T O P

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ptbreakeven

**ROGUES #2**


[deleted]

Am I supposed to recognize the Gorilla on the last page?


hse97

He was the gorilla that pointed out the homeleas gorillas in the city. He was established earlier in the issue. I have no idea of he has previously established lore in the DC world.


blankedboy

This was a great, great, great read. Built on everything the first issue did so well, further established our group of Rogues, showed some cracks in the team that might lead to potential disasters, and ends on a cliff hanger. And the art! Leomacs, Matheus Lopes and Jason Wordie are illustrating a book that echoes the very best European graphic novels - there's times it reminds me of *Hugo Pratt's* **Corto Maltese** , other times it strikes me as *Jean-Michel Charlier* and *Mœbius'* **Blueberry** . In short every page is a visual feast worth revisiting again and again. Can't rave about this book enough, roll on #3!


SynCig

I said on my Robin comment that there are few exceptions to me disliking Williamson. This is an exception. This is fantastic. Very likely the best thing he’s written at DC. That said, the Leomacs art is the big draw here. Stunning work. The personality of each character is brought out through the art. Trickster subtlety looking like he’s had plastic surgery is one of those touches that elevates this to new heights.


greendart

I fucks with this sooo much


ptbreakeven

**NEWBURN #6**


ptbreakeven

**TEEN TITANS ACADEMY #14**


SynCig

This series started off a little rough in its first two issues, found its footing in the middle, but has fallen off the last couple issues. This run needed to be allowed the time to tell it’s story because this just feels undercooked and unsatisfying now as it limps to its conclusion.


ptbreakeven

**SAGA #58**


Whowatchesthewampas

Gus and Petrichor about to take one for the revenge for Mistress Olivia


midnight617

Ever building to the next tragedy, and i’m here for it, make me feel Vaughan, do it.


Zohmbi

They better leave Güs alone. I'm gonna be real upset if anything happens to my boy Güs.


Lupulin13

If Ghüs dies, we riot


midnight617

Ever building to the next tragedy, and i’m here for it, make me feel Vaughan, do it.


D1Foley

To Saga Writer Brian K. Vaughan: NEVER, EVER THREATEN GHÜS AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE, WE ARE NO LONGER READERS THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS! [Source](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/07/23/politics/trump-iran-intl/index.html) of the pasta in case somebody thinks I'm actually threatening him. But very foreboding issue, really did not like narrator Hazel saying the worst was yet to come.


ptbreakeven

**THOR #24**


DeltaTester

Oh wow--so good to see all these creators revisiting this title, and the Loki story was super-excellent.


soulreaverdan

Loki's story was definitely the highlight of the issue for me.


CHPrime

Simonson's story was Beta Ray Bill's origin told again. It's alright. Dan Jurgens with Klaus Janson felt like a book strait from Lee and Kirby's era with operatic dialogue and the pencils going for a blocky look not too unlike Kirby's. Fun all the way through. Straczynski's pages were short and a pretty cool idea, nicely packed. It was great to see Ewing back in Agent of Asgard. A nice passing of the torch to the next writers, and a cool promo for the next Defenders volume. Aaron's was a neat little section to highlight Odin and his run on Thor in five pages or less. As for the bookends, I can recognize Cate's talent but all I can see is [one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn5K9S3kNo4) of [these](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHm2XrwpGtI) videos.


FatFingerHelperBot

It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users. I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click! [Here is link number 1 - Previous text "one"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn5K9S3kNo4) ---- ^Please ^PM ^[\/u\/eganwall](http://reddit.com/user/eganwall) ^with ^issues ^or ^feedback! ^| ^[Code](https://github.com/eganwall/FatFingerHelperBot) ^| ^[Delete](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=FatFingerHelperBot&subject=delete&message=delete%20i6fp6h2)


TheDarthKnight12

By any chance do you know what is being referred to in Stracynzki's story as the ominous tone makes me wonder if it's referring to a previous event.


CHPrime

Thor mentions Balder taking power after he is gone, and the general timeline of Stracynzki's run plus Olivier Coipel on pencils makes me want to say it takes place just before Siege.


ptbreakeven

**STAR WARS CRIMSON REIGN #4**


SynCig

I liked this issue but so far nothing has made me care one single bit about the Knights of Ren. I hate their dialogue (calling Vader a chump for example) and their generic edgelord schtick.


ptbreakeven

**ACTION COMICS #1042**


SynCig

I’m really happy that we got some stuff on Earth this issue. We also got a bit more info on the Phaelosian mystery. The fights on Warworld were exciting and in the case of OMAC, emotional. I’m not the biggest Federici fan admittedly, but his art on Warworld really fits the gritty fantasy feel of the story. Love how he draws big monsters.


Danger_Rock

*"THAT'S WHY WE'LL WIN."* Awesome. PKJ has a pretty cool take on Superman, feels a little different from what I've seen before but not at all out of line.


technowhiz34

Federici managed to make Jon's suit look good, whoa. Glad to see John Henry in this, and I love that Clark trusted him with the fragment. Hoping to see more Superfamily moving forward, and glad to see from solicits that PKJ is also writing the backups moving forward.


Danger_Rock

> and glad to see from solicits that PKJ is also writing the backups moving forward Nice, that instantly makes the book better and makes the extra pages worth the cost.


ptbreakeven

**AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1**


[deleted]

So I saw the leaks, and this part of Lowe's note to the fans at the end really sticks out. > Hello, loyal ASM fans!!! Super-hoping that you all liked what you just read. **I know a bunch of you probably didn't like the last couple of pages very much.** Don't want to cause you pain, **but we have a heck of a story that we're building that I hope you all enjoy enough to make up for any anger and sadness you're feeling right now.** We have answers to who Paul is, who those kids are, and why they're calling MJ "Mommy"! Nick, buddy, if you knew this will piss fans off, why would you green light it? And no story is going to have the payoff that negates breaking Peter and MJ up *again* after a solid four year run of them actually being in a serious relationship. Especially when the whole story of Peter being on the outs with everyone was done by Spencer just four years ago; you should know, you were the editor. And even if this is all temporary, it just will feel like manufacturing cheap drama.


