DC #1

CATWOMAN ANNUAL 2021 #1

Surprisingly, this Catwoman Annual has very little to do with the Princess of Plunder herself, but it still finds ways to be a largely compelling detour. The issue finally gets to the root of Father Valley and his unique past, before those secrets begin to rear their ugly head in Selina's world. Ram V's script, as always, is incredibly well-crafted and balances action and dumps of text, although those who might not be familiar with the inner workings of the Order of St. Dumas might respond wildly differently to the issue's script. The art—from Kyle Hotz, Fernando Blanco, and Juan Ferreyra—varies wildly but somehow still manages to feel cohesive, and some pieces of color work from David Baron almost feel like a throwback in an intriguing way. While this might not be exactly what fans were expecting from a Catwoman annual, it has enough there to be a meaningful and entertaining interlude. -- Jenna Anderson

Rating: 4 out of 5

GREEN ARROW 80TH ANNIVERSARY 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

From start to finish, Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular is an absolutely incredible reading experience, one possessing creativity, earnestness, and hope bound to stick with this hero and his readers for decades to come. A sense of love resides in every single panel—love for Oliver Queen and the characters in his orbit, love for the evolutions that readers experienced across his career, and a love for what the world of superhero comics is uniquely capable of accomplishing. This is easily one of the most rewarding Green Arrow titles printed in many years, and perhaps the single best modern anniversary anthology published by DC Comics. Whether you're a die-hard Green Arrow fan or just seeking to dive into his comics stories for the first time, this special could not be a better place to begin. -- Jenna Anderson

Rating: 5 out of 5

INFINITE FRONTIER: SECRET FILES #1

The status quo following the conclusion of Death Metal sees the multiverse being explored once again in the DCU and this new anthology issue does a solid job of giving us insight into the major players and the upcoming threat from Apokolips. While there are certainly some stories that work far better in terms of painting a picture for DC's newest team, with the likes of President Superman, Martian Manhunter, Psycho Pirate, and Captain Boomerang's stories being the standouts, it's an anthology that does a good job of painting many interesting pictures. The issue itself might be a bit much to ask with a $10 price tag, but there are definitely some gems to be found in this 80-page giant, though I think it might have been easier to swallow with a smaller page count. -- Evan Valentine

Rating: 3 out of 5

TEEN TITANS ACADEMY 2021 YEARBOOK #1

As someone who has genuinely been enjoying the ensemble set-up of the main Teen Titans Academy series, this week's yearbook-style annual has been the absolute icing on the cake. A collection of stories and other supplemental material within the halls of the academy, every page of the issue provides some interesting and necessary background on some of the less-prominent players. With Tim Sheridan's excellent scripts, this includes (but isn't limited to) a heartfelt story about Stitch, the nonbinary magic user with a surprising tie to the larger DC canon, a tale that provides some major clues as to who the new Red X is, and a Beast Boy and Raven story that will make shippers incredibly happy. The varying art and color styles of the stories also capture the unique energy of the series to a delightful detail, particularly Darko Lafuente and Miquel Muerto's work on "Mothers, Brothers, Kittens, and Cake", and Bernard Chang and Marcelo Maiolo's work on "Stitch, in Time". If you're reading the main series already, Teen Titans Academy Yearbook will make your heart soar. If you're not, take this as a sign that you need to change that. -- Jenna Anderson

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Marvel #1

AVENGERS MECH STRIKE #4

As Avengers Mech Strike has continued it has only become more incomprehensible. The initial premise of a story starring Earth's Mightiest Heroes in a Pacific Rim-like setting appears to have only been enough for one issue as it has now stretched itself into traditional heroic platitudes. Artist Carlos Magno and colors by Guru-efx do the heavy lifting with instances of towering combat, and even individual panels of Thanos, looking amazing when removed from the context of its nonsensical plot and dialogue. I am troubled by how much this series appears to be designed as blueprint for a movie, or largely just toy sales. -- Spencer Perry

