read it. And you know what doesn't help a written mess? Adding messy art to it. John Romita Jr. did some great work back in... 2000. His run with J. Michael Straczynski on Amazing Spider-Man was honestly good. I compared that series with the last issue of this title, and the difference is palpable. It's unfortunate, but JRJr is past his prime, and giving him a book with multiple look alike characters makes it all the more evident that we're in for a convoluted saga that will progressively get worse. There's one page near the end of this issue that made me feel dizzy. It was the page with the Kents and a bunch of headshots of the various Supermen. It gave me a headache. This series makes me feel shitty.

This is a slog. I think the story is just... All over the place. I can't bring myself to care about what's happening. It seems like Bendis has so much that he wants to tell, that he can't figure out how to tell it. The art, as always, is mostly terrible aside from one or two bright spots... An inverse of JRJr in his prime. This is just a terrible comic and DC really needs to let Bendis go to a book that may be marginally more suited to him.

There is so much talking in this issue, and most of the time it's inane bullshit. But this issue actually managed to work for two or three pages. It was an amazing spectacle, you should've been there. When Superman had to deal with death, it honestly worked for me. I didn't think Bendis was capable of that anymore but, turns out, he is. Now, I'm not entirely sure why the Invisible Mafia did it? It seems like a self defeating plan. I also could not care less about what's happening with the Daily Planet. But like, those two or three pages gave this issue a boost. It's not going to be a good score, but it'll be better than what Action Comics usually gets.

I wish this comic wasn't such a mess.

This issue is worthless. The Superman family pages are spent mostly regurgitating a plot synopsis at us, or repeatedly telling us the current situation as though we'd forget between pages. And then the stuff at the Daily Planet is genuinely pointless. Nothing is revealed. Ms. Leone just continues saying the same things over and over again, as if she knew she had to cue up the cliffhanger, but couldn't time it correctly. The only reason to read this issue is to find out how Superman and the others defeat that monster, and it's not worth it. You can skip this issue and not miss a thing.

Oh, this is just so poorly written. I don't understand. But I also don't care. The resolution of the Daily Planet stuff has already been known for literal months. And I still hate the Multiverse concept from Lois Lane, which I guess must be resolved now even though we get barely any answers? Whose terrible idea was that? Bendis or Rucka? This is just the worst and there's another whole issue after this! Ugh.

I don't want to talk about this anymore.

This wasn't bad, but I'm having trouble being interested?

The main story has a lot of potential, but it's not quite there yet. I'm optimistic, however, since I do like the idea of Superman facing his mortality. The backup was fiiiine. I just didn't find it very interesting. I do like the tone of the Midnighter backups, however, and that remained consistent here.

Not a bad issue.

I don't have much to say about this one. It's fine. I think the part about abuse and the way that was handled was... relatively decent. However, I find myself apathetic. I was excited for the sea kaiju. Not because I care, but rather because action means the issue is going to move along faster and end quicker. That's not a great place to be. The Midnighter backup is also kind of nebulously okay. It feels like a necessary part of the story, but not an entirely rewarding part of the story.

I do not find the House of El future very interesting. It kind of reminds me of that alien race from the most recent Superman arc, also written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson. It's just a whole lot of information about these new(ish) characters and no reason to care. The best thing about this issue is Cyborg Superman's inclusion, and that should say something.

I liked the politics at the beginning of the issue. I'm just like it way more than punching, for some reason. It's my hobby, I guess. The latter half of the issue isn't quite so interesting to me, hence the lower rating. I just find that part of it... The Warworld part... pretty boring.

This was a better issue. I really like the tenseness of the stuff with the super-family and Atlantis. I would read a comic like that every week. The stuff at the Fortress of Solitude is way less interesting. It just doesn't match that feeling I want from this title. The backup is... crazy, and I'm glad it's almost over.

Pretty convoluted and not very satisfying as an ending.

Eh. This was pretty good, but I have kind of disinterest in this whole plot line. I wish we focused more on the political stuff that kept the superfamily busy this whole arc. It's just so much more interesting than Warworld. The backup was fine but I'm really sick of these backups altogether. It's just a waste of time and money.

You know, I went into this with a ton of cynicism after all the buildup, most of which I felt was either boring, bad or unnecessary. Buuut, this is actually really well done and I'm actually excited about this one now. I hope it lives up to this first issue.

This is a good issue, but it didn't hit as hard as the last one. Even though, by any measure, it had bigger moments in it. Also, petty drama, Merlyn is legitimately stupid. Like, sure that could be assessed through much of what he's said, but like... oh my god, his review here is... very telling. That one should go on the subreddit.

I really loved the main story. It was very well written and has sold me on this Warworld story. It truly feels hopeless, which in turn really sells Superman's heart. I can't wait to read the next one. On the other hand, the backup really feels unimportant. I don't connect with it. I think it is a waste of money. The sooner DC drops the backups, the better.

This is becoming such a great comic. It feels like PKJ was just gearing up for this one since the run started, and everything that came before this was necessary, yet not quite so exciting reading. I appreciate it in hindsight. I would rate this even higher but the Martian Manhunter backup is really not engaging with me.

I really enjoy the main story here. I think it captures Superman's character very well. It's all tonally consistent. The story is dark, but Superman isn't Zack Snydering his way across the page. It's just really well done, and I wish I had a more interesting way to say that. The backup is... out of place. It doesn't hit anywhere close to the height of the main story. It's a very basic feeling Martian Manhunter story. Yet another point towards DC dropping backups instead of charging a dollar more for their comics.

