Keith Reid-Cleveland Comic Reviews

This issue was part two of a larger arc, so I'm interested in seeing where it goes and if all of these seeds being planted will grow into something of note. For now, I'll just enjoy the ride.

The art in this issue seemed a little off, if I must say so myself. Some of the panels, especially the ones with multiple characters, felt a bit rushed and lacking the detail that we get from a lot of today's best works. It may be a one-off thing, or maybe I'm just not a fan of Romita Jr. in 2020, but it was a little off-putting to not be able to tell if Superman was floating in the sky above Lex Luthor or if Superboy was.

This issue was far from filler and builds out the kind of backstory that fills in the gaps and makes stories feel whole.

By the end of the issue, it's clear that the Super-family is in the middle of a power struggle unlike what they're used to, but they're thinking outside of the box on how to handle it. Which is refreshing.

The buddy cop vibe between Peter and Tony Stark is something we're sure to get plenty of now that Mary Jane is caught in the middle. And Miles Morales being the thing to bring them together makes the most sense because Miles is awesome and everybody should want him to be their protege. This issue also doubles as a shared issue with the Avengers as we get brief cameos from pretty much every Avenger, all-new and old, as they each manage to get kidnapped.

All-in-all, this story arc feels a bit like it was filler to build up to something else. The only thing that appeared to have any lasting effect was J. Jonah Jameson Sr.'s condition at the end of the comic. Unless, of course, Tony and MJ become a serious thing and they ride off into the sunset together while Riri Williams holds down the Iron throne for a while.

And it ultimately feels good to shine a light on a story that I don't see too many people talking about but feel like they would enjoy.

Lastly, Mendona does well using subtle differences to set the scenery and, somehow, making Aquaman look even more presentable after a quick glo-up.

Aquaman#60 works well as a connector to bigger things that are surely coming along, as you'd expect for the third installment of a story arc. The end of the issue brings back a very important character and introduces one who's both terrifying, as a concept, and intriguing.

As the issue comes to a close, we're introduced to a pair of new characters claiming they're heroes named Gotham and Gotham Girl. This immediately makes me call back to the Snyder era and the ongoing "Batman is Gotham" theme. That, and the suggestion that they're willing to kill, suggests they'll be breaking bad in a matter of time.

So if you, like myself, are in love with the idea of Bruce and Selina [Brelina?], these eight pages will be held close to your heart. Even if it's brief, we get to witness the two live into old age with each other and experience an unconditional love they were deprived of in their youths.

Only note? More Duke Thomas. Please. He won't be the next Robin but he could very well become an amazing here in his own right and following his adventures inWe Are Robin makes him a certifiable fan favorite.

Unlike Batman Annual #1, this one is great from cover-to-cover as it focuses on one extra-length story and not a single page goes to waste.

For once, Batman's taking a backseat in his own title. This could lead to some really great moments from supporting characters, which is secretly the best thing about most great Batman stories. It's time we get another one and King may be able to use the Gothamites to provide a really memorable arc. It could have the flash and bang of Batman vs. Superman without all of the legwork it takes to make it happen. Low risk, high reward.

Without the restrictions of a long-form story, King was able to reach deep into his bag and take us back into Batman's psyche, which has historically been what his best writing on this series has showcased. And the insane backdrops gave all of the artists something to play with as they'd go from drawing a horde of mummies on one page to Batman crossing the street with an elderly woman on the next. Talk about variety.

Tom King's done a great job of giving us a memorable story arc early on in his run as the head writer for Batman. He's further developing Batman's character on multiple fronts " as a mentor, a symbol, a myth, and, now, a seasoned veteran with his eyes on a future where he hopefully isn't as needed.

We finally learn the weakness and full origin of the mysterious new heroes through some feel-good Duke Thomas moments and it pays off because it looks like we're going to get another main character added to the Bat-ranks.

Issue #6 was a powerful ending to a solid initial run from King and the ending suggests that we'll be completely switching gears soon as he takes on Bane. I can't wait.

Note: Walking through the dark hallways of Arkham provides a great outlet for a handful of Easter eggs and cameo appearances from other beloved characters. See how many you can catch.

There are only about five pages in this entire book that don't feature Catwoman, which makes it clear that this issue is all about her. Everything that she does is in line with what the character's been presented to be over the years. Fans love her because she's not a hero or a villain. She's just trying to walk the line and not fall off the tight rope. And her actions in this issue directly reflect that.

The complicated love affair of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle is a staple of the Batman ethos. Batman #15 is another splendid exploration of that relationship that no one else " including readers " will ever fully understand.

If you're the kind of person who's too impatient to wait for the action to start, I Am Bane is perfect for you. Bane doesn't take any breaks to strategize. If he's going to go to war, he's going to bring the fight to whoever's unfortunate enough to be in his crosshairs.

Appearances from all of the people who affected Bruce along the way are always welcome, including a touching panel of him speaking with all of his costumed mentees over the years. However, the thing that sticks you the longest is how Bane's story is even more heartbreaking due to a few subtle differences.

