Comic Book Reviews for This Week: 8/10/2022

DC #1

BATGIRLS #9

It took a hot minute, but Batgirls is finally finding its groove. This issue is probably the best yet – the story sticks with a single subplot and advances it in a surprising fashion, while spending time with all three characters and highlighting their differences and why they work so well together. The art is bright and dynamic without feeling rushed, and the comic flows effortlessly. The best issue yet and I'm excited to see the comic tackle a new arc. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 4 out of 5

BATMAN: URBAN LEGENDS #18

Batman: Urban Legends #18 comes out swinging with a stellar opening story from Brandon Thomas, Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque, John Kalisz, and Steve Wands, shifting focus away from Batman to the Outsiders and especially The Signal while still moving Batman forward in small but significant ways. The vivid colors and expressive characters are a brilliant fit for the team's lively lineup, and Thomas wastes no time getting to the heart of what pushes Duke to overcome all that stands in his way. Then things take a turn with the Etrigan starring "Blood In & Blood Out" from Henry Barajas, Serg Acuna, Dave McCaig, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, throwing Batman into the world of magic and emerging with entertaining results. The issue takes another twist with the delightfully odd "Pennyworth Files, Chapter 1: The Fall of the Scales" by Chris Burnham, Nathan Fairbairn, and Rus Wooten. Pennyworth is absurdly charming and it's a thrill to watch Batman's most trusted ally sort out the mystery solo as Batman attends to his own dire situations, all of which are brought to at times brutal life by Burnham and Fairbairn. "Night Terrors" and "Belle & Beau" close out the issue, both offering their own memorable moments and unique looks at the Dark Knight, though the book's first three stories captivated me the most. With five stories to choose from, Batman: Urban Legends #18 truly offers something for every type of Batman fan, and without a doubt deserves a spot on your pull list this week. -- Matthew Aguilar

Rating: 4 out of 5

BLOOD SYNDICATE: SEASON ONE #4

Blood Syndicate has some things working for it, when it comes to some of the characters that have been introduced, and while there are still some divets in the road, the Milestone book is doing a worthy job of updating the original characters. While I think the issue, and really the series, could take a bit more time to focus on its main characters, it still tells a solid story along the way. Cross has a mastery when it comes to action scenes and emotional moments. The series hurls a lot of different super-powered characters your way, but the story would have ultimately benefitted from spending more time with the core characters. -- Evan Valentine

Rating: 3 out of 5

DARK CRISIS: WORLDS WITHOUT A JUSTICE LEAGUE – GREEN LANTERN #1

John Stewart and Hawkgirl take center stage in this twofer, with Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Fernando Blanco taking the reins to the Stewart story while Jeremy Adams and Jackson Herbert craft the Hawkgirl tale. As with most other Dark Crisis stories to date, both entries here are deeply personal as the respective heroes look upon their careers in crime-fighting. While Herbert's layouts and lineart sync perfectly with Adams' pulp-style adventure, the Stewart story is a bit too small for its own good, especially when dealing with the idea of a multiverse head-on. -- Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 3 out of 5

DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #1doesn't quite justify why DCeased required another series. I'm sure I'll be proven wrong in issues yet to come and the comic is by no means bad, but its opener didn't do quite enough to demand readers' attention once more.. -- Connor Casey

Rating: 4 out of 5

FUTURE STATE: GOTHAM #16

There really isn't any way to say this softly. Future State: Gotham is terrible. Storyline-wise, things begin to converge with Nightwing showing up at the "main" fight with the original Batman and the other mess of Bat-related vigilantes, but that. might be the only "good" thing about the issue – and I use that term very loosely here. The art is poorly executed and looks less like finished work and more like half-considered drafts. I've frequently compared it to the work of an untrained teen's notebook doodles, but it's really rough here. Rough art by itself is not necessarily bad when there is color to help, but with this being black and white, this just looks lazy and extremely unskilled. The lettering is done in a fashion where there are pages where it is virtually impossible to tell who is speaking because there are no characters on the page, there's too much use of white space, and even with the story sort of bringing the players together, the actual writing itself is weak and cliche. From cover to cover this entire issue looks cheap and shoddy and is confusing. It was recently announced that the series is finally ending in October and thank god for that because I don't see how it can get worse. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 1 out of 5

