Happy new comic book day! It’s another big week in the world of comics, and the SocioLayers staff have come together to break down and review as many of the new releases from this week as possible. Now obviously this isn’t every single comic on stands, but we’re breaking down new releases from Marvel, DC, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Oni Press, IDW, Mad Cave Studios, DSTLRY, and more!
Videos by SocioLayers.com
We’ve also carved out some additional space for three of this week’s biggest books in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35, You Won’t Feel a Thing #1, and Ultimate Wolverine #1, so if our smaller reviews here pique your interest, make sure to check out the full reviews for a much more comprehensive analysis of those issues. As for ratings, we keep things simple with a whole or half number out of five, and you can check out some of our previous reviews right here. With all that said, let’s get to this week’s new comics!
DC
Batman and Robin: Year One #4
Tonally, Batman & Robin: Year One seems to have settled tonally with #4, balancing Dick’s youthfully quippiness with something a bit more serious so as to make things less of a caricature. It’s a development that is perfectly timed as the issue starts to see things settle in other ways as well. We get a more focused look at the villain of the story, a new mobster named Grimaldi seeking to do in Gotham what his father was unable to do in Miami. We also see Dick have his own foe to face in the issue with the first day of school at hand. While the issue delivers plenty of action, it’s the character development, particularly when it comes to the villain and Batman’s response to him that makes this issue stand out. It feels at last like we’re building towards something that will be a real challenge to both Batman and Robin. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35
Since the first issue of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, superhero fans have known that Mark Waid had something special on his hands. Taking a look to the past of both the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel, the team-up book is one that not only highlights what makes Clark and Bruce work so well but the DC Universe at large as well. While artist Dan Mora might have moved onto “bigger” things in the DCU, this hasn’t stopped World’s Finest from continuing its momentum as it does so here by seeing Supes and Bats make their way to the briny deep. In teaming up with the Aquaman of yore, readers get one of our best takes on Atlantis to date. – Evan Valentine
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Read the full review here)
Catwoman #72
While the narration structure that runs through the issue and frames the story overall is a little bit of a distraction from the more compelling action on the page, Catwoman #72 is a strong issue. Serving as both heist and subtle examination of Selina’s past, the issue gives readers what they want — Catwoman doing a little breaking and entering in order to attempt to retrieve her secrets form a safe — while also deepening the mystery of what exactly those secrets are and who she is up against. There’s a good bit of action in the issue, brought to life by some fantastic art but the use of color is the real star of the show.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 4 out of 5
Challengers of the Unknown #2
Christopher Cantwell continues to pen a series that feels classic and timeless in its execution, making for an amazing read. Art for the issue is credited to Jorge Fornes, Sean Izaakse, AND Amancay Nahuelpan (with colors by Romulo Fajardo, Jr. and Matt Herms) and it’s a testament to the work of everyone involved that there’s a seamless fidelity to the imagery. Challengers of the Unknown continues to be the kind of thing that major comics should be, huge stories with grand scales and fun characters. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 5 out of 5
Green Lantern: Fractured Spectrum #1
After the monumental events of Green Lantern: Civil Corps, Green Lantern: Fractured Spectrum #1 feels like a needed setting of the table before things hit critical speed again. For those who have been following along with the Green Lantern corner of the universe, this issue will be especially rewarding as it brings together all of the new characters and concepts that have been established, with Jeremy Adams then adding in a few more for good measure. Adams excels at giving each Lantern their own voice and sense of individuality, and this is no more apparent than with Guy Gardner, who shows that any hero, even one as zeroed in as Guy, can still surprise you. Speaking of surprised, V Ken Marion and Romulo Fajardo Jr. bring an unexpected element to the Green Lantern Corps that I hope to see stick around, especially if that clash with the Sorrow is a sign of things to come down the line. Hal, Kyle, John, Guy, Jessica, Kilowog, and the rest of the Lantern Corp feel like a brilliant fit with Marion’s dynamic style, and Fajardo Jr. simply works wonders in bringing their constructs to life. Things are only going to get crazier from here, and Fractured Spectrum gets the next phase of their story off on the right foot.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Nightwing #122