If "I Am Bane" accomplishes anything, it'll be cementing Bane's spot in Batman's top three villains in any list that's worth a damn. Not only is he capable of destroying 90% of his rogue's gallery on his own, but he has the single requirement of any good villain " justification.

"You don't see the impossible " you see the impossibility no one else sees." King may delivered the best damn line of the arc in this latest issue as he perfectly summarizes what makes Batman so extraordinary as a character. This is the kind of observation that only comes after truly getting to know a character.

In short, issue #21 gave readers an opportunity to step back into the Rebirth event that may have slipped their minds, but in a BIG way.

The Wayne reunion was handled really well by the Williamson-King team-up. Their writing styles compliment each other as much as the characters' personalities do.

King' is the first run of Batman that I started with issue #1 in the present instead of having to play catchup or missing altogether. If this pace and quality keeps up, this may end up being my Batman series. That's saying quite a lot.

I'm a writer and I love dialogue. So issue #24 is right up my alley. Not to say that there isn't any action, though. Because flashes of Batman and Catwoman having one of their patented late-night chases are sandwiched in between pages of this introspective conversation that lead to a shocking surprise full of call-backs that should make any tenured-Batman fan smile.

Also good to see that Batman and Catwoman are still going strongbecause if there weren't any callbacks after issue #24 I would've flipped a table and demanded some answers.

The Joker and Riddler are currently on the fringe of the story, but I'm sure things will come to a head where they'll be at the complete center of the action soon enough. For now, King got away with advancing the story while also developing a character almost no one thought they'd care about.

I love this story arc for the matchups that I never imagined being possible that seem so obvious on the page. The Joker and Riddler's beef makes total sense after some quick exposition. Deadshot and Deathstroke were bound to come to blows. I wouldn't be surprised if Grundy and Clayface had a battle for the ages in the coming issues.

[Insert cautious side eye at someone whose last name is King]

It's been a lot of fun seeing him go from a character I'd never even heard of to the keystone of the entire conflict between the Joker and Riddler. His conversation with his son broke my heart into a million pieces only to rebuild it in a way I never expected. Way to know your audience, King.

It's been an enjoyable ride. The version of me that giggled when King first promoted the storyline would e happy to know well things turned out. Now, let's hurry up and see how things turn out in the end.

Are we about to see a Wayne-Kyle wedding in the future? Hope so. Knowing how comics work, they'll both probably come close to death before we see anyone walk down the aisle and there's sure to be plenty of drama outside of that. If any of King's previous 32 issues are a good example of what's to come, let's just sit down and enjoy the ride until we get there.

This story is titled "The Rules of Engagement," which is ironic given that Batman's apparently thrown all rules to the wayside. But don't worry, the end of this issue makes a lot of sense out of that.

Side note: What does it say about me that I laugh at the sight of Selina nonchalantly pulling a sword out of her lover?

Every comic book series can't be excellent for 35 issues. 34 is apparently the limit. While this may have been my least favorite of King's arcs in the title, it's only fair to point out that I still enjoyed it. Which says a lot for the overall quality of the series.

If the first thing I want to do after I finish it is re-read it, it's good. If I want to sit in silence and enjoy the remnants of that first read, it's great. But if I stop what I'm doing before I even finish it and start telling my friends all about it, it's fantastic. Let's just say my text messages while I read this issue were all over the place.

I may have to consider altering my comic book grading system. I try to only give out 10's sparingly and reserve them for the best of the best. So giving Tom King, Mann, and co. a second 10 back-to-back is incredibly rare.

As the first one-shot in King's run of the series, this would likely be a great jumping in point for anyone looking to get back into Batman or comics in general.

What works in favor of this issue is that while its story may not be the strongest " interdimensional travel is far from a new trope in comic books " it will surely be remembered as it could possibly looked on as the beginning of the end of the "Brulina" relationship that's served as a major fuel source for this series as of late. Then again, no one expected this to last forever.

A lot of comics explore relationships. Honestly, it wouldn't be a far stretch to say all of them do to a certain extent. But this issue does a splendid job of navigating that space where desperation begins to overshadow loyalty and what one experiences at that precise moment.

For the only major drawback of this issue, and I have absolutely zero doubts that it'll payoff in a big way as "Everybody Loves Ivy" goes on, the lack of knowledge stands out. While the notion of being dropped right into the action in this issue is entertaining, it's a bit frustrating when you realize you'll have to wait two weeks just to know how the hell we even got here.

I'm all for letting this duo play with any characters they want to because their work has raised the stock of many of them already.

Issue #43 of Batman doesn't come with a lot of action. There's some, and it comes at the right moments. But exposition is front and center here as we wrap up a series that never really needed a lot of action to tell a cohesive story.

Now, does this mean that there are going to be some wedding hijinks that prevent the pair from having anything close to a traditional ceremony? Sure. It's kind of expected. Does it mean that King and Co. suspect there's a secret collection ofSaved by the Dress fans in theBatman community? Possibly. Or maybe this is our big moment because the church bells will never ring.

Known as "The Gift," this story looks like it'll be a lot of fun. We'll get to see some twisted alternates to the story that make us appreciate canon even more than we already do. And when it's done, we'll get to see a who's-who of DC fame attend the wedding of the century.

