Comic Book Reviews for This Week: 2/1/2023

DC #1

BATMAN: LEGENDS OF GOTHAM #1

Arriving at the end of this one-shot featuring Red Hood, Katana, and Black Lightning as they trace a data dump of secret identities, it's difficult to discern what the point of the over-sized and overpriced issue was. The plot itself is laid out plainly enough and readers will recognize the named characters, if not the many threads of recent DC Comics' continuity, but all that they seem to serve is maintaining a holding pattern. Jason Todd is still sad about Alfred's death several years ago and the aforementioned secrets ultimately wind up in the same spot they would have without any interference. Each step on that journey is as superficial as the outcomes of the story with characters primarily speaking in platitudes and even the emotional flashbacks to Jason's childhood reading like a sequence Batman fans have already encountered a dozen or more times before. Only a small piece between Red Hood and Croc manages to reveal any previously untrod territory. The global settings and action sequences are functional in nature, but offer little excitement in a story where every named character is bound to return to their status quo while nameless background figures are swept away without even being acknowledged. Batman: Legends of Gotham #1 offers nothing new and is ultimately best skipped by all but the most dedicated of completionists. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 2 out of 5

DC POWER: A CELEBRATION #1

DC Power: A Celebration #1 is the latest anthology from DC, this one celebrating Black History Month and while the fact that just one extra-sized volume can contain stories for nearly all of the DC Universe's main Black heroes serves as a reminder that there is a lot more progress to be made in genuinely celebrating a truly diverse world of characters and stories, this is a fantastic book from fantastic creators. The issue contains nine stories that, across those nine individual stories, cover a range of perspectives, experiences, and issues that have a net result of sharing and celebrating the full human experience – these are stories, each one of them, about Black heroes, not just heroes who happen to be Black. It's an important distinction and it creates some standout work. Of particular note is the story that kicks things off, "Black Paradise" by Evan Narcisse with art by Darryl Banks that reinvents DC's first Black hero, Amazing Man, in a story that examines real history in a story of 1950s Detroit, gentrification, and white supremacy. Another standout is "Keeping the Peace" by Brandon Thomas with art by Natacha Bustos that features John Stewart tells both an inventive and fresh tale, but also one that has a great bit of thematic strength that makes it timeless as it explores the idea of suppressing one's emotions and where that leads. And these are just two standouts in a book that has no misses. All of the stories bring something worthwhile to the table – and not just as a "Black History Month" special. While this book is meant as a celebration of Black stories, they have great value for all readers and the quality speaks to that. This may be DC's best anthology to date and one can only hope that it is the start of more of these stories from these creators outside of just this one month. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 5 out of 5

DC'S HARLEY QUINN ROMANCES #1

I am a sucker for a themed anthology and I am also a sucker for romance comics and while DC's Harley Quinn Romances #1 is both and is plenty of fun, it's far from perfect. At 86 pages and 8 stories, there is genuinely something for everyone here – one of the issue's key strengths. Genuinely, There is a wide range of characters explored here, types of love, and even art styles. The opening story – "Stranger than Fan Fiction" by Alexis Quarsarno and Max Sarin is a great example of both story and art and may be the strongest of the whole book, followed closely by Amanda Deibert and Adriana Melo's "Power Girl and All-American Boy" as both stories play with familiar dynamics and tropes we expect from other pairings but gives things a fresh twist. The Fire and Ice story is lovely as well. But where the book as a whole kind of wobbles is that it has some wild swings in style. It's very much the equivalent of reading a magazine in a sense, where you get a some good stuff, but you flip through some lesser things for those few things and for a book this size, it feels like we should get something just a touch better. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 3 out of 5

THE FLASH: ONE-MINUTE WAR SPECIAL #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

Ultimately, there are some pieces of this moving tapestry that are worth eyeballing if you're a diehard Scarlet Speedster fan, have been digging Jeremy Adams' take on Wally West and family, and/or want to see more ancillary material to pad out the One Minute War, but at the end of the day, this does feel like material that isn't a necessity in understanding the grand picture of the latest Flash crossover. With a $6.99 price tag to boot, this might be an issue that you can narrowly avoid at light speed. -- Evan Valentine