HARLEY QUINN #19

I'm not entirely certain what was the driving force behind making Harley Quinn a weekly title, but I think it's a situation of diminishing returns. Harley Quinn #19 sees the mission of Task Force XX continue and while it's nice to see Harley in a situation that is frankly very far outside the normal even for DC's least normal character, there's absolutely nothing of substance here. Phillips, who started this series strong with a solid grasp of Harley and her personality, has reduced the character down to mindless quipping and clownishness that feels cheap and exploitative. She also seems to not quite understand some of the other characters she's working with, namely Luke Fox, who comes off pretty irresponsible and one-dimensional which is certainly not how the character has ever been portrayed before. The art here is reasonable enough, but even okay-ish art isn't that great when everything else is just so lackluster. I'd rather have no Harley book or to have to wait for one than something that feels this exploitative. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 1 out of 5

DC #2

I AM BATMAN #12

I Am Batman features two of the most cringeworthy lines of dialogue published this year. While I appreciate the creative team's desire to make Jace Fox a more relevant Batman, this comic really struggles at times to show that it actually has a finger of the pulse of its potential readership. Not only does the comic continue to get bogged down by its tepid look into NYPD brutality (the last page implies that a cop beat someone to death... which almost feels like a misdirect given how the comic is going), the attempts at touching on social issues just fall flat this issue. I wish I liked this comic more, but it feels like it's still missing a direction and spending too much time trying to reference the discourse without truly engaging in it. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 2 out of 5

THE JURASSIC LEAGUE #4

The central threat of The Jurassic League is revealed in issue #4 as the miniseries resolves its many disparate battles and characters – removing many minor antagonists and drawing its heroes together. It's easy to predict what's inside the dark egg, if it weren't already, based on a familiar visual trope, but the build across the issue and final revelation of the creature in an enormous spread proves very satisfying. Each encounter and battle is filled with the energetic compositions that made this series a must-read for fans of action-oriented comics art, with both Gedeon and Mikel splitting artistic duties in a fashion that resolves many of the weaker elements found in issue #3. What's also enticing is the blunt approach to characterization with each dinosaur superhero boiled down to the essential elements of their analog. Batman's quest to seek revenge, Wonder Woman's to bring peace to a troubled world, and Superman's to improve the planet are all obvious driving forces and easily perceived, which empowers their dynamic designs. The same goes for Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, who all provide admirable performances as bros. The Jurassic League #4 reasserts the series' stylistic excellence and promises readers a climax that should not be missed. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4 out of 5

NAOMI: SEASON TWO #6

Naomi: Season Two ends with another epic fight that struggles to maintain a cohesive narrative. As Naomi faces off against more "Megas" from her home world, she makes contact with an unexpected new ally and gains access to even more powers. It's sometime a struggle to understand what's going on in issues like this, where the comic tries so hard to "show" Naomi's abilities and backstory instead of "tell" but ends up not doing a good job of either. The quiet moments in this comic are so good, but the loud moments often aren't. Hopefully, this isn't the end of Naomi, as she's a cool character with an interesting backstory that barely seems touched upon. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3 out of 5

NUBIA: QUEEN OF THE AMAZONS #3

Now that Nubia: Queen of the Amazons has established its proverbial "new normal" with its new twist, this issue shows its ability to truly thrive – and do so in a fun, dramatic way. As Nubia is directly confronted with the ramifications of her past, and of one particular figure's role in that past, a battle unfolds that is kinetic and satisfying, with some brilliant choices made by Alitha Martinez, Mark Morales and John Livesay in terms of panel constructions and fight sequences. Through it all, Stephanie Williams' script remains consistently great, taking Nubia's lore into some profound and compelling places – places that every DC fan should want to follow. -- Jenna Anderson