As far as the issue goes, it's a solid way to escalate this story but it still kind of feels like it won't have any lasting stakes on the story. While it's absolutely fun, I'd kind of rather get back to canon. Perhaps issue #47 will present some long-lasting stakes to the overallBatman mythos going forward.

I won't spoil the ending, as it's sure to be a major talking point across the comicsverse this week. But know that you should check it out for yourself.

Admittedly, I had to read this issue twice a few hours apart to really grasp it. The cold open caught me off guard and I kept searching for explanation as to why the events of the issue transpired as they did. On the second read, I learned that Joker is coping with a loss. In his own unhealthy, horrible way. The loss of that same impactful relationship he feels signifies a turning of the tide as Batman won't be his spiritual other half. So what does he do? Something drastic in the name of garnering attention. With the wedding of the century around the corner, it'll be interesting to see how this storyline gets wrapped up quickly to get us to the point. If anyone can pull it off, it's the King/Janin combo.

There was no way to have a moment this big for Batman without an appearance from his top villain. The highlighting in the previous two issues is a great way to give The Joker his moment without letting him steal the spotlight, which he effortlessly does.

Sidenote: Huge shoutout to all of the additional art from the dozens of artists who also contributed to this story. It was a nice way to pay homage to the many different ways we've seen these characters and gave us an idea of how we could in the future.

This arc is called "Cold Days," which suggests we'll be following this Mr. Freeze trial for a while. (Which means we should get Dick Grayson as Batman for a while too!) As one of my personal favorite Batman villains, I can't wait to see what happens once he gets the King treatment and we find out what really makes him tick.

It'll be interesting to see Bruce navigate his feelings without straight up saying the words, "I'm Batman" and make sure that the justice system doesn't put an innocent man in prison on circumstantial evidence.

Per usual with both comics and Tom King's run, the best-landed punches are saved for the final pages. Those won't be spoiled here, but it is a great segue into issue #54 where Batman pairs up with Dick Grayson again for some good nostalgia.

Matt Wagner returned toBatman in this issue and the vastly different art style works. In a way, it's reminiscent of the older runs of the series that make the flashbacks seem even more rooted in the canon of the story.

Now, back to my first statement in this review. Things happen. I won't spoil them here, but brace yourselves.

Overall, this issue wraps up a brief, but important arc in theBatman mythos that continues to send us deeper into the psychology of a character who's been with us for more than 80 years.King's already left his mark on Batman, but he's continuing to make it even more long-lasting.

To end on a good note, I've got to give credit where credit's due. The plan that Penguin puts in place to get to Batman fits his character to the core. It's cruel, but calculated. It's bloody, but not over-the-top. It's truly the result of a sadistic mind.

Issue #59 shows Batman repeatedly attacking the (mostly) defenseless and jeopardizing one of his most important relationships as he tries to find his way out of a tornado of grief and emotion. The biggest question we're left with is just how much worse will things get before they get better?

Fun issue that should be re-read a few times and appears to be setting up some major story developments.

This doesn't happen often, but this is one of the few issues where I think King missed the mark. At least, that's what my present bias is telling me. Depending on how the story develops, this could all come together in a pretty bow. But for now, my rating for the issue reflects what I do [and don't] know. This is a cool continuation of Matthew's story, but I'm not sure it's deserving of an entire issue. Especially not after being left with one of the bigger and head scratch-inducing cliffhangers of this series.

Lastly, it's good to see that this issue was still tangentially connected to the events ofBatman #60. If we had to sit through 4-5 issues that didn't build on that story in the least, it'd be more than a little frustrating. But it looks like the story is still moving forward, albeit at a slower pace to build up anticipation.

King manages to use Batman #63 to successfully give readers the fan service of "Brulina"'s happy home full of adorable moments, a gloomy cameo, and steady progression towards the moment when Bruce eventually opens his eyes again.

The reward in being a day one reader of the series comes towards the end, as we're given a chance to catch up with some characters that were very important to the earlier issues of this run but have been left alone to their own devices. This helps ground the story a bit more in the Batman mythos and gives hope that the next three issues will find the Batman/Flash balance that this issue missed the mark on.

On a deeper note, Batman and Flash make major breakthroughs in how they're each handling the loss of Wally West. The entire issue appears to be a lesson in catharsis and closure. Issue #65 ofFlash should bring it all home with some solid resolution. Maybe even a hug between Batman and Flash. Maybe?

As far as the art goes, it's always a pleasure to see old school Batman with the cowl of old and showing flashbacks of he and Catwoman's early encounters is a perfect way to show it off some. And any artist that manages to draw the faceless Question and still evoke emotion gets an applause from me. So, kudos to Jorge Fornes.

In a story that's sold itself on being bizarre, Issue #67 may be the pinnacle of the arc.

Individually, this issue is a fun step away from the main Batman story. But, it also suffers from being exactly that. We haven't covered much ground in this story in 8 issues now. By my rudimentary math, that's four months. I know I'm not the most patient fella, but I'm not sure what I'll do is issue #69 doesn't get us back on track.