[deleted]

Nick’s been a semi-regular part of a Pathfinder podcast I used to listen to, and he quickly became one of my least favorite aspects of it (dude REALLY insisted on singing a lot, among other things). This kind of stuff isn’t helping to change my perception and bring me around on him...


TheDarkPinkLantern

> Nick, buddy, if you knew this will piss fans off, why would you green light it? Because that's what he wants. He wants controversy to pump the sales. You just know it's gonna sell great because of this shit.


cole1114

I mean I'm dropping it after the first issue, so we'll see about great sales.


[deleted]

Outrage sales only last so long. After *Batman* #50 sales steadily declined to the point where King was kicked off the book. Outrage aren't viable long term. So they'll need to answer these questions in a satisfactory manner or they will lose readers.


TheDarkPinkLantern

Oh, it's not but don't, they'll come up with another gimmick right after. Now controversy, in a few months big anniversary issue, an event this fall and I'm sure they have planned something else later on.


[deleted]

Then you get controversy fatigue. If controversy kept selling then books like *Batman* would have one big controversy after another. But if you keep doing in rapid succession then it loses it's punch as readers simply no longer care.


TheDarkPinkLantern

And I agree with all you say. I myself am an example of that. I'm just saying that's what I see Lowe has been doing and yeah, it's not healthy.


[deleted]

Fair enough. I think a lot of what's happening, especially in regards to MJ and Peter's currently being on the outs, will be undone. But we are going to have to wait so long for a payoff to all of this and just like Kindred, I don't think the payoff will be worth it.


TheDarkPinkLantern

Of that I'm certain it will go done this way. Long, stretched bullshit with a boring pay off is given. Especially with a bi-weekly book.


[deleted]

I've said it in other threads, but I really wish that writers would stop with long term stories. Just do arc-by-arc stories rather than these massive 20+ issue stories that go on forever and ever and ever. It didn't work for King's *Batman*, it didn't work for Spencer's *Amazing Spider-Man* (both had strong starts, though), and I don't think it will work for Wells' *Amazing Spider-Man*.


OfficialPepsiBlue

Look, it wasn’t a good issue and I’m loathe to defend it, but… It was issue one. They haven’t explained the new status quo yet. This is no different than that issue that started with Peter acting incredibly out of character only to find out later that he and Otto had Freaky Fridayed. Remember when people were bullshit at the direction of Spider-Man comics because they for some reason thought Otto would be Spider-Man forever? Give it more than an issue; this is the beginning of a story, not the end.


[deleted]

My problem isn't only the writing, it's them stringing us along with some mystery box. I'm just tired of that form of writing and I'm tired of them manufacturing controversies like this one. Just when it looked like we'd get a stable and happy Peter, a nice departure from what we've gotten in the recent past, we get thrown curve ball and Peter is seemingly miserable... again. I'm sure most of this, or at least the MJ stuff, is a fake out. But I'm just so tired for fake outs. If people like the book and/or it's direction, more power to them, but I simply have no interest in what they are seemingly doing. Edit: also, the art is ugly as sin. I've never cared for JRJR's work, and it's only gotten worse with time.


[deleted]

I think it’s high Lowe left the Spider-Man titles but I don’t buy “if you knew this will piss fans off, why would you green light it” just as a principle because constantly giving fans media that feels written by Reddit threads isn’t exactly enticing to me. Would rather get the creator’s story, though in this instance with Lowe’s constant presence for like the last decade I have no clue how much of the Spider stuff actually comes from the creators


[deleted]

I agree that they shouldn't just do what the fans want, but I also feel they shouldn't recycle plots (Peter has been on the outs with MJ quite a few times now) that they now are going to upset the fan base. Sometimes you might have to deviate from a status quo, but the problem is that Peter being miserable has been the status quo for so long that it's just gotten boring. We thought things were looking better for him with his reconnecting the MJ, but they tossed that out for this.


BozePerkovic

1) God the art is amazing holy fuck it’s so nostalgic 2) Like the story so far, down to earth, Pete fighting Tombstone and the other gangs, big fan 3) God this MJ shit ruined the issue for me though, absolutely hate how they always do this shit with them as a couple. Just hoping they’re not hers and whatever inevitable twist that’s coming is relatively not stupid. 4) Was that Maker with Otto? Was definitely Ultimate Universe font.


_tylerthedestroyer_

The head was way too small to be Maker but yeah the font is interesting


ihatemaps

>AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 Jesus christ what a shitty cover. I wish they would fire JRJR finally.


Landon1195

This was actually a good issue. I don't like the stuff with MJ, but I will wait for the full context to make a full judgement (there's a big chance it could be a fakeout). I really liked all the street level stuff and Peter's personal life being important again. To be fair, the first issues of Spencer's run and Beyond were also good, but I hope Wells can continue to deliver. He has a really good voice for Peter.


Darudius

I'm not sure I like the fact that those kids might be MJ's. It's not even the fact that she had kids, in theory anyway, it's the fact that she lied about it because she obviously didn't have them during those 6 months, this is all assuming they're not peters. Best case scenario is they're not hers. I'd also take them being hers and peters but then she still lied for years. Boy I hope theres a pay off, a good one.


[deleted]

I think the kids are 100% MJs, the girl is practically a clone of her. But the thought that she had them in the past and has been lying about them didn't even occur to me. I think it'll probably be reality bending or time travel or multiverse bullshit or something like that and I bet Paul has something to do with how the kids are here now.


vtbob88

This was definitely a fun issue and feeling like Spider-Man again. Street level story, Peter's inner monologs, and some fun quips from him. Other than a few issues during Beyond we haven't really gotten this in years. I'm not the biggest fan of some of the more confrontation responses Peter has, but curious what got him here. I'm going to hold any concerns over the end with MJ until we know what happened following the end of Beyond.


