Fables #64 
Vertigo
Written by: Bill Willingham
Art by: Aaron Alexovich
3.5/5
I love Bill Willingham. Fables can be so endearing sometimes. This issue takes a breather from the intensity of the Good Prince storyline to celebrate the cubs' fifth birthday at Wolf Manor, and it is a wonderful reminder of how many different facets this series has. Watching Bigby, Snow, and the cubs all living amongst each other in loving chaos is so richly and intuitively presented that you can't help but be entertained and perhaps even comforted by your time in their presence.
The break from Buckingham's art was a bit of a shocker at first, and I became desperately aware of how hard such a change would be to adjust to were it permanent. Alexovich's art is appropriate for this issue though, and he absolutely nails several panels.
All this said, I couldn't really recommend this to anyone who isn't a regular follower of the series. Fables has such an incredibly deep cast of characters in such a vividly imagined world that it can get away with issues such as this one. It's similar to Tolkien or the Dune series in that to those who follow it, any little bit of information that gives the world more character is enjoyable. Even if it's the smallest most out of the way bit of cuteness or unknown tidbit, followers will receive it with grateful enthusiasm. Without background knowledge though, I can imagine pretty much everything that happens in this issue would mean substantially less.
I love Fables. It's one of the few series I know I'll keep forever.
-Tom
Criminal #8
Marvel
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Sean Phillips
4.5/5
What else can be said about Criminal that hasn't been beaten to death already? Not only did it just win the Eisner award for Best New Series, but it very well may be the best comic on the shelves right now. Throw in Brubaker's award for Best Writer, plus the fact that he's Brubaker, and there's no question of this title's pedigree; the top-est of notches. Whenever I introduce someone to the world of comic books Criminal is on the top of the stack.
This Lawless arc keeps getting better and I'm constantly amazed by how complex the story is. Not an issue has gone by that hasn't inspired me to go back and re-read past ones. I hope Brubaker and Phillips give this title a good long run because it truly deserves all the hype and praise it's received.
This has definite do-no-miss-ever status, and hopefully someday will see release in massive beautiful hardcover omnibuses.
-Tom
Casanova #8
Image
Written by: Matt Fraction
Art by: Fabio Moon
5/5
I knew it. I knew I was pooch screwin when I missed the first arc of this series. I could tell. There was something about it that looked just quirky enough. Just presumptuous enough. Just bat-shit crazy enough to get me cracking up and reading parts out-loud to myself in exaggerated voices. I think there are a lot of people who might not quite get the cadence or tones here, but maybe I'm not giving them enough credit. Casanova certainly assumes the best of its readership, and is better for it. I won't be missing this again, and will probably go back and pick up the earlier issues. Matt Fraction, by the way, is my favorite new writer.
Together with Fell, this title has proven that the $1.99 setup can work. Hopefully there are other studios that attempt similar structures. Not a single advertisement in this book either, by the way. This girl is all class. I would have paid twice as much.
-Tom
New Avengers # 33
Marvel
Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Art by: Leinil Yu
4/5
This is the most interesting this series has been since sometime before Civil War started. Finally things are really going somewhere. Bendis is doing a great job of presenting this Avengers team as a loosely collected group of individuals, taking the time to focus on the characters and their own personal concerns as well as the the larger issues at hand. He wants to get us as readers to feel that the foundations and unity of the team are at risk of shattering, and in these last few issues he's succeeded at doing just that.
The Hood's introduction was smooth and effectively done. The decision to elevate a lesser known character, rather than fall back on some classic baddie, makes me all types of satisfied. This is the most fresh and exciting the Marvel U has been for me since my childhood, when I didn't know any better. Not necessarily this series in particular but simply Marvel's current approach as a whole. My appreciation of this issue of New Avengers would be radically different if instead of the introduction and intrigue of the Hood we were dealing with Kingpin (or the Joker, wink).
This title has changed from being dangerously near the bottom of my pull-list into one of the releases I'm most excited for each month. If only Mighty weren't so unbearable. Hopefully as the Skrull situation really pumps into full swing I'll be able to find the other Avengers books as fun to read as this one.