Watters and Soy take the opportunity to explore the past to set the stage for the future in Dick Grayson’s world, highlighting his days as the Boy Wonder of Gotham’s Dark Knight. The flashback scene is one that acts as the highlight of the issue, as DC’s past in this “DC Rebirth” timeline is always interesting to dive further into. Unfortunately, the meat of the issue overall doesn’t have much in the way of twists and turns, feeling fairly “run of the mill” when it comes to Bludhaven. Nightwing needs a shot in the arm to help elevate Grayson’s story and its not to be found here unfortunately, despite the interesting enough story focusing on years gone by. – Evan Valentine
Rating 2.5 out of 5
The New Gods #2
The New Gods #2 continues the operatic overture of the series’ debut. As with the first issue, this story opens with a prelude from a guest artist, this time Jesse Lonnegran, who puts their diagrammatic sense of design to good use in introducing a new threat not to Earth or the New Gods, specifically, but to all of creation. Where Kirby’s original Fourth World created a mythological dichotomy between the abundant life and freedom of New Genesis and the death and totalitarian control of Apokolips, Ram V recalibrates the stakes, turning it into a question of existence as created by the Source and the nihilistic darkness of unbeing that preceded creation. Amid that operatic conflict, The New Gods #2 offers intimate scenes of individuals, both gods and mortals. Evan Cagle’s precise but flowingly free linework presents Highfather more feebly than ever before, collapsing in the comforting arms of his attendant, a contrast to Cagle’s depiction of Big Barda using body language to express both her unwavering confidence and every bit of annoyance she feels toward her husband in that moment entirely through her stance and stare. This mix of grand stakes and raw, emotional moments — as well as the mysteries involving Highfather’s secrets and Orion’s unexplained mission — create the sense that The New Gods is on the precipice of something special, and it’s only getting started. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 5 out of 5
The Nice House by the Sea #5
The Nice House by the Sea continues to be a unique mystery that creates brand new questions any time it answers new ones. What James Tynion IV continues to illustrate in the latest issue is that he’s got an incredible and firm grasp on his characters, making them fully realized and deep. Artist Álvaro Martínez Bueno and color artist Jordie Bellaire continue to knock it out of the park, with major splash pages in the latest issue setting the mood and tone of the series. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 5 out of 5
The Question: All Along The Watchtower #3
It’s difficult not to just lose yourself in the stunning visual feast that is The Question: All Along the Watchtower #3, and while Cian Tormey and Romulo Fajardo Jr. have impressed throughout the entire series, this issue in particular is easily the best one yet. While writer Alex Segura moves you through each step of this growing mystery with ease, the visual storytelling found on every page deserves some additional recognition. Without going into spoilers, that last page sets up a critical next chapter and what will likely be an insanely gorgeous final battle as well, so here’s hoping Renee and the team can get it together and show up for a fight. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5
Wonder Woman #17
Wonder Woman #17 continues the needlessly long and drawn out story of the Sovereign explaining his history and story with Wonder Woman, this time narrating how the Wonder Girls decimated his stronghold by working together while in a parallel story Diana tells her infant daughter the story of her father, seemingly dazed by her own grief as she allows her allies to fight the Sovereign battle for her, at least for now. To be honest, there isn’t much new ground covered in this issue. We’re still very much in the same place we’ve been for a few issues, just with the Sovereign running to a new location that is being teased as being the ultimate one, but one that feels rather American-centric for a character that isn’t actually from our world. It’s an easy enough read, but it feels like we’re just reading water.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Marvel
Avengers Assemble #5
Avengers Assemble fittingly comes to its end as a celebration of the classic Avengers comics that inspired it. There’s no high concept and no attempts at a widescreen “cinematic aesthetic.” The entire issue is instead a throwdown between the Avengers and the Serpent Society, with each Avenger squaring off against a well-suited foe, leading to several examples of the heroes combining their powers in interesting and exciting ways to outdo their opponents. We even get a killer splash page in the mold of the two vertically stacked rushing toward each other to get the whole fracas started. How much you enjoy the issue will likely depend on how much you appreciate a good old-fashioned superhero slugfest, but it is disappointing that the larger story of Mephisto’s sudden patronage of the Serpent Society goes unresolved, presumably meant as a hook to draw folks into the Marvel Unlimited-exclusive Astonishing Avengers vertical comic this series feeds into. Still, it’s nice to see an example of solid fundamentals at play, and hopefully, we get more such stories in the future instead of the cheap throwback books that fail to recapture the bygone eras they seek to emulate that have become part of Marvel’s bread and butter over the past few years. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Exceptional X-Men #5