Rating: 4.5 out of 5

SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL #14

There is a lot of good stuff going on in Superman: Son of Kal-El #14 and it should be no surprise because it all builds upon story elements that Tom Taylor has been laying from the start. In a sense, that's what makes the start of this big showdown with Henry Bendix so strong in that it feels earned. Literally everything that has come before has been building to this. It's a rare case where the pacing and plotting finally pays off and it's really nicely done. Cian Tormey's art is pretty nice here, too, though I didn't exactly love the design of the transformed Prisoner One. The only real miss here is that the issue itself is a little slow to start cooking, but if you balance that with how the slower burn lets us center with the more emotional aspects of the piece, it balances out. Strong issue over all and a great lead in to the last stand. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 4 out of 5

WONDER WOMAN #790

Wonder Woman #790 ends "The Villainy of Our Fears" arc and while it's an arc that has been very uneven in its execution, it ends reasonably well. Sure, it's a little predictable with a pretty sweeping victory from Wonder Woman and company and the villains end up being more of a joke than a threat, but it's kind of fun to read and its especially enjoyable watching Wonder Woman own Cizko for all his misogynistic crap. In a sense, though, that's where the issue falls a little short. It's clear that there was potential for something a little more grand and perhaps a bit more intellectual so even with the issue being decent it just comes off as DC still not really knowing what to do with Wonder Woman. The real winner in this issue is Tamra Bonvillain's colors. There are a lot of artists on this issue, but those colors keep everything and the story held together. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 3 out of 5

Marvel #1

A.X.E.: JUDGMENT DAY #2

All of the tie-ins for Judgment Day have related to a very specific event in the first issue and the reason for this slow acceleration becomes abundantly clear this week when the real stakes of the event are revealed. The final few pages alone reignite any diminished interest caused by the first issue's familiar stakes; what happens here will leave readers with plenty to consider and opens the door for an event far different than what many of us have grown cynical over. Meanwhile, the craft displayed in these pages remains excellent with an astonishing array of characters and locales showcased without a single dull note. Necessary exposition remains, but Gillen finds clever devices to display both themes and plot devices to readers – a handful of clunkers aside. It's possible to see tropes, like the number six, recurring in the second outing and it's becoming clear this concept is a big swing for all involved. It's the evident ambition on the page in the first two issues and readiness to reflect readers' world back at them, albeit in a distorted, super-powered image, that demands your attention by the end of the second issue. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4 out of 5

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #7

Wells and Romita's The Amazing Spider-Man excels not because it possesses an iconic status quo but because it makes its status quo seem iconic. Norman Osborn is a troubled mentor to Peter once again and, despite the truly bizarre events that turned him to good, it reads in a natural fashion that leaves reader sympathies with Osborn of all people. This new arrangement owes a debut of gratitude to Romita for its introduction as he introduces surprises in a genuinely surprising fashion and has characters holding complex expressions reduced to their essential lines. It's impressive to see Osborn present respect, regret, and longing in a single downward glance and essential to knowing that he's not a monster, at least not in this moment. That ability to quickly instill humanity into inhumane characters pays dividends in a Vulture set up that reveals a ferocity few artists have dared to imbue the classic villain with. While the series continues to rotate its simmering sub-plots, it never fails to make each issue's focus seem immediate and important. Adrian Toomes never seems like a B-lister in these pages and he packs plenty of punch to balance the character work performed around Peter and some of his longest held acquaintances this week. It's another killer issue in what's gearing up to be a genuinely iconic run for the amazing Spider-Man. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

THE AVENGERS #59

I'm a sucker for Westerns, but the slapdash pastiche-work being applied to Avengers of all eras in the current scattershot arc of stories does the genre no justice here. Starbrand and Phoenix are made into cowboys who fall into the same pattern repeated several times over this summer; they are beset by Mephisto's forces and just barely saved by the Avengers of Earth-616. It is a dull reading experience that does not even provide compelling rearrangements of these colorful characters as the cowboys primarily bear familiar insignia while a Shi'ar train and Mephisto-powered posse prove unmemorable. That Garron's storytelling is crystalline offers this story its sole notable redeeming trait. The issue only dares to hint at larger mysteries and plots, which makes the entire affair read like it's stalling for time. That's become an unfortunate pattern in The Avengers, and it makes the upcoming A.X.E. tie-in issues appear like a relief. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 1.5 out of 5