We've got about 30 issues left, which means we're entering the 4th quarter. This is where championships are won. I believe King has what it takes to win a ring, but we'll have to wait to see if it happens.

By the end of the issue, it's clear that #70 is a pivot point. It's a close to the events of "Knightmare" and an entry point back into the main events of this war between Batman and Bane that's been taking place from the earliest issues of this series.

I'm mostly excited to see what King has in store that will "change the character for a generation." Typically, a creative team's run is isolated and pieces of the story are reset when they're done. It doesn't sound like we'll be getting that this time around. So buckle in, because it sounds like whatever is coming is going to stick.

This issue succeeds at making the heavy lift of making everything make sense. As a matter of fact, it makes me want to go back with a new perspective and re-read the story from the start. For that, this issue is a breath of fresh air a lot of Batman readers have been craving ever since King made the bold choice to take the story off of the beaten path. This is the beginning of the landing we've been waiting to see if King would stick. And things are looking good as we prepare to wrap-up the series.

The balance between action and exposition throughout the issue and serves as a potential launchpad for the final conflict that will carry us through to the end. Especially since King has announced Catwoman will be returning " hopefully with Bruce's sanity in her hands " in issue #75.

Next issue, we'll likely be hyperventilating again as the next story arc is called "City of Bane" and will likely be the beginning of our ultimate climax of the series.

Tonally, the first 50 issues ofBatman and the following 25 are very different. The former was a build-up to a specific moment"the wedding that wasn't"and every moment felt like a necessary step forward. The latter has been full of ambitious, mind-bending twists and turns that leave the reader searching for solid ground. With 10 issues left, the hope is that King and co. will find a balance between the two, if not a return to the grounded realism of the first 50 issues, as this series is brought to a close.

The good news is having Batman swoop in and kick some ass after getting knocked down is basically a guaranteed win. So a respectable finale is almost guaranteed as long as the story doesn't get too ambitious.

If any of these King stories get adapted, I'm going to be bracing myself to see if they stick to this path. Because a mainstream audience won't be anymore ready than the comic book one is now.

The hopeless romantic in me felt totally seen and appreciated with issue #78 ofBatman. The comic book reader in me continues to wonder how far my patience can carry me as I'm ready for some closure.

Instead of going back and forth about where, they agreed to disagree and consider this key moment " before they head into the latest biggest fight of his life " as another chance to start over. The may have met on a boat. They may have met on the street. But they know for a fact that they met, for the third time, on the beach.

There's seemingly no time left for detours in this run, even the really fun and insightful ones. So it's time for all of our players to come to blows and see what's left of Gotham when they're done.

Regardless, this chapter ofBatman appears to be coming to a close and I've got a feeling that we'll get the closure we need to walk away from it with a sense of satisfaction, even if there was some frustration or impatience occasionally along the way.

I held out hope for quite a while based on the pedigree of this series' first 50 issues. But, overall, it's seeming like the payoff for everything after the wedding isn't going to quite match the hype.

It's looking like it may already be too late for thisBatman run to avoid suffering that fate. But issues like this still give us moments to appreciate.

Overall, this has been a very fun series to review. I started with issue #1 and was ecstatic, because I got the honor of reviewing what would presumably be a tentpole title in comics for as long as I saw fit. Sure, I missed a couple of issues and even didn't enjoy a handful. But I truly enjoyed this chapter of my life following the journey that King and the long list of amazing artists he worked with took Batman and the Batman family. These are memories and stories I hope I can carry with me for the rest of my life and compare to others as I continue to read and support comics. I just hope that you, our readers, have enjoyed taking this journey with us too.

Issue #100 is surely going to be a huge one, especially with how this issue ends. So check back next month for that review. 

All in all, this issue is one I'm going to go buy a physical copy of and keep just to remember the moment.

Now,Batman Beyond #39is not doing anything new here. As a matter of fact, a lot of this issue is a reintroduction of regular tropes like amnesia, secret identities, and the return of long-thought-dead villains. But Dan Jurgens is having fun here. He's not dealing with the pressures of trying to steer one of DC's top-shelf titles, which allows him the freedom to have some fun.

Overall, this is a fun issue that doesn't take itself too seriously "which would be hard to do with an amnesia + naive dad storyline. It still manages, however, to bring in some resonating moments (e.g. the last few panels). This is my first arc withBatman Beyond and it's been fun for all of the right reasons.

With the combination of backstory for exposition, fight scenes and the introduction of new threats, this is a strong issue of a series I'm growing to like more and more with every read.

This issue was part one of the "Concealed by Yesterday" arc that will hopefully have some memorable moments as Terry McGinnis gets to interact with the legends he's only read about or met in old age. I doubt any long-term effects to the DC Universe come here, but I'm curious to see if I"m wrong.

Overall, the first issue of this was more than enough to justify sticking it out to see how the story develops. Let's just wait and see what kind of build-up we get before we get some answers as to how we got here.

There are pages in this book that are drawn so vividly that I can't help but replace the drawings with live-action clips when I look back on them in my mind's eye. Azzarello and Lupacchino both put their feet all in this.

