Welcome to this week in comic book reviews! The staff have come together to read and review nearly everything that released today. It isn’t totally comprehensive, but it includes just about everything from DC and Marvel with the important books from the likes of Image, Boom, Dark Horse, and more.

The review blurbs you’ll find contained herein are typically supplemented in part by longform individual reviews for significant issues. This week that includes High Level #1, Hulkverines #1, and Sharkey the Bounty Hunter #1.

Also, in case you were curious, our ratings are simple: we give a whole number out of five; that’s it! If you’d like to check out our previous reviews, they are all available here.

And with that, on to the reviews — which are listed in alphabetical order, but first by DC, Marvel, and the rest of the publishers.

DC #1

AMERICAN CARNAGE #4

American Carnage involves an ex-cop infiltrating a white supremacist movement that’s trying to put on a more legitimate face. In the last issue, one of the leaders of the supremacist movement is attacked and for a second is portrayed as the victim. I like how the issue uses parallels between Richard’s actions as an undercover cop with the reader’s feelings towards the white supremacist movement. Just as Richard worries about “losing himself” while infiltrating their organization, we almost lose sight of how this white supremacist organization is murderous and evil because of a single attack. This is really great stuff, a nuanced look at a terrible topic that doubles as a captivating and compelling crime story. — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 5 out of 5

AQUAMAN #45

Aquaman is ambitious in what it seeks to build, but so far it has managed to make it happen and still keep the narrative wonderfully compelling. Kelly Sue DeConnick seems to be having a ball with myths and gods both new and old, and weaves it all with precision as to not clutter the main story. This is only buoyed by Robson Rocha’s pencils and Sunny Gho’s colors, who shape these grand ideas into something otherworldly but comprehensible, never letting things overshadow the central figures and mystery that keeps you invested in the narrative. Aquaman‘s been taking some chances with “Unspoken Water”, and it’s resulting in one of the freshest runs in quite some time. — Matthew Mueller

Rating: 5 out of 5

BATMAN #65

Joshua Williamson’s four-part “The Price” storyline continues this week with Batman and The Flash much in the same place we left them: at odds with one another. At its core, the issue and the arc on the whole is a story showing two sides of the grief coin, as it were. The Flash’s grief manifests in a need to accept the loss of Wally by seeking justice while Batman’s grief settles into a pathological need to save everyone — specifically Gotham Girl. It’s this need that shines a light on perhaps one of The Dark Knight’s biggest character flaws: he’s so deeply entrenched in his own pain and needs that he doesn’t have the sense to see when the story isn’t about him. Overall, the issue isn’t perfect. Despite the solid action and beginnings of a resolution, there is just this vague sense of being left wanting. However, if for nothing else than it’s sharp honesty and vulnerability in showing Batman for who he is, the book is a fine and worthy read. — Nicole Drum

Rating: 4 out of 5

CATWOMAN #8

From beginning to end, this issue is an electric and genuinely compelling read. Selina’s cat-and-mouse game with the Creel family is taken into some new and interesting territory, all while weaving just enough teases from Selina’s life in Gotham. Jones continues to have a unique take on the narrative, one that juggles several genres with an intoxicating ease. And the action she brings to life in this issue is truly inspired, with whole pages that do a fantastic job of showing, not telling. — Jenna Anderson


Rating: 5 out of 5

DAMAGE #14

OK, serious question: why wasn’t this the story the entire time? Damage gets dropped onto an island full of weird monsters, all of whom were discarded there by the Justice League. It’s simple and wild and actually solid. Damage has been a mostly subpar comic to this point, but it could’ve been so much more had it tried this out earlier. — Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 4 out of 5

HIGH LEVEL #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

High Level #1 is an introductory issue at its core, but it’s introducing readers to a world that is worth investigating. The themes here are rich, reflecting the tension inherent in consumerist society. It asks questions that every young person asks themselves at some point in their life. Reading along as Sheridan, Bagenda, and Fajardo unpack those themes and explore this new world further looks to be an exciting, gripping journey. — Jamie Lovett

