So many amazing comics came out this week, that it is tough to decide where to start reading! Superman comes face to face with Batman this week in Grounded, and DC continues to take us on the road that will lead to FLASHPOINT in Flash #10. Meanwhile, one of Marvel's biggest stars dies this week- or at least that's what Mark Millar wants us to think- and of course, more Carnage! So many titles, so little time! To help you figure out what to read, check out our comic reviews for this week and let us know which titles you loved or, well, didn't!
== TEASER ==
Batman and Robin #22
To read Mat's full review, click here.Great conclusion to this story! Our of all the Batman books you can choose from, this and Detective Comics are what you should be reading. The writing and art are top notch, and I'm loving the father/son relationship that Damien and Dick have. If you like Batman, but you're not reading this book, I think you're crazy... literally crazy. This may be a terrible jumping-on point, but screw it, you'll love the issue anyway.
Superman #710
To read Mat's full review, click here.Although you may think it, I don't hate this book. There are some "ok elements to it, but overall, it's just not worth your time. It's the end of a story line, so there's no reason to jump on at this point, and frankly this is probably my least favorite JMS issue.
Carnage #4
To read Ray's full review, click here.Carnage fans will be jumping for joy after reading this book as he is being brought back around in a big way and this could help set up a lot of potential storylines in the future. How will Carnage deal with Flash Thompson’s Venom and Anti-Venom? Or a better question, will Flash Thomson be able to control the Venom symbiote if he happens across Carnage?
No matter what happens in the future, if you are a fan of Carnage then this comic is a must have. With so many Maximum Carnage undertones, the nostalgia factor alone should pull people in for this amazing limited series. The only real downfall with this book is that you have to wait two months again for what is shaping up to be an epic and thrilling conclusion.
Dean Koontz: Nevermore
To read Tony's full review, click here.I've enjoyed Dean Koontz stories in the past but wasn't sure I'd ever read a comic based on his work. The story here feels a tiny bit cliche at the beginning the but twists involved manage to add new light to what you think will happen in the story. The concept of the story feels like it could be made into a movie or TV show (perhaps on the SyFy channel) and when you think you have it figured out, the twist at the end will hook you in and you'll want to see what happens next. Often stories of this nature are filled with cheesy or forced dialogue but the characters talk to each other in a natural way. The art, while has a couple moments where the environment or characters feel a little generic, excels in other areas and I was happy to see tiny bits of details in the background of other panels. The concept of infinite worlds has been done before but the way it's done here has me curious to see how the story will end.
Batgirl #20
To read Matt D.'s full review, click here.If this were the sixth issue of the series, I would say that the series is just warming up and it should be given a few more chances: at this point I'm really considering dropping it from my to-read list. There's only so many spots there, and I need something with a little more substance. This is a great title for people looking for not-so-serious superhero-ing, and it really shows in this issue.
Red Robin #22
To read Ray's full review, click here.This book is packed with some great action sequences as Tim overcomes the obstacles thrown in his path, but a very slow developing plot overshadows this. A villain reveal at the end of the comic gives me hope this crossover arc can kick it up a notch in future issues, but as of right now Azrael and the Crusader just are not doing it for me in terms of playing the villain role for an arc that was deemed worthy of crossing over multiple titles.
If you are a fan of the Bat-Family books and picked up Part 1 of this arc in Batman #708 then whether you usually pick up Red Robin or not, you should pick up this issue. If you aren’t into the Bat-Family, then this is not an issue to try to start trying to familiarize yourself with them.
The Flash #10
To read Mat's full review, click here.There's some great dialogue, and this issue starts off amazing, but then it slopes down from there. It's still an extremely solid issue, but it's the weakest of the volume thus far. The art is flat-out my favorite art at DC, and the writing is always solid, but this issue is mainly all set-up for the upcoming storyline, so be aware of that. "Road to Flashpoint"is on the cover for a reason, unlike so many other tie-ins where the issue has little to nothing to do with the actual upcoming storyline. Pick the book up or borrow it from a friend. It's a solid read, but a terrible jumping-on point for new readers.