Issue #1 is the perfect jumping on point for anyone who wants to get familiar with the character. Even if a show featuring him weren't on the horizon, this would still be a required reading as far as I'm concerned. The issue does a great job as both an introduction into Black Lightning and an homage to his past stories. Both audiences will be able to get comfortable with the story that's being told.

Overall, this issue makes this series 2-for-2 and further proves the point that it should be considered for an extension past the mini-series designation it was given. If we can get a couple more issues of this level, the experiment should be declared a success and thinking should go long-term.

I've said this twice, and I'll say it again. Make this an ongoing series. This story will surely be wrapped up well in six. But there's surely enough to keep going after that, especially on the heels of the CW'sBlack Lightning television series premiering soon.

After reading five issues I still hope that there's been some talks about giving Black Lightning his own ongoing series. But I also have to concede that this mini-series has brought the character into modern day in such a resonant and compact way that it wouldn't be the end of the world if this was all we got for a little while.

Hopefully the quality of this short run and the popularity of the CW television series will result in an ongoing series with a new writer [if Tony isn't doing it himself]. Meanwhile, I'll be waiting for this trade so I can add it to my bookshelf.

This first issue is promising and I expect the same for the rest of this series as it goes on. With another title on his plate, hopefully Coates can keep them both going at the high levels we've come to expect.

Lastly, Coates and Yu aren't wastingany time playing their big joker as it appears that issue #3 will feature the crossover we were all hoping this series would lead to.

This story ofCaptain America is looking like it'll be a slow burn. Which makes sense given that we're coming right out of a universe-wide event that heavily featured Captain America. You don't just walk out of that like nothing happened. Fortunately, Coates got to play with characters from the other Marvel series he's writing and we get to see some plot progression after the last two issues were largely devoted to world-building. T'Challa, Okoye, and Steve Rogers are a great trio to watch and hopefully we'll be treated to this team-up for a few more issues.

Marvel's highly unlikely to make their books reflect reality too closely, but if you read this series from a contemporary lens, it's brilliant. And a nice poke in the ribs to the "leave politics out of my comics [that are actually about politics"]" crowd.

It's also appreciated that this issue got the story moving. A new arc should be on the horizon soon and it'll be a good opportunity to reset the game board and introduce somebig pieces to shake things up.

Issue #6 is admittedly low on action, as this series has been as well. To be fair, this is the first arc in a run that could go on for a while, so set-up is necessary. As long as we can get more punching thrown in to match the excellent exposition, this series will go on to do very well.

Overall, issue #7 serves as a solid transition from a story about Captain America to a story about Steve Rogers (and co.). I'm a sucker for the 9-panel grid as a storytelling device and it's used effectively here on multiple occasions.

The following issues should be a great ride. Steve Rogers is, as always, a vehicle to encapsulate and criticize the American zeitgeist. Only now, instead of fighting some world power overseas, he's fighting a corrupt criminal justice system. He'll likely be changed by the experience for a long time to come.

It's not clear when Steve will turn the corner after hitting rock bottom, because it's not clear how close he is to it yet. But, to be honest, after having everything he stood for called into question, some change and reevaluation is more than warranted. We'll have to wait a little longer to see what 2019 has in store for Steve Rogers.

The issue did a good job of moving the story along while providing plenty of eye candy " been a while since we got to see some shield work. I'm especially looking forward to see how Steve's time incarcerated changes his worldview, if at all, in the coming issues.

In hindsight, this seems like an odd point in the story for Steve to learn that he can't always stand behind the law given his recent actions and decisions. Because the law was created by people and people are, by nature, flawed. So the law can't be followed to the letter in every instance. For a moment it felt like Coates handed off writing duties to a different author with a wholly different set of politics. But perhaps this is just Steve taking the first of many steps to representing the United States of America of current, and not the idealized version many people hold in their hearts and minds.

While the art does a good job of showing the passage of time and scenery, it's not as impactful when you look back on the issue and realize that it feels a bit spread out. The story that's told in 22 pages could've likely been told in 12 so that we'd be further along. But the pacing will hopefully balance out in future issues as Steve and the Daughters get closer to finding the one person they can punch hard enough to make everything better.

This issuewas full of small moments that spoke to much larger issues and themes that give it a long-lasting replay value. I've already said thatAll-New Captain America would be a series I plan for my future kids to read because of how it touched on issues that I know they'll need to be aware of. But with Captain America: Sam Wilson continuing that theme, and adding historical/political context to the mix, I'm even more sure that they'll be reading this one day.

It was also refreshing to see a callback to the story that took place in All-New Captain America with Armadillo. And, as always, Misty Knight is great. Even though we have every reason to believe that Cap and Thor get involved in a few issues, I'm still all for Misty and Cap riding off into the sunset with their fists raised in the air.

To be perfectly fair, a boatload of people took the "I don't want politics in my comics!" stance. I wasn't one of them. But I suppose this was an attempt to appease the masses.

The MCU has given Claire Temple a new sense of relevance and it's refreshing to see her make an appearance as a doctor.Misty Knight and a gun can gain control of pretty much any situation.Wall Street executives make me think of EVIL Corp. inMr. Robot. I'm afraid that's more of an accurate depiction than we'd like to admit.