This is a good issue, but I can't help but think it's a slight downgrade from what's come before. It mostly has to do with this issue focusing mostly on Midnighter. The hopeful side of this story isn't really present, because Superman isn't. Part of what makes this story work is that despite how grimy and dark, and depressing everything is, that hopeful element is still there. Without that, the story just feels a little bit empty. It's still well-written, and the art is nice, however. The backup isn't worth your time. It's a very boiler-plate superhero story about Martian Manhunter. I'm not sure why DC is insistent on backups in these titles, when they're so often not worth it.

There are some great character moments here for Superman that make up for a story that doesn't move forward much. I really loved the art though. I think the backup was fine, but I really can't get behind backups as a concept still. Not to be a broken record, but after more than a year, I still feel like these backups are wasted time and money. The stories have to be small, or oddly structured, to work within the constraints of the format, and it leads to very safe, and rather boring stories. I'd rather just get a normal issue.

This is a solid issue of Action Comics. PKJ manages to tell an engaging story that I didn't expect. The art change is done well. There's not much to say. The backup is also much better than the last one. I'm fine with backups as long as they serve the story being told, such as here.

This was a well done annual. With the benefit of hindsight, there is a question of what the overall point of this annual was. I understand it as a singular piece but as part of the Warworld Saga, I haven't felt its importance. On its own, I think that both stories are well written, with the slight edge being given to Mongul's story, actually. I just felt it was more interesting, even if it fell for the usual savagery tropes that you typically see. Not to say Clark's story is remarkably worse. I do have a question though: Is Martha having cancer a new wrinkle in the canon, or is that something brought back from a now-forgotten story? I felt like it was weird how much it was both the catalyst for the story, and also how much it felt glossed over, like the reader should already know. Like it isn't a new development. That's why I ask, I'm not incredibly familiar with Superman's history. The art is great, of course. Both sides manage to tell their stories deftly.

This issue feels like the plot is really beginning to coalesce. After months of build up, the steps taken in this issue feel earned. I was critical of the early parts of PKJ's run, and I stand by that because this current arc sort of cements my problems with those early issues. Those issues tried to tell a higher concept story but without the methodical pacing of this arc. We were thrown into the unknown, alien concepts without any sort of acclimation, and then we were gone before there was any chance at adjustment. I would really like to know if that initial crossover between the two Superman titles was originally intended, or if Bendis left earlier than expected.

A slight but noticeable downgrade from the last issue. While I am still enjoying the main story, it was a slight bit of jumbled this go around. I did really enjoy the ending though, and I hope it delivers next issue. The backup was really enjoyable. It had a nostalgic feeling to it for some reason, even though it's supplementary to the main story. It just hit the right notes for me, random as that is.

This issue manages to capture what makes Superman such an endearing hero.

A fitting end to the Warworld Saga. I really hope that wherever PKJ's run goes next, that it can maintain the quality of this story. It's been a long time since Superman has been this good. Let's keep it up.

This is, for the most part, just a celebration of Superman's unending optimism and I'm here for it. I just really like a an unabashedly positive Superman, that isn't bogged down by terrible side plots. Which is rarer than you'd think.

Not quite as great as the last issue, but still solid.

This was a really good issue. I really like where Superman seems to be heading. Also, all these people comparing this issue to the Daredevil story are outing themselves as fake comic book fans. Real fans remember when Spider-Man did it.

This first Dawn of DC title is a really good start. PKJ's run continues to be really engaging, even as the cast expands. The Jurgens story with young Jon manages to capture the spirit of the Rebirth era. The Leah Williams story with Powergirl was a bit too wordy, but the concept is actually pretty neat so far. Also, it's actually starting to get kind of obnoxious that people are still refusing to accept that Jon has been aged up and he will never be a ten year old again. I mean, never say never, but Jon being turned into a bisexual character basically secures his age up forever. DC simply won't revert his age, because of the questions and blowback it would get. At this point, the only people more obsessed with Jon's age after four years than these people are on sex offender registries.

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This was a really engaging, really smartly written comic filled with some incredibly stupid fun ideas.

I enjoyed the way Constantine was written in this. I'm a big proponent for the idea that Constantine should not interact with capes, however if you are going to do that, this is the way you write him. Unimpressed and annoyed.

I guess I was the only slightly disappointed by how rushed this final issue for PKJ's run was? I liked it, it was good, but I don't think the ending was supposed to come this soon.

I usually find Bizarro stories annoying to read, as the Bizarro speak is almost never consistent. It was here, as far as I could tell, so points up for that. It's about what I'd expect from Aaron, lots of entrenched lore references that don't really require any real knowledge, and a sort of epic feeling. That makes me sound like I disliked this, but I didn't.

Look, Aaron has his tropes and they're very present in this set of issues. Some other brave comic fan could probably place pages upon pages of very different comics together for comparison and notice the very apparent repetitious use of tropes. For instance, in order to establish scale, Aaron will often point to disparate locations and people and show how they react to an incident. He did it in this story, and he did it Avengers, and he did it a lot in Thor. It worked better in Thor since Aaron's prose has a sort of mythic vibe to it, which is well complimented in Thor. In a Bizarro story, it doesn't quite work as well. This isn't a bad story, nor is it nearly as exciting as I'm guessing the editors at DC wanted. It's pretty good. It's fun enough. I don't have much to say about it.

This is the best issue in this arc. Aaron lets loose a bit and manages to give us a bit of a unique ending.

This brief stint by Simone and Rowell made for a very solid set of Superman stories. There's a nostalgic beat to Simone's story that I really enjoy and Rowell's story, while slightly dragging in the middle, does what Rowell does best: delivers on that juicy character drama.

I really like Waid's voice on this first issue. It feels very confident. The backup by Tamaki poses questions, which are somewhat interesting, although I'm not hooked.

A fine story, but nothing to praise really.

This was a lot better than I expected. The chemistry between Frank and JJJ is actually really great. And the ending managed to be a bit poignant, even.