Rating: 4 out of 5

JUSTICE LEAGUE #18

The Legion of Doom takes the spotlight this week, though in the process it relegates the actual plot to the backseat. There’s elements about this issue that are quite positive actually, as seeing Lex lock wits with Brainiac of all people is certainly entertaining. It didn’t necessarily need an entire issue though, and by issue’s end you can’t help but feel a bit underwhelmed. Lex’s history regarding his father is a noteworthy element, but it just doesn’t seem like it needed this much room to breathe, especially after the previous issue did something so similar. Hopefully things can get this story moving soon. — Matthew Mueller

Rating: 3 out of 5

DC #2

LUCIFER #5

Rooting for the Devil to succeed is an odd position to be in, but in the case of this issue, Lucifer needs all the help he can get. As broken as an immortal hell-dwelling being can get, Dan Watters continues to craft a masterful tale that makes the devil vulnerable. It’s pretty easy to notice how well Max and Sebastian Fiumara’s artwork goes with this title. — Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 4 out of 5

NAOMI #2

Naomi is a well-written comic that seems to be centered around a very frustrating concept. Naomi, the character, is fantastic — she has very real motivations, a complex personality, and is defined by a natural curiosity. However, we get a big tease about her true origins, and it’s a little bit frustrating mainly because it’s something DC has heavily relied upon over and over in recent years. At some point, having a “secret history” hastily inserted into your superhero continuity to put over a new character just isn’t that interesting any more. However, the creative team is still exciting, and I’m still intrigued by what will happen next, so here’s hoping we get a satisfying payoff next issue. — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3 out of 5

NIGHTWING #57

A Nightwing comic, and there is only one panel with Nightwing in it. The journey after a traumatic brain injury is a long, winding road, but it seems as if they should be able to speed that up in a comic book. Little happens this time around, and it’s most certainly a hiccup in the intriguing storyline the team has built of late. — Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 3 out of 5

SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #97

This month’s issue of Scooby-Doo focuses on Shaggy and Scooby’s attempts at getting everyone killed during a hostage situation at a bank. Three “ghosts” take hostages while the gang is at a bank, which leads to the pair trying to escape multiple times. Usually, that sort of behavior gets you killed, but in the Scooby-Doo universe, it just earns you a stern talking to by a guy in a shoddy ghost costume. I’m more intrigued by whether this comic will acknowledge Shaggy’s omnipotence in a few months, or if they’re just going to pretend like Shaggy’s Internet godhood isn’t a thing. — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 2 out of 5

TEEN TITANS #27

This team of oddballs and misfits has wormed their way into my heart, and they just might worm their way into yours too if you let them. Teen Titans #27 hits from all sides, touching upon every character that makes up its unique roster. Crush, Red Arrow, Roundhouse, Kid Flash, Robin, and Djinn all get their time in the spotlight, and in each and every scenario writer Adam Glass either reveals a new kernel about what makes them tick (Djinn and Roundhouse are prime examples) or makes a step forward in their overall motivation (like Crush for instance). Bernard Chang and Marcelo Maiolo deliver a lovely issue too, and you need look no further than Djinn’s flashbacks for proof, though there are a few rough spots here and there. Most impressive though is Robin’s metamorphosis from entitled and always self-assured punk to the guarded but compassionate, and most importantly self-aware leader he’s becoming. Sure he’s still prone to overconfidence, but we’re starting to finally see the character mature, and honestly at times it seemed like that would ever happen. Teen Titans continues to surprise, and we couldn’t be happier to be along for the ride. — Matthew Mueller

Rating: 5 out of 5

WILD STORM #20

Some of the best work to come from Warren Ellis comes when he writes with textless panels. For something like that to work, an absolutely outstanding artist needs to be on board, and thankfully, Jon Davis-Hunt is someone who can make it happen. This issue almost moves uncomfortably fast, but on the bright side, you likely won’t be bored with it. — Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 3 out of 5