Rating: 2 out of 5

BETA RAY BILL #4

In order to keep moving forward Beta Ray is compelled to confront his past as Daniel Warren Johnson takes ideas introduced nearly 40 years ago and lays them out in stark and painful detail. His transformation and the loss of his homeworld have primarily existed as an origin story—text explaining how this strange alien came to Asgard—until this miniseries, which confronts the tremendous horrors of Beta Ray's prior life. These moments are shown with the same humanist's eye that Daniel Warren Johnson brought to immensely personal projects like Extremity and Murder Falcon, with Bill's expressions revealing untold layers of buried pain and anxiety. This includes one homage to Walt Simonson's work that evokes slight changes in Johnson's pencils as though the two artistic titans are in conversation across generations. The montage of past moments are exceedingly well-chosen, too, including sprawling space battles and intense moments of personal connection alike. It's a varied walk down memory lane that serves to transition readers into this miniseries' climax and re-establish just how personal the stakes are as Beta Ray Bill attempts to claim a sword tied to his people's annihilation. Even as Johnson focuses on retelling and reworking Marvel Comics' continuity, he remains focused on the ideas, style, and story that have made Beta Ray Bill one of Marvel's best comics in years. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

BLACK CAT ANNUAL #1

As annuals go, Black Cat Annual #1 is fun. After everything that went down with Fox in New York, Felcia is headed on vacation, but gets intercepted in Seoul and conscripted into aiding The White Fox and Tiger Division in saving one of their own. It's a fun combination action-packed rescue mission and heist type adventure and Jed MacKay writes it well. Joey Vazquez's art and Brian Reber's colors are good, too. It's honestly just a fun side quest, if you will, for Black Cat, along with the backup story of Infiniute Fury part 3 of 8 that isn't necessarily connected to Black Cat's story, but is still fun to read if you've been following along. The thing about Black Cat Annual #1 that kind of takes away from the otherwise pure fun of the issue is that the Korean heroes that she teams up with are interesting and, unfortunately, not really characters we're likely to see much of beyond this. It'd be nice to see more of them, generally speaking. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 3 out of 5

BLACK KNIGHT: CURSE OF THE EBONY BLADE #4

We're up to the penultimate issue of Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade and while #4 may be the issue with the most exposition and sometimes tedious details, it is also quite possibly one of the best in the series in terms of the story it unfolds and how it balances that story and its wordiness with action that carries throughout every page. This issue does not pause, period, but what really makes this issue work is how Spurrier ties everything back in with the Dane Whitman we got to know in the first issue to offer a surprising twist to things that even those familiar with the Black Knight might not expect. This is a fantastic issue. Period. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

BLACK WIDOW #8

Black Widow continues to be one of the strongest books Marvel is publishing today, and this issue proves that point in spades. As Natasha, Yelena, Anya, and company try to dive deeper into the conspiracy surrounding the villainous Apogee, a sequence of events unfolds that could shift their status quo going forward. Every panel vibrates with a meaningful energy, whether in the expertly-rendered fight sequences or in the casual moments of Nat and Yelena sitting at a cafe. Kelly Thompson's script gets to the heart of what Black Widow can be for the Marvel universe, and the art from Elena Casagrande, Rafael de Latorre, and company is as stellar as ever. Seriously, you need to be reading this book. -- Jenna Anderson

Rating: 5 out of 5

CABLE #11

The penultimate issue of one of the best X-Books on the market today lives up to the high standards we've seen from the series to date, with Duggan and Noto continuing to knock it out of the park with the adventures of both Young and Old Cable. While it's a shame that this creative team won't be helming the adventures of Nathan Summers forever, it's clear that the comic is planning on ending on one heck of a high note. -- Evan Valentine

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

DAREDEVIL #31

This shouldn't be taken as a backhanded compliment, but Daredevil #31 reads like another issue of Daredevil. It neatly divides its narrative between its three protagonists and provides each of their stories with a new twist or added momentum, while addressing an array of social themes ranging from prison labor to American gun violence. All of this is portrayed with clarity of image, quick pacing, and a style that's easily taken in with just enough grit to set Daredevil apart from most mainstream Marvel fare. In issue #31 all of this is building towards the next disaster as Bullseye is set loose, but there's nothing that sets this issue apart from the standards this series already established. It is well-crafted and told, yet focuses almost entirely on the continuation of existing narratives in a fashion that's rarely surprising. Daredevil #31 is incredibly competent superhero comics delivering a middle chapter with style; I won't complain about any of that, even if I won't remember many specifics (beyond Daredevil making a prison warden scream) next month. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4 out of 5