THE AVENGERS AND MOON GIRL #1

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are one of Marvel's most beloved duos, but Marvel's The Avengers and Moon Girl #1 showcases just how delightful Moon Girl can be even without her dinosaur partner. Writer Mohale Mashigo brilliantly captures the fun, charm, and inventive curiosity of the character, and artist Dio Neves, colorist Rachelle Rosenberg, and letterer Travis Lanham brilliantly bring her misadventures with Beasty and Captain Marvel to life. Part of what makes the issue so compelling is simply seeing Moon Girl interact with the greater Marvel Universe, as her directness and consistent reminders that she's only 9 lead to several moments of comedic gold. The move from Neves to Salva Espin's artwork is rather seamless, though it is a bit jarring to go from that style to Bruno Oliveira's. That said, they are all enjoyable in their own right, and it wasn't enough of a jolt to take away from how entertaining the adventure ends up being. It isn't required reading mind you, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the first issue, and the promise of seeing Moon Girl and the X-Men team up is more than enough to keep me hooked for issue #2. -- Matthew Aguilar

Rating: 4 out of 5

BLACK PANTHER #8

"The Long Shadow" comes to a climactic conclusion and delivers its promise of reshaping Wakanda while setting up a new status quo for Black Panther. The previous issue dedicated page space to properly introducing a new hero named Tosin, but he mostly takes a backseat here, save for some spicy interactions with Shuri. I'm interested in seeing how Wakanda changes after losing T'Challa as its king, along with the loss of its parliamentary democracy. -- Tim Adams

Rating: 4 out of 5

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY #3

My biggest complaint about Sentinel of Liberty has been the dud of a central mystery, one that relied more on buzzwords and teases than actual substance. This issue goes a long way to correct that, with the beginning of an explanation as to the new enemy that Rogers faces and its ties to Captain America's shield. The real highlight this issue is Bucky's fight against Peggy Carter, which puts Peggy back in play and establishes that she's not on the same side as whoever Bucky is in allegiance with. That's a cool dynamic that could hurt Rogers in a way that no punch ever could. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

CAPTAIN CARTER #5

Captain Carter #5 brings its thrilling tale of espionage to an end this week as Peggy finds herself playing a life-or-death game of chess with Hydra once again. After being taken prisoner, the supersoldier pulls ahead with her allies to pull the wool over an entire terrorist organization's eyes. From its choreography to its art, this entry proves Peggy still has what it takes to lead a solo series, so hopefully, this isn't the last we have seen of the captain. -- Megan Peters

Rating: 4 out of 5

GHOST RIDER: VENGEANCE FOREVER #1

A quick detour from the main Ghost Rider series is Vengeance Forever, a tribute to Johnny Blaze and Marvel's other popular Spirits of Vengeance. While still clocking in at a regular length, Benjamin Percy is able to quickly navigate readers through the history of the character, shining the spotlight on others like Danny Ketch and Robbie Reyes and teasing what's to come from the series. As with the main line, Vengeance Forever is dark and deeply personal, and even though it carries a T+ rating, a lot of the content within borders on the mature side. That feeling is ballooned by the art of Juan Jose Ryp, whose realistic nature teleports you into this insidious world. The team of Ryp and Bryan Valenza results in some serious Steve Dillon vibes, the perfect tone for a comic featuring the Spirit of Vengeance. -- Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 4 out of 5

Marvel #2

JANE FOSTER & THE MIGHTY THOR #3

Sometimes this series feels more like an Asgardian Madlibs than a fully fleshed out story. It's all about cramming in as many popular, Thor-adjacent characters and that gets old very quickly. -- Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 2 out of 5

MS. MARVEL AND WOLVERINE #1

Wolverine isn't always great as a featured character, but Ms. Marvel might be the perfect partner for him. Really, Kamala is the perfect partner for anyone, and Jody Houser does an excellent job showing just how much she can bring to the stories of other characters. -- Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 4 out of 5