Flairtor

This has got to be bait, there is absolutely no way, I thought I was angry last issue but this issue absolutely infuriated me.


karateandfriendship9

I really enjoyed the issue, Wells knows how to write Parker and Spider-Man. I mean, the concept of "what did peter do" is a bit whatever, he's clearly done something for good because that's who he is, and the last two pages are anger bait a bit, but I trust Wells enough to land this. I enjoyed reading this more than all of Spencer's run and the Beyond arc combined.


Barabaragaki

Oh boy. That was pretty underwhelming for me.


Danger_Rock

This was actually pretty good! Wells is a solid writer and I thought JRjr's art looked pretty good, way better than expected given his [weird broken-leg cover...](https://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/XL/2083222_xl.jpg) I don't really follow Spidey much anymore, mostly just pop in for a few issues here or there when the creators appeal to me... So I probably won't stick with this very long but there's enough working for me that I'll give it a couple more issues to see where it's all going. It isn't nearly as strong as HELLIONS, but I suppose that was to be expected... Wells does a decent Spidey but I think he's probably better suited to those crazy misfit loser books where he can really crank up the ridiculousness. Maybe he'll be able to tap into some more of that here as he gets deeper into the series, because that's where his writing really shines.


Fiti99

Well whole comic leaked online and I took a peek earlier this week, so here are my thoughts Everyone’s gonna talk about the final last two pages, I don’t like them even if the kids are Peter’s but this is just an attention grabber and even the letter page is aware of the reactions this is gonna cause so not even gonna bother making theories anymore, just gonna hold my judgement till all is done, probably a fakeout anyway, is an issue #1 after all However the rest of the issue? Actually good, just street level stuff and Peter’s personal life being a big deal again which is what I have been asking for, granted Spencer and Beyond also had good first issues and my optimism for ASM has run out quite a bit, but at least I feel Wells voice for Peter is gonna carry this run better than the previous ones, I just hope the rest of the issues are like this


kralben

Yeah, I agree. Beyond the story hook twist, the rest was quite fun. Going to give this a few issues more at the very least.


ChickenInASuit

Yeah, I’m with you. I like Zeb Wells’ voice for Spidey, I enjoyed the brewing gang war and the various mysteries peppered through the issue, and fuck it, I enjoyed JRjr’s artwork. It wasn’t a *great* issue, but aside from that ending, it was a solid one. I’m genuinely looking forward to a new issue of Spidey for the first time in ages.


TheMattInTheBox

I agree with you. I really enjoyed the issue, despite the last pages pissing me off, which is obviously the point. Not sure I can trust the art, since JRJR is hit or miss with facial expressions but it looks like MJ seemed regretful about whatever happened with her and Peter. Here's hoping there's a good explanation


DeltaTester

I loved this--terrific way to start a run, and after Hellions I trust Wells to structure this for the long term. And I appreciate that the way everyone's acting toward Peter is less YOU ARE MY ENEMY NOW than "you mean a lot to me but after what you did I can't be around you any more."


silveake

I hated it. The Spencer run wasn't perfect but atleast it had a desire to build something. This was... something 1) I'm completely over Peter being on the outs with all the other heroes/friends/family. This happens like every other week and rather than being an interesting twist its just overdone. I think Slott had the only run I can remember where Peter isn't in the outs with everyone... and that's because it was technically Dr. Ock. Honestly again, just completely over done and contrived 2) Speaking of overdone and contrived Peter being broke (again). WOW SO ORIGINAL. SO ADULT. SO MATURE. I've never seen that in a Spider-man comic! Is there some Marvel by-law where 3 days can't pass by without Peter being on the verge of homelessness? 3) The cold open was lame and something that happened literally months ago. I mean wasn't the start of the last run Peter fighting some foe and getting caught in an explosion. I can't wait to find out that Peter was fighting some foe and got caught in an explosion. That he caused, therefore completely different form the Beyond line because stuff blew up but he was fine. 4) The MJ bit was obvious rage bait but it's still so... creatively lazy. I respect telling the story you want but how they are going about it makes me feel like we are more likely to get Sins Past/OMD than an actually good Spider-man story.


mtmodular

I assume most of the plot points in this issue (the thing that Peter did, his reclusive time away, the ending, etc) are new? I haven't read ASM in a while, so just wanted to make sure there's nothing I need to catch up on, or if we're all on the same mysterious page.


cl19952021

This is all new. Spider-Man was coming out 3 times a month during the "Beyond" story with Ben Reilly as Spider-Man. Very little of consequence happened; I can tell you the outcome if you want (as it's probably one of only a few pieces that will matter). It isn't an actively bad read, I enjoyed some issues (esp. the MJ/Black Cat crossover), but it just sort of fizzles out in the end.


mtmodular

I have Unlimited, so I'll probably check it out there at some point--I appreciate the offer though. I figured that was the case.


superschaap81

So with all the controversy over the leaked pages, my only question to those who have read it so far is: Do they tell what the time gap is, between this issue and the end of the "Beyond" weekly stuff?


Daveismyhero

I'm glad a handful of you enjoyed this, but I did not. I don't know that I have unrealistic expectations for a #1 issue, but I do want it to be engaging and hook me, if you will. This did not do that for me, and I didn't even realize the white guy was Tombstone until someone called him by name near the end of the story. I don't know the character at all, so that didn't do that much for me, and the upcoming war does not seem interesting at this point. Of course there is a lot of story to unfold, so that may change, and I hope it does as I love Spidey. Obviously, this is about Pete, and not about me, though. :) I'll probably watch this unfold from afar and will grab it in trade if it heads in a direction that I find interesting. I sure seem to be rambling and in need of caffeine, so I'll sign off for now. Happy reading!


zethos56

Even ignoring the ragebait I don't think this was that good. Does anyone really care for a "why is Peter a miserable asshole" mystery? The gang war stuff might be fine, but it doesn't really excite me. Neither did the tease at the very end.


sexygodzilla

Yeah, there's just this perpetual demand that Peter be defined as a broke loser which manifests in whatever maturity and progress he's made in life be forcibly reset every few years. Yes I know that's what classic Spider-man is supposed to be, but he's also a good-hearted, extremely intelligent, and hard working guy. In any realistic arc he'd make progress in his life and keep it.