ETERNALS #5

Just when you think you know where everything's going, Gillen and company flip the script on you and subvert any expectations you may have. Some issues of Eternals land just right and others are needlessly complex, and Eternals #5 floats to the latter of those two. They're reimagining a whole new world for this group of characters, and this title grows increasingly dense with each passing issue. On top of that all, there are enough twists within that'd make the Knives Out franchise blush. -- Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Marvel #2

GIANT-SIZE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: CHAMELEON CONSPIRACY #1

Amazing Spider-Man returns this week with a giant-sized issue, and Chameleon Conspiracy wraps up some of its ends nicely before fraying a few more. While Spider-Man's sister is forced to make a painful choice, our hero finds himself fighting alongside Ned to save a new friend. Though the mission is a success, the mystery surrounding Peter's best friend are growing, and that doesn't even account for the return of a certain foe we thought was locked up! -- Megan Peters

Rating: 4 out of 5

THE MARVELS #3

The Marvels #3 really goes to great lengths to flesh out the backstory of some of the characters in this universe. The comic largely centers around Reed Richards and Ben Grimm far before they ever obtained their powers and became part of the Fantastic Four. And while that might sound uninteresting, writer Kurt Busiek keeps things lively by adding a number of other overlapping plots and characters to the mix. At this point in time, I'm not sure how everything that happened in this issue is going to come back into play down the road, but that's sort of the fun thing about The Marvels. This series as a whole continues to weave a really unique narrative while each individual issue on its own has more than enough to enjoy in the moment. -- Logan Moore

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

SHANG-CHI #2

Marvel's new Shang-Chi series continues to be one of the more enjoyable comics that I have read in quite some time. The witty writing that was present in the first issue is once again back and is even better than before. I rarely find comics to have moments where I genuinely laugh out loud, but issue #2 of Shang-Chi had more than one of these instances. Although the comic's pitch for Shang-Chi facing off against Captain America doesn't come to fruition in the way you might expect, there's enough going on with the larger story to keep me interested in seeing where things go. -- Logan Moore

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #11

Aphra and Sana get more than they bargained for when pursuing a lead, not only in a potential ally, but also in a deadly threat, resulting in the pair going to extremes, while additionally discovering the return of Crimson Dawn. The first half of the book largely sets up what the upcoming adventures will be for the series, as well as how its stars will factor into the overall "War of the Bounty Hunters" arc, though the involvement of Durge is sure to excite fans of the character from his involvement in the Star Wars: Clone Wars series. In this regard, the more action-oriented events of the back half of the issue are far more entertaining and taken to new levels of excitement thanks to the bounty hunter's return. -- Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 4 out of 5

STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC #6

The characters of The High Republic continue to be the strength of this new initiative. These new Jedi are fascinating to study and explore on a regular basis, and the idea of some losing their faith is genuinely intriguing. But the Drengir constantly makes this book feel busy. There's not a lot you can do with them, and the lines required to insert them in action sequences make many of the panels over-crowded. -- Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 3 out of 5

THE UNITED STATES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

Captain America is iconic. This staple of comics, essentially since his debut in 1941, is for many the ultimate representation of the United States and its values, even when the story takes the icon down some unexpected paths. Captain America celebrates his 80th anniversary this year and that's where The United States of Captain America #1 enters. Instead of celebrating the hero with a simple trip down memory lane or a rehash of their greatest hits, the new series examines the hero's legacy while really examining his American history and values within the context of a mystery. And despite a few flaws, it works quite well. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 4 out of 5