Neither story here was particularly well written. This annual is less about Venom than it is about Lady Hellbender, a character whose tragic backstory doesn't really help her as she bounces from cliche to seductress cliche. And the whole "villain" angle goes out the window when you already know what she actually does, which you would if you've read Totally Awesome Hulk or Monsters Unleashed. The entire origin story feels like a pointless tack on to an already pointless story being told with Venom. I don't expect that much from these Acts of Evil annuals, but this one didn't even clear my low bar. The only thing interesting (notice: I didn't say good or bad) is Venom's weird design. It's so odd that you just have to see it.

I liked this surprisingly.

This was pretty good, or maybe I just really like Bullseye.

A surprisingly good Acts of Evil annual.

This was a solid issue. Although, I prefer a more unhinged Moon Knight. This feels like Moon Knight at his most straightforward.

Meh.

This is pretty good. I hope the story gets a bit more interesting from here, but this was a good introduction.

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This is pretty good. I don't have a bad time reading it. I just don't care about what's happening. Not even in a negative way. I feel indifferent. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

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This miniseries had potential, but was ultimately filled with ineffective, boring, bland storytelling. The art wasn't able to elevate it, which I feel has been a hallmark of Taylor's work lately (See Redondo on Nightwing). It just doesn't do anything to progress the narrative or the characters. And it isn't a fun read regardless of that. It's just bland. Who cares? JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

I really wish this series would have a story worth caring about. This is the same problem that Supersons fell into. The characters' chemistry works but for some reason, Tomasi just can't figure out an intriguing story to go along with it. Plus, the pacing of this series is all over the place. We get a scene where Joker Jr. retells what we learned last time for no reason. And otherwise, there's almost no plot progression, but rather a diversion. You'd think a planned miniseries would have a tighter story, but I guess not.

I liked this issue a little more than the last. The largely mediocre main plot takes a back seat, save for a page or two, and we get an alright done in one story about Damian and Jon trapped in an alien version of the House of Mystery/Secrets... And it's fine? There's not much to say about it, to be honest.

I find this series a chore to get through each and every time it's out. It being the first issue alphabetically, and therefore the first issue I read, it actually makes me wary to read DC at all. It makes me re-evaluate my concept of what makes a good story. I always think that good characters are at the core of a good story. But then this series comes along, with its great protagonists and their great dynamic and a big ball of nothing for a plot and I'm dreading it like an impending doom. But on the other hand, it really only has the two great characters... Well, one and a half, Damian is very lucky someone tried to make him likeable... The villains suck and every character outside of the two sucks. So I can't really see this series as a definitive reason why I'm wrong in my idea of what makes a good story. I think maybe my praise in the past for the characters was a little misplaced even. This series needs a plot and villains worth caring about instead of the main two characters being dragged through what feels like last second decisions to twist and turn this three issue plot into twelve issues.

This issue was better. I wasn't completely bored by it. And at least the main arc is finally getting attention again.

Meh this is the usual Super Sons. Good protagonists but a lackluster plot that feels like it's going nowhere. I think art took a hit this issue, especially Superboy's hair. This is a frustrating read because this series has so much potential and it's continually squandered.

This was fine, but still way too bland for my tastes.

This issue was fine. I just wish this series wasn't spent on plotlines that did nothing but bring the comic down. While this main plot isn't the most exciting, either, it feels like it has some sort of weight at least.

Honestly, I'm just bored of this story. It's never really been anything that good or great. I feel like the story is throwaway. I really do enjoy the dynamic between Jon and Damian, but it's just not enough for this really disjointed and boring story.

This is a miniseries of wasted potential and boring storytelling.

Wasn't expecting much. In fact, I thought this was going to suck. But I thought it was pretty good and an easy read.

Not feeling this one.

I'm hoping these two Atlas series aren't really ongoings because they always drag me down when I know I have to read them.

This wasn't horribly written. I just have trouble finding a reason to care.

This is very mediocre.

Same as usual. The main story is quick, full of fluff and generic. The backup is poorly written, mostly due to the page count restraints, I believe. I'm glad it wasn't that pointless, I guess. Really depends on if Atlantis Attacks holds up its end.

Wow, what to say... This issue sucks. I don't know which writer to blame, but the dialogue and the narration are so stilted. It feels like they didn't know what else to write, so they wrote the most clichéd and obvious things they could. Like it was a challenge for them. Thankfully, like with Sword Master last week, there are no more backups, so this issue went by quickly. I'm excited for this race towards cancelation.

This blows. Who is reading this? Why is it still going?

This just isn't very good.

It's been five months and I still don't like this series. Why it wasn't a casualty of COVID really boggles my mind. Not even Iron Man could make it interesting. I read somewhere that this series was originally released in much larger volumes, and that may be why barely anything happens issue to issue in the American release.

This is just a bland, bland comic. It just feels lifeless. It's not even particularly bad, it just exists.

It was a pleasant surprise to see that this title (and Sword Master) is ending with issue 12. I don't understand the appeal here and I find this series to be incredibly bland. The issue ends on a tease that I honestly wouldn't mind never being fulfilled. It features a character I barely remember. The most satisfying thing about this issue is that it's the end.

This was okay. This could be become something better but in order for that to happen, the world needs to be better defined. So much happens in this issue but we're not given enough time or information to really care about any of it.

I really found this issue boring. The action doesn't really work and the characters are not that interesting. It seemed like the same character beats kept repeating over and over. Belit is not captain, but she thinks she is. Again and again.

This issue really fails to flow and that's its biggest problem. It is getting the basics of comics wrong and it's a shame.

This is just poorly written. Any attempt at an epic story is lost in a sea of bad pacing and inconsistency. At least the art isn't as bad this go around as there's not much action for the artist to sequence break. I'm just very disappointed with this title as a whole since I know the writer can do better.