Note: Since Redwing is part vampire now " which means so is Joaquin " I'm looking for a vampire/werewolf team-up at some point before Cap Wolf goes away [hopefully for a while].

All in all, it's an issue any Cap fan should have in their stack.

While Jim Rhodes' death seemed a bit weighted and unnecessary, this issue makes sure it wasn't a waste. It, at the very least, gave Sam Wilson the push he needed to get over the wall and become great.

While we don't have a Sam Wilson in the world to help end police brutality, it's nice to see a world where they do to help us imagine what it would be like.

This current run of Captain America: Sam Wilson is going to end up on the syllabus of a really liberal, young-minded sociology professor one day.

Issue #16 is a great diving in point for anyone interested in learning more about Misty Knight's history. Not only does it offer a concise summary of her past affiliations with a variety of superhero team-ups, but it touches on her relationship with Danny Rand, proves that her investigative skills are top notch, proves that she can do with either her bionic arm or her organic one, and gives her plenty of scumbags to beat up on in the process.

While it may have some moments worthy of a raised eyebrow or two, Captain America: Sam Wilson has become a great jumping-off point to learn more about the experiences of people of color. Which many comic book readers have shown they could benefit from having.

There have been a couple eyebrow-raising moments in Nick Spencer's run of this series but they mostly have to do with Sam upholding respectability politics and not being nearly as revolutionary as he thinks he is. But, again, this is a complaint about the series' politics, which couldn't possibly please everyone and not the storytelling. As far as the story goes, it's progressing just as it needs to, especially for a comic where the main villain is society and not some masked, narcissistic millionaire.

From a storytelling perspective, Nick Spencer, Daniel Acuna and everyone who ever had anything to do with Captain America: Sam Wilson deserve all of the awards on their mantle for their work thus far. Like everything else created by mortals, the title isn't perfect. But it's best moments put other titles to shame.

In the issue, Sam deals with the guilt he feels for abandoninghis post and essentially leaving America without a Captain in a time of need. But he's doing his part. He saves countless lives while keeping his head down. Or, so he thinks.

Overall, this issue is a side story and doesn't shy away from that. It's packed full of characters who otherwise wouldn't be in Sam Wilson's story so we get to see how they'd interact with each other. Sam's basically just chilling on the bench until he either gets called into the game [read: Secret Empire] or moves on to something bigger.

Pretty much most of the run of this series has been top notch. Some issues included huge moments in Sam's journey while others were just there for fun — *coff* Cap-wolf*coff*. #24 is the former as we see Sam shake off his doubts and pick up the shield he has every right to carry. Looking back, this issue will surely be a landmark when we retell the story of Sam-Cap.

However, seeing that Ulysses abilities are still changing and unpredictable means that this story could change a lot a couple issues from now. We're just one bad incident from allegiances being tested once again.

Tony Stark's monologue delivered well, as they're prone to, and hearing about the world's politically charged views of the superheroes that protect them was appropriate, given the current election season. Also, David Marquez's art is stunning. But, still, it wouldn't feel right to give this issue an above average score at this point.

We've only got a couple issues left of CiviL War II and, so far, it looks like it'll be pretty forgetful outside of opening the door to the Champions versus the Avengers split. But we've already had the major clash between both sides " again, "major" " and it's best to just push forward and hope for a solid conclusion. Art's still absolutely beautiful though. So it's cool to look at.

At the end of the day, Civil War II far from lived up to its own hype and somewhat damaged the name of the Civil War franchise. That first joint was so powerful that it inspired an entire movie while Civil War II may only be worthy of a two-episode arc on a Disney XD show.

Christos N. Gage and Travel Foreman team up for this issue as a more than capable writer/artist combo. Gage made interesting decisions in this issue and excelled in displaying what makes Peter Parker just like all of us " with his suspicions and sarcasm " and what makes him so different " the crippling weight of his responsibilities. Foreman's art made it convenient for the mind's eye to picture the panels moving in live-action. This was my first time seeing his art and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it.

The ending, and next issue's cover, leave Cole's true motivation's a bit up in the air. Which is good. While he would be far from the first reformed villain to relapse, this is one of those occasions where it doesn't necessarily have to happen. Like Harold Lyman, f.k.a. Harry Osborn? Yeah, that's inevitable. But it would be nice to see a character like Clayton, who doesn't need to go bad for any real reasons, stay on the straight-and-narrow, even after this serious of a relapse.

The first two thirds of this issue were good, standard Spider-Man with an interesting supporting cast and plenty of light-hearted comedy. But the last part kind of comes out of nowhere.

The art from three artists, instead of Greg Capullo handling the series solo, wasn't as much of an issue as you'd expect. If you look closely, you can see some conflicts of style here and there but it's nothing to keep you from finishing the story.

In this issue, we're past the halfway point of the story and need to start bringing our characters to the places they'll end up for their final showdowns as the stakes continue to raise with every new character introduction. I'm just hoping we can get the necessary closure in 44 pages of story.

