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Best of the Week
Title: Transformers: Windblade #1
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: Mairghread Scott
Artist: Sara Stone
Inker: Rachel Dodson
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Casey W. Coller
Review: ★★★★★
The Combiner Wars kick off as the Decepticon gestalt known as Menasor is released on Windblade’s home planet of Caminus; as the struggling planet’s security forces scramble to contain the monster, Optimus Prime and Starscream dispatch the Autobots’ own combiner, Superion, into the fray for the first big battle of the series. While Starscream does his best to work the situation to his advantage, Windblade reveals details of her home world that may complicate first contact with Cybertron in ways that no one could have seen coming.
Title: The Valiant #4
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Writer: Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt
Artist: Paolo Rivera and Joe Rivera
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Cover Artist: Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt; Francesco Francavilla
Review: ★★★★★
The Valiant never really lived up to the promise of combining the Valiant universe against one threat considering just the Eternal Warrior and Bloodshot received the focus, but it comes through with a finale that will have a giant, lasting impact on the two heroes. With the scope of the miniseries narrowed, the action is better and the poignant character interactions are top-notch.
The Weekly Rundown
Title: Captain Midnight #21
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Manuel Garcia
Inker: Bit
Colorist: Javier Mena
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Cover Artist: Michael Broussard
Review: ★★★☆☆
We love X and we love Captain Midnight, so the thought of the two crossing over once again had us very excited as the two shared information on how to stop the Archon once and for all. While great in theory, the two characters are so drastically different with their overall tones that the contrast was to high a hurdle to completely pull off even though watching the two argue was amusing.
Title: Chew #47
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: John Layman
Artist: Rob Guillory
Colorist: Taylor Wells
Cover Artist: Rob Guillory
Review: ★★★☆☆
While Agent Colby starts worrying that his murder of Agent Polo is going to come to light, lucky for him other crime and Savoy awaking from his coma keep his former partner from taking up an investigation into the disappearance. While true Colby has started to unravel, putting Poyo’s carcass in the trashcan is a very odd move for someone who should be smarter than that, unless of course he wants to be caught which could continue to keep things interesting.
Title: Conan The Avenger #12
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Brian Ching
Colorist: Michael Atiyeh
Letterer: Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Cover Artist: Dan Scott
Review: ★★★★☆
If you were looking forward to a big showdown between Conan Thoth-Amon, you won’t get that, but watching them having to work together is a twist that works even better than the two clashing. How the arc wraps is more of a happy ending then you would expect from the title, feeling a bit out-of-place for the darker tone of the series, though it is not enough to distract from otherwise a solid issue.
Title: D4ve #2
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: Ryan Ferrier
Artist: Valentin Ramon
Cover Artist: Valentin Ramon
Review: ★★★★☆
D4ve’s life continues to get worse as his wife leaves him and he fails to find any affection for his new son. A possible alien invasion could turn his life around once more, even though considering the ending he could either become the hero he once was or completely screw things up; we’re good with either way as long as the series continues to stay as fresh as it’s been.
Title: The Empty #2
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Jimmie Robinson
Artist: Jimmie Robinson
Cover Artist: Jimmie Robinson
Review: ★★★☆☆
After the first issue we believed it, and second issue in we feel the same; The Empty could easily be a new JRPG and we wouldn’t be surprised as the motley crew of misfits adds a new traveling companion and the source of the poison is much more technological than anyone had thought. Some of the interactions are too convenient to feel natural, but it continues to have all the trappings for an exciting adventure.
Title: Grindhouse: Drive In, Bleed Out #3
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Alex De Campi
Artist: Chris Peterson
Colorist: Nolan Woodard
Cover Artist: Francesco Francavilla
Review: ★★★☆☆
The latest story in Grindhouse really reminds us of the film Eight Legged Freaks, except for with giant ticks instead of spiders. While the idea didn’t seem overly fresh, compared to the last arc the series has gotten back to what it does best which is just have fun with the horror genre on whole.
Title: G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes: Agent of Cobra #3
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: Mike Costa
Artist: Paolo Villanelli
Colorist: Joana Lafuente
Letterer: Neil Uyetake
Cover Artist: Paolo Villanelli and Joana Lafuente; Drew Johnson and Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Review: ★★★★☆
Imagine that, a book about Snake Eyes that actually only features him in a couple of pages and we found ourselves completely content with that. Instead of spending time with our favorite ninja, we meet up with Billy and his protector as they’re in hiding, for what is easily the best story we have ever read showcasing Cobra Commander’s son.
Title: The Goon: Once Upon A Hard Time #2
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Eric Powell
Artist: Eric Powell
Cover Artist: Eric Powell
Review: ★★☆☆☆
Taking a break from really propelling the story forward, Powell opts to use the book to retell the story of The Island of Doctor Moreau, specifically how it parallels the Goon’s decent into a “beast” from his rage. While it is easy to appreciate the comparisons, the entire issue didn’t have to be used for the retelling of a story that most people will know so well.
Title: Morning Glories #44
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Nick Spencer
Artist: Joe Eisma
Colorist: Paul Little
Letterer: Johnny Lowe
Cover Artist: Rodin Esquejo
Review: ★★★☆☆
The origin of Vanessa and her mother Ellen is revealed along with the lengths the school goes toward making sure the two have no contact with one another. It raises some interesting questions about the nature of the school and why Ellen was brought in the first place, but of course we’re still a long way off from more solid answers.
Title: Quantum and Woody Must Die! #3
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Steve Lieber
Colorist: Dave McCaig
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Cover Artist: Mike Hawthorne and Jordie Bellaire; Kano
Review: ★★★★☆
Where else could you get a zoo full of animals trying to kill a superhero duo, along with a few exploding panda bears, and actually make it work? Quantum and Woody continues their own brand of outrageous excitement and adventures in this latest mini series that is quickly showing there is more than one way to “skin a cat.”
Title: Skullkickers #31
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Edwin Huang
Colorist: Misty Coats
Letterer: Marchall Dillon
Cover Artist: Kody Chamberlain
Review: ★★★★☆
Skullkickers is completely upfront that this latest issue and start to the arc is a giant barroom brawl, but there is nothing wrong with that. While it is a giant fight, there is plenty of opportunity for the series’ trademark brand of humor to shine through while seemingly putting our heroes against insurmountable odds.
Title: They’re Not Like Us #4
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Eric Stephenson
Artist: Jordie Bellaire and Simon Gane
Cover Artist: Fonografiks
Review: ★★★☆☆
After seeing how her new housemates treat normal people, Syd has been given enough reason to question their motives and specifically how far the Voice goes to keep them in line. When we first jumped into the series, we had worries about following such deeply disturbed individuals, but now Syd is taking the reader’s position which is leading us in a direction we are extremely excited for.
Title: The Wicked + The Divine #9
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie McKelvie
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Casey W. Coller; Livio Ramondelli; Sara Pitre-Durocher
Review: ★★★☆☆
Since Lucifer’s death, the series hasn’t had the focus it began with; the latest issue doesn’t change that, though it does give us a wealth of background on the gods, as well as revealing the final piece of the Pantheon. Our biggest complaint is that we would have preferred seeing more of Laura in the issue, but now that all the pieces are aligned, we hope the series gets back on solid course.
Title: Wytches #5
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Jock
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: Clem Robins
Cover Artist: Jock
Review: ★★★★☆
Things are heating up as Charlie refuses to let anyone stop him and goes to the wythches burrow to save his daughter. We find out quite a bit more about the town’s compliance in the evil lurking below and the series horror roots dig deeper in one of the most terrifying issues yet.
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