This was probably the best issue of the miniseries? I don't know what happened for the majority of this series, but this issue mostly came together and told a nice story. Weird.

This was pretty good, if a bit predictable.

Pretty good issue, albeit there isn't much to it.

I generally like the writing here. But there's a few things that bring it down for me. Typically when it comes to the flashbacks. They are written from the perspective of a young Valeria, and therefore the betrayal she mentions is outright silly, yet it's treated seriously.

This is fine, it's just not all that interesting. It falls into the trap that the previous Age of Conan miniseries fell into. It's so by the numbers.

This was fine. There were only two ways this series could end, and I honestly never anticipated the second way. But I think that's more indicative of where I placed this series in my mind. I didn't expect this ending because I thought this was going to be strictly by-the-numbers and obvious. In the end, I don't regret reading this, but I just question the purpose behind this series. Did Meredith Finch really have a story she wanted to tell, or was Marvel really insistent that they have another Conan book on the shelves?

I thought this was good. I'm more intrigued about this event now. Before I was pretty uninterested, but this dystopia caught my interest. Props to the writers for making me care a bit.

Pretty good wrap up.

Like most everything Seeley writes, this was a tepid and boring comic with inconsistent tones and dialogue. We were all having a nice time with Age of X-Man, most of the miniseries were good. This one is definitely the dud that will drag everything else down.

Man, this was a bad issue. Very little cohesion, very little forward momentum in the plot and very little substance. Too much cliché, too much clunky dialogue and too much Seeley.

If you like Seeley's crappy dialogue and writing, you'll love it.

At least things are starting to happen.

This was probably the best issue simply because I'm a sucker for villains dressing down their opponents, and Apocalypse does a good job with that here. But it all kind of falls apart in the end when the X-Tracts forgive him. I'm glad this series is over. It was easily the worst of the Age of X-Man comics.

I enjoyed this first issue. It was pretty neat how it fits with Marvelous X-Men and X-Men Disassembled. I really like Glob so I was very okay with a slower issue focused on this poor, poor dude.

I liked this a lot. Glob is the best.

This book is really fun if you like the characters.

Pretty good issue. If you like seeing these characters interact, you'll like this issue.

While rushed, I do like the idea of this final issue. Unfortunately, it didn't exactly hit the mark. This series was fun though and probably the best of the Age of X-Man stuff.

Solid first issue. Nothing really made me excited, but I had a good time reading this and I have no real problems with it.

About as good as the first. I really thought the ending was neat.

I liked this issue well enough, even if there wasn't much plot moving forward. I think it comes down to liking these characters and seeing a few of the cracks in this universe.

I liked this issue. I think it had a really nice build up and things got insane in a fun way near the end.

This was a really solid finale. It felt like an actual ending. I'm hopeful for the Omega issue a little more now.

I wasn't really excited for this one in any conceivable way. It just seemed like an uninteresting concept. But I really enjoyed this. It was great. It was over before I knew it. I don't know, it just worked really well for me and kept me hooked.

This is good. I'm excited to see where this leads, although I'm pretty sure it'll only end badly.

I know some people find it boring, but I like this miniseries. The characters are fun to read about.

I like it. I find it interesting.

This was also rushed. There are parts of this miniseries that I really enjoyed, but in the end, it seems these stories are having trouble being satisfying while still fitting the oppressive narrative that they need to.

Man, I'm into this a lot more than I thought I'd be. Age of X-Man might be cool after all.

This was pretty good, but not as good as the previous issue. The first half, especially, really dragged. Maybe that had something to do with me reading Apocalypse and the X-Tracts before this, but I really wasn't feeling it. The second half, which was more introspective with the characters, was much more interesting. That's what I want from this title.

Overall, I enjoyed this issue. I think things are just moving way too slow here. Not enough is happening to hold my interest and the world itself is becoming less and less interesting the more we see it.

This seems like it isn't really going anywhere. The pacing is a big issue.

This was good. I don't think this idea was executed to its full potential but it did enough to keep me reading. Overall, this miniseries was just like the event itself. They didn't really know what to do with it and so we get a lot of great ideas but mediocre execution.

This has an interesting premise, but I wasn't very into the execution. The art was too rough for me and I feel like some of the characterizations were rushed, if that makes sense. Also, it's odd that Blob is much more reasonable here than he was in NextGen. That type of disparate characterization could be the downfall of this type of event. Let's hope this gets on track with issue 2.

While Blob is still much more sympathetic here than in other Age of X-Man miniseries, I was able to look past it for a really good issue. This was a big jump from issue one and I'm glad it got back on track.

I liked this issue. I found the characters interesting enough, even if some of the dialogue felt off. And I like that they're not just ignoring the Betsy body-swap from Hunt For Wolverine and that it's still having a lasting effect on the character's mental state.

Really shoddily written and drawn, honestly. I see what they were trying to do, but the pacing didn't work and neither did the mostly out of nowhere focus on Jean Paul.

This wasn't too bad. I feel like this series just became so disjointed after issue 3. I do think, despite that, this has the most solid ending as any of the miniseries ended yet.

There are good elements but ultimately, this is a tiring read.

Better than issue one for sure. Still not that into it, however.

Meh. Things happen.

This is so frustrating because there's what could be a good story, buried under way too many characters, self-indulgent dialogue and plenty of tired tropes.

This miniseries has no ending. It just leads into the next miniseries. I don't really want to read more, but I guess now I have no choice. This miniseries, like the War of the Realms tie-in before it, is bloated with too many characters, and not the best story.