Rating: 3 out of 5

LAZARUS PLANET: LEGENDS REBORN #1

It's often difficult developing event tie-ins when regular creative teams are provided an entire issue or more—given the breadth of introducing a hero's new adventure amidst a new context, and then developing something original that develops both halves of the equation—so it's difficult to fault a creator for struggling to do just as much in an anthology format that provides less than half the space. Yet each of the tales within Lazarus Planet: Legends Reborn struggles from those difficulties of the format as an array of talented writers and artists attempt to relaunch DC Comics' backbenchers as demonic rain pours from the sky and makes familiar settings unrecognizable. "Masks and Monsters" features The Question in a murder mystery so rushed that there's hardly an investigation, much less a twist, but it does deliver one great splash; "Trilogy" provides the issue's only genuine highlight with a particularly brutal twist-ending befitting Raven's status as the haunted Titan; "City Boy" introduces readers to yet another new figure in Gotham City, but fails to clarify even what their powers or motives are exactly; "Rain of Terror!" comes in last in every regard with outdated Bronze Age sensibilities addressing a twist in Firestorm's story with nowhere to go. The greatest flaw of Lazarus Planet: Legends Reborn is ultimately the concept, however, as even the best ideas are throttled with no space to present the characters the issue claims to rebirth. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Marvel #1

THE AVENGERS #65

The Avengers #65 steps away from the sprawling conflict of "Avengers Assemble" to provide readers with an origin story of the mysterious Avenger Prime – revealed recently to be a variant of Loki. It plays like a classic "What If…" issue of Marvel Comics with a single significant change in Loki's childhood holding untold, ongoing ramifications that shifts him to being the centerpiece of the multiversal Avengers. Despite the magnitude of these changes and all of the accompanying splash panels, it also plays out with the same impact as a "What If…" as this Loki's story is entirely detached from any form of significant stakes. Even as it concludes in what is essentially an act of cosmic genocide, it seems meaningless as it serves only as a means to an end arriving at this deus ex machina to conclude a bloated run on The Avengers. It will never cease to be a delight to watch Javier Garrón depict Celestials and grand scales of the Marvel mythos, but the framing in The Avengers #65 robs it of any significance while offering more narrative forgotten in the build to this climax. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 2 out of 5

BLOODLINE: DAUGHTER OF BLADE #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

Not only is Brielle's individual evolution compelling, but the relationship with her mother feels genuinely fresh amongst the many fractured parental relationships we so often see. With an equally distinct and vivid art style coupled with it, Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1 is everything I was hoping for, and the future for the character and this world couldn't be brighter. -- Matthew Aguilar

Rating: 5 out of 5

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY #9

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty continues the "invasion" of New York as Steve Rogers and his allies try to retake Manhattan from the forces of AIM. This comic highlights both the strengths and flaws of the current arc – strong characterization, interesting art spreads, but messy pacing and plotting, with a rush forward to the "twist" for a shock ending. While M.O.D.O.C.'s "control" makes a bit more sense than the world-ranging conspiracy that was revealed in just three issues during the first arc, it's still sloppy writing for a serial series. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3 out of 5

DARK WEB: FINALE #1

Superhero crossovers often become crowded at their end and "Dark Web" is no exception. Blending the sincerity of Dark Web: X-Men with the absurdist streak in Amazing Spider-Man proves difficult, especially with inconsistent artwork failing to carry the complete charms of the latter. While the resolution is clear, little about it is surprising and results in a backhalf that feels like returning toys to their chest with only a couple of notable exceptions. There's still a tremendous amount of fun to be had with a colorful cast of heroes and villains clashing across a nightmarish New York City, but when the final few pages arrived the resulting consequences seem… rather inconsequential. Instead, Dark Web: Finale provides the sort of fun that emerged from many Marvel crossovers in the 1980s, more like "Acts of Vengeance" than "Inferno." The hits are played and storylines closed out with some solid action beats and character notes, but nothing that will leave readers who gave the past few months a pass feeling as though they missed much. Given the promise, fun, and scale on display throughout much of "Dark Web" that can't help but feel a little disappointing. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

DEMON WARS: DOWN IN FLAMES #1

It's hard to argue with Peach Momoko's distinctive visual style, bearing influence from traditional Japanese art, which fits the Demon Days/Demon Wars concept, drawing on Japanese folklore. However, the story's quality doesn't match the artwork. The idea of a Marvel Universe reimagined through Japanese mythology is solid, but the Demon Wars angle—loosely based on Marvel's Civil War event—lacks momentum. Down in Flames sees Mariko returning to the spirit realm again, but most of the issue is focused on an inclusive battle between two characters to whom readers have no real attachment. If you love Momoko's work or are interested in Japanese folklore, that's likely enough to make the issue worthwhile, but the storytelling leaves something to be desired. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