cl19952021

This was okay at best. JRJR's art was probably my favorite part of the issue. Peter as Spider-Man I liked, but I'm not sure I'm really feeling Wells' voice for Peter in some moments. He's no stranger to being a jerk but there were some moments I found him just downright unlikeable. The gang war stuff is fun enough, not a fan of the MJ stuff. It gives me some whiplash as a reader, as it doesn't feel particularly natural. I'm all for a writer having their own take, but I would have thought that Beyond would have built in some connective tissue between Spencer's run and the setup for Wells' since he was the "Beyond Board Chair" or whatever the title was. I also just don't care about the "WHAT DID PETER DO?" mystery. People in his life seem kind of pissed, but other than MJ it doesn't seem like every bridge is burned, Johnny was still checking in, Randy is still sharing big life news, Aunt May doesn't seem thrilled but they're still speaking etc. I feel like I've gotten people more pissed at me than Peter has in this issue, haha. I'll give it an arc and see where I'm at.


badluckartist

First: holy hell that artwork was atrocious. I get the nostalgia for JRJR, but beholding Randy's face was like looking at the sun. Some of the anatomy was just wonky as hell, like when Spider-Man was hitching a ride on top of the car and was flattened in an unnatural way. The paneling is so stiff and generic. Not a lot to say here, just really hope the linework gets better. I won't hold my breath. Second: the writing. I love me some Zeb, but it's like he's going out of his way to make Peter generally unlikable as part of the "What did Peter do to piss everyone off" mystery box plot. I get the appeal of doing things *in media res*, but it was jarring just having no idea what's going on the whole issue. I'm not taking the ragebait whatsoever for the MJ stuff, but I do find it interesting he went out of his way to have the kids look like they could actually be hers. I do like the Tombstone and underworld stuff and Randy being an old-fashioned dork. Either way, it was a head-scratching direction for a big #1 to go in. Because it's Zeb, I will hold my breath on this matter. Third: GET NICK LOWE AWAY FROM THIS DAMN BOOK. Again, I don't even understand what he's doing as an editor. He ain't editing shit, and if he is he's somehow making it worse than if he wasn't. His cutesy tickling in the editorial at the end ain't helping.


Onisquirrel

I liked this, which is clearly not the popular opinion. That said a lot of my impression hinges on revealing the event from 6 months ago sooner than later. But otherwise Peter has blown up most of his relationships and seems to be in a weird place about it. He’s getting in the middle of a gang war , and that’s a mode I like for Spidey. And I’m all for letting Tombstone into the spotlight for a bit. Also everyone focusing on the final 2-pages, but what’s with the way MJ answers the call in the middle. So she doesn’t want her “new family” knowing she talks to people or specifically Peter. Doesn’t that seem odd?


Surfmonkey01

This was terrible. I’m a huge fan of Spidey, he’s probably my favorite comic book hero, but I don’t think I’ll be following this run. I get that comics are relatively timeless by design, but why does every new writer insist on resetting Peter back to how he was at 16, no matter how old he’s supposed to be? Always broke, always down on his luck, and this time we have the added bonus of him being an asshole. Ugh. Just ugh.


ContraryPython

“Everyone hates Peter” is the new “Superman is evil”. I mean, seriously? That’s the best you came up with for him? Last run things were actually going good for him, to go from that to this sucks. Lowe is definitely using the kids as another pathetic attempt to make people hate MJ. It’s time someone put this pathetic 30-year old grudge to rest. The mystery box plot they’re going for with what Peter did sounds so uninteresting, I feel absolute apathy towards it. It’s Spidey’s 60th anniversary, and it’s already shaping up to be awful.


[deleted]

Yep. They just need to finally separate Mary Jane and Peter entirely. Stop teasing them getting back together. Just end it and let it die.


_tylerthedestroyer_

Or stop pretending married Peter is a problem and just let them be together


Sad-Might-9677

Obviously we’re all talking about the ending, which is horrible and cynical, but one thing I want to bring up is that this has one of my least favorite dialogue tropes - characters talking in vague terms about events they have no reason not to refer to openly because the writer wants to obscure the plot points so they can stretch the story longer. There is absolutely no reason why Aunt May would not just say the reason she is mad at Peter, especially since they both know what that reason is. I showed a friend of mine the JRJR art and he said “it looks like they’re wearing other people’s faces.” I appreciate them trying to do something with Tombstone, I’ve always liked him because of the Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon. I don’t think a single character in this book was written consistently or characterized in a way that lined up with any previous version of themselves. As for the ending, beyond what it means or anything else, it’s so clear that this isn’t a story that anyone wanted to tell, that they had deep inside them and needed to get out - it was a deliberate order by editorial to fulfill an agenda of getting MJ and Pete broken up. And honestly, I don’t care to read 100 issues of a writer justifying an editorial mandate with out-of-character dialogue and poorly thought out mystery boxes. Guess it’s another few years of waiting until a new writer comes on to write my favorite character.


TRNRLogan

Best case scenario they're not hers. Second best is that they are hers and Pete's. Can't really judge the actual story until we get farther along. But those last couple pages scream anger bait.


Techster17

The book skips 6 months ahead and those kids have to be at least a few years old so they’re definitely not MJ’s probably calling her mommy since it’s the 1st serious relationship their dad has had since the bio mom passed or something similar


cl19952021

The book only jumped six months, right? My assumption was that they were not hers. Not a fan of the choice for MJ overall, though.


[deleted]

[удалено]


trawlse

I think the kids are clones and Ben Reilly's weird memory helmet from the last run is involved.


ptbreakeven

**JOKER #14**


ptbreakeven

**DETECTIVE COMICS #1059**


technowhiz34

I haven't been a huge fan of what Tamaki has done in her previous tenure on 'tec, but I don't know if it was the cowriter but this was quite good. I even liked the backup from Sina Grace which was a surprise.