X-FACTOR #10

X-Factor #10 struggles to wrap-up its individual character arcs in a satisfying way while setting up the next major chapter for the X-Men line of books. In some ways, the finale of X-Factor serves as a microcosm of what does and doesn't work. Every character in this comic, even those who don't make regular appearances, feel distinctively unique and fleshed-out. The creative team of Leah Williams and David Baldeon's biggest strength throughout this series is that they have a knack for giving any X-Men a distinctive voice and personality through dialogue and body language alone. However, the story itself is a mess, as it follows up on a clumsily hinted-at story arc involving Prodigy's previous death at the hands of a Hollywood serial killer. Ultimately, I feel that X-Factor #10 excelled at giving us satisfying chunks of character development while struggling to deliver any sort of compelling mystery plotline. Given what happens in the last page of this issue, X-Factor's weaknesses are a worrying sign for the upcoming Trial of Magneto miniseries, which kicks off in just over a month. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers #1

BARBARIC #1

[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]

Conan the Barbarian returned to the pages of Marvel Comics more than two years ago in what was promised to be a revival of sword & sorcery comics, which last saw a heyday in the 1980s when both Warlord and Conan were still popular monthly series. Unfortunately, like nearly every series following that decade the explosion of new Conan material has simply produced more of the same—reproductions of Howard's familiar take on brutal men slaying thugs, challenging magic, and bedding women. Even as a reader who appreciates the past work of Mike Grell and Barry Windsor-Smith, it all feels too derivative to merit much attention. Thankfully, Barbaric #1, from writer Michael Moreci and artist Nathan Gooden at publisher Vault Comics, recognizes that repeating the past is a surefire recipe for mediocrity and provides the first exciting new sword & sorcery series to hit comic book stores in many years. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: TEA TIME #1

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tea Time #1 is a one-shot in the "What If" mold that steps out of Boom's reboot timeline and into one closer to, but not quite, that of the original television show. Mirka Andolfo writes the issue with Siya Oum and a trio of inkers providing the linework, all colored by Elanora Bruni. Andolfo presents a frame story in which Buffy, Willow, and Xander—bored during their latest marathon research session in the library—begin fantasizing idly about what would happen if their stalwart watcher, Giles, became a vampire. The stories they, through Andolfo, concoct are simple but subtly reveal something about each storyteller's personality. Xander's self-aggrandizing version turns him into the hero he wishes he was while also speaking to his self-centered attitude. The fatal end of Willow's story highlights how much she values knowledge and, thus, respects Giles. Buffy's story revisits the familiar tension between her duties as a slayer and her relationships. But it feels as if Boom wasn't willing to commit to the bit fully. Having the same art team depict each story gives them all a sense of sameness, undercutting their unique perspectives. If they'd had different artists, or a perhaps a more versatile single artist, craft each, it would have enhanced each character's perspective in a way that fully embraces comics as a visual medium. Perhaps Xander's story would become a full-on superhero tale, and Willow's something more retro horror. Instead, the issue feels like a shadow of what it could have been. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

BY THE HORNS #3

By The Horns #3 continues a solid fantasy tale of unicorns, monster hunting, and powerful magic. The comic is a strange mix of upbeat aesthetics and grimdark action, but it really works well. I like how a party of monsters is slowly growing around Elodie, despite her occupation and grudge against unicorns. If you're a fan of fantasy tales and don't mind some mild gore, you'll enjoy this comic a lot. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 4 out of 5

CHAINED TO THE GRAVE #4

Chained to the Grave #4 is a classic case of "out of the frying pan and into the fire" as things continually go from bad to worse for the series' heroes. With two different sets of villains on their trail, one confrontation results in the bloodiest encounter yet while the other creates an even more imposing posse. The action sequences in Chained to the Grave are often the clearest, which makes a showdown between supernatural wolves and alligators a highlight in this issue. Unfortunately, clarity remains an issue elsewhere as some characters and critical actions are difficult to discern on the page. Whereas the relatively simple designs add to a dream-like (or nightmarish) quality, it also fails to introduce four supposedly distinctive new threats with purpose. While those riders may bear some clear danger based purely on the symbolism of their form and number, it's ineffectively communicated on the page. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 3 out of 5