SPOILERS I was put onto this book by a Bleeding Cool article. This should have been my first sign that what I was about to read would be twisted. To be even more specific, the article was about the prequel/sequel to this book, Providence. This book was just a means to get to "The Watchmen of Horror". Avatar Press did a recent reprinting of the trade paperback for Neonomicon (which by the way, has a terrible cover compared to literally any of the covers or gallery art inside), and I snatched it up with Providence as well. I went into this mostly blind, with the general idea that Moore was going to deconstruct and examine HP Lovecraft. As someone who enjoys Lovecraft, I was interested in this. And on the other side of this initial volume, I can say Moore did exactly that. I have a lot of genuine love for this book and the concepts therein, but I think that Moore intended to do something that I find a bit problematic. I don't think he made a mistake or stumbled here. I think it was deliberate. Moore is a great writer, who puts so much thought into every single thing he does that I can't reasonably say he failed to notice the larger implication of some of what he does in this book. Packaged with Neonomicon is something called The Courtyard. It is a comic book adaptation of a prose story that Alan Moore had written in the 90s. I'll get it out of the way now: The Courtyard is the best part of Neonomicon. The prose is so good, what we get of it. The story has just the right amount of intrigue in such a slim, succinct package. Moore had a fun story to tell with Lovecraftian elements, and it's executed near flawlessly. I'd be remiss if I didn't give credit to Antony Johnston, who no doubt did a fabulous job with the adaptation. Aldo Sax is an Nazi asshole, and the immediate comparisons and inspirations from Lovecraft himself are apparent. His brash, no nonsense (while obsessed with nonsense) narration works so well. I am telling you, Moore doesn't miss with this. The breach into insanity that comes with Aklo is an explosive affair followed by a spiral descent that takes the reader with it, and the consequences of it hit hard. It has Pulp in its veins. It just works. If this is all we ever got from this world Moore created, I'd be wholly satisfied. It's yet another example of Moore's incredible ability. However, Moore had some taxes to pay off, so he decided to continue the story with Neonomicon. This isn't to say that this book was a rush job, or that it's bad, or that it's corrupted by the motives behind its inception. I just think it's worth noting. This story takes place in the aftermath of the last, and focuses on two FBI agents picking up the pieces where our previous protagonist left off. Gordon Lamper and Merril Brears. Lamper is the lesser of the two characters. His role is meaty, sure, but he's there more to play off of Merril than to have his own arc. Merril is a sex addict who is finally back on the job to investigate a sex cult. Neonomicon is definitely more involved than Courtyard was. The deconstruction begins in earnest here. It really helps to understand Lovecraft as a person for this one. There are moments where characters will talk about him and his work, and Sax as a stand-in, at the end, basically spells it out. I just really think it helps to stomach the explicit nature of this story. Lovecraft was a fearful man. Not just of blacks and browns, or other minorities, but of sex and the unknown. And those last two frequently overlapped because Lovecraft was fairly asexual. So, the broader point of this story is that the Lovecraft mythos is not only real, and Lovecraft just wrote about it, but that it manifests through a sort of biblical way. Merril's womb is R'lyeh and she's going to birth Cthulhu into the world, to destroy everything. That's what this story sums up to be. How it gets to that point is the more frustrating element. Merril and Gordon are investigating Johnny Carcosa, who was introduced in The Courtyard, as the person selling Aklo. Of course, he's not actually a person, but an avatar for Nyarlathotep. An Outer God who sows chaos and madness, in an attempt to enact the will of the other Outer Gods. Which is exactly what he does here, as the investigation into him leads these FBI agents towards a sex cult in Innsmouth. They attempt to go undercover as patrons of Lovecraft and sex, only to be outted in the midst of an orgy they have no interest in taking part of. This leads to Gordon being shot dead, and Merril being raped by cultists. Eventually, this raises the orgone levels enough to summon one of the Deep Ones, a race of creatures that frequently develop relationships with human communities, in order to trade treasures for subservience. In this instance, the Deep One has sex with the cultists for pleasure. However, it takes a unique interest in their new captive, Merril. So, the cultists keep her locked away with it, where it then rapes her for several days. Eventually, she pisses in front of it, and it tastes the pee. This leads to it breaking her out of captivity and saving her from the cultists. She immediately sends in the FBI, who kill the monster and the cultists. At least the ones still left after the monster turned on them. So, if it's not clear what happened here, here's a summary: The sex addicted woman is raped by sex cultists and then by a fish monster, who impregnates her with Cthulhu. The piss tasting was like a pregnancy test. After this, Merril becomes a confident woman, no longer struggling, and she wants to take out the world. This is problematic to me. Again, for the third time, Merril is a sex addict. The story has a weird hangup about it too. Like, she's constantly reminded of it by others. It comes up a lot. And then she goes through this severely traumatic experience involving sex, only to come out stronger for it? Very odd. And yeah, Moore adds some dialogue in there that basically makes it sound like Merril is being controlled by the Cthulhu growing in her womb. But that's said at the end of the story, so for at least an issue and a half, she's slowly warming up to this creature and exudes a new confidence, inexplicably, through her rape and trauma. Big ol' yikes for that one. Now, there is something to counterbalance that. Moore isn't a hack, as much as he loves to use rape as a device in storytelling. Why is everything so explicit? Why is there a sex cult, whose orgy is so incredibly lascivious, to the point where they just burst with excitement at the size of a fish monster's penis, and how giant his load is? Well, there's a moment in the story while Merril is being raped where she has a vision, meeting with Johnny Carcosa. He basically tells her she's to be the bearer of Cthulhu, and that the Outer Gods respect her a ton. He also says that the sex cult is not with them, and that they are sorry for that whole ordeal. Lovecraft was asexual and afraid of an inherently feminine form of sexuality. That's why Merril's womb is R'lyeh. That's why later she has a dream, where Lovecraft is screaming as a tentacle begins to come out from inside her. The imagery is apparent. This is also why everything is so goddamn explicit. The story is taking cues from Lovecraft by inverting his style of leaving things ambiguous and undescribed. The cultists, self proclaimed super fans of Lovecraft, embody what he fears and hates. The rape, as hard as it is to see and read, is part of the larger deconstruction of Lovecraft. Make no mistake, Moore (and Burrows) knew exactly what they were doing, and put a lot of thought into what went onto the page. As easy as it'd be to disregard this story as smut or cruel nonsense, it really isn't. It's smart! It's just incredibly uncomfortable. I'm stuck with a book that I really enjoy. The ideas are so interesting. I want to see more. I'm going to read Providence as soon as I can. But... I cannot recommend this to anyone, really. It's just so gross, and the intentional nature of it doesn't change anything about that. I really think this is a great comic and I hope that enough people were able to see that when they read it. It's better than Watchmen.