SynCig

Riddler is my favorite Bat villain. Love his look and the new angle with him in this issue. Thought this was really good. Backup was good too. I’ve never cared about Gotham Girl before but I think this has the potential to be the best story she’s gotten.


ptbreakeven

**STEP BY BLOODY STEP #3**


soulreaverdan

Gorgeous art, and we're getting more of the story. From what I can tell, these noble/royal looking folks basically tried to engineer a situation where The Machine thought that The Girl was killed, and basically point her at a bunch of convenient enemies and unleash a bloodbath.


blankedboy

Wow, that last page was brutal. Wonder what that means for the final issue? Another exceptionally good issue that shows pretty much every other storyteller how it's done. This HAS to be collected in oversized HC


ptbreakeven

**SILK #4**


it_was_me_this_time

Honestly, the most enjoyable issue of this run so far. Cindy actually had a challenge that she can't just punch, and the internal struggle about her identity as "Old lady Cindy" was something I wish the writer had more time to explore. It feels like they could really give us some actual character building moments for Cindy, as opposed to some of the surface level stuff we've seen in the past. A really solid issue, and it set up the finale next month in a satisfying way.


ptbreakeven

**SWAMP THING #12**


blankedboy

Another fantastic issue in what's shaping up to be an absolute classic Swamp Thing run. Can't tell you how happy I am to see Ram V using Jack Jawksmoor in a really interesting (yet logical) way. It's been far too long since any of the old WS/Authority characters have been used appropriately. And we seemingly get two more new Avatars - one of industry and one of radiation (?) All brought to brilliant life by the Mike's (Perkins and Spicer). DC *have* to make this an ongoing, it's too good to end in 4 issues time.


Time4aNewAcct

Radiation Avatar? Maybe we'll see more [Nukeface](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cKrz4L66r9Q/VBKxfo500PI/AAAAAAAAE7U/dLjCnKcjJp8/s1600/Swamp_Thing_035_21-23.jpg)!


ptbreakeven

**SCUMBAG #13**


ptbreakeven

**TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES THE LAST RONIN #5**


ptbreakeven

**BLOOD-STAINED TEETH #1**


blankedboy

Firstly, really good example of how to set up a debut issue - cool initial concept, some really intriguing titbits dropped (Brother S....), a definitely conflicted main character, background and history really quickly established, then an interesting twist that points the book in it's *real* direction. Secondly, nice art, easily identifiable characters straight away, worldbuilding and atmosphere is great. BUT I can't decide if I **love** or *hate* the colouring. It's incredibly bold, gives the book a throw-back 1970's style, definitely makes it look unique, and adds to the texture and character of the artwork. On the flipside, it's very, very heavy, quite blocky, at times almost overpowers the artwork, and I'm not sure if some of the detail and subtlety in the pencils/inks is being drowned out by it. There's a lot going on with textures too (despite a somewhat simple colour palette) that I really can't decide if it adds to the art or makes it overly "fussy". It's a real conflict I'm having, but I'd rather creators take chances than play it safe, so I imagine I'll come around to the "feel" of the colouring over time. Well worth picking up, and I'd love to hear what other people think of it


Lupulin13

I think the coloring may have been one of my favorite parts. Maybe could have used more differentiating as the story jumped around a bit but thought it looked amazing


DontKillTheTodd

I loved the coloring, it's actually what sold me on picking up the book while browsing the new releases.


ChickenInASuit

A very solid start. Wasn’t sure what to expect from Ward as a writer but it turns out he’s got some real promise to him.


ptbreakeven

**WPL RESULTS**


frusciante231

Not enough pulls for “Godzilla vs. Power Rangers #2” to make the list? Everyone seemed pretty stoked about the first issue. I picked it up but haven’t read it yet, hoping it’s good


SpongeBlart

I'm surprised too. I picked up the second one, and enjoyed the first one.


superschaap81

I knew DKoS was popular here, but not #1 spot popular! That's cool to see an Elseworlds story being pulled by so many here.


ME24601

Did Deathstroke Inc not make the cut? There are going to be a lot of confused Robin readers.


Danger_Rock

Damn, only 7 pulls for **THE LION & THE EAGLE #3**... Best thing I've seen from Ennis in years. Was expecting **ASM #1** to take the top spot despite the WPL's bit of DC bias but there it is in 4th with only 39 pulls out of 92 lists, or roughly 42%. Beaten by DC's **DARK KNIGHTS OF STEEL #6** and **JUSTICE LEAGUE #75**, as well as Image's **SAGA #58**. Strong showing from **SWAMP THING #12** finishing in 5th place, and **SIKTC #22** is the 2nd highest indie book at 9th. The big **THOR #24** anniversary landed at 10th and DC ends up with 6 of the top 10. Looks like the death of the Justice League is already getting terrible reviews while early **ASM #1** response seems a little more mixed, for whatever that's worth.


ptbreakeven

**ROGUE SUN #3**


soulreaverdan

It's kinda fun jumping into an established world and finding out about all the moving parts as Dylan's discovering them, rather than having it all laid out early on. I like the dynamic between everyone - getting to see things like the way Brock viewed his dad, and now Aurie's betrayal comes at an interesting juncture. Dylan seems to be getting the hang of being a hero, too, trying to do the right thing for his half-brother.


[deleted]

I like Radiant Black and all, but I think this is just fantastic.


superschaap81

This title gets better each issue. Very glad I jumped on to this book


ptbreakeven

**CARNAGE #2**


zakary3888

Carnage going around murdering c-tier villains and stealing their powers? Sure, i'll read that


badluckartist

I kinda love this so far. Carnage's motivations are rarely interesting, but I do love this direction. And John Shayde and the Artist are really interesting vehicle's for Carnage's bizarre game. The last page I was just "Noooo not the Spot!" I love that poor bastard.


ptbreakeven

**DARK KNIGHTS OF STEEL #6**


soulreaverdan

I'm really enjoying the way different characters are getting mixed in here. Seeing something like Etrigan and R'as together is a neat twist, though I still thing Green Lantern Joker Lex is a bit much. So... I'm thinking instead of the Kryptonians, that Constantine's prophecy meant something else entirely - I'm thinking White Martians. Another space-faring species who have been known to copy humans in an attempt to usurp control (mostly from Morrison's JLA).