CROSSOVER #7

Apologies to Donny Cates (one of my favorite writers currently working), but Chip Zdarsky's issue of Crossover is the best of the series so far. Honestly it ain't even all that close. Imagine Bo Burnham: Inside as a comic book set against the backdrop of a war between real and fictional realities. Zdarsky deals with industry pressure, grief, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and so much more all in a neat, 20-something page package. This issue is incredibly meta but not in a Deadpool sort-of-way. It examines its writer's own flaws in a way that's every bit as delightful as it is heartbreaking. An essential read for anyone who considers themselves a creative. -- Charlie Ridgely

Rating: 5 out of 5

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #10

The Department of Truth delivers a decent episode by going more in-depth as to what the Department actually does via a field mission. While we get the usual deep-dive into belief vs. truth and how that builds into the mythology of the series, we also get a glimpse of what employees do when they're not dealing with creepy Illuminati-esque conspiracies. This issue deals with cryptids and how Bigfoot and his ilk are actually a lot more dangerous than what they let on. It's an interesting issue, one of the better books in this series. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES #8

There comes the point in many a prequel's life when they're drawn inexorably into the narrative gravity of the story they precede, forced into a narrow shape that allows the tale to hit the expected plot beats referred to by the original work. Dune: House Atreides #8 is entirely beyond that event horizon, with some significant plot beats being nothing more than a character dramatically speaking the name of another character who will, decades of in-universe time later, be necessary to Dune's plot. Another such pre-ordained plot point that is more action-oriented becomes marred by Dev Pramanik's typically overworked page layouts. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's prequel story hasn't been all that compelling of a read before this, but now that it's just checking boxes, it's somehow even more rote than before. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 1 out of 5

Other Publishers #2

FAR CRY: RITE OF PASSAGE #2

The second chapter of Far Cry: Rite of Passage naturally feels different from the first having not personally played the game referenced as opposed to the content in the first and third chapters, but aside from that personal distinction, there's a noticeable change in the family dynamic between Antón and Diego. Antón's cruelty emerges alongside his cautionary tales to leave us with yet another cliffhanger of what's to come. The flashbacks to past stories are needed to contextualize Antón's fables, but it'd be more helpful to see a focus on the father and son to learn more about the pair through their subtle expressions and movements as opposed to flashbacks of past games. -- Tanner Dedmon

Rating: 3 out of 5

THE GIRLS OF DIMENSION 13 #3

It absolutely continues to have its flaws, but there's an element of The Girls of Dimension 13 that is beginning to grow on me. A lot of that might be thanks to Bret Blevins' art and Gregory Wright's colors, which are able to branch out in some eye-catching and creative ways, especially when bringing the other dimensions to life. There still isn't a lot of The Girls of Dimension 13 that feels like it's reinventing the wheel—some of the proportions of the female characters still look odd and dated, a good chunk of the dialogue feels hokey, and the most fully-developed character is arguably the dog wizard sidekick. But after this issue, I am actually curious to see where the remainder of the series is headed, and that feels worth celebrating in and of itself. -- Jenna Anderson

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

KAIJUMAX: SEASON SIX #2

Zander Cannon takes a solid second step into the final season of Kaijumax with an issue about the past catching up to these characters. The prisoners' conscription into defending the Earth from alien invasion sets up reunions between male and female prisons that bring up unpleasant, even traumatic memories. Meanwhile, a reconciliation meeting only serves to push Whoofy and his gang towards the edge, and Matsumoto deals with the repercussions of confessing to past wrongs. It speaks to the depth of history Cannon has supplied these characters as it all comes to bear on this final outing. Cannon ties it together with a kaiju-sized canary-in-the-cole mine moment forcing the prisoners to realize that whatever they hope to gain from this service will likely always be out of reach. It's all done in Cannon's signature cartooning style, which manages to diminish kaiju enough to serve the book's premise without sacrificing inventive character design. Kaijumax continues to be an incredible accomplishment in consistent, quality storytelling. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