The fallout from last issue’s revelation begins in earnest in Exceptional X-Men #5, but in what has become tradition with this series, it’s never handled in the exact way you’d expect. While Kitty Pryde’s confession was heard by everyone, the aftermath is examined on a individual level, with writer Eve L. Ewing shifting the focus to Melee (Thao) specifically. The hard moral stance and how that carries positives and negatives makes for a compelling arc for the new recruit, and her exchanges with the rest of her team and Pryde lead to genuine and earned moments of growth and understanding. It also doesn’t paint Pryde as correct in her actions, and we even get a dive into that evolution as well. The book’s opening pages are some of my favorites of the issue, and it’s no secret that Carmen Carnero, Nolan Woodard, and Travis Lanham can handle a stylish clash. The expression work throughout the rest of the issue is strong as well, though the latter half doesn’t connect as much as the first. Despite those small nitpicks, I’ve found myself a major fan of this ragtag group of heroes, and if there was any question, I’m clearly all in.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5
Laura Kinney: Wolverine #2
After a killer debut, Laura Kinney: Wolverine #2 hits the ground running with a Hell’s Kitchen team-up with none other than Elektra, known these days as Daredevil. Writer Erica Schultz has a clear grasp on the Wolverine trademarks, and pairing Laura with Elektra allows the book to capture a familiarity in their dynamic while also clearly setting Laura apart from any past dealings with Logan. At times it does seem that perhaps Laura is a bit more reckless and on edge than she’s been in the past, which is especially apparent in contrast to Elektra’s more methodical approach. That’s part of the fun though, and I’ll forgive Luke Cage for simply not understanding who he’s talking to. Much praise is also due for the stellar work of artist Giada Belviso, colorist Rachelle Rosenberg, and letterer Cory Petit, who lean into those classic Wolverine aspects in some truly wonderful sequences, and when Wolverine and Daredevil are in the mix together, the artwork is simply magic. That massive cliffhanger only makes the wait for next issue even worse, but the series is establishing that it will be more than worth the wait. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5
Rogue: The Savage Land #1
Taking a trip back to the often forgotten era of the X-Men in Australia, creators Tim Seeley and Zulema Scotto Lavina follow Rogue and her attempts to survive the horrors of the Savage Land. In taking us to the aftermath of the arc known as the Siege Perilous, the power-absorbing X-Man finds herself not only trapped in the prehistoric locale, but sans the powers that have saved her life more times than she can count. In this flashback story, we get a closer look at Rogue as a character along with peeling back the layers of just how scary the Savage Land can be. Seeley not only give us more insight into Rogue’s struggles but also highlights one of the surprising upsides to the fact that the superhero has so many voices bouncing around inside of her skull. Rogue: The Savage Land feels like a necessary buy for those wanting more insight into Rogue, especially if you’re looking to see how the often thought controversial relationship with her and Magneto began. – Evan Valentine
Rating 4 out of 5
Spirits of Vengeance #5
Kudos to the art team here, whose work in Spirits of Vengeance #5 largely feels cohesive despite the many, many names on the credit page. Sean Damien Hill, Brian Level And Paul Davidson are credited as pencilers, with Jay Leisten, plus Level & Davidson credited as inkers. Visually the book is fun, with weird imagery that will no doubt have Ghost Rider fans excited, and it’s all elevated by the work of color artist Andrew Dalhouse, who brings depth and temperature into these locations and characters. Narratively the series remains a mess and unfocused, which is perhaps keeping it from really being of note and not matching the fun of the imagery. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 3 out of 5
Star Wars: Battle of Jakku Last Stand #3
The penultimate chapter of the Battle of Jakku is here and with it, the forces are in battles that span the universe. On the Luke Skywalker side of the aisle, it almost seems as though it’s the calm before the storm as enemies become allies and surprises abound. Segura has a firm understanding of the universe here, juggling the characterization of the countless characters involved. On the art front, Leonard Kirk has always been an artist whose strong suit was capturing emotion, at least in my opinion. While he brings that same strength here, I would say that the space battles themselves feel almost a bit too claustrophobic in terms of portraying the Republic’s fight against this new rise of the Empire. The penultimate issue of the Battle of Jakku is one that’s strong enough, setting the stage for what we hope will be a ground-shaking conclusion. – Evan Valentine
Rating 3.5 out of 5
Storm #4