Starborn #5
To read Tony's full review, click here.When the three Stan Lee/BOOM titles were first announced, Starborn didn't seem like it would necessarily be my favorite of the bunch. As the story has progressed, this title has moved to the top. The idea of a sci-fi writer making up stories that turned out to be about him and his alien heritage felt a little cheesy in the beginning but the story has evolved into something else. Last issue we saw a twist that will further change the life of the main character and it's going to be interesting when he finally discovers the truth. To add to that, we get yet another new development in this issue. With this being the beginning of a new arc, new readers can jump in and get caught up. And you'll want to now before everything hits the fan.
Superboy #6
To read Matt D.'s full review, click hereI love Jeff Lemire's work, so this book gets a big ol' recommendation from me. It's a good jumping off point if you're a bit late to the series, and really, you're not too far off from the beginning. Lemire's work only gets better as stories go on; if you've never really liked Superboy, give this title a shot.
Justice League: Generation Lost #23
To read Matt D's full review, click here.I'm worried for the end of this title. At this point, I'll buy the last issues just to remain complete, but just throwing a badly-paced ending out of nowhere just seems like a matter of poor planning. At the moment, I'm also wondering what the trade paper-back format is going to be like: the story is too long to combine into one volume, yet its too slow starting up to divide into any story arcs.
Pick this title up if you're a fan of the JLI and want to see this story through to its end. Otherwise, give it a pass in favour of stronger Brightest Day tie-ins.
Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates: Death of Spider-Man
To read Mat's full review, click here.If you love great art, you'll want to pick this book up, but I can't recommend it as a whole. I usually really enjoy Mark Millar's work, but this story is probably my least favorite thing I've read that he is written. I can't recommend this issue, and frankly, I can't recommend the death of Ultimate Spider-Man. It's just not good. And the only reason it gets three stars is because Yu's work on this book is fantastic.
The Infinite Vacation #2
To read Tony's full review, click here.I love superhero comics but that's not all I enjoy reading. You would think that with the vast number of stories that have been told, trying to come up with a new angle would be difficult. Nick Spencer takes the idea of infinite parallel worlds and adds a twist that I hadn't seen before. It's a great feeling being able to read a comic where you can't necessarily predict how things will end. The good guys may not always win here. What you get here is a great story with art that speaks for itself along with a color palette that will knock the socks off your eyeballs...not that you should have socks on your eyes when reading this. Do yourself a favor and track down the first issue if you missed out on it and read both issues.
Uncanny X-Men #535
To read Ray's full review, click here.This is looking like the launching point for a great story arc revolving around Colossus and it is good to see the Breakworlders returning to the comics. The dialogue is very well written and helps keep the comic light and enjoyable even though here go the X-Men saving the Earth from an unimaginable threat once again.
I wish they would wrap up the entire Kitty Pryde intangibility problem though because it is just becoming redundant at this point. Aside from this, Uncanny X-Men #535 is a great read with a perfect balance of action and plot development. Add in this is the start of a new arc and it is a good time to get back into things if you’ve fallen off the X-wagon recently.
Incredible Hulks #626
Less Hulks means more focus on the Hulks I really want to read about. Ever since the reveal of who Red She-Hulk is, I've been wanting to see what that will mean for her and Bruce/Hulk. I can appreciate Hulk wanting to have a family but I can't say I've been buying the issues for the appearances of the other Hulks. Greg Pak wrapped up the Savage Land adventure and starts another crazy adventure featuring Hulk and Red She-Hulk in Italy with Hulk wearing a tux. That right there was reason enough for me to want to read this issue right away. Pak clearly knows what he's doing when it comes to writing Hulk and it's such a fun ride. The addition of Tom Grummett doing the art makes me happy as I've always admired his work and love seeing his interpretation of the different characters. I'm not crazy about the villain but I can appreciate his place as a long time Hulk villain.
To read Tony's full review, click here.
Journey Into Mystery #622
I've never been a fan of pure Asgardian stories, ones set strictly in Asgard. When Loki died (again) and was resurrected (again) by Thor, I'll admit I rolled my eyes. Loki's never been one of my favorite characters but since we have a young Loki, it feels like the opportunity of mischief is greater than ever. Kieron Gillen does a remarkable job in setting up the new direction for Journey Into Mystery and I'm surprised that I had so much fun reading a story focused on Loki. The art by Doug Braithwaite with colors by Ulises Arreola do a superb job expressing the magnificence of Asgard. With what happened in Fear Itself #1, Asgard might be in for some trouble with little Loki running around. Great jumping on point and simply a great issue.
To read Tony's full review, click here.