LEGION OF X #10

In addition to overlapping crises involving more than a dozen notable characters simultaneously arriving at their climaxes, Legion of X #10 is also preparing readers for how it ties into "Sins of Sinister" and a one-shot prepared for May; it is, to put it simply, a lot. So it's a testament to both Spurrier and Diaz's skills as comics storytellers that the issue delivers so much information in a relatively clear fashion, including some truly awesome splashes. Amidst the big plot twists—most of which will be addressed in future X-comics—minor, individual characters find their own moments and more subtle denouements. It's a supreme balancing act that manages to largely meet expectations without satisfying all of the demands arranged by Legion of X. It does provide a notable pause point and offers figures like Xabi and Banshee opportunities to showcase how much they've grown, while also building upon long-running threads like Xavier's often-horrific relationship with his son David. There's a lot to like in a culminating issue that still reads as being incomplete – the double-edged sword of serialized superhero comics surrounded by events. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4 out of 5

MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #3

I love that we got Rabble's backstory and origin, and that she's not some pre-existing character looking to get revenge on Miles Morales. Their stories link in a reasonable way and her motivations are understandable—which makes her relatable—but she's still firmly taking things too far. Plus she's blaming Miles for something he had no control over. The art was superb, Misty Knight makes for an excellent mentor, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from their team up. -- Tim Adams

Rating: 5 out of 5

Marvel #2

MOON KNIGHT #20

A new story begins in Moon Knight #20, and it's off to quite the thrilling start. Right away we must address the return of artist Alessandro Cappuccio and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg, who together have crafted an all time version of the character and his gritty world. There's just nothing quite like what they've created, and rarely has Moon Knight felt as imposing and awe-inspiring as he does here. The visual spectacle is backed up by rich character work within Marc's personas as well as his larger supporting cast, and while the jury is out on the threat itself since we don't know as much about it yet, MacKay's ability to reach into the character's past and find new ways to build upon those foundations is rarely matched. "Moon Debut" by Danny Lore, Ray-Anthony Height, Le Beau Underwood, Scott Hanna, and Rachelle Rosenberg also impresses, and while there are campy moments, it doesn't feel out of place due to the era it takes place in, and how it comes full circle is ultimately satisfying. Moon Knight is used to stacking wins at this point, and I simply don't see that changing. -- Matthew Aguilar

Rating: 4 out of 5

SCARLET WITCH #2

Only two issues in, Scarlet Witch has settled into a delightful and well-executed rhythm, which just might give way to one of Marvel's best books in years. This issue centers on a crossing of paths between Wanda and Viv, providing some long-awaited closure regarding their unconventional family dynamic. That tale provides another largely-episodic, brilliantly-crafted story from Orlando, Pichelli, and company, which tees up just enough intrigue for what's to come. The backup story from Williams, Allen, and company is equally excellent, uniting Wanda and Storm in a heartfelt adventure. If you aren't already reading this new era of Scarlet Witch, you owe it to yourself to change that. -- Jenna Anderson

Rating: 5 out of 5

SILVER SURFER: GHOST LIGHT #1

Silver Surfer: Ghost Light sees the revival of Al Harper, a one-off character from a 1969 issue of Silver Surfer. Most of the issue has nothing to do with the Surfer but rather with the surviving members of Harper's family as they adjust to moving to the small town of Sweetwater. John Jennings does an incredible job with the writing, bringing plenty of personality to the young brother/sister duo that tries to explore the big mystery of the town and of their deceased relative. Even if you don't know the Surfer outside of his iconic Fantastic Four/Galactus role, this is worth a look. -- Connor Casey

Rating: 4 out of 5

STAR WARS: SANA STARROS #1

Following her exploits with Doctor Aphra and the Crismon Dawn, Sana heads back to her family home and reconnects with her cousin, aunt, and grandmother. Things aren't as restful and relaxing as she had hoped, however, as her cousin reveals she is pregnant with her Imperial husband's child, putting Sana and her entire family right in the Empire's crosshairs. Marking the debut issue of Sana's first solo series, the book manages to offer just enough insight into the character's history while also using that history to keep the reader engaged in Sana's present, in addition to igniting a thrilling mission. Much like how the TV series Star Wars: Andor explored seemingly average citizens trying to exist at a time when the Empire was coming into power, Sana Starros seems to similarly be exploring the gray areas of life under the fascistic rule of the Empire and the lower-stakes struggles that come along with it. Even if the book delivers some of the expected conflicts that we've seen in other Star Wars comics focusing on rogues and smugglers, these small tweaks about Imperial relationships bring a lot to the table that could set up Sana Starros to finally give one of the more compelling supporting characters from Star Wars comics a narrative worthy of her complexities and charm. -- Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 4 out of 5