-Grady
Nova #5
Marvel
Written by: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art by: Sean Chen & Scott Hanna
4/5
Each of the four books involved in the Conquest event have published their opening issue, with Nova and Star-Lord standing out early as the most impressive of the bunch. This month's Nova maintains the quality it is quickly becoming known for, though isn't quite as enthralling as the previous issue was. Watching Ko-Rel adapt to her new situation in the face of such a terrific threat is certainly exciting, the writing and art are still incredibly fluid, and there's even a little surprise in the final pages, but the character or charisma of this story isn't as enjoyable as it has been. The effortless banter between Rider and the Worldmind gave Nova a depth and mood that is no longer present in this series' current state. A minor quibble though, as Conquest continues to be a resounding success as far as I'm concerned. To think that there is still so much to come truly excites me and I can't wait to see how all these titles come together for the main event.
-Tom
Green Arrow: Year One #3
DC
Written by: Andy Diggle
Art by: Jock
3.5/5
This is the best of the series so far. There are no astoundingly lame bouts of strange pacing or summarize-not-show development as there were in the first two issues. Jock also outdoes himself and I was more impressed than usual with his work here. Things are settling in now that Diggle is telling the story he wants to tell after rushing through 'all that opening stuff.' My complaint with this series remains though that I don't feel any further connected to Queen as a character. This is supposed to be the story of how he becomes the Green Arrow but here we are in the third issue and he's already made that transition. What? When? On page 13 or something last issue? Oh. If the events that transpire in the remainder of this story have a significant, believable impact on who this man is and why he's driven to fight crime and corruption - fine, I'll shut up. Until then though, I'm mildly entertained and enjoying the art and covers.
-Tom
Daredevil #99
Marvel
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano
4/5
Brubaker is such an all star. His presence just bleeds from the books he writes. Not in the sense that he relies on a consistent routine or shtick, because his voice is perfectly adapted to suit the needs of whatever he's working on. No, Brubaker's presence is evident quite simply because what you're reading is kicking so much ass. He's the king of the hill when it comes to this decompression game (if you believe in such terms), and reading his comics is a great deal like watching a movie. As for Daredevil specifically, I realized recently what I've been enjoying about it so much the last several issues. There's some element that reminds me of older Spider-Man stories. Certainly his still intact secret-identity issues are contributing to this nostalgia, but there's something more.
I'm very satisfied with this series right now. Brubaker's stories are dense and well worth your money, and Daredevil is no exception.
-Tom
X-Factor #22
Marvel
Written by: Peter David
Art by: Pablo Raimondi
4/5
I'm still surprised at how consistent the X books have suddenly become. I hadn't been reading this series until only recently, and that was true for most the X-Men titles. Now though, I find myself reading all four or five of them each month. X-Factor is easily one of my favorites of the bunch, and this issue continues to illustrate exactly why. This is a story about people more than about superheroes, mutants, detectives, politics, culture, or anything else. Thankfully, having all those other things along for the ride doesn't hurt either.
Endangered Species did the same thing it has done every other time; Talked about nothing for seven pages, had a bit of a shocker on the eighth. Enjoy.
-Grady
New Avengers / Transformers #2
Marvel / IDW
Written by: Stuart Moore
Art by: Tyler Kirkham
2.5/5
Well, this was better than the first issue though that isn't saying a whole hell of a lot. More happens this time than a bunch of standing around and pointlessly yelling at each other, though a great deal of the opening pages continue with that lame 'aggression wave' element. The story gets some fleshing out, though frankly doesn't appear to be going anywhere all that exciting. This continues to be recommended only to those who would enjoy the face value novelty of having all these characters smacking each other in the same pages.
-Grady
Batman #667
DC
Written by: Grant Morrison
Art by: J.H. Williams III
4/5
If a change in artists means we can be expecting Grant Morrison Batman more frequently then I'm all for it. These stories are completely entertaining, can be enjoyed with zero background knowledge, and have great re-read value. This issue kicks off a new three part story involving the campy Club of Heroes and a mysterious murderer with a penchant for blades and a complex about his gloves (which are black). One of Morrison's greatest strengths is his ability to pull obscure, shitty characters from some dusty ol' bit of mythos tens of years old and make them fun as hell to read about. While not as hysterical as his work in All-Star Superman this is still a great read. Morrison continues to put out the most accessible and entertaining books in DC's hero lineup.