MADE IN KOREA #2

Jeremy Holt and George Schall are able to create an intricate story that follows a family handling the arrival of their new daughter, who just so happens to be an artificial human with more intelligence, but lacking the "street smarts" necessary to navigate the daily world. Made In Korea is an interesting enough premise on its own, but the creative team is able to take the story into extremely interesting avenues, questioning the humanity of a being not classified as human while also setting up the dangers inherent in that status. The second issue is able to play excellently off what was established in the premiere chapter and I look forward to seeing where the series takes readers next. -- Evan Valentine

Rating: 4 out of 5

MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATER #2

Midnight Western Theater mixes comedy and tragedy together with a fantastic second issue. While we still don't know what turned protagonist Ortensia Thomas from a bright-eyed pigtailed girl into the dangerous Woman in Black, we do see a little more of her no-nonsense attitude when dealing with a group of demon dog-worshipping cultists. The comic toes the line of absurdity but keeps in mind the real stakes and horrors that undertones this comic. This is quickly turning into a must-read comics series. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 5 out of 5

THE MIGHTY CRUSADERS: THE SHIELD #1

The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield toes out with an action-packed debut this week, and its patriotic hero seems to be out of sorts. As a group of time-crossed superheroes gather to vote on one man's fate, the person in question falls into a fight to live out his father's legacy. The straightforward issue packs some weighty action, and its sparse dialogue will have fans flipping pages rather quickly. But when they get to this debut's cliffhanger, the pause should be enough to keep them ready for round two. -- Megan Peters

Rating: 4 out of 5

Other Publishers #3

MONSTRESS #35

Monstress, as a series, is a near-perfect comic book and issue #35 is no exception. As has been a hallmark of this most recent arc, Monstress #35 sees some of the most impressive growth for Maika and indeed all of the primary players in the story all while maintaining the intrigue and politics of a world at war and the complicated interpersonal relationships that come with that. Liu, as always, manages the writing aspect of this complex and pulse-pounding world beautifully. Monstress #35 is just as inventive and fresh and complex as the very first issue. Takeda's art is the constant perfection, especially when it comes to Maika's new appearance. Both the art and words work together to leave readers with a hell of a cliffhanger but it's that cliffhanger that may be the book's one weakness. As longtime readers of Monstress know, there is usually a point where Monstress closes out its current volume and goes on a bit of a break and that's where #35 hits. We're left to simmer in that stunning betrayal and cliffhanger and it's the only real flaw to this issue. -- Nicole Drum

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

MY LITTLE PONY/TRANSFORMERS II #3

I can say that this was a perfectly comprehensible comic that focuses its narrative on few enough characters that even all of the (typically interchangeable) Transformers are recognizable on the page. Additionally, it presents its ongoing plot in a fashion that will be assistive to new readers, even if it clarifies that there's barely a story to hang these crossover jokes upon. Sombra, the villain of the piece, fails to appear until the final panel as his plot is primarily an excuse to set these characters side-by-side and allow them to comment upon how the other is a silly concept. Those jokes are amusing the first few times they appear, but fail to fill a complete issue (much less an entire miniseries). What's worse is when they become repetitive, like Yona shouting her preferences as she moves from a funny to tedious inclusion. You can call this crossover cute or amusing, but either description wears out its welcome before the end of this single issue in an event that will only appeal to die hard and very young fans of either franchise. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 2 out of 5

PARASOMNIA #1

Parasomnia doesn't take all but a handful of panels before it becomes undeniably Cullen Bunn, the latest title from the writer who tips his toes into horror more often than not. Though Parasomnia doesn't go fully there in this debut issue, there are unsettling tones throughout, largely due in part to Andrea Mutti's lineart. That, combined with a watercolor palette dominated by greys, this debut sets the tone of what to come. There also seems to be an ensemble at play that may or may not be spread out across the two separate timelines within the story, which plays into the whole paranoia of it all. It has an enhanced focus on character here, and the story—at least as of now—remains on the light side as it's all still shrouded in mystery. At the very least, this promising introduction will bring me back again to see how everything starts to play out. -- Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 4 out of 5