VENOM #16

Bryan Hitch's ability to make alien beasts wailing on each other look cool is mostly undeniable but Venom #16 suffers from a fatal flaw in the lack of visual consistency across its images. Though "The 180-Degree Rule" is more of a filmmaking tool, it can largely be applied to comics and the pacing by which panels work in tandem (but it's also not required). That said, Hitch should have held to it as Venom #16 has some jarring jumps in images as the line is broken and the story itself seems to be completely backwards with just the flip of the page. In terms of narrative, it's more of the "Dark Web" same that has been just fine for the past six weeks. -- Spencer Perry

Rating: 2 out of 5

WAKANDA #5

It's fitting that the last character spotlighted in the Wakanda anthology is Okoye. Her adventure is one of the highlights, as she works with her niece who is training to become a member of the Dora Milaje. This issue demonstrates Okoye's undying dedication not only to Wakanda, but to protecting her family as well. -- Tim Adams

Rating: 4 out of 5

X-FORCE #37

X-Force reveals the evil mastermind behind XENO and most of their collective troubles since the series began in the pages of this month's issue. The greatest strengths of this installment all lie in finding momentum once again after the series' many retreats from addressing its central conflicts. While most of the space spent with X-Force revolve around gags that go nowhere and a key choice from Domino that doesn't quite land, the revelation of the Man with the Peacock Tattoo's face and history provides plenty of wholly original and plenty gruesome fare. It ties into X-Men history in a satisfying fashion without relying on continuity to be appreciated. The replication of past sins and abusive relationships makes him and Max's story the most compelling element of the issue. There are some gore-laden elements depicted by artist Robert Gill as well that suggest the coming conflict may satisfy impatient fans, as a few key panels evoke the horrors of The Thing with their twisted biology. If X-Force is finally confronting the many demons they've developed over three years, then X-Force #37 may be the start of a much-anticipated payoff. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers #1

ALMIGHTY #1

Almighty #1 produces an all too familiar premise featuring a dystopian future America dominated by bandits and scum in which a young innocent is guarded by a dangerous killer against even worse individuals. Yet what makes this premise so appealing, like in the recent debut of The Last of Us, are the characters and themes it carries; Almighty relies almost entirely on overtrod aesthetics. Splash panels depicting landscapes ravaged by climate change are appealing in their style and palette, but the narrative they connect to has few, if any hooks. The central pair of Del and Fale are hardly memorable with only the latter even providing a distinct design, but neither possesses much in the way of characterization. They speak in terms of plot and offer no hints as to who they are or why readers should consider investing in them. Action sequences filled with banal cursing provide information effectively, but elicit no excitement, and when the final page arrives there's no cliffhanger – simply a stop to a story that never gives readers a reason to continue. In an era filled with similar stories, there's nothing to be found in Almighty #1 that makes it stand out. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 2 out of 5

THE APPROACH #4

Even if our survivors don't have many answers for the mysterious beast picking them off, they potentially have an answer for how to get rid of it, as they embrace drastic measures that could also put them at risk. Much of the book focuses on the characters themselves preparing to make a drastic move in hopes of saving themselves and killing the monster, and while it's not necessarily riveting stuff, the snowy landscapes and artistic depictions of the horrendous weather does manage to send a chill down the reader's spine, no matter how warm they might be while reading. The whole issue might have felt like the necessary and expected exposition to set the stage for the book's finale, but the final pages luckily offer some shocking sequences that confirm that truly no one is safe from the looming threat, salvaging this installment right at its conclusion. -- Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 4 out of 5

BLACK TAPE #1

Black Tape makes its debut this week, and the ominous first issue promises a tale of tragedy and rock-n-roll. When a musician's widow is left to pick up the pieces, her life is turned upside down by an influx of unsettling strangers. Things only get worse as we discover the late rockstar was hiding some dirty secrets of his own from his wife, so it won't be long before this series begins peeling back its own black tape. -- Megan Peters