Marvel #1

AGE OF X-MAN AMAZING NIGHTCRAWLER #1

Yes, this takes place in an alternate reality where Nightcrawler, and all mutants, live a perfect life free from suffering. Yes, the whole comic is about Nightcrawler’s life as a successful actor. Yes, it’s as boring as it sounds. — Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 2 out of 5

ASHE: WARMOTHER #3

Ashe: Warmother #3 continues to build League of Legends‘ universe by following Ashe’s journey after she lost her tribe and acquired her signature True Ice bow, and it does so at a pace that’s both fulfilling to those privy to League’s characters and others who are just now being introduced to the lore. By finding a new, noteworthy ally and hinting at other previously established relationships in Freljord, the third issue of Ashe: Warmother is still just as digestible as the previous issue without overwhelming readers with knowledge they’re expected to already know. Compared to past issues, #3 succeeds in showing how powerful the forces of Freljord are while still setting up meaningful connections and palpable tension between characters and factions. — Tanner Dedmon

Rating: 5 out of 5

AVENGERS #15

While the art has been a selling point for this Avengers series so far, it feels a little weaker here than usual. Fortunately the pacing is once again top notch, as the book proves to be a quick and exciting read from cover to cover. Nothing especially fantastic going on, but any comic that puts Robbie Reyes at the forefront is going to be exciting. — Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 3 out of 5

AVENGERS NO ROAD HOME #2

With a team of gods, androids, and immortal beings, Hawkeye shouldn’t be the most interesting character on this Avengers roster, providing the inner monologue that narrates the entire book. But, here we are, and it seriously works. — Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 4 out of 5

BLACK ORDER #4

This is the first issue of Black Order that I didn’t really enjoy, mostly because it focuses on the least developed of the Order’s five characters: Black Swan. Swan — largely hinted to be a corrupted version of Valeria Richards from an alternate universe — has a mostly tragic story, as her families and friends keep getting slaughtered by more powerful foes. As she muses about her past, the Black Order deals with a corrupted Richard Rider, turned into a Centurion by a wicked galactic emperor. This issue of Black Order swings a little too far from “over-the-top violence and goth/emo feelings” and more towards the melancholy, although I’m interested to see how this first arc wraps up next month. — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3 out of 5

BLACK WIDOW #2

Black Widow #2 kicks off with some gut-churning violence and births the newest, kick-butt incarnation of Black Widow. The series pull its weight as Natasha gets gory, and artist Flaviano ties together the violent imagery in a surprisingly tasteful thread. As the Black Widow’s new goal unfolds, readers will find themselves crusading alongside the burned heroine, and this issue’s final page will have them reaching for more. — Megan Peters

Rating: 4 out of 5

DOCTOR STRANGE #11

This issue of Doctor Strange is both a high and low for this series. Everything about the book, from its art to its less-than-stellar conclusion, feels entirely too rushed. Then again, some very interesting character choices are made, and plenty of solid breadcrumb trails are left in its wake. Here’s to better days ahead for the Sorcerer Supreme. — Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 3 out of 5

FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #3

Every once in a while, a comics creator comes up with an idea that reminds me how silly and wonderful comics can be. Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man does that with UNDER YORK, a replica of New York City that’s several miles underground. Under Yorkians have orange skin, are super strong (because they live underground!) and never really moved past the 1940s. It’s a great, goofy concept, and Spider-Man accepts it with just the right amount of sarcasm. Thank you Tom Taylor for writing such a great Spider-Man comic. — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 4 out of 5

Marvel #2

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #2

Just two issues into this run, Donny Cates manages to develop Peter Quill arguably more than has ever been done before. Instead of the wise-ass slacker, Quill is developing into a complex character with bouts of PTSD in a post-Infinity Wars world. Though plenty of story arcs are running through this title, it’s balanced well, giving each arch it’s own chance to shine without being either overpowering or shallow. — Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 5 out of 5