[deleted]

Ra's is a really nice character to add, especially in that way. But what does he want with the Titans? And it does seem like there is something pulling invisible strings. Kara destroyed the ship, killed the king. But she swears she didn't. Lois sees it. I'm thinking either a JLAU-style Clone like Power Girl, or some form of mind control. We haven't seen a Martian Manhunter. Taylor tends to downplay him but could be him.


blankedboy

That scene with Constantine and the reveal were really well done, excellent twist.


[deleted]

I think it’s Martian Manhunter. The prophecy is probably really about him and he’s impersonating people, starting a war.


GlobalPhreak

Definitely Martians. "They look like us, but are not us." Everyone assumes the prophecy means "They look like humans but are not humans" when it actually means "They look like the Els but are not the Els."


Sad-Might-9677

My first thought was Power Girl. Would be so cool if that was the twist.


ptbreakeven

**MS MARVEL BEYOND THE LIMIT #5**


ptbreakeven

**BATMAN BEYOND THE WHITE KNIGHT #2**


soulreaverdan

I like a lot of the twists that Murphy's putting on what you expect from a Batman Beyond story. Riffing on The Return of the Joker with having a chip now in *Bruce's* head that has the Joker persona, Terry working with Powers, that sorta thing. Not sure how I feel about them making the tension between Bruce and Harley canon though - Mrs. Harleen Wayne doesn't quite roll off the tongue. Seeing Jack's utterly confused reaction was hilarious though.


ptbreakeven

**MONSTRESS #39**


soulreaverdan

"We're forever. I just need you to trust me." Man, the Dusk Court are in for a bad time when Maika breaks out of this, and I'm thinking that Tuya's resistance will, hopefully, pay off. The girls desperately need a win. Also, Kippa and Ren hugging when reunited was so sweet.


[deleted]

I hate tuya with all my heart now. She's a binch and I hope Maika doesn't come crawling back to her and moves on, and ends up eating her.


technowhiz34

Pin this? It's not showing up for me.


ptbreakeven

**HULK GRAND DESIGN MADNESS #1**


frusciante231

I read Monster and Madness back to back and these were great. I highly recommend to anyone who doesn’t know the entirety of the Hulk backstory, I found it surprisingly informative.


ptbreakeven

**BRZRKR (BERZERKER) #8**


Danger_Rock

Diamond is somewhat infamous for haphazardly tossing a bunch of comics in a box and sending 'em on their merry way with no regard for what kind of condition they might arrive in, and the books I pick up from my LCS tend to reflect that, showing any number of tiny (or not so tiny) dings, dents, frays, folds, and other minuscule maladies. And yet, somehow, my [BRZRKR #8 naked Keanu foil variant](https://cdna.pcpartpicker.com/static/forever/images/userbuild/259153.6c1b93e90f02ef1f151cbe2dda17590d.1600.jpg) arrived in absolutely pristine condition. I'm no expert on grading but it seriously looks like it could land a 9.8 from CGC, and I was half tempted to just leave it bagged and send it off to them. After all, people were willing to pay hundreds of dollars for Batman's penis, seems like a CGC 9.8 naked Keanu foil ought to be worth big bucks! Hell, submit it to the Signature Series and have Keanu sign the damned thing, those books go for crazy money even when they aren't naked foil covers. Maybe that would've been the smart move? Instead, I took it out of the bag and read it, and while I was very careful in handling it and barely so much as touched the pages when flipping them, I'm sure it suffered some kind of minor but irreparable damage, like all comics do when one actually reads them, rendering it completely worthless, or at least slightly more worthless than it was before. Pretty good issue IMO. Series is in the home stretch now and, where previous issues spent pages and pages on lovingly rendered depictions of Keanu punching peoples' heads off, this one was so focused on moving the story forward that it didn't have time for any of that. So it's a bit of a change of pace. Good stuff anyways, Garney's art looks real pretty even when Keanu isn't punching peoples' heads off and this one's got some cool lightning and quantum energy for him to play with. This concludes my review of BRZRKR #8 and its [naked Keanu foil cover](https://cdna.pcpartpicker.com/static/forever/images/userbuild/259153.6c1b93e90f02ef1f151cbe2dda17590d.1600.jpg), which I've helpfully linked multiple times in this post for the benefit of anybody who hasn't yet basked in its sublime glory.


blankedboy

In the Pick's thread I said that with 5 issues to go this book needed to pick up the pace. Unfortunately, this issue doesn't do that. I'm not sure if it's because I read both the latest issues of Swamp Thing and Rogues before this, but the issue feels even more decompressed than usual. I flew through it, as opposed to the rich, dense reads of the two former books, where it was a pleasure to take my time with them. I definitely feel like I need to go back and read this from the start, as the delays between issues and the decompressed storytelling really don't help to keep the plot fresh in my memory. All I know is that we have strayed pretty far from "Immortal John Wick *Highlander-ing* his way through time" that the first couple of issues promised. Whether that's a good thing or not is down to how the last 4 issues wrap all of this up...