-Tom
The Incredible Hulk #109
Marvel
Written by: Greg Pak
Art by: Carlo Pagulayan
3/5
After last issue's garbage showing, this felt like damn near a masterpiece. It isn't of course, but at least there are some relevant things happening that actually give the event more depth. We get to see some characters that we're interested in seeing. You know something has been wrong when there's excitement at seeing the Hulk show up in his own series. Pagulayan, Huet, and Sotomayor put together an impressive showing on the art as well. The last page looks particularly great.
-Grady
Conquest: Wraith #2
Marvel
Written by: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Art by: Kyle Hotz
3/5
What's keeping this title interesting is that not only does it follow Wraith, but it also keeps us posted on a number of characters involved in the first Annihilation. It isn't a bad way to bring relevance to a series whose titular character is still rather undeveloped. This issue does contain an 'origin' for Wraith though certain elements of his backstory are still mysterious. The concept of an 'origin' in general is a bit strange. There are a number of ways to deal with it, the best of course being when there is no distinguishable period you can point at and call 'the beginning.' In a case such as this though, where a complicated series of histories is relayed montage-style, things can get rather boring from a storytelling perspective. Unfortunately that's exactly what happens this issue as most pages are dedicated to simply pouring background information at the reader, both about Wraith and about the situation at hand. What this title does do well for itself is ensuring the character's background is directly related to future events in the series. Even if we aren't yet sure how these connections will develop, knowing they are there helps to make the wave of information seem less trivial.
All of the Conquest titles are worth checking out each week, though after reading something like Nova, Wraith can seem a bit underwhelming. Fortunately this title is only one part of a much bigger whole, and as such does its part satisfyingly well. Though do we really need both the titles released this week to have what is essentially the same 'surprise' ending? A twist isn't exciting when you experience it twice in a row.
-Tom
Vertigo
Written by: Bill Willingham
Art by: Aaron Alexovich
3.5/5
I love Bill Willingham. Fables can be so endearing sometimes. This issue takes a breather from the intensity of the Good Prince storyline to celebrate the cubs' fifth birthday at Wolf Manor, and it is a wonderful reminder of how many different facets this series has. Watching Bigby, Snow, and the cubs all living amongst each other in loving chaos is so richly and intuitively presented that you can't help but be entertained and perhaps even comforted by your time in their presence.
The break from Buckingham's art was a bit of a shocker at first, and I became desperately aware of how hard such a change would be to adjust to were it permanent. Alexovich's art is appropriate for this issue though, and he absolutely nails several panels.
All this said, I couldn't really recommend this to anyone who isn't a regular follower of the series. Fables has such an incredibly deep cast of characters in such a vividly imagined world that it can get away with issues such as this one. It's similar to Tolkien or the Dune series in that to those who follow it, any little bit of information that gives the world more character is enjoyable. Even if it's the smallest most out of the way bit of cuteness or unknown tidbit, followers will receive it with grateful enthusiasm. Without background knowledge though, I can imagine pretty much everything that happens in this issue would mean substantially less.
I love Fables. It's one of the few series I know I'll keep forever.
-Tom
Criminal #8
Marvel
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Sean Phillips
4.5/5
What else can be said about Criminal that hasn't been beaten to death already? Not only did it just win the Eisner award for Best New Series, but it very well may be the best comic on the shelves right now. Throw in Brubaker's award for Best Writer, plus the fact that he's Brubaker, and there's no question of this title's pedigree; the top-est of notches. Whenever I introduce someone to the world of comic books Criminal is on the top of the stack.
This Lawless arc keeps getting better and I'm constantly amazed by how complex the story is. Not an issue has gone by that hasn't inspired me to go back and re-read past ones. I hope Brubaker and Phillips give this title a good long run because it truly deserves all the hype and praise it's received.
This has definite do-no-miss-ever status, and hopefully someday will see release in massive beautiful hardcover omnibuses.