HULKVERINES #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

At first glance, Weapon H seems like a character that was something dreamt up in a Liefeldian fever dream in 1995, but Hulkverines manages to expand on the character’s depth in satisfactory ways. At the end of the day, it’s unlikely these three characters could sustain an ongoing series without becoming one-dimensional, so one has to applaud Marvel for deciding to make this an extra-short miniseries. At the very least, there will be enough “Hulk Smash” and “Snikt!” to go around for quite some time. — Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 2 out of 5

LOVE ROMANCES #1

Paying its respects to the romance comics of yesteryear, Love Romances delivers a variety of unconventional love stories that will surely appeal to devout Marvel Comics fans who might initially scoff at the title. From robots becoming surrogate partners to a love returning from the grave to romance leading to a vengeful act, each vignette offers both an authentic love story and unexpected conclusions to each story. The variety of the storylines and the art depicted in each abbreviated narrative offers something for everyone, even if the stories are injected with healthy doses of camp to honor the romance comics that dominated the ’40s and ’50s. Both beautiful and bizarre, Love Romances will warm even the coldest of hearts with its engaging encounters. — Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 4 out of 5

MARVELS AVENGERS ENDGAME PRELUDE #3

If you’re going to retell the story of a film, you at least need to reveal a few worthwhile nuggets of new information, and sadly the Endgame Prelude does not. If it’s going to just be a moment for moment recreation, just go watch the movie again, and honestly that’s the best solution here. Unlike the Captain Marvel Prelude, there aren’t any hidden conversations or unearthed details to sink your teeth into, so unless you just want to get a refresh for Endgame specifically in comic form, this isn’t required reading. — Matthew Mueller

Rating: 2 out of 5

MILES MORALES SPIDER-MAN #3

For the first few pages of this issue, Captain America seems like a totally unnecessary companion for Miles and his story. However, once the duo clicks, things get real good, real fast. — Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 4 out of 5

OLD MAN QUILL #2

While the hijinks of the Guardians are always a welcome sight, there’s something missing from this issue. It almost feels like another first issue instead of a continuation of a previous story. While it still shows promise, there’s something missing from this book and it doesn’t just quite click, but maybe it’s just the Gladiator is still out in orbit instead of hunting the Guardians down himself. — Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 3 out of 5

RETURN OF WOLVERINE #5

Return of Wolverine ends with a sputter. Charles Soule’s tale of multiple personalities and a mutant with resurrection abilities never comes together in a satisfying way. Despite stepping away from the series for three issues, Steve McNiven’s artwork in forgettable. The confusing mysteries that launched the book never amount to anything and are wiped away from the villain’s overreaching powers and resources. The series offers nothing new to say about Wolverine and no evolution, with Wolverine triumphantly exclaiming that he is the exact same character that he was before this overlong story started. Which leaves readers to wonder why they bothered. — Jamie Lovett

Rating: 2 out of 5

Marvel #3

SHURI #5

This book lost its way a long time ago, and it seems as though less and less effort is given as time passes. The artwork is lazy, the dialogue drags, and the most interesting characters in perhaps of all of Marvel, the Wakandans, are just sort of boring. Bringing in Tony Stark to save the day is its biggest sin yet, and it’s one that all Marvel fans should find difficult to abide. — Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 1 out of 5

STAR WARS SOLO ADAPTATION #5

The crew of the Millennium Falcon may have escaped a robot uprising on Kessell, but that’s nothing compared to the Galactic Empire, a maelstrom, a maw, and a malfunctioning ship. The crew band together and improvise to get the ship to safety, only for a threat from their past to emerge and compromise their mission. The artwork in the book continues to reimagine the events of the film in colorful and exciting ways, offering readers a much more stylistic interpretation of the narrative with the artist capturing the spirit of each character as opposed to a photorealistic likeness. This issue deviates from the film more drastically than previous issues, offering readers much more comedic dialogue and even physical gags to lighten the mood of the potentially fatal events, making for a highly entertaining experience. — Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 4 out of 5