PREDATOR #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

Predator #1 is a comic with one job: Showcase the cool looking aliens who murder human beings for sport. It succeeds in this regard and does so with some stylistic flair at points. This would be adequate and some readers might return. Predator #1 does that job in a way where readers are far more concerned about a human being named Theta handling very non-Predator problems by its final page, and that is quite the impressive trick. Her story is bound to create lots more impressive action sequences and display an abundance of colorful settings; Walker seems a great fit to make that sci-fi showcase impressive. Theta's story promises to make those images worthwhile by adding another compelling, new perspective to the franchise. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4 out of 5

PUNISHER #5

Punisher #5 emphasizes the origin story in its dual-narrative and the inclusion of some outstanding depictions of teen life and terrible violence from Paul Azaceta provide the issue with genuine gusto and an aesthetic appeal that rises above the tedious supernatural cult imagery situated in the present. The artistic excellence displayed ameliorates the series' ongoing issues a bit, but doesn't address them. Focusing on Frank's early life tells the tale of his romance with Maria, but this story centers a new character, the nebbish Steadman Sternberger. Maria remains as voiceless in her living past as her undead present, largely reduced to the nice girl who temporarily calms a raging man – a hackneyed and sexist stereotype. Endless sermons about the nature of Frank's early career as a serial killer and what the Hand's god seeks, desires, etc. offer no real insight on this reflection of violence. Instead, Frank remains a cypher for readers to project themselves onto while the story always provides room to sympathize and even lionize his actions. It's a genuinely strange take on the character and one that continues to fumble even its most intriguing elements and all the artistic merit presenting the story. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 2 out of 5

STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS #26

While previous issues of this serious have stumbled for featuring little more than jumping from one action scene to the next, this issue instead suffers due to jumping from one scene of exposition to the next. It's not that the writing nor the art is necessarily poor, it's more that the storyline is spread out so thin across an ensemble of one-dimensional figures, it's hard to invest in any of their histories not only due to their lack of complexities, but also due to how little time we spend with any of them. Perhaps with necessary connections being drawn in the narrative, the back half of this arc can inspire a more engaging experience, as opposed to continuing Star Wars: Bounty Hunters's trend of underwhelming stereotypes. -- Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 2 out of 5

STAR WARS: HAN SOLO & CHEWBACCA #5

Han and Chewie may have reunited, but there's still the little matter of Han's supposed father and the Millennium Falcon both having gone missing, though some figures from the duo's past manage to catch up to the smugglers. While some other Star Wars comics from Marvel are struggling to find the right balance of ensemble stories, Han Solo & Chewbacca makes it look effortless, as supporting characters are injected as necessary to help support the main narrative while also intriguing readers with hints about how these fringe figures connect to other corners of the galaxy far, far away. Admittedly, Han, Chewbacca, and Han's "father" are still the main components of this narrative, but the writing ensures that we are jumping from one character to the next right before any of their encounters grow stale. Add to that engaging balance in the narrative momentum a handful of references to other famous faces from the franchise and you get a delightful experience that adds to the mythology of the iconic duo that never betrays their backstory. -- Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 4 out of 5

VENOM: LETHAL PROTECTOR #5

Saving the best for last, writer David Michelinie delivers an issue that is as absurdly fun as it is completely retro. Writer David Michelinie manages to bring the action away from New York and the mean streets that the Lethal Protector is so used to guarding, ironically making for the best of this new series. Artist Ivan Fiorelli also gets the chance to have some fun here, with back-to-back-to-back action beats and a flurry of your favorite D-list villains, all ripe for the brain chewing. At a time when the flagship Venom series is hit or miss and often skewing its focus to other characters it was fun to have something that was just a Venom adventure. -- Spencer Perry

Rating: 4 out of 5

X-MEN: LEGENDS #1

Marvel Comics is back for another round of retro gap-filling stories with the launch of a new volume of X-Men: Legends #1. Where the previous series at least began by answering a long lingering question from the X-Men canon (Whatever happened to Adam-X?), the new volume kicks off yet another Hulk vs. Wolverine fight, hardly answering anyone's questions. Despite taking up a large chunk of the issue, this fight proves little more than a cold open. The story is primarily about Logan teaming up with the ultra-obscure mutant Jack O'Diamonds before Giant-Size X-Men #1's events. It all seems to be in service to explaining why Wolverine seemed so eager to ditch Department H in that game-changing issue, but the Wolverine written here sounds little like the character fans have come to know and love. The lively artwork does its best, but there's no salvaging this bore. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 2 out of 5