POWER RANGERS UNLIMITED: EDGE OF DARKNESS #1

Power Rangers Unlimited: Edge of Darkness tackles one of the franchise's most mysterious characters, and not only does it deliver some welcome answers, but it also opens up new and compelling questions that hold significant promise for the character and the mythos. Writer Frank Gogol weaves Phantom Ranger into the greater Ranger timeline effortlessly, lending them even more importance and an unexpected effect on two key characters in the franchise. It's this dynamic that is the issue's biggest strength, as not only does it bring new humanity to a character you've not truly empathized with, but it also shines a light on how truly evil a much talked about but hardly seen villain from the franchise truly is. And those are just the elements that surround Phantom's true origin, but those elements are what give the book its soul. Meanwhile, artist Simone Ragazzoni and colorists Igor Monti and Sabrina Del Grosso do a lovely job of crafting action sequences full of dazzle and motion, but again, it's their deft touch on the more personal and heartwrenching moments that really makes this engine roar, including two particularly tragic scenes that are gut punches for any parent. Edge of Darkness balances the larger scale mythology building with heartfelt character work, and if you decide to give it a chance, you will not regret it. -- Matthew Aguilar

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

SPAWN #319

Todd always gets points for consistency as the only way to tell any issue of Spawn written in 2020 from one written in 1996 is exclusively in the art style. This month's issue is at least more memorable from the last since it's not tied down into the larger building up of Spawn's Universe and the upcoming spinoffs to a detrimental degree, but on the other hand it does feel very much the same as… well any other issue of Spawn you've read. Artist Carlo Barberi does great work with the action beats and brings back a couple of fan favorite characters in his own style. -- Spencer Perry

Rating: 3 out of 5

SPECTER INSPECTORS #5

The big Specter Inspectors finale has finally arrived, and what follows is an unexpectedly touching story of becoming comfortable in one's skin amidst all the..you know, crazy cults and ancient demons. Things get off to a slightly slow start, as the big reveal didn't captivate me like I felt it wanted to. After that's out of the way though, Bowen McCurdy and Kaitlyn Musto's story kicks into overdrive, and some of the most thoughtful moments occur between Astrid and the demon, though there is one duo that delivers a payoff fans have been waiting for as well. The battle itself looks like a million bucks thanks to McCurdy's lovely artwork, including some truly impressive splash pages towards the end. Specter Inspectors nailed the landing, delivering a supernatural rollercoaster ride of an adventure that explores the themes of love and friendship in an insanely unique way, and here's hoping we see the crew back together sooner than later. -- Matthew Aguilar

Rating: 4 out of 5

STAR TREK: YEAR FIVE #21

After an exciting set up in the previous issue, Star Trek: Year Five #21 disappoints, to an extent, with the follow-through. The last installment of this story saw Spock coming dangerously close to shattering the timeline as he reckoned with the brutal reality of Vulcan's Time of Awakening, which was much more bloody than the history books written by its winners implied. But Star Trek: Year Five #21 is mainly about Spock trying to set things right. This pivot drains much of the tension out of the story, as watching Spock fix the timeline is less interesting than seeing him rage against it. Taken as a whole, the swing from one direction to the other does force some solid, if expected, character growth on Spock's part towards the issue's end. As a time travel story in the Star Trek-mode, it's fine enough, but it's hard to shake the feeling that the issue squandered the opportunity to transcend its familiar premise. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers #4

STAR WARS ADVENTURES: WEAPON OF A JEDI #2

The back half of this adaptation sees Luke discover Jedi ruins and the tools necessary to take his skills to the next level, as well as an unexpected foe who will put those abilities to the test. The major success with this adaptation is in its brevity, as it manages to touch upon all the key points of the source material while also not spending more time on certain sequences than needed. Young readers who wondered what Luke got up to after Star Wars: A New Hope or older fans who might not want to commit to the original material will surely appreciate this take on the concept, which depicts a number of key lessons that Luke would go on to even further embrace in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. -- Patrick Cavanaugh