-Tom
Casanova #8
Image
Written by: Matt Fraction
Art by: Fabio Moon
5/5
I knew it. I knew I was pooch screwin when I missed the first arc of this series. I could tell. There was something about it that looked just quirky enough. Just presumptuous enough. Just bat-shit crazy enough to get me cracking up and reading parts out-loud to myself in exaggerated voices. I think there are a lot of people who might not quite get the cadence or tones here, but maybe I'm not giving them enough credit. Casanova certainly assumes the best of its readership, and is better for it. I won't be missing this again, and will probably go back and pick up the earlier issues. Matt Fraction, by the way, is my favorite new writer.
Together with Fell, this title has proven that the $1.99 setup can work. Hopefully there are other studios that attempt similar structures. Not a single advertisement in this book either, by the way. This girl is all class. I would have paid twice as much.
-Tom
New Avengers # 33
Marvel
Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Art by: Leinil Yu
4/5
This is the most interesting this series has been since sometime before Civil War started. Finally things are really going somewhere. Bendis is doing a great job of presenting this Avengers team as a loosely collected group of individuals, taking the time to focus on the characters and their own personal concerns as well as the the larger issues at hand. He wants to get us as readers to feel that the foundations and unity of the team are at risk of shattering, and in these last few issues he's succeeded at doing just that.
The Hood's introduction was smooth and effectively done. The decision to elevate a lesser known character, rather than fall back on some classic baddie, makes me all types of satisfied. This is the most fresh and exciting the Marvel U has been for me since my childhood, when I didn't know any better. Not necessarily this series in particular but simply Marvel's current approach as a whole. My appreciation of this issue of New Avengers would be radically different if instead of the introduction and intrigue of the Hood we were dealing with Kingpin (or the Joker, wink).
This title has changed from being dangerously near the bottom of my pull-list into one of the releases I'm most excited for each month. If only Mighty weren't so unbearable. Hopefully as the Skrull situation really pumps into full swing I'll be able to find the other Avengers books as fun to read as this one.
-Grady
Nova #5
Marvel
Written by: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art by: Sean Chen & Scott Hanna
4/5
Each of the four books involved in the Conquest event have published their opening issue, with Nova and Star-Lord standing out early as the most impressive of the bunch. This month's Nova maintains the quality it is quickly becoming known for, though isn't quite as enthralling as the previous issue was. Watching Ko-Rel adapt to her new situation in the face of such a terrific threat is certainly exciting, the writing and art are still incredibly fluid, and there's even a little surprise in the final pages, but the character or charisma of this story isn't as enjoyable as it has been. The effortless banter between Rider and the Worldmind gave Nova a depth and mood that is no longer present in this series' current state. A minor quibble though, as Conquest continues to be a resounding success as far as I'm concerned. To think that there is still so much to come truly excites me and I can't wait to see how all these titles come together for the main event.
-Tom
Green Arrow: Year One #3
DC
Written by: Andy Diggle
Art by: Jock
3.5/5
This is the best of the series so far. There are no astoundingly lame bouts of strange pacing or summarize-not-show development as there were in the first two issues. Jock also outdoes himself and I was more impressed than usual with his work here. Things are settling in now that Diggle is telling the story he wants to tell after rushing through 'all that opening stuff.' My complaint with this series remains though that I don't feel any further connected to Queen as a character. This is supposed to be the story of how he becomes the Green Arrow but here we are in the third issue and he's already made that transition. What? When? On page 13 or something last issue? Oh. If the events that transpire in the remainder of this story have a significant, believable impact on who this man is and why he's driven to fight crime and corruption - fine, I'll shut up. Until then though, I'm mildly entertained and enjoying the art and covers.
-Tom
Daredevil #99
Marvel
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano
4/5
Brubaker is such an all star. His presence just bleeds from the books he writes. Not in the sense that he relies on a consistent routine or shtick, because his voice is perfectly adapted to suit the needs of whatever he's working on. No, Brubaker's presence is evident quite simply because what you're reading is kicking so much ass. He's the king of the hill when it comes to this decompression game (if you believe in such terms), and reading his comics is a great deal like watching a movie. As for Daredevil specifically, I realized recently what I've been enjoying about it so much the last several issues. There's some element that reminds me of older Spider-Man stories. Certainly his still intact secret-identity issues are contributing to this nostalgia, but there's something more.