Other Publishers #1

AGGRETSUKO: OUT TO LUNCH #1

Aggretsuko: Out to Lunch goes live this week and tackles the dreaded issue of burnout as our favorite girl finds herself fed up with her career. Feeling as if she's in prison each day, Retsuko makes some drastic decisions in this debut issue that will send her life for a ride, but the question remains whether her choice was for the best. -- Megan Peters

Rating: 4 out of 5

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG FORVER #4

Archer & Armstrong Forever reaches the climax of its first arc and it is a splendid mess showcasing why this duo remains a potent force at Valiant and for more issues to come. With all of the pieces in place—an army of soldiers and their superpowered bloodhound descend into The Faraway to find a yeti and immortal-making apples alongside the titular pair—it's a crowded scene loaded with opportunities and that's exactly what's executed in these pages. Readers follow the action with ease as the power dynamics constantly shift between jokes and blows (with excellent accompanying onomatopoeia). The end of this opening spectacle is, simply put, a lot of fun and it sets the stage for a lot more spectacular adventures to come. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4 out of 5

ASTRONAUT DOWN #3

Astronaut Down reintroduces its premise as events are thrown even further into chaos after a brief lull in issue #2. Everything that made the debut such an enticing spectacle is present here in new forms. After better establishing the parameters of this apocalyptic mission, it's clear that time is of the essence for the few survivors on earth as the eponymous astronaut drags his heels. The cause of that delay and its responses are stunning, especially when set side-by-side with detailed depictions of the horrifying metaphysical plague threatening Earths across the multiverse. Things change at a pace that engages readers like the characters whose lives are being pulled inside out and never provides a moment to glance away. It's a thrill to chase the story and its cataclysmic implications, especially as new twists build upon old turns to create a much more complex narrative. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4 out of 5

THE DEADLIEST BOUQUET #1

The opening issue of The Deadliest Bouquet is filled with unanswered questions at almost every turn. Not only do the events of the series kick off with a mysterious death, but the backgrounds of all of the major characters are left somewhat nebulous for the time being. Without anything to cling onto outside of these checkered backstories, there is very little engrossing from the jump with The Deadliest Bouquet. Still, the seeds that have been planted have me intrigued to see how this story develops over the long haul. -- Logan Moore

Rating: 3 out of 5

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ANNUAL 2022 #1

The Dungeons & Dragons Annual contains two Wild Beyond the Witchlight focused stories, each of which use the Wildlight Carnival as a launching point. The lead story, by longtime D&D comic writer Jim Zub and illustrated by Eduardo Mello and Kyler Clodfeller, uses a story hook from The Wild Beyond the Witchlight to introduce a group of new characters who go on a brief foray into the Feywild to retrieve something lost long ago. The latter story by Ryan Cady and Vincenzo Riccardi is a vibrant look at two pixies who use the Witchlight Carnival as an escape from their warring tribes. Both are fun stories that are a bit too quick and neatly resolve themselves a bit too fast. The timing of the Annual is also unfortunate, as it comes nearly a full year after The Wild Beyond the Witchlight's release and it seems that the adventures has been mostly forgotten by the D&D news cycle. Still, not every story needs to be a timely tie-in, and these comics nicely show off the feel of potential Witchlight campaigns. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

EIGHT BILLION GENIES #4

Eight Billion Genies continues to outdo itself with each subsequent issue. Soule's scripts are the perfect blend of exposition and progression, setting up future storytelling while resolving previous conflicts within one fell swoop. Eight Billion Genies #4 is no different as it's packed full with equal amounts of character development and world-building, coupled with Browne's genre-bending artwork. -- Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D.: 1957 – FALLING SKY #1

Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson's latest one-shot story in the world of Hellboy doesn't do much by way of expanding any specific corner of the world but at least has a fun little story with a piece of folklore previously unexplored in this series. Artist Shawn Martinbrough returns, drawing their second Hellboy story, and while the color pallete by Lee Loughridge is striking throughout, there are moments where the detail oriented nature of Martinbrough's work doesn't gel with the look of the series as a whole. Like the live-action attempts at bringing Hellboy to life, I'm not sure we were supposed to see so much detail in his face. -- Spencer Perry