Noting that Tim Sheridan is the writer behind the clusterfuck Red X reveals over in Titans Academy really shows how much better they are at breaking down reveals and twists now in this book. It's still a bit cliche and this story isn't anything you haven't seen as much as people whine about how it's ruining comics or whatever, but it's an enjoyable issue, I think.

A fairly effective issue. I would rate it a 10 to make the homophobes mad, but I realize it's what they live for and I think they should die.

This was a solid miniseries with some good representation. It was never a top series for me, but I didn't have a bad time reading it. Don't let the clearly hate-inspired reviews throw you off. Give it a shot.

Oh man, the art really isn't good. Everyone looks stiff and inhuman. The only thing that Salvador Larroca can draw well is the aliens.. For the most part. The story is a lot of build up and it mostly works. With a better artist, this would be a good first issue. But I cannot stress how much the art brings down what's actually a pretty good script.

The art takes so much away from this story. The writing is, on its own, not bad. With an effective artist this could be a fun series. Instead, we get duds like that last page. So unfortunate.

Man, if the art was good, this could be a very good Alien comic. Right now though, it's very mediocre. Do better, Marvel.

This would be a good book if much better artists were working on it. Salvador Larroca deserves a lot of the blame, but let's not be greedy with that blame because the colorist, GURU-eFX, should also take a good helping of it. Especially considering this artistic pairing has been turning in awful work together for years, almost as though they have a pact to keep propel themselves into work, despite their meager ability. But even then, let's not forget the editor, Jake Thomas. He made the awful choice of giving these artists their jobs. He's behind most of the Marvel comics you think are mediocre. He has a few good things under his belt, but he really is hit or miss. And this series right here is a miss. I can only guess that this title needed a quick turn around so they cut corners on one of the most important parts of comics, the art. It's maddening.

I really hate the art in this book, and it's a shame we aren't getting a reprieve for the next arc. I find myself regretfully interested in the story, which is probably not the feeling anyone working on this series wants its readers to feel.

The problem with this issue is the same as all of them. The writing isn't bad, but god damn, Salvador Larroca just does this book no favors at all. The art is terrible. You need a good artist on the horror comic, Marvel.

This is a genuinely cool idea, even if the setup was kind of a chore to get through. The art is really what kills this book. Larroca is terrible and Marvel should not hire him, especially for a book like Alien that *needs* great art. I was hoping a new arc would mean a different, better artist, but unfortunately, being a tracer means you can keep up with deadlines for an extended period of time. I just feel bad for PKJ, since his writing had to be paired with the lowest grade of comic book art out there.

This could be a really fun story, but the art is absolutely terrible. There are plenty of panels and pages here, where it's genuinely difficult to derive the motion and the actions intended. It's absurd that Salvador Larroca keeps his job. I feel bad because I think the story might be pretty good, and even elevated by a kickass art team. Unfortunately, Larroca drags literally everyone else down with him. Marvel, I think we're all begging you to kick this fucker to the curb. At least put him on a book where the art isn't what makes or breaks it... wait that's most comics, isn't it?

It's a shame because this is a fairly well-written, if heavy handed, issue. The problem is that the art cheapens everything. The art in this series in unacceptable, especially for a visceral horror series like Alien is. I just don't understand why we haven't gotten an artist change yet. This criticism isn't unique to me or new. Everyone seems to agree that the art sucks. Marvel should improve their product.

This has a lot of potential to be a really intriguing story. The idea of a cult-like religion surrounding the corporate commodification of the xenomorph sounds really rad. It sounds like something Ridley Scott wishes he could write. However, every moment is hampered by the art. I cannot stress this enough. This could be a great comic if not for Salvador Larroca's art. I don't mind being harsh about it, either. Larroca is known for tracing his way through issues, and has been serving up barely competent art for years now. He should stop tracing and actually draw his comics (which he used to do) or he shouldn't have a job in this industry.

I really don't know what to say here. Or at least, what new things I could say. The same problems persist, and it's almost solely on the art side of things. Larroca kills this book, in a terrible way. Horror is all about tone, and that means there needs to be strong artwork to grip the reader. Larroca may as well be a stock image search. It really takes me out of what is a pretty solid Alien story. And I know Alien as a horror concept is kind of objectionable, if only because the series continually tries to be more than that. But the pseudo-sexual, black bug monster is outright terrifying in concept, and you can't just sap out the horror inherent there... but you can try, and it's safe to say Larroca might be trying to. The twist is pretty obvious, but again, PKJ is doing a solid job.

...I don't even know what to say beyond the usual. The art is terrible, but the story is pretty good. I really hope the relaunch has better art. It is crucial.

Okay, art aside, this is a good story. This is something that was, frankly, missing from the first arc. It gave me legitimate feelings of dread, and even the abhorrent art couldn't stop it. PKJ nailed this one. That being said, the art is trash and I'm so glad Larroca is gone. I'm not familiar with the name of the artist taking over, but I pray to Weyland-Yutani that they're better than Larroca. It shouldn't be hard to top him, right?