Rating: 4 out of 5

THAT TEXAS BLOOD #7

That Texas Blood is back with a new arc and boy howdy, does it take a sharp pivot. Combine that complex character-driven Western with some southern-fried Satanism and this new arc is off to an intriguing start. Things take a while to start simmering here but once the bubbles start to flow, everything nearly boils over in the blink of an eye. I'm not going to bother speculating or hypothesizing where this is going to go next, just because #7 already upset the status quo. -- Adam Barnhardt

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

TRANSFORMERS: BEAST WARS #5

Transformers: Beast Wars #5 finally gets to the action. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth the wait. The issue starts well enough, with Josh Burcham cleverly using prison cell conversation between Dinobot and the Maximals to visualize their divide between the faction. Dinobot ends up filling the role of the one honorable member of a corrupt political party, which should rightly make some eyes roll, but we are dealing with children's fantasy here. What's more disappointing is the clash between Maximals and Predacons finally. It's a clumsy, unexciting affair. Burcham seems unable to convincingly depict Cheetor's speed and instead makes it seem as if the character is standing next to himself thrice over. The rest of the sequence doesn't convey much weight either. All in all, it's a disappointing payoff after a not-particularly-exciting buildup. -- Jamie Lovett

Rating: 2 out of 5

TWO MOONS #5

This was finally the action-heavy issue of Two Moons that we had been progressing towards for quite some time. And even though I had a good idea of what might happen before reading this comic, it still didn't disappoint. I've been really praising the pacing of this series from Arcudi since it first started and issue #5 keeps things up greatly in that regard. This newest issue also wraps this first arc in Two Moons up quite nicely and leaves things open-ended enough that I'm really fascinated to see where it may go in the future. -- Logan Moore

Rating: 4 out of 5

UNDONE BY BLOOD OR THE OTHER SIDE OF EDEN #4

Undone by Blood ends with a somber whimper as a broken man begins his penance for his deeds. To be clear - this was the right move for the comic. After last issue ended with the death of a child, there was no true redemption in store for any of the comic's cast. However, the true villains get what's coming to them, all handed out by the one person who seems to have some guilt about his actions. Undone by Blood is a great comic, one with nuance, themes of guilt and betrayal, and a story where there are no winners, just losers and even greater losers. -- Christian Hoffer

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

WE ONLY FIND THEM WHEN THEY'RE DEAD #7

The decades-long sliding timeline in We Only Find Them When They're Dead has been one of the series' most engaging features from the start and issue #7 clarifies its value as this is a story as much about systems and history as the individuals who populate them. This is a terrain in which writer Al Ewing thrives and so I find myself more drawn to this story in its second arc than its first. The presentation is every bit as stunning, even without the expansive deities of space to populate spreads here—the slow morphing of a young optimist's face into that of a weary cynic is every bit as enthralling. There may still be some distance to travel in defining this exploitation of space and its resources, but the shape of this metaphor is beginning to cohere around characters and a timeline that will define their relationship to humanity for better or (almost certainly) for worse. -- Chase Magnett

Rating: 4 out of 5

THE WITCHER: WITCH'S LAMENT #2

The Witcher: Witch's Lament #2 goes to some rather unusual places, which is saying something for a Witcher story. Writer Bartosz Sztybor creates one of the most mysterious and oddly enthralling Witcher stories yet, and part of the magic is that you really don't have a grasp on everything that's going on. The fact that the truth is being hidden from you doesn't just affect Geralt but affects the reader as well, and it raises the sense of tension and doubt that only aides the story. The ongoing conversations and warnings between Geralt and the witch he didn't save are some of the book's best moments, and the way Vanesa R. Del Rey, John Starr, and Jordie Bellaire weave those illusions and warnings into the scenes themselves is stunning, catching your eye immediately. This particular art style isn't always my cup of tea, but it works perfectly with the tone and characters in this story, and the same goes for Geralt, who is a bit more curt with people than usual but yet it doesn't seem that out of place with everything else going on. Witch's Lament is not at all what I expected, but that's also precisely why it's captured my attention so quickly, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. -- Matthew Aguilar

Rating: 4 out of 5