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

LOVE EVERLASTING #1

Love Everlasting #1 introduces the series' premise and showcases an excellent array of artwork, but has little to offer beyond a stylish hook here. The story follows Joan through a variety of romance comics premises as she falls into love and finds herself transported into a new setting and premise with each resolution. Narrative captions and self-talk make it clear Joan is growing aware of her predicament, but provides little definition for Joan herself – the only substantial character in the entire piece. Any commentary on the form or genre are unclear in this outing and the concept of a self-aware heroine spiraling through trite romance plots sounds clever, but proves insubstantial after 20 pages. That having been said, depictions of early 20th century New York City, Archie-like digs, and a Western atmosphere all glimmer under Charretier's eye alongside bright blocks of color from Matt Hollingsworth that sell the retro-vibe being generated. Love Everlasting #1 is pleasant enough to read, but grows increasingly thin as it's read – issue #2 needs to add some depth to the superficial pleasures. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers #2

MIND MGMT: BOOTLEG #2

Bootleg continues to add new ideas at a rate comparable to the original Mind MGMT. New recruits are quickly added with twists on familiar abilities and links to Zanzibar, but even as the new cast is assembled familiar faces appear. It's the final sequence of Mind MGMT: Bootleg #2 that best highlights its greatest asset: artist Matt Lesniewski. From his stunningly trippy cover through to interpretations of Matt Kindt's greatest creations, a fluid style laps up mind-bending ideas and serves them to readers in panels that reward every moment of attention paid to them. A sequence with a man dressed in advertisements is an entrancing bit of action that mesmerizes with strange details. The artists collaborating with Kindt on the future of Mind MGMT elevate the concepts by showcasing them with new eyes. Kindt's original issues were spectacular but returning to those ideas with diverse and complementary collaborators provides readers new and old with a visual odyssey to cherish. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

POWER RANGERS #22

With one issue to go before the monumental Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #100, Power Rangers #22 impressively sets the tone and the stakes for the high-profile event while also delivering several unexpected moments along the way. Ryan Parrott has no issue shocking the system with a truly surprising turn of events midway through the issue, but as always it's the characters and their individual growth and internal struggles that allow for those bigger-than-life moments to take hold. Artist Marco Renna, colorists Walter Baiamonte, Sharon Marino, and Sara Antonellini, and letterer Ed Dukeshire are in a groove from the very first page, with thrilling fight sequences throughout and a gorgeous final page. A lot of the pieces still hadn't quite fallen into place before issue #99, but thankfully this issue set things up beautifully, and all the pieces seem to be in place for a stellar franchise celebration. -- Matthew Aguilar

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

RED SONJA: FAIRY TALES #1

Given the wide variety of Sonja-related stories Dynamite has put out as of late, it was only a matter of time until they fully branched into something like Red Sonja: Fairy Tales. That inevitability doesn't make this one-shot any less delightful, as the issue remixes the myth of Jack and the Beanstalk with a violent, matter-of-fact Sonja flair. Jordan Clark's script excels once it marries the canon of the original story with the expectations of a Sonja tale, particularly in the latter half of the issue. And Andres Labrada's artwork and Kike J. Diaz's color work gives an unexpected sense of flair to what could otherwise be a generic aesthetic for the story, with clever uses of purples and pinks. While this Fairy Tales one-shot isn't essential reading for Sonja fans, it's still entertaining. -- Jenna Anderson

Rating: 4 out of 5

SAMURAI DOGGY #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

Overlooking the opening pages of the issue, brutal as they are, readers' enjoyment of Samurai Doggy will likely come down to how much they appreciate the visuals, and there is a lot to like in that regard. In that way, it's reminiscent of another anthropomorphic comic series, Blacksad, a series with capably written plots elevated by gorgeous artwork. That may sound like a backhanded compliment, but there are far worse things in the world than a comic book being remembered best for being visually stunning. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