It's great to see an Alien comic with quality art. It's a shame that the writing in this issue is... a bit slow. It's an interesting idea, and maybe it'll become a more rewarding read in the future. At least now there's a potential for some really cool storytelling and art! That's an upgrade.

Nothing much to say. PKJ's run on Alien ends on a whimper. That's a shame since this guy is fully capable of building worlds and epic stories, and that's not present in this run.

As much as I think PKJ's Alien run was shot in the foot the moment Salvador Larroca was put on art duties, and never really managed to hit its stride, I'm kind of glad it's over and we're getting a clean start with a brand new take. Shalvey has always been more of an artist in my mind, but he's a perfectly competent writer as well. The art isn't amazing, but it's still an improvement. I hope that Marvel quits relaunching this title. The Alien title has been at Marvel for over two years at this point, and I still feel like we've yet to really go anywhere with the property. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

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Love the cover of this one. I think the stakes were raised a bit too fast, ironic given the slow speed this story has been unfolding thus far. But the reveals here are neat, and I'm having a fun enough time. JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ MY PHYSICAL COLLECTION (FOR SHOWING OFF): https://psycamorean.libib.com/

This fell off. I don't think the storytelling works here. Like, in a mechanical sense. The art doesn't do a great job with it, unfortunately.

I mostly agree with AmericanHealthcare here, although I'd be less harsh to the Conan stuff from a few years back. I think Alien just isn't a good fit for the sensibilities that Marvel has at the moment. Alien needs good pacing, for one, and Marvel's constant breaking up volumes is not helping that. Maybe the key here is to give this title to someone who's extensively well-versed in horror comics? And please, for the love of everything that is holy, do not get Tynion on Alien. I mean anyone but Tynion. Please.

This issue is a mixed bag, as is the curse of all anthologies, but there's some promising stuff here. Really hoping that the multi-part story echoes Lenin's bolshevik revolution and what an anti-socialist mess that turned into. 🙏 The Hunt story was the weakest of the bunch. I've been listening to the No Sleep podcast recently as spooky stories tend to be my jam, and the process they have for picking stories must be pretty lax. This Hunt story reminds me of so many of those lesser stories, in that it feels like the writer had a punchy ending in mind, with some sort of moral conviction attached, and it didn't really mean much in the end. Yeah, I'm comparing this story to a Creepypasta, essentially. That's mad disrespect, I know. The Maternal Instincts story was cute though. A wholesome Alien romp. In an anthology named after blood.

The Utopia story continues to be the most engaging thing here, and it seems obvious why Marvel chose it as the ongoing story of this run. Otherwise, Paul Jenkins writes a surprisingly hacky story and Stephanie Williams simply isn't given enough space to create a satisfying story.

Utopia kind of loses itself in this installment. There was a lot of commentary on hierarchical structures that now seems gone. Gear in the Machine is an unfortunately tiring story we've seen play out multiple times in these comics. It's like the first idea any writer has when approaching this franchise, and I'll be happy to never see it again. Lucky is a very cute story. I liked it.

Utopia manages to mostly stick the landing by inverting the concept fully on its head in a pretty unexpected way. Hide & Seek and Mother are more examples of how limited writers seem to be when it comes to coming up with story ideas for this franchise. It all seems so rote.

This was better than I expected, but I'm not very into it. I don't like teenagers. They're annoying and woefully incomplete as people. And while Simon Spurrier's character work feels out of touch and has a sort of "Hello, fellow kids" vibe, he's certainly nailed the annoying part. It feels like it's set in three different, incongruous time periods. The current stuff with YouTube, that's relatively modern. But the way they dress feels more like the 90s. And the way they act, and how things function, feels more like the mid 2000s. It just feels like the writer wasn't sure what era he was writing.

There's still a huge "How do you do, fellow kids" vibe to this, but once you cut away the massive amount of excess, you get a neatish story.

It's probably been over a decade since I've seen Aliens, but I don't think my opinion of this comic would be better if I had seen it more recently. At least the art isn't abysmal like the main series.

Honestly, this reads like Forrest Gump in Aliens. It's not intentional, I think, but it sure is a bit baffling. Burke seems too goofy for my tastes. I don't know why I should care about this story yet.

This is better than the first issue. I think it's still written in too goofy a tone for the story it wants to tell. Hopefully it continues to get better from here.

This story continues its upswing, although this issue really stretches things out in a way that's lampshaded but still sorta grating.

When this mini started, I really did not like it. Obviously, that's changed as the series has gone on. The character voices are exceedingly strong, the script is funny, if a bit basic, and I really wouldn't mind a sequel.

I'm pretty sure the new host is MJ.

Derek Landy is a writer that I'm very ambivalent on. He can churn out some quality comics, or rather boring ones. This one errs of the quality side of things. It's not amazing, and I wouldn't miss it, but it's good enough. The art doesn't help things. Greg Land is terrible.

This is an interesting idea, but the execution is lacking.

This series has a lot of issues on the conceptual level, and the art leaves a lot to be desired. But I really think Derek Landy managed to at least extract some great character moments from these issues, especially this one. Landy gets Spider-Man. He's quippy, light-hearted, but also not a total joke. He's able to hold his own with the Avengers, mostly due to his intellect.

This series remained a pretty good read throughout. Not my favorite of Fall of X, simply middle of the road. I am American though, so I may just be biased against our friends up north.

This was okay. Like Canada. Just okay.