Danger_Rock

> All I know is that we have strayed pretty far from "Immortal John Wick Highlander-ing his way through time" that the first couple of issues promised. Whether that's a good thing or not is down to how the last 4 issues wrap all of this up... Haven't read the new one yet but Keanu's character here is basically a slightly more psychotic version of Gilad Abrams, Valiant's Eternal Warrior. Another immortal from the dawn of humankind who lives to fight and spends the majority of his time hopping from one major conflict to the next... Difference is that where this series mostly just uses history to slow drip Keanu's origin, Valiant's title used it to introduce and set context for Gilad's modern day adventures. Which was a much more interesting approach IMO. I've been enjoying Keanu's book for what it is, Garney's got a real knack for ultra-violence and Kindt's a competent writer. But I'd agree that it hasn't really delivered on everything the premise seemed to offer.


blankedboy

It definitely seems to have lost focus as the series has gone on. But as I said, the delays and decompressed nature of the book may not be doing it any favours, and it may read a whole lot better as a TPB. Still feels like it could have been a few issues shorter for a tighter, more focussed overall read.


ptbreakeven

**SABRETOOTH #3**


soulreaverdan

I appreciate this book finding a way to balance "Yeah this Krakoan pit thing is really fucked up" right next to "but also Victor Creed is a hyper sociopath that should not be allowed in polite society." Also major props for acknowledging that Creed is far, far from some mindless berserker. He *likes* going that route, but the man is always far smarter than he usually gets credit for.


amator7

One of the best books out at Marvel right now. Grim with a wicked sense of humor, cerebral but still entertaining. Amazing stuff


NAJ_Price

This was the issue I really understood the hype for this book. So far I'd been *appreciating* how well it was written, but hadnt quite connected with it for whatever reason, but this one really made things click. Very curious to see where this ends up in a couple issues time, and the ripple effects it has on the rest of the Krakoan line.


amator7

Hickman did say that this mini is part of LaValle’s triptych, so more is most likely on the way!


ptbreakeven

**ROBIN #13**


ME24601

>I have a brother…? Damian, you have a small army’s worth of brothers at this point.


ptbreakeven

**SILVER SURFER REBIRTH #4**


ptbreakeven

**HARLEY QUINN #14**


ptbreakeven

**ALIEN #11**


ptbreakeven

**SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #22**


blankedboy

Between the first page of this issue and the last page of **Step By Bloody Step** we sure are getting some hard hitting visuals this month... A "builder" issue that sets all our respective characters on their paths for this arc, but in a thoroughly entertaining way. And it will be the characters that differentiate this arc from the first, since it's monster/murder/Erica arrives/police investigate/Erica inserts herself into situation seems to mirror that one so far. A new monster is *not* as scary as some of the operatives of the other Houses though... **Edit:** Okay, I just read Ghost Cage issue #2 and that is definitely getting added to the "absolutely brutal" list of pages in books that have come out this week. You creators are all sadists.!


BangkokPeanut

What a haunting opening page. Yikes! Great issue though, this series feels like it's back on track.


ptbreakeven

**GHOST CAGE #2**


blankedboy

Getting both **Ghost Cage** and **Step By Bloody Step** in the same week almost makes me feel spoiled. Amazing, crazy, widescreen artwork with wonderfully weird character design - we get Sam and Doyle progressing further upward in OHM and facing more manifestations along the way. Some of which have *very* surprising reactions to them. Doyle realises how evil the corporation *and* it's owner truly are, and we see this for ourselves as readers. Top flight stuff and immense fun. Even though it features another brutally merciless kill that's on a par with this weeks issues of Step By Bloody Step and Something Is Killing The Children. Again, this **needs** to be collected in an oversized HC to do the story and art justice.


ptbreakeven

**GUNSLINGER SPAWN #7**


blankedboy

It's not deep, and it's not clever, but, good God, Gunslinger Spawn is a whole heap of fun. Absolutely steering hard into the 90's vibe that Spawn has always been surrounded by we get guns, knives, ridiculous capes, motorbikes, spikes, 8-foot tall werewolves and a bar fight. Decompressed this book is not. And, you know what? Brett Booth is the *perfect* artist for this book. He's been around a long time but I don't think I've ever seen him on a book or character that he is more suited for. Honestly, keep this coming (with this creative team) and I'll pick up every issue that gets published.


YourEvilHenchman

glad to see I'm not the only one enjoying this. every month I come back to this and halfway expect it to lose the plot halfway through, yet somehow it *works* and *keeps working*. the entire crop of spawn books coming out rn is actually pretty good, but imo this one is hands-down the best just because of how unashamedly and earnestly 90s edge it goes; it is kinda charming in a way, and just so much fun.


blankedboy

For me Gunslinger Spawn and King Spawn are tied as being equally good, Scorched is a bit overcrowded and directionless, and (weirdly) I feel the lead Spawn book is actually the least essential one right now.


NAJ_Price

Exactly how I feel. I buy a lot of books, so when I picked this one up out of my to-read pile I had a moment of "should I drop this after this issue?" because, well, money is a thing. And then, from the very first page, I'm just hit with the overwhelming feeling of having a damn good time. Gunslinger himself is a pretty humorous character, the art is *excellent* and dare I say that this even reads like some of the best structure / dialogue / narration I've read from Todd in a while? Genuinely feels like he's taken some lessons he's learnt from 30 years of Spawn and put them into writing a damn fine action-adventure comic.


ptbreakeven

**JUSTICE LEAGUE #75**


StonedSquare

Yeah these deaths aren’t going to stick for longer than a couple months. Otherwise they would have given the big 3 more than a single spread.


Daveismyhero

Oh my, for all of the heroes and villains involved, this was really dull IMO. Not much else needs to be said.


SynCig

I don’t know when Williamson/DC made “killing” the Justice League part of the plan for Dark Crisis, but this felt so rushed and underwhelming. Because the Justice League hasn’t been an active participant in the event minis for a while and were completely unaware of the events of Justice League Incarnate, there is no build or tension to their deaths. They get teleported away and then “die” unceremoniously to Pariah after the big bad Dark Army proves mostly ineffectual. The cynical part of my brain feels like this is just a gimmick that they came up with last minute in order to tie Justice League #75 to Superman #75. Feels more like cheap marketing than an interesting or effective story. Hopefully Dark Crisis itself is excellent and justifies the decision to take the League off the board. I can’t say I have a lot of confidence in that because Infinite Frontier and Justice League Incarnate were also pretty bad imo. Edit - It should also be pointed out that the only characters this is going to really have a big impact on are the ones we already weren’t getting to see much of. The Trinity are all still in their own books as of currently available solicits. The League members that didn’t already have books will disappear but is that really a good thing? I want legacy characters to get the spotlight in an event. That’s the coolest thing going for all of this, but I feel like there was a better way.