SEASON OF THE BRUJA #5

Despite some shaky middle installments, Season of the Bruja largely manages to stick the landing in its finale, balancing supernatural stakes and family affair with ease. One of the greatest strengths of the overall series has been its more emotional moments, which are taken to their most fantastical—but nevertheless poignant—conclusion in this chapter. Sara Soler's art also gets to shine in this issue, especially with regards to certain creature designs and otherworldly moments. While Season of the Bruja has occasionally been a bumpy or underwhelming journey, this final issue makes a lot of it worthwhile. -- Jenna Anderson


Rating: 4 out of 5

SLUMBER #6

Slumber #6 brings its nightmarish story to a head as a mother and daughter reunite before their worst fears. As our heroes find themselves back into a corner, a slew of brutal art welcomes them to the edge as each character must decide where their hearts lies. And by the end, fans will be left wondering if their decisions led them astray or not. -- Megan Peters

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers #3

STARHENGE, BOOK ONE: THE DRAGON & THE BOAR #2

I have just one criticism of Starhenge, Book One: The Dragon & The Boar #2 and it's that I have to wait and read this issue by issue rather than having the full volume in my hands to lose myself in all at once. If issue one was exquisite in terms of art, whatever is beyond exquisite applies here. Story-wise, the issue balances the past with the present—we really get into Amber and Darryl's romance here—all while weaving in Arthurian legend and while it's true that if you aren't especially familiar with Arthurian legend this story could be a little confusing, Sharp does a fairly decent job of giving people enough to work with. It really just comes down to with how much ground the story ultimately covers and the format and generally, I feel like this format isn't the strongest for this magnificent work of art. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH PATRICK TODD #2

This mystery continues to unfold with great pace. Brisson doesn't waste many pages or frames and that makes for a consistently exciting read. Both Todd and the killer have some interesting hooks, keeping you connected to their individual stories. -- Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 4 out of 5

A TOWN CALLED TERROR #5

A Town Called Terror is a comic series that has a solid foundation when it comes to its idea, but is hampered by having to do too much too quickly to make some of the events hit as hard as they could. The art from Kudranski remains appropriately creepy, with there being some splash pages that do really well at pushing the creepiness of this small town of monsters. Unfortunately, the revelations that Niles don't land that hard as it seems as though the series feels as if it is checking boxes with the speed of the shocking turn of events. A Town Called Terror isn't a terrible story, it's just one that is severely rough around the edges. -- Evan Valentine

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

UNNATURAL: BLUE BLOOD #2

Maybe it's just the long stretch of time between Unnatural and this sequel series—and even the long stretch of time between these issues—but it takes a little bit more work for this second issue of Blue Blood to really ramp up. At times, the issue can't decide if it wants to be an exposition dump of components from the previous series, or a clear-cut new corner for the larger franchise, and components of Mirka Andolfo's script get a little too pedantic as a result. Still, the art from Andolfo and Ivan Bigarella is as kinetic and scrappy as ever, and there's just enough intrigue to want to see the whole thing through to another issue or two. -- Jenna Anderson

Rating: 3 out of 5

VAMPIRELLA: FAIRY TALES #1

Dynamite's "Fairy Tales" brand of comics cast recognizable characters in familiar fairy tale settings. For Vampirella, that means re-enacting Little Red Riding Hood. Vampirella attempts to use her sexual charms against the big bad wolf, but winds up defaulting to good ol' hand-to-hand combat. The art is adequate for its simplistic story, and it's admittedly a different scenario from typical Vampirella adventures. Beyond that, readers won't find too much to be intrigued by. -- Tim Adams

Rating: 2 out of 5

THE WARD #3

Writer Cavan Scott manages to thread the needle well in this hospital-but-for-monsters story, giving us a unique problem that only a comic like this could tackle while also maintaining a genuine interesting root in its narrative, the characters. What seemed to be shaky in its first issue has shaken off any jitters that were present and become more confident, you can see it in the writing. Artist Andres Ponce does good work too, visualizing the unique problems of the world but perhaps leaning a little too hard on the classic Incredible Hulk/Frankenstein visualization that is at the heart of this issue. -- Spencer Perry

Rating: 3.5 out of 5