Welcome to this week’s new comic book reviews! I’m not able to review everything that comes out each week, but I try to write a quick blurb about some of the biggest titles from Marvel, DC, Image, BOOM!, IDW, and more. I hope you enjoy and let me know what comics you read and which ones were your favorite!

MARVEL COMICS

ASTONISHING ICEMAN #3

It’s gotten to the point where every issue in this series feels forced and repetitive. I feel like I’m reading the same dialogue each month with different names and locations sprinkled throughout. Romeo is concerned with Bobby pushing himself too hard. Bobby pushes himself even harder while delivering one-liners that fall flat. Random Orchis villain plans an attack and tries to draw Bobby out. Bobby saves the day. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. I see no vision for what Orlando is building towards other than having fun writing a queer mutant. There’s nothing wrong with that, but Orlando’s execution is failing his main character. What saves the day is Vincenzo Carratù’s captivating artwork which captures Iceman’s powers in some of the most vivid and imaginative ways in recent memory.

Rating: 5/10

CHILDREN OF THE VAULT #3

This is what we’ve been waiting for! It finally feels like we're witnessing the full potential of what this series initially offered. Issue #3 of Deniz Camp’s limited series was the best entry yet in what’s turning into unassuming socio-political commentary. The frenemy interactions between Bishop and Cable are sublime, but Serafina’s journey of revelation steals the show as she comes to terms with how hard it is to be part of the group in power. Camp has given Serafina much needed layers of complexity which make her a more sympathetic figure. The juxtaposition between Serafina’s vision for a shared state and Capitán’s nihilistic views of humanity couldn’t be more clear and evoke a more timley throwback to the classic differences between Charles Xavier and Magneto. Luca Maresca’s art ties it all together brilliantly with stunning visuals, especially those involving the giant army of Sentinels attacking The City.

Rating: 8.5/10

CRYPT OF SHADOWS #1

Marvel’s latest installment of their Halloween special featuring 5 mini one-shots was an enjoyable, but ultimately inconsequential read for the spooky season. Unlike his Astonishing Iceman issue out this week, Orlando’s “Brick By Brick” entry was one of the standouts for the issue as it follows the timeline within his current Scarlet Witch run. In what might be the most meaningful moment of the entire anthology, the story sets up a new villain who will show back up in Wanda’s main series. Declan Shalvey’s “ Without Fear” is another standout with its look at what it means to be a true monster with a heartfelt tale featuring Daredevil and Man-Thing. Al Ewing’s story featuring Victor Strange as the narrator ties the entire book together nicely for a sweet treat that you shouldn’t need to be tricked into reading.

Rating: 7/10

THE INCREDIBLE HULK #5

This is the conclusion to the two-issue arc following Hulk’s run-in with Man-Thing as he’s pulled into the Nexus of All Realities and learns more about the dangers awaiting him. Phillip Kennedy Johnson gives us a lot of Hulk-character development that’s a nice contract to Bruce’s development that we got previously in the series and presents a much more complex psychological state of affairs between the two personalities. Johnson is really swinging for the fences in his deep introspection of two characters who share the same body and through five issues, he’s hit home runs every time. The new dilemma that becomes apparent in this issue is the revelation that the Eldest can permanently separate Bruce from Hulk, freeing Bruce to live his own life once and for all. I honestly don’t know what will happen next, but I trust that Johnson has a lot more planned up his sleeve and he’ll tell it all in a compelling fashion — which is one of the best feelings to have as a fan. Travel Foreman’s guest artist spot for these past two issues has also been a nice change of pace from Nic Klein’s work, without feeling like a complete pivot, though I’m excited to have Klein back on main art duties going forward.

Rating: 8.5/10

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #11

To cap off their sham nuptials, Tony and Emma embark on a sham honeymoon as a farce to hide the next phase of their plans to take down Orchis. Compared to Astonishing Iceman, Gerry Duggan’s run on this series shows how you can land one-liners while building a narrative and advancing a plot beyond individual issues. I’ve loved how Duggan has written Tony and Emma’s “will-they” or “won’t-they” chemistry because it all feels completely natural now that we know their true intentions. I also appreciate that Duggan hasn’t tried to make Tony into some stalwart, mutant defender, which wouldn’t come across as a role he’d assume. Instead, Duggan’s kept Tony’s intentions squarely on his own personal vendetta against Orchis/Feilong, making the payoff of Tony seemingly getting the upper hand again by the end of the issue all the more satisfying.