I'm very satisfied with this series right now. Brubaker's stories are dense and well worth your money, and Daredevil is no exception.
-Tom
X-Factor #22
Marvel
Written by: Peter David
Art by: Pablo Raimondi
4/5
I'm still surprised at how consistent the X books have suddenly become. I hadn't been reading this series until only recently, and that was true for most the X-Men titles. Now though, I find myself reading all four or five of them each month. X-Factor is easily one of my favorites of the bunch, and this issue continues to illustrate exactly why. This is a story about people more than about superheroes, mutants, detectives, politics, culture, or anything else. Thankfully, having all those other things along for the ride doesn't hurt either.
Endangered Species did the same thing it has done every other time; Talked about nothing for seven pages, had a bit of a shocker on the eighth. Enjoy.
-Grady
New Avengers / Transformers #2
Marvel / IDW
Written by: Stuart Moore
Art by: Tyler Kirkham
2.5/5
Well, this was better than the first issue though that isn't saying a whole hell of a lot. More happens this time than a bunch of standing around and pointlessly yelling at each other, though a great deal of the opening pages continue with that lame 'aggression wave' element. The story gets some fleshing out, though frankly doesn't appear to be going anywhere all that exciting. This continues to be recommended only to those who would enjoy the face value novelty of having all these characters smacking each other in the same pages.
-Grady
Batman #667
DC
Written by: Grant Morrison
Art by: J.H. Williams III
4/5
If a change in artists means we can be expecting Grant Morrison Batman more frequently then I'm all for it. These stories are completely entertaining, can be enjoyed with zero background knowledge, and have great re-read value. This issue kicks off a new three part story involving the campy Club of Heroes and a mysterious murderer with a penchant for blades and a complex about his gloves (which are black). One of Morrison's greatest strengths is his ability to pull obscure, shitty characters from some dusty ol' bit of mythos tens of years old and make them fun as hell to read about. While not as hysterical as his work in All-Star Superman this is still a great read. Morrison continues to put out the most accessible and entertaining books in DC's hero lineup.
-Tom
The Incredible Hulk #109
Marvel
Written by: Greg Pak
Art by: Carlo Pagulayan
3/5
After last issue's garbage showing, this felt like damn near a masterpiece. It isn't of course, but at least there are some relevant things happening that actually give the event more depth. We get to see some characters that we're interested in seeing. You know something has been wrong when there's excitement at seeing the Hulk show up in his own series. Pagulayan, Huet, and Sotomayor put together an impressive showing on the art as well. The last page looks particularly great.
-Grady
Conquest: Wraith #2
Marvel
Written by: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Art by: Kyle Hotz
3/5
What's keeping this title interesting is that not only does it follow Wraith, but it also keeps us posted on a number of characters involved in the first Annihilation. It isn't a bad way to bring relevance to a series whose titular character is still rather undeveloped. This issue does contain an 'origin' for Wraith though certain elements of his backstory are still mysterious. The concept of an 'origin' in general is a bit strange. There are a number of ways to deal with it, the best of course being when there is no distinguishable period you can point at and call 'the beginning.' In a case such as this though, where a complicated series of histories is relayed montage-style, things can get rather boring from a storytelling perspective. Unfortunately that's exactly what happens this issue as most pages are dedicated to simply pouring background information at the reader, both about Wraith and about the situation at hand. What this title does do well for itself is ensuring the character's background is directly related to future events in the series. Even if we aren't yet sure how these connections will develop, knowing they are there helps to make the wave of information seem less trivial.
All of the Conquest titles are worth checking out each week, though after reading something like Nova, Wraith can seem a bit underwhelming. Fortunately this title is only one part of a much bigger whole, and as such does its part satisfyingly well. Though do we really need both the titles released this week to have what is essentially the same 'surprise' ending? A twist isn't exciting when you experience it twice in a row.
-Tom
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