Storm #4 is a stunning case of style over substance. Lucas Werneck and colorist Alex Guimaraes bring dramatic polish and compositions to the narrative — Wereneck’s title pages remain a memorable stylistic flourish, only slightly undercut by the recap/credits pages, affecting a drastically different and less interesting aesthetic. However, the actual plotting feels nearly random, shifting focus from one beat to the next. Forcing Storm into another intimate staredown with Doctor Doom but without her mutant powers is a natural enough extension of what the previous issue built up, and the issue seems to be headed in an interesting direction as Doom tries to claim mutants for himself. But this premise is unceremoniously disregarded and suddenly an entirely new set of circumstances — thrust upon Storm seemingly at random — comes to the fore. It’s emblematic of the problem plaguing this series from the start, as each new plot hook is rushed past and forgotten before it ever evolves to its fullest potential as if writer Murewa Ayodele is trying to force as many ideas into the book as possible — many of them compelling ones — as quickly as possible for fear that he’ll lose the opportunity. It makes for a reading experience that is dazzling on the surface but leaves one feeling unfulfilled by the issue’s end. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3 out of 5
The Amazing Spider-Man #65.Deaths
“The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man” arc takes a diversion in strongly-numbered The Amazing Spider-Man #65.DEATHS as writer Derek Landy, Kev Walker, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Mattia Iacono take the reins for an aside focusing on Phil Coulson, who recently became the personification of Death in the Marvel Universe. Seeking to answer the question of why Death chose Coulson for that role, the issue offers the most boring possible answer: because Coulson is special. It’s a cop-out that ironically suggests that there is nothing special about Coulson as a character — or at least that the creators and editors charged with mapping out his role in the Marvel Universe lack any particular insight into who Coulson is and why this grim duty particularly suits him. The remainder of the issue sees the art team doing cover versions of iconic moments from Spider-Man’s history across several double-page spreads, and while Walker’s linework is as evocative as ever — using lines sparingly to allow emotion to fill the space — these spreads aren’t additive to Spider-Man’s story and only lead to the tired conclusion that suffering maketh the hero, turning this issue into a forgettable intermission. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 2 out of 5
The Immortal Thor #19
With departing Asgard for the time being, a series of vignettes checking in with various supporting characters dwelling in the golden realm comprise Immortal Thor #19. Dubbed “Tales of Asgard,” the issue uses Magni, Thor and Enchantress’s son from a dead future, as the connective thread between these scenes, though only barely — he doesn’t even interact with some of the characters featured. Despite that, the issue manages to set the stage for many potentially compelling stories to come involving the return of the Utgard gods and the foretold death of Thor. If there’s a theme connecting these tales, it’s a sense of longing for the past, whether that’s seeking to reclaim past glory, make up for past wrongs, or simply find some measure of the purpose they once had. It’s a state that leaves Asgard ill-prepared for the imminent turn of the wheel that will thrust them into the future, whether they wish it to be or not. The different art styles could have been employed more effectively — their use in the issue feels mostly haphazard — but it’s all solid in its own right. Ultimately, the issue proves a mostly effective palette cleanser, setting the stage for what’s to come. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Ultimate Wolverine #1
It can be difficult to take familiar elements and ideas and give them new twists and while Ultimate Wolverine #1 definitely does lean into some familiar things, this isn’t merely another remix. Condon has crafted a take on the idea of Wolverine as a brutal killer that offers readers enough mystery and questions that makes the story stand on its own even for the more “what if” elements of the storyline. By giving readers glimpses of where the character has been but not quite revealing everything and keeping some of the dynamics between characters and groups a bit of a mystery. The result is a compelling story, one that will have readers wondering what’s next. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 5 out of 5 (Read the full review here)
Image Comics
Feral #9
You just knew something was severely off with the mysterious “lady” and her supposed safe haven, and the disturbing truth comes to light in Feral #9. The intrigue spills into violent chaos, and if the stakes weren’t high enough already, they’ve reached truly critical levels here. Writer Tony Fleecs doesn’t give you a moment to breathe as Elsie and Gigi attempt to save the kids and a Lorde still under this house’s thrall, and this just might be the most visceral issue of the series to date, with the outstanding team of Trish Forstner, Tone Rodriguez, and colorist Brad Simpson painting a truly nightmarish picture of survival with the series’ patented animated flair. In short, Feral isn’t letting anyone out of its clutches anytime soon. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
G.I. Joe #3