I've only read the Spider-Man story in Amazing Fantasy #15, of course. What is there to say? It's a quintessential superhero origin, that almost everyone on the planet knows a version of, through the many movies, cartoons and comics that have gone over it again and again. It's very quick and while there's a sense of reverence in the editorial notes, I really am not sure that Stan Lee had any idea what he and Steve Ditko had created here. I also would like to point out just how angry Peter is in this story. I understand he hasn't yet gone through the trauma that would soon define him, but reading modern comics, I'm just so used to a grown up version of Peter that is genuinely nice and upstanding and not a resentful teen. Another thing I wonder; I've never considered this before; does Baxter Bigelow (the security guard Peter doesn't help) ever come out of the woodwork in a later story just to ruin Spider-Man's reputation a little more? I don't think he ever did. I mean, it's certainly not necessary in the early years, but that would be a cool story, wouldn't it? Anyway, there's not much here to really talk about besides the aforementioned. Quote of the issue: "With Great Power There Must Also Come-- Great Responsibility!"

I wish I liked this more, because it seems like a passion project, but I just don't. The little character inconsistencies really stuck out to me. Cap isn't necessarily inconsistent, but a lot of his character in the World War II era is just not quite as interesting as it is post-WWII. Black Widow is supposed to be super old, so idk why she's a teen in the 80s here. And maybe I'm reaching but I don't think the ASM supporting cast lines up there in his segment. This isn't a badly drawn or written issue; I just find myself less enthused than I thought I was going to be.

I liked this one more than the previous one. I think as we get further into this fantasy world, the writing will only get better.

This was a pretty good time, although I don't know what it has to do with anything happening in Amazing Fantasy.

This is just shy of being something I really enjoy. I like the world built up but it's missing something I can't place my finger on.

Not too bad. I don't know if I like the idea of Uncle Ben betraying Peter, even if it's undone by issue's end. I assume there is more to this that will be revealed next issue.

I've been super busy with work and life lately, so I've been very slow to read much of anything comics related. I don't think that busy will change, but I hope I can adjust enough to somehow claw my way back to being up to date on comics. I may drop some things but for miniseries like this, it really seems dumb to drop them at the finale. Plus, I already paid for it. This was a good finale. I don't know if the ending makes up for Ben's betrayal. I don't know if I like the idea of an afterlife such as this. It cheapens things, I think. But the story was fun and pulpy, and the ending with Peter is good, even if overall, the narrative kind of crumbled. Look, I went into this expecting a shitshow after last issue, but we got a good, solid comic, and I can't be mad about that, can I?

Anthologies are always a bit rough, so when a publisher manages to put together a mostly cohesive, quality one, it's nice. I'll quickly run through the stories: "Just Some Guy" is a fun, cute little story that I think captures some of why Spider-Man is who he is. "Sinister 60th" is actually my favorite story here. Call me a softy, but when all those people lined up to see Spider-Man on his deathbed, that made me a little emotional. "Spider-Man Vs. Conspirition" is probably my least favorite story here. It just doesn't really feel like it matters or says anything about Spider-Man as a character. "The Kid's Got a Good Eye" is a quiet story that is nicely subtle. I enjoyed it. "In The Flesh" is a wacky horror story that actually has a lot to say about Peter and how he deals with guilt and trauma. I wouldn't call it subtle, but it did take a second to click for me, which is unusual. And you get some wicked images too. I really enjoyed this one. "Slaves of the Witch-Queen" is really weird. There's a big, flashing question of "Why?" but it's by Busiek, so it's at least well-written. It's not something I would've put in this anthology, but it's not bad. "You Get It" is weirdly mean-spirited. I don't really like the message here, even if it isn't entirely wrong. The way it's presented is off to me. "With Great Power..." is Neil Gaiman's secret Spider-Fan origin, and it's well written. It's sweet. A little self-centered, I guess. "Along Came a Rhino..." isn't meant to be part of this anthology, and is taken from the middle of a story we probably won't ever see in full, but it does have a nice message about Spider-Man and his heroism. I liked it.

This was fun and well written. Not how I expected the story to go, but I like it nonetheless.

Not as big a fan of this issue as the first, but it was still fine.

I thought this was fun, overall. I especially liked the introduction of the new crew. I didn't expect to see Screwball in this as she's... lame. But I guess it would make sense that she's the new production manager. And Master Matrix, I wasn't entirely sure was a canonical character after Spider-Man/Deadpool's ending, but here he is, still trying so hard. This is a definite improvement over issue two. Oh also, Weird Science Marvel Comics is wrong in their review. Mary Jane does plenty, to the point where she's almost too heroic. Think Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11, but maybe even more Mary Jane than that.

I thought this issue was a lot of fun, and any interaction between Pete and MJ is usually a highlight for me. Which is why, with the series getting extended, I'm excited for the next arc in New York. But this arc is cool too. I think the conversation between MJ and Master Matrix was a very necessary and good conversation, and I was extremely into that part. Oh also, Chase Magnett is still the worst critic in comics. "Let's give Amazing Mary Jane #4 a 2, but let me tell you, that Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child one-shot was a perfect 10."

Mary Jane does some implausible things here, but I think that's going to become more and more par for the course. I had fun with this. I'm excited to see what they do with this series now that it's been expanded.

Yeah, this is slowly turning into one of my favorite titles, annoyance at Mary Jane being out of New York again aside. I hope Peter actually does manage to figure out what's going on, so we can see theses two together, like we all want.

Man, these annuals can't catch a break. I don't read Spider-Man to actually read about the Avengers. Amazing Spider-Man is one of the best books of the era, whereas Avengers really wasn't, and it shows even here. This issue was funny, at least. Wasp's one character trait of hating Spider-Man because she's a wasp. Hawkeye's ridiculous Avengers pride. It wasn't all bad, but I want to get back to the regular issues already. Quote of the issue: "But No Web-Head is Gonna Try to Put the Avengers Down--Not When Hawkeye's Around!"