Rating: 4 out of 5

BLOOD TREE #1

Peter Tomasi and Maxim Simic debut their new Image series Blood Tree, which stars a pair of NYC cops trying to solve a strange case involving victims with literal angel wings sown onto their bodies and drop from tall heights. The real interesting bit of the comic isn't the murders but rather the lead detective's passive approach to his son, who is exhibiting sociopathic tendencies. The comic's writing is solid and methodical and the artwork is clean but relatively uninspiring. This is a solid comic, focused on building a mystery but shows little ingenuity outside of its plot for now. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3 out of 5

BREATH OF SHADOWS #1

Breath of Shadows is clearly trying to tackle a lot – the late 60s music scene, the (somewhat racist) mysticism of non-American countries and the profits attempted to make through them, how environmentalists often need the rich and famous in order to get people's attention, just to name a few. But nothing will grab readers' attention quite as hard as the interpretation of heroin addiction, depicted through images of graphic body horror as swarms of centipedes crawl in and out every orifice (and a few they make themselves). It's hard to tell if this story of a fictional rockstar will land, but the imagery will definitely haunt you. -- Connor Casey

Rating: 4 out of 5

BRIAR #3

Briar is really lacking a strong central narrative thrust at this point. The character work and world-building within Briar #3 remain quite good, but the story otherwise is a bit meandering. Luckily, the final pages of this new Briar installment suggest that things are soon going to pick up quite drastically. Hopefully, this assumption ends up being accurate. -- Logan Moore

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers #2

IMMORTAL RED SONJA #10

The final (for now) issue of Immortal Red Sonja evolves to a delightful and action-packed extent. The installment sees Sonja and her motley crew of allies fighting their biggest battle yet – a skirmish that appears to just be a riotous chapter in their larger journey, before dovetailing into a significant battle. Still, Dan Abnett, Luca Colandrea, and company clearly have fun giving an Arthurian battle a Sonja-style twist, so much so that it leaves this series on a compelling-enough note. -- Jenna Anderson


Rating: 4 out of 5

MAGIC: THE GATHERING #23

When starting a new Magic: The Gathering comic book series that is separate from the card game's continuity but still builds on the past several years worth of canon stories, it is impossible to know how familiar readers who jumped on the first issue are with those past stories. Thus, Boom's Magic series must reckon with the possibility that, upon revealing that Nicol Bolas has returned, some readers' reactions may amount to, "Oh, no, Nicol Bolas! Who's Nicol Bolas?" Magic: The Gathering #23 addresses this by having Jace Beleren recall the events of Magic's War of the Spark storyline to the one planeswalker in the group who didn't live it. That story was essentially Magic aping the MCU up through Avengers: Endgame, with planeswalkers standing in for superheroes and Nicol Bolas playing the role of Thanos, but since that more succinct explanation probably wouldn't make it past the licensors, we get a retelling that takes up around half of the issue's pages. It's a weird thing to do in the middle of a storyline that's sure to be tedious for those familiar with War of the Spark already. This Cliffs Notes version of the epic metaplot isn't likely to compel the uninitiated. At some point, you have to trust that those who don't know and care enough to be curious know how to look things up on the internet and tell the story with the confidence that this issue is lacking. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 2 out of 5

MINOR THREATS #4

The first arc of Minor Threats comes to a roaring halt in ways only this title can – with a few laughs, a couple of tears, and a whole lot of blood. Despite the content straddling the line of gratuitous violence, the story from Oswalt and Blum injects an absurd amount of heart and character into each of these characters, even if we may not get enough time to explore them all. Beyond that, the duo's depiction of superheroes and villains is something quite refreshing, given how many shades of gray are involved instead of a roster full of good vs. bad or dark vs. light. That's not to forget the art team with Hepburn's lively artwork to Herring's bloodsoaked colors and Piekos' kinetic lettering. It's a suitable ending for this first arc but even as the comic itself teases, it would seem the actual end of this title is still far away. -- Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #12

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a comic that is no stranger to unexpected turns, but as #12 concludes its second arc, Rodney Barnes packs a major surprise that is going to have huge implications well beyond Nita's story and does so while also seeding some well-crafted questions about life and the human condition. That is honestly one of the best things about this series on the whole. Through Nita's investigations of the dark forces in Baltimore, Barnes pulls at the strings of what it means to exist and be human but this issue does that better than anything not only in this series, but in Killadelphia as well. This is, in many respects, a quiet issue, but it's one that sits with the reader and still manages to shock a bit at the end. I don't know how he does it, but it's phenomenal. This is purely outstanding, and all of that is before we get to the always solid art. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 5 out of 5

