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Fantastic Four 4

Alicia Masters is the hero of this issue, where her blindness is the only reason the alien threat to the family is discovered.  As usual, Ryan North takes a random scientific concept and builds the story around it to excellent, entertaining effect.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 12

The final issue of Jason Aaron and Juan Ferreyra’s run (with a talented roster of fill-ins at the beginning).  It’s not a masterpiece or anything, and this last issue is filled with a generic fight scene, but the run was always fun and gorgeous to look at.  Not sticking around for Gene Luen Yang’s run; TMNT doesn’t have the childhood nostalgic pull of Transformers or GI Joe, and I only hopped on for Aaron.

Detective Comics 1102

Tom Taylor and Mikel Janin’s run really harkens back to the days of Norm Breyfogle, Jim Aparo, and the pre-Knightfall Batman comics.  Standalone (or short arc) stories that are reliable, fun, and pretty much disposable.  Which I mean in a good way.  It’s all in the craft and execution, and this creative team has it in spades.

Ultimate Spider-Man 22

Setting up the final few issues.  Ultimate Superior Spider-Man shows up as Otto Octavius has apparently been officially recruited by Peter and Harry.  Here’s hoping that Jonathan Hickman can bring this home.  (Which would be a rare feat for him…)

Powers 25 2

God is it nice to be reading vintage Bendis dialogue again.  I love this man’s writing.  (I just picked up Scarlet for cheap in trade, can’t wait to read that for the first time.)

Absolute Wonder Woman 13

Horribly disappointed that Hayden Sherman didn’t draw this one, but Matias Bergara (who I don’t think I’ve seen before) does a fine job.  Still, hopefully this is just for this two-parter and Sherman returns post-haste. 

The War 3

Well that didn’t end the way I expected.  First of all, super happy that Ennis zagged with the home invasion cliffhanger.  The family still dies as expected but in a much darker (even for this story) manner than I imagined.  I don’t think it really works, but that doesn’t diminish the strength of these three issues.  (He lost the shutout, but not the complete game victory.)  Ennis can still bring the heat after so many years.  

Absolute Batman 13

Phew, Selena didn’t get wrecked by Bane, which I thought was the implication with the cliffhanger last issue.  I still love love love this book.

New Gods 11

I don’t love the Ram V story the way I love a lot of his other work.  I think it’s because the New Gods have never worked as more than a plot device for me, and making them the main characters is inherently never going to succeed.  But he does a serviceable job, and Evan Cagle takes the comic on his back and carries it across the line.  His work is flat out gorgeous.  

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Batgirl 11

Batgirl and her half-brother fight the second Sword, then agree to go on a quest with the third one.  (Not sure why the three bad guys were lumped together, they weren’t working together at all.)  I’m done with this, there’s nothing that puts this above replacement level.

Free Comic Book Day: Fantastic Four 1

There’s a cute little FF story by Ryan North and Humberto Ramos here.

Absolute Superman 11

This is such an up and down series. This is a down issue.  The “brainwashing by running the subject through thousands of VR scenarios” story has been done to death, and this iteration doesn’t bring anything new.  The “push the hero to the dark side only to fail” thing has been done even more times, and Jason Aaron doesn’t make it all that interesting either.  Hoping he ends this arc on a high note.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11

Things fall apart for the evil DA as the city rallies around the Turtles.  Cue the final fight.  Gene Luen Yang takes over w/ issue 13, I might actually stick around and give it a shot.

Absolute Green Lantern 6

I’m done.  This is all nonsense.

Mr Terrific: Year One 4

I cancelled my sub, but picked up this issue after it was pick of the week on iFanboy.  It’s fun seeing Bruce Wayne and Michael Holt interacting, but I don’t know if it’s enough for me to get the rest of the series.  I’ll flip through it in the shop next time around.  

The War 2

Garth Ennis is still bringing his A game after all of these years.  This is one of the darkest, grimmest things I’ve read in a long, long time, and it’s so so good.  I only wish Ennis didn’t bring in the armed intruders at the end.  The series is so strong because it’s grounded in realism, and this new element takes me out of that headspace.  

Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League 1-2

Another iFanboy recommendation, and it’s a good one.  It feels like I haven’t read Greg Rucka in a long time, and he’s as good as ever.  The titular characters are still gathering their crew, and it’s a fun ride so far.  

Absolute Flash 7

Not as bad as Absolute Green Lantern, but there’s not enough to keep me around.  I’m done.

Krypto 4

I appreciate the sadness warning at the beginning of the issue, but I’ve read sadder.  This has not been the best of series, but with only one issue to go, I’m going to play it out.

Fantastic Four 3

The FF figure out a way around Doom’s video game save/restore machine, with Ryan North’s typical cleverness.  Lots of fun, how does this guy not run out of ideas?

Battle Action 6, 7, 10

Apparently real-world comic distribution problems created this gap in issues.  Issue ten finishes off this Johnny Red arc with a happily-ever-after.  Fine, but not up to Ennis’ best.  

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Absolute Martian Manhunter 5

Ah, so it’s Darkseid.  This is still a fever dream that barely comes down on the side of good, mostly based on Javier Rodriguez’s art.

DC vs Vampires: World War V 11

Big unexpected things happen here, as Vampire Batgirl and Vampire Damian both meet their ends.  One more issue to go, and while this hasn’t ended as strongly as DCeased, it’s still been a fun ride.

The War 1

No idea what this was about, but I saw Garth Ennis’ name on the cover, and I’ve really been  jonesing for some new work from him.  Apparently this was originally part of some anthology series, but it’s new for me.  

A bunch of people in their twenties who think they know more than they actually do argue about the politics of nuclear war before they’re actually forced to deal with the reality of one.  Ennis does an amazing job of making the scenario feel eerily possible, and that’s where he gets his hooks into me.  Can’t wait to read the rest.

Batman: The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween 8

Both present me and future me are furious that I’m continuing to buy this.  But there are only two issues left, and I feel pot committed.

Ultimate Spider-Man 19

A setup issue, but still good.  I think there are only six issues left, since Marvel’s wrapping up this whole Ultimate universe.  I’m happy to see Jonathan Hickman wrap this up before he has a chance to screw it up the way he does everything else.

Absolute Wonder Woman 10

Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman give us more reasons why this Diana is awesome both as a child and an adult.  I love this series so much.

Mr Terrific: Year One 3

I’m out after this one.  Al Letson hasn’t done anything interesting w/ Mr Terrific since the promising first issue, and I see no reason to stick around.

Runaways 2

The Runaways do Runaway things, an entertaining blend of stupid and fun, but rarely correct.  As always, it’s more about their interactions than the plot, and Rainbow Rowell continues to nail it.