UNCANNY X-MEN #12

Uncanny X-Men is again a strong story hampered by murky artwork. In the previous issues, Larroca’s artwork did a decent enough job at basic storytelling, even if it did it without style. In Uncanny X-Men #12, the artwork fails to achieve even that standard with a Sentinel fight scene that is almost unreadable. Matthew Rosenberg hasn’t lost the momentum of the story as Cyclops and Wolverine begin assembling their ragtag group of X-Men leftovers. It’s a shame that the issue’s visual storytelling isn’t up to the same level as the story itself. X-Men fans won’t want to miss this, but it’d be hard to blame them for growing frustrating and giving up on it. — Jamie Lovett

Rating: 3 out of 5

UNSTOPPABLE WASP #5

Unstoppable Wasp takes a very interesting approach to bipolar disorder, a mental disorder often stigmatized and misrepresented in media. Nadia and her friends fight while Nadia’s in the middle of a manic episode, which leads to a lot of bruised feelings and bruised bodies. Manic episodes are messy, especially when friends and families aren’t used to them, and I appreciate that Nadia can’t be calmed down just by seeing her friends. There’s a lot of good messages at the end of this issue, but the key to Unstoppable Wasp tackling this issue will be how the comic moves forward. Now that Nadia has been “diagnosed,” there will be a temptation to use it to move plots forward or create conflict whereas it should really treat this as a part of Nadia’s character instead of her main defining characteristic. — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 4 out of 5

VENOM #11

Venom is picking up steam pretty quickly after a lot of backstory in the past couple of issues. There is a ton of retconning and rewriting at play here, but the quick dialogue and gorgeous art keeps things moving along. It’s still one hell of a ride each and every week, and the final twist in this issue is sure to spice things up even more. — Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 4 out of 5

WOLVERINE INFINITY WATCH #1

File this under the “no reason for this to exist but better than it has any right to be” tab in your comic collection. Wolverine and Loki are a strange pair, and we don’t need the former at the center of a galactic struggle for Infinity Stones. But the bright colors and total self-awareness make this book actually work pretty well. It’s kind of silly, and certainly not the best option on the shelf this week, but it’s more fun than anyone would give it credit for. — Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers #1

ADVENTURE TIME MARCY & SIMON #2

This issue turns the Adventure Time crew’s newest predicament into something that’s just the right mix of endearing, profound, and lighthearted. As with most of these Adventure Time comic continuations, seeing the various dynamics develop to new heights is a major selling point, but the issue manages to tell a largely interesting narrative about grief, memories, and friendship in the process. Combined with delightful visuals and colors, it’s definitely something that fans of the larger Adventure Time world should keep their eyes on. — Jenna Anderson


Rating: 4 out of 5

ANTHEM #1

As a prequel to the video game Anthem, the first issue of the comic series of the same name isn’t the combat-filled, Iron Man simulator the game is – at least not yet. It sets up the story of the orphaned Kismet and his adopted sister, Jani, both of which are connected to the Javelin-piloting Freelancer named Yarrow. BioWare’s Anthem fans will obviously get the most out of Anthem #1, though the comic makes a decent effort at bringing newcomers into the fold through worldbuilding. Two young adults wanting to leave town and see the world is a path that’s been trodden many times, but Kismet and Jani are characters compelling enough to draw readers back in for another go. — Tanner Dedmon

Rating: 4 out of 5

BLACK BADGE #7

The competition between the various groups of badges comes to a head, leading to a near-fatal interrogation as the Black Badges seize an opportunity for victory. Of course, given the scheming nature of these covert operations, nothing is ever quite as easy as it seems, with the Black Badges’ possible victory coming at the cost of vulnerability. The narrative of this issue jumps around quite a bit, with the composition of the panels lacking cohesion to guide the reader’s focus. While we are understanding all the words being spoken and all the actions taking place, the highs and lows of the book’s momentum makes for a chaotic experience, all while the reader continues to struggle to make heads or tails of which characters are which and why we should care about them. Devout fans of the book might be satiated by the action in the issue, though it will likely come as a struggle to many other readers. — Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 2 out of 5