Overall,Dark Nights: Metal #5 is a strong issue that presents the ultimate conflict that will surely be the focus of a grand finale with long-lasting consequences.

Issue #6 is double-sized and jam-packed with 45 pages of final confrontation with the powerful Barbatos, satisfying resolution and epilogue that encourages us to stick around to see what's coming next. Now it's just a matter of waiting for what the new Justice League is going to do about the huge problems headed their way.

Falcon definitely has the potential to be something good, but it's not there yet.

The work with Sam as Captain America holds a special place in my heart, so I'll keep giving this series a shot because I sincerely want it to be good. It's just not there yet.

Regardless, Falcon #3 is an improvement in the series. Using a flashback to Sam's past almost always helps make him more relatable"which he could definitely use right now"and the bickering between he and his new sidekick, Patriot, sounds much more natural and reminiscent of actual conversations people have.

Following the formula of poignant emotional development, a clear-cut conflict, and a depth of a supporting cast appear to be the winner with Sam Wilson stories. As long as Barnes sticks close to that, outside of the obvious experimentation for the sake of growth, this series should be fine.

The strength of these last two issues and a slight obsession with vampires are enough to keep me on board going into the next arc. Now if we can get some Blade characters thrown in the mix it should be a fun ride.

Lastly, the best thing about this issue is that we may have gotten the deepest look into the Sam Wilson"Misty Knight relationship yet and I'm here for all of that. Let's see this relationship become healthy and stable"by superhero standards"and flourish by any means necessary.

Overall, issue #7 of Falcon is the one you should pull out if you want to turn someone onto the series. The motivations are clear, the action is kickass, and the roster goes deep.

At the end of the day,Falcon started with an uphill battle as it had to follow-upCaptain America: Sam Wilson AND somehow prove that Sam wasn't just being called down to the minors even though he was. Given that, this series was a commendable effort that didn't get a fair shake.

I haven't read the first few issues of this story, which means that the plot was handled with care if I could still be caught up in just one issue. But that doesn't mean that I won't go back and catch up as soon as I can.

In a just world, Jo will become a fan favorite down the line and make an appearance in more properties. For now, we'll enjoy her being a somewhat-rogue Lantern that fights for those who can't fight for themselves.

While nothing happened in this issue to make you jump out of your seat, it kept the plot going and you can see that plenty of interesting things are still left in this story arc before we move on to the next one. Barry's still inway over his head with Professor Zoom and has to figure out how to even the odds somehow.

Now, the end of the issue brings up an interesting premise. What makes Barry Allen, or any Flash, for that matter, so special in a city where dozens of people also have super speed? It may be his intellect or his morals, but that's surely going to be put to the test in the next couple of issues.

At the end of the day, you can't have a comic book where your title character is unintentionally your least interesting. Intentionally? That's different because it usually leads to some kind of transformation. But it's not hard to see Barry Allen being a funsucker for another 10 issues until something traumatic happens to push him close to the edge.

Issue #4 of The Flash was a step, not a gargantuan leap, forward in the right direction from what came before it. While it's still not anything worth telling all of your friends about, if you're a fan of the Flash and are looking for some new stories about the character, here you go.

With all of the early exposition and the long awaited reunion, the best part of this issue was still in the last three pages. It takes a certain perspective to see any commonalities between Flash and Batman, who almost anyone would view as polar opposites. But bringing these two great minds together to work on the same case made their similarities clearer than ever before.

It's looking like it's time to say goodbye to what's been an enjoyable ride following Sam Wilson's experiences as Captain America. It's hit me harder than most stories ever have and become one of my favorite story arcs in all mediums. I only hope everyone else has enjoyed Sam-Cap half as much as I have. Let's hope the same kind of growth can be explored inFalcon next month.

This series is sure to guarantee anyone a laugh from the age of 5 to 55 and issue #19 is a continuation of that.

At this point, we've seen Harley work her way out of the worst situations with a smile on her face, but Humphries does a good job of never letting readers forget the stakes. She may act invincible, but is that actually just a death wish? Those hard-hitting revelations balanced out with the hilarity of Harley riding Booster's back while he flies are a true example of what makes Harley Quinn books, tv shows, and movies so much fun to experience. I mean, there's a reason this book is on issue #72.

The first issues did a solid job of establishing this world of free love and expression. But issue #3 is where things start to come to a head with PG and HQ taking on Vartox himself. As always, the art is great and brings a new world to life and the characters are well-established. Its satire of real-life issues such as representation and gender equality are always a treat. The only sad thing is that the space adventures of Harley Quinn and Power Girl eventually have to come to an end.

I'm left to wonder what the creative team was planning out in this series because the turns it takes in this issue alone are wild and you can tell a lot of thought went into them. However, I have faith that an extended 12th issue will more than tie the story in a nice bow and leave John in a good spot for future stories.

After everything we find out that Anissa has started a family with a newborn baby butthat her assault on Mark resulted in the birth of a child that she named after him. Man, Kirkman really knows how to make us thirsty for the next issue.

The only drawback I have for this issue is that while it's definitely supposed to be dark and mysterious, there are certain panels when the spirit/ghost/demon is doing its thing, and I can't really make out much on the page outside of red streaks and what resembles a face. It would take me out of what was otherwise a well-written and well-drawn book.