QUICK STOPS #4

Quick Stops #4 brings a wild family reunion to life this week, and its NSFW ending will leave readers doing double. The raunchy adventure proves why a crowded relationship is doomed from the start. So if you want another tested outing by Kevin Smith, this read will satisfy the itch. -- Megan Peters

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers #3

RADIANT BLACK #21

Radiant Black's never afraid to take chances and seek creativity, and rarely does that not pay off. The same can be said for Radiant Black #21, as Kyle Higgins finds a stellar way to twist traditional concepts, such as a government connection. Only in Radiant Black would you have superheroes working with the USPS on apprehending supervillains, and Higgins never misses a chance to mine that golden premise for comedic gems. The frequent back and forth between Nathan and Marshall continue to be the backbone of the series, but as the larger supporting cast becomes more involved, the series gets all the better for it. Wendell is a scene stealer any and every time he appears, though I can't say the same for Shift. There's a longer conversation between Shift and Nathan in the issue that feels like it's supposed be more impactful than it ultimately is. The battle that happens after is fantastic mind you, and artist Marcelo Costa, Eduardo Ferigato, colorist Raul Angulo, and letterer Becca Carey are on their A-Game in that battle and throughout the entire issue. Still, it just feels like it took time away from other compelling elements and characters. Despite that, there's too much other great things about the issue for that to derail it, and I'm eager to see where things go next. -- Matthew Aguilar

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

ROGUE SUN #10

As Rogue Sun nears the end of its second arc, Parrott and company inject a breath of fresh air into the story at hand, dedicating a substantial part of Rogue Sun #10 to lore-building. That lore juggles the horror-based roots of the Rogue Sun mantle while adding in some Arthurian flavor, a nice balance between the two genres that's executed well with what we see. Marco Renna takes over art duties from Abel on this one, but the styles are similar enough the transition is near seamless for one reading straight through. All in all, another superb outing from team Rogue Sun. -- Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 4 out of 5

SAVAGE DRAGON #263

The last few issues of Savage Dragon have had a lot of collateral damage, even by Erik Larsen standards. This week's Savage Dragon #263 opens with Malcolm expressing remorse over the fact that a vial of his blood, intended to save a Covid patient's life, accidentally killed an entire hospital full of people. About half of the issue is very reflective, but the other half just goes wild with violence and bloodshed. Larsen grounds all of that in character, providing some nice moments for the Dragon family and even giving some side characters some nice lines that might otherwise be anonymous background characters killed in the battle. His layouts, too, continue to be strong, and the fight choreography in the final act is top notch. The issue is kind of all over the place, but each piece has at least a few really great moments, and it leaves you with a cliffhanger that's good enough that it feels totally unfair after such a long wait for this issue, and a one-off adventure scheduled for the next. -- Russ Burlingame

Rating: 4 out of 5

STAR TREK #4

Star Trek #4 forges ahead with Sisko's investigation of a string of deicides. It's entertaining to see characters like Data adjust to Sisko's headstrong style after years of working with Picard's more delicate, diplomatic approach. The series keeps leveraging its talented artists to the kinds of things that'd make a network television line producer cringe, such as flying a spaceship into a sleeping god's brain. With the god-killer now revealed, the undercurrent of zealous, nationalistic reawakening returns to the surface with chilling effect. At the center of it is Worf, and a single text page poignantly encapsulates all the growth the character has experienced through his many appearances across Star Trek television and film. This series keeps digging deep into Star Trek lore, finding new corners of the universe to explore and new lights to shine on these characters, and Star Trek fans could hardly ask for more. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 4 out of 5

WHERE MONSTERS LIE #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

Where Monsters Lie #1 lays the groundwork for a siege on a monstrous compound filled with familiar concepts in an arrangement capable of commenting on and finding humor in a typically far-from-fearsome setting. As it plays to both Starks and Kowalski's strengths, it also draws out new aspects in both of their work, leaving horror fans plenty to be excited for as the series continues. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4 out of 5

YOUNG HELLBOY: ASSAULT ON CASTLE DEATH #4

Scribes Mike Mignola and Thomas Sniegoski end this latest Young Hellboy tale in the only way that it could have, with a conclusion that longtime franchise readers will see coming, but still find comfort in. Artist Craig Rousseau also continues to get fun moments to play with, juxtaposing the reality of Young Hellboy's antics with his Lobster Johnson-fueled daydream in unique ways. Though Attack on Castle Death has felt more like an asterisk in the history of the character, it seems like there's potential for its larger narrative to get expanded on in a more meaningful way down the road. -- Spencer Perry

Rating: 4 out of 5