The first two issues of G.I. Joe have been absolutely stacked with high octane action, and in that respect, issue #3 takes a moment to breathe. That’s not to say there isn’t action at all, but it’s in a different vein, with one mostly happening outside of view while the other is a one on one confrontation that just seems silly when you put it into perspective, and Stalker earns MVP status for calling that out as well. The most compelling aspects are found on the Cobra side through Clutch’s undercover point of view, as Joshua Williamson continues to develop the hierarchy within Cobra and the complicated dynamic between Cobra Commander and Destro. Cobra headquarters simply looks fantastic in the hands of artist Tom Reilly, colorist Jordie Bellaire, and letterer Rus Wooton, and it all comes together towards the end too, as we get a major tee-up for next issue now that more of the pieces are in place. There’s plenty to love in G.I. Joe #3, but it doesn’t quite hit the supremely high bar of issues #1 and #2. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 3 out of 5
The Moon Is Following Us #5
The Moon Is Following Us comes to the end of its first arc with an epic battle, shocking deaths, and twisted betrayal. The last of those brings a fundamental question for the series’ heroes: Can they, having been willing to do anything to save their child, truly fault another for doing the same? The battlefield chaos is hard to follow at times, but Rossmo’s delicate linework and colors drive home that this carnage occurs in a world of dream stuff. There’s also a sense of near-infinite escalation here as an entirely new facet of the story only emerges in this issue’s closing pages. It’s a lot, making for a somewhat hectic but thrilling reading experience, but one that keeps its eyes on the emotional core of its story, that of parents and children wrestling with grief and the struggle of letting go. Halfway through the series, and with the sense that we may finally have all of the cards on the table, it’ll leave the reader excited to see how things coalesce in the story’s back half. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5
Other Publishers
Minor Arcana #5
Minor Arcana #5 is possibly the most gut-wrenching issue of the series to date. The issue digs into the story of Theresa’s grandfather Budd as he struggles with a sense that something bad is coming for him. It’s a story that, largely, unfolds in a way that is going to be very familiar for many readers: a sense that there is more that we should be doing with our lives, a sense of discontent, a sense of being stuck in an endless loop of drudgery and want. But the issue has a turn that not only shines a light on Theresa’s story in the present, but also will make the reader really consider the nature of what a bad feeling could really be about. Beautifully written and beautifully drawn, this is a stunning issue and one that will absolutely haunt you. -Nicole Drum
Rating: 5 out of 5
Shadow of the Golden Crane #1
Shadow of the Golden Crane arrives as an interesting corner of the World of Hellboy, digging into a fresh side of the franchise and exploring another decade that’s ripe for potential. Chris Roberson pens the script, which manages to take the focus off Hellboy to surprising effect, focusing instead on Susan Xiang, a BPRD agent with plenty of appearances already under her belt, and fleshing her out even more. With Michael Avon Oeming on art, and colors by Chris O’Halloran, there’s a high bar for the visual look of the series, and though O’Halloran’s colors look good, there are some times where visually things get lost, with details left by the wayside. It’s not bad by any means, but the standard previously set by these two does make these moments glaringly obvious. However the book is one of our first Hellboy titles in some time and it’s nice to be back. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 4 out of 5
Star Trek: Lower Decks #3
The Cerritos crew embarks on a new adventure in Star Trek: Lower Decks #3. The comic continues to offer everything fans loved about the animated series in terms of character dynamics and tone through a combination of Ryan North’s strengths as a writer (endearingly snappy dialogue plus an appreciation for science and ability to make it digestible to lay readers, with that last one feeling well represented by the introduction of certain new Starfleet branch) and artwork that is dynamic without being ostentatious. That might sound like damning with faint praise, but rather it gives the comic the consistent rhythm that characterized the TNG era of Star Trek television which Lower Decks spent five seasons celebrating. Jack Lawrence’s lines are a little thicker; his characters are a little more cartoonishly abstracted from the original models than other artists who have worked on Lower Decks in comic book form, but this feels like a natural evolution of the aesthetic as it adapts to the comics medium and hardly feels distracting or out of place. Come for the latest hijinks of the Lower Decks crew, and stay for the explanation of metastability vs. stability via a cowboy emoji on a line graph (you’ll see). – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5
You Won’t Feel a Thing #1
What becomes of an old detective at the end of their days? Scott Snyder and Jock have told plenty of noirish tales, and the main character of their new DSTLRY series You Won’t Feel a Thing, having spent most of his life and career chasing serial killers, could likely have starred in a few of them. But what happens now that death has come for him, not in the form of a masked murderer but as a tumor applying increasing pressure on his brain? Can he go quietly into that dark night, or will unfinished business have him going down fighting? – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Read the full review here)