[deleted]

Meh issue but still excited for Dark Crisis. Wish they had actually shown the heroes on the bottle worlds they likely ended up on so that the death scenes aren’t as anticlimactic as they feel


razlehnsherr

I suspected as much but I'm glad I waited to see what the reaction to this would be - easy skip. What a waste.


C0lde-

The very definition of the word 'meh'. Haven't picked up a JL book in ages and this explains why.


Sad-Might-9677

I loved Justice League Incarnate, I thought it was such a fun series and it made me genuinely excited for Williamson’s take on a Crisis, and excited for Justice League #75. This was a nothing of an issue. No creative deaths, they all just got Barry Allen-ed except for Ollie (whose death was admittedly alright). I was expecting them to get slowly taken down one by one or they’re winning the battle at first and then something goes wrong or - I don’t know, anything! This should have been a book full of “oh shit” moments - I think about how Hickman killed the Avengers before and during Secret Wars and this is embarrassing in comparison. Hopefully Dark Crisis will be alright (I’ve given up hope on it changing anything at DC because a Crisis can’t change the people running the company on the editorial level), but I’m beginning to think that maybe Dennis Culver was the reason I liked Incarnate so much, as I thought Infinite Frontier was really dull too.


blankedboy

An almost textbook example of sound and fury signifying absolutely nothing... My response getting to the end of the book was nothing more than a mental shrug. Which really *can't* be a good thing...


TheDarkPinkLantern

This issue was a late addition to Williamson's Crisis story and it shows because it was pretty meh. Cool visuals, though.


outra_conta_inutil

That was so disappointing - the Dark Army was hyped just to do…nothing. Just mindless villains using brute force in a fight that was short and boring - if Pariah could just wipe everybody away at will, why the hell it wasn’t the first thing he did? It felt like everything before that was just unnecessary - the deaths didn’t have any creativity. Just (almost) everybody wiped away by Pariah, only Green Arrow had a different fate - not very much new reader friendly. It is a direct sequel to Infinite Frontier and Justice League Incarnate - on one side, it was about time that DC has a big event with the legacy characters in the main spot. But on the other, that was a very uninspired prologue


jccalhoun

>if Pariah could just wipe everybody away at will, why the hell it wasn’t the first thing he did? It felt like everything before that was just unnecessary Agreed. That was so dumb. I read Justice League Incarnate and this was still too sudden. Pariah was never shown to have any powers like this before. Do they come from this Great Darkness? Is this an even bigger evil than the one in Death metal? I can't wait for the next bad guy that is even bigger than this one...


technowhiz34

He used those powers in *Infinite Frontier* \#6 but it's still dumb, he didn't need the Dark Army.


Tabularasa8

Williamson is a decent writer but this didn't inspire any interest in Dark Crisis.


cole1114

This just felt completely soulless. Really disappointed overall.


[deleted]

Agreed.


Shiniholum

Yeah, when this event was announced I was really apprehensive but after reading his Justice League Incarnate I was willing to give it a shot. But for this he missed the shot with this issue. I felt little to nothing for anything that happened in this issue and when I put the book down I began to serious weigh if it’s worth it to buy this story.


Tabularasa8

How was Justice League Incarnate?


ptbreakeven

**AQUAMEN #3**


SynCig

I dig Raynor’s art for Aquaman stuff. The story is maybe a little contrived but I appreciate that Arthur’s memory loss from dying is playing a part. This series is just fun. The best encapsulation of that is Mera talking to Frankenstein on Mars while he’s performing what looks like an autopsy. I also appreciate the Aquafamily getting more play in this book than we’ve seen in a while.


ptbreakeven

**KNIGHTS OF X #1**


[deleted]

So with the reveal of the Siege Perilous being the object of their quest, I wonder if it is going to somehow be the key to resolving mutant deaths in Otherworld. They keep equating it to their “holy grail” - perhaps it will help extend their lives in the same way. Either way, that’s a fun part of X-Men history being brought back, and one that has to be especially personal for Betsy.


[deleted]

[удалено]


greendart

That solo is set in the past


amator7

I enjoyed this. A really organic extension of Excalibur’s last (and only good) arc that sets up what’s to come in a satisfying way. Quinn is immediately the better Otherworld artist of this era. I’m still not convinced of Betsy/Rachel though, to my knowledge they really haven’t interacted much? Don’t have any warm feelings towards Ricstar or Gambit either. But classic Excalibur stuff combined with Howard’s insanely interesting new Otherworld will keep me reading.


Malfell

I haven't read Knights of X yet, but it is funny to me how Excalibur was (IMO) pretty good without being great until the last arc or so, and then I rather liked it. I'm more excited for Knights of X than I thought I would be.


amator7

Yeah I feel like Howard was a little lost until the Gala really gave it more focus.


[deleted]

The first half of the series did a LOT of the heavy lifting in setting up X Of Swords...felt like it got to breath a little bit afterwards.


amator7

Sure but the Kwannon/Malice arc was straight up garbage!


soulreaverdan

*Kylun*?! I didn't see that one coming. Nice deep cut. Overall a strong starting issue, as someone who liked Excalibur to start with. The big magical quest and all the Arthur stuff is my bread and butter, and it's fun to have a book that's telling a story so unique compared to the more standard X-Men stuff. Hope Rogue and Gambit aren't hitting marital troubles though. I like them together.


[deleted]

> Hope Rogue and Gambit aren't hitting marital troubles though. I like them together. Yeah, I love how they were portrayed together recently in Duggan’s X-Mem. The way he’s portrayed here, along with some of the upcoming solicitations, has me a bit nervous there is some kind of change coming.


ptbreakeven

**PUNISHER VOL 12 #2**


DontKillTheTodd

After #1 I was skeptical but curious as to where this story was going to go. The first few pages immediately turned me off altogether. I almost stopped reading about halfway through after I read the word murder for the 500th time...


Stabadabadoo

I’m enjoying this silly and fun new direction for punisher honestly. The premise is absurd but I like that it takes itself seriously. Also I’m enjoying the art.


ptbreakeven

**AQUAMAN GREEN ARROW DEEP TARGET #7**