The most impressive feat, perhaps, is that this issue reads like it's the perfect script for an hour of television that can be consumed in 15 minutes without losing any of the magic along the way. Now I'm just waiting to see if it's truly a one-shot or if I'll get to see what happens next. Either option would actually be fine. But I'm admittedly being a little greedy.

The ultimate events that transpire are absolutely worth seeing, but the most enjoyable thing about this is watching John work and talk his way out of any situation. I get a similar feeling watching John at work as I did with David Tennant's Doctor. Everything about his personality makes you think he has the situation under control, even when he doesn't. And it still always works out somehow.

Batman side stories are fun because the canon universe is rooted in so much history and structure that it can be a treat to see things flipped upside down. The Smile Killer looks like it'll give us plenty of that throughout its run.

This being Snyder's last issue of the series admittedly feels a little jarring because it wasn't perfectly wrapped up with a bow. But this is a major comic book title. His job wasn't to wrap up the story as much as it was to hand it off to the next team and give them an exciting starting point. And that's exactly what he did.

Overall, this is the kind of pacing you can't maintain for an entire story, but it's sure a lot of fun when you're in it. My only hope is that the following issues find a good balance, and we'll come out of it with a solid story from top to bottom.

Overall, this was a good set-up, and it looks like "Doom Metal" is going to be exciting and give some of the lesser-known characters some shine in one of DC's biggest titles. 

This was a strong issue that's continuing an enjoyable side story and calls back to our nerdy, DC universe roots for all the nostalgia points.

This issue isn't all exposition though. It also has its fair share of gun-pointing and plot twists and one hell of a cliffhanger. I'm not surprised by this at all, because Rucka's known for doing great work and Perkins' pen game is clearly strong. But if the rest of this series has been anywhere close to this good it's going to be something I casually drop in conversations for quite a while.

Overall, this issue is a fun way to get back into the Batman mythos without diving into a legit Batman story. You've got the same dark, mysterious tones and plenty of familiar faces and callbacks. For someone who read 80-plus issues ofBatman and is taking a break,Nightwing #70 was a great way to get my feet wet. And I imagine the same would be the case for any fans ofBatman during any recent arc.

Tom Taylor is clearly having fun here with characters who readers care about, but can lose if things get messy enough. Plus, with the added benefit of a Tarantino-esque cold open, issue #2 raises the stakes and suspense levels enough to show that this story is going to take us for a really fun ride before it's all wrapped up.

Taylor is having a blast writing this, you can just tell. And Redundo's art is beautfuland efficiently used. Bravo to those two.

Overall, this issue will be a hit for anyone interested in The Aerie or unfamiliar characters. If you're not, you can technically skip the issue and catch up next time and likely not miss much. But this is the kind of character development that is likely to come back up later on.

The fights and developments that follow this moment quickly bring you back into the story though, as we get to see how this group of dysfunctional anti-heroes manage to come together in an attempt to save the day.

The only downside to this issue is that it pulls on a lot of familiar comics tropes. It's essentially throwing a fresh coat of paint on a used car. But, it still drives and gets you from point A to point B.

But some of my favorite moments came at the expense of Tim Drake openly being referred to as "everyone's fourth favorite Robin," and Roundhouse having the most clarity out of anyone in the entire book.

Overall, this was a good jumping in point for this series, and I'm going to stick with it for a while.

By the end of the issue, our heroes are back home and ready for their next adventure and have some new perspective (and abilities, in Paula's case) to show for it.

This issue is definitely set up with a lot of potential for twists and turns down the road and it'll be fun seeing them develop.

Instead of going for the gory violence The Walking Dead is famous for, issue #167 goes for the emotions the series is also known for. It plays your heartstrings like a guitar for all of its 44 pages. For anyone who's experienced a loss, this issue should be required reading both at the beginning and end of the mourning process. It'll help put things in perspective.

The writing of the series has always been strong and that's on display in this issue. Time jumps are an often-used writing tool but this issue doesn't make you feel like it was done out of necessity, but by choice. The art has also improved from earlier issues when it made you wish for a little more. The scenery is more established and there aren't as many panels with just a person standing in front of a solid-colored backdrop.

I've been down for the (hopefully) long ride ofThey're Not Like Ussince the first issue, and I still am. This issue absolutely opened up a lot of possibilities.

It'll be a hard month waiting to see who this new group is and what their story is, but it'll most likely be worth it.

They're Not Like Us is a series that people need to be reading. With it's 10th issue being one of its absolute strongest to date, it's now safe to say that.

While our main storyline follows Syd/Tabitha, keeping track with the movements of both the Voice and and the two police officers looking into him provides some exciting subplots. Honestly, they may have both stolen the show from our main plot line with surprises in each.

I'll be honest, a lot has happened since April and I didn't have the time to re-read 15 issues to rememberall of these plot lines. Luckily, there was enough exposition to fill in the blanks! So, as far as I'm concerned, me and Image are square as long as we can get an uninterrupted run of at least six issues. Let's make it happen.