BITTER ROOT #4

Bitter Root introduces a new kind of variant monster, one created not out of hatred for others, but rather caused by those who suffered at the hands of hatred. It’s a classic case of hatred begetting more hatred, only Bitter Root suggests that this new kind of hatred might be harder to cure. After all, it can be a lot harder to forgive if one has legitimate grievances as opposed to irrational hatred. The deep metaphors in this book, wrapped around an exciting storyline about facing insurmountable odds, are extremely good. — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 5 out of 5

CODA #9

For being a fantasy tale set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Hum the Bard is increasingly relatable. After the massive ending to last month’s book, Hum acts exactly the way most of us would act after a breakup — and the heartbreak just radiates off the page. With more twists and turns than an M. Night Shyamalan movies, Coda is difficult to follow at times, but there’s never been a time where Spurrier and Bergara leave us hanging. — Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 4 out of 5

CRACKDOWN #1

Crackdown is centered around a team of self-proclaimed bad-asses called Agents, a global police force which is currently investigating claims of gangs and criminal networks banding together for some higher, nefarious purpose. Despite being brash and full of attitude, the comic misses the opportunity to show readers how tough Agents are through actions instead of words. The different Agents are appropriately given names like “Snipes” and “Boomer” to reflect their roles, but it’s difficult to be invested in their fates at the end of the first issue with so few connections being made. Crackdown shows promise with the action scenes it touts in the first issue though, so hopefully future issues will focus more on that and fleshing out characters. — Tanner Dedmon

Rating: 3 out of 5

EAST OF WEST #41

East of West #41 steps out this week with a foreboding claim. As war sits ahead of John, the prince finds himself split between bloodlines and loyalties. A daring escape and shocking threat only make the now-ousted prince’s dilemmas worse as John seemingly decides where he stands, but it may be too late to prevent war from wreaking havoc. — Megan Peters

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers #2

EXORSISTERS #5

Exorsisters seems to have this strange need to keep retelling the general origin for Kate and Cate as frequently as possible and that, combined with the way each issue feels like it’s moving one step forward three steps back, you’ve got a book that feels full of potential yet remains just shy of embracing it. Exorsisters #5 is a fun-enough read and we finally get a more coherent explanation of the predicament the sisters are facing along with a genuinely surprising twist in the final panel. However, there’s not really much that stands out here. It’s a very middling issue in a promising series that is starting to buckle under its own bloat. — Nicole Drum

Rating: 2 out of 5

JUDGE DREDD TOXIC #4

When confronted with the monstrous entity living under Mega-City One, Dredd and his fellow Judges unleash their arsenal in hopes of slowing down an invasion, only to discover there is a sadistic plan in place from a devious politician. The deceptive move on behalf of the scheming representative could actually come to fruition, unless Dredd has anything to say about it. Dredd himself might be a man of few words, yet you wouldn’t really come to that conclusion after reading this conclusion to the series, which is dense with dialogue. The overall narrative is effective and entertaining, yet we can’t help but wish the amount of word bubbles was reduced in order to put the book’s artwork at the forefront, as the limited series would have been more effective with a tighter script. This chapter, and the series as a whole, managed to deliver all of the things you come to expect from a Judge Dredd book, though had the time we spent trudging through the convoluted dialogue been spent enjoying the sci-fi action, it would have been a much more fulfilling experience. — Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 3 out of 5

LIGHTSTEP #4

Lightstep is a real disjointed mess of a comic. This issue plays with some of the time effects mentioned in passing in previous issues, but utilizes a poorly thought out “time skip” and some truly heinous tropes in the process. Nothing says hackneyed like making your main character a sex slave so she then becomes an assassin, only to handwave it all away on the final page. This is a wretched mess of a comic too caught up in its billing as a “high concept space opera” to actually try to produce a coherent storyline. — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 1 out of 5

LUMBERJANES #59

This has been one of Lumberjanes‘ most uninteresting arcs in some time, and sadly things don’t really get much better here. Typically the charm of the cast and the art can overcome any obstacles, but here that sadly isn’t the case. There are still some enjoyable moments, don’t get me wrong , but there just isn’t enough of those to make up for the rather bland plot, and when we finally do get some interesting movement on that front the issue ends soon thereafter. This also isn’t the strongest issue from a visual perspective either, so overall here’s hoping the arc can end on a high note next issue and get back into the swing of things. — Matthew Mueller

Rating: 2 out of 5

MIDDLEWEST #4

This is my favorite issue of Middlewest yet, and it’s the first that doesn’t try to sell the reader on how strange everything is. Maybe it’s just that I’m used to Middlewest (a world that simultaneously feels very familiar and strange all at once) or maybe I like that the comic departed from the main “epic quest” storyline and just focused on a homeless kid trying to get a good meal. Whatever the reason, Middlewest finally feels like it’s living up to its promise. — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 4 out of 5

MONSTRESS #20

Monstress #20 is a brutal issue with some stunning turns and complex moments and it is easily one of the best issues of the entire run thus far. Opening with a wedding and ending in what might be the prelude to a funeral, the entire saga of Monstress takes a sharp turn. Marjorie Liu adds even more lush, detailed layers onto her characters, especially Ren and his betrayal of Maika while Maika is blindsided yet again by the secrets and mysteries of her very origin. Even Kippa’s plight gets deeper into the character’s nature as the little fox child somehow manages to maintain her goodness even in the face of potential horror. Stunning to look at, deftly crafted, and a joy to read, Monstress is a book you won’t want to put down. — Nicole Drum

Rating: 5 out of 5

SAVAGE DRAGON #242

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

Larsen makes plenty of room for character moments, including a troubling look at one character who seems to be struggling with her identity in a big way. The art helps sell the emotion, and despite having one of the sex robots that was causing Malcolm trouble last year reprogrammed into a series regular and the hyper-sexualized Ant squaring off with a Norse god, this issue is fairly low on the sex factor.

The issue leaves us with a lot of questions, and a cliffhanger that teases Amy Dragon (the baby) having to fight off a menace on her own. — Russ Burlingame

Rating: 4 out of 5

Other Publishers #3

SEVEN TO ETERNITY #13

Though this title has flirted with horror in the past, it dives into some Doctor Strange-esque dark magic themes that run deep throughout. While this title is a dense read month after month, it’s easy to chalk that up Remender’s out-of-this-world worldbuilding. — Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 4 out of 5

SHARKEY BOUNTY HUNTER #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

Mark Millar and Simone Bianchi launch a brand-new series today, and while Sharkey the Bounty Hunter has its ups and downs, it ultimately feels like a book that needs a little more time to live up to its potential. — Matthew Mueller

Rating: 3 out of 5

STAR WARS ADVENTURES #18

The first half of this month’s issue of Star Wars Adventures delivers a story featuring Jar Jar Binks and Padme Amidala going on a treasure hunt to seek a relic for Boss Nass, only for the Gungan’s clumsy nature to cause trouble at every turn. The story leans into the goofy nature of Jar Jar but, given that this is a book that aims to deliver exciting stories to young readers, is fun and silly enough to entertain those that it is intended for. The second story explores a pilot who hopes to climb the smuggling ranks, seizing an opportunity to “help” Han Solo, only to begin demonstrating his double-crossing abilities. This narrative is far less fun than the first half of the issue, yet it still entertains while also reminding young readers of the lesson that it’s never too late to be the person you want to be, even if it means rejecting your former ways at the risk of retribution. Additionally, readers witness a key moment in the history of the Millennium Falcon which helps explain more about its journey before Star Wars: The Force Awakens. — Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 4 out of 5

WITCHER OF FLESH & FLAME #3

Geralt gets down to the business of killing monsters in the latest issue of Witcher. A djinn is loose in a faraway kingdom, and Geralt is tasked with stopping it. This is basically what you’d expect from a Witcher comic: lots of magic, violence, smoldering flirting between Geralt and the prettiest woman in the kingdom, and a “mystery” that’s super easy to solve. I can’t say that this is a great comic, but it’s a comic that Witcher fans will enjoy, especially those who enjoy naked chests — both of Geralt and assorted monster women). — Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3 out of 5