Rating: 8/10

SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #1

Jen’s back with one of her iconic monikers, but this new #1 is definitely a headscratcher. The creative team and timeline is the same, but as the editor’s note indicates, Marvel saw this as an opportunity to “capitalize” on the popularity of the run to draw in new readers. If that’s truly the case, Rainbow Rowell does a great job of catching new readers up on the current status quo without sacrificing the pacing of the issue. Rowell’s run on the character has been a refreshing update that keeps things consistent with Jen’s personality in her Disney+ series (which was many readers’ first exposure to the character and helped form what they’d expect going forward), while still giving the comic book version space to carve out her own place. That was abundantly clear in this debut issue and something that new readers will appreciate by staying invested in the story. Keeping readers could be hard with the supporting cast full of characters who previously would have been described as being on the periphery, at best. Yet Rowell’s writing is so approachable and welcoming that you can’t help but feel part of the adventure.

Rating: 7/10

DC COMICS

BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #20

Mark Waid’s latest arc brings us back to the world of his own 1996 Elseworld’s story, Kingdom Come. I could feel Waid’s own self-reflection happening in real time as Batman and Superman come to understand the realities of Earth-22. The story contains equal parts fulfilling homages and interesting new developments. The context of Boy Thunder being found via Flash mapping the multiverse was a great touch and a plot tool that could be explored even further. There were also great moments of levity (Batman being taken aback by the “Creped Crusader” menu item) that allowed the issue to breath during moments of heightened tension. Dan Mora’s art and Tamra Bonvillain’s colors lift the issue up ever beyond what Waid’s masterful writing does. It’s such a treat to see an entire creative team working together at the top of their games and to see it executed on the retelling of such a classic story is just icing on the cake.

Rating: 9.5/10

JAY GARRICK: THE FLASH #1

Overshadowed by last month’s debut of Si Spurrier’s The Flash #1 featuring Wally West, Jeremy Adams’ new miniseries about JSA member Jay Garrick offered a far more straightforward and accessible story than Spurrier’s. Which isn’t a shock given how successful Adams’ previous run on Wally’s story was. He feels right at home on Flash-centered arcs and it’s apparently true in what turns out to be a heart-warming Garrick family affair. Diego Olortegui’s art wonderfully translates the element of speed on static pages, even if it’s nothing revolutionary. Sometimes you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to make something look magical. This has all the makings of being one of those miniseries that gives a concurrent ongoing series a run for it’s money.

Rating: 8.5/10

JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. GODZILLA VS. KONG #1

I had high hopes that this would be the equivalent of a mindless, action-packed Michael Bay blockbuster but color me disappointed. This was a poorly-paced introduction to what was billed as the major crossover event of the year. Other than some fun moments between Flash and Green Lantern, nearly every character was written shallower than a puddle. The Legion of Doom are presented as a group of incompetent and insufferable nincompoops. Perhaps worst of all, the Legendary Monsterverse duo of Godzilla and Kong are periphery characters at best. You could replace them with any larger dinosaur/gorilla and it wouldn’t have changed a thing about this book. This was a biteless attempt at an IP-crossover that was more of a “meh” than a “roar.”

Rating: 5/10

DARK HORSE COMICS

STAR WARS: TALES FROM THE DEATH STAR (GRAPHIC NOVEL)

Check out my spoiler-free in-depth review here.

This is a must-read for any Star Wars fan, especially those with a soft spot for the Empire. It's a fresh and exciting take on the Death Star, and it features some of the most unique art in Star Wars comics that I've seen in a long time.

Rating: 8.5/10

IMAGE COMICS

HACK/SLASH: BACK TO SCHOOL #1

My how Eisner-Award winner Zoe Thorogood has grown up! After her highly successful It’s Lonely at the Center of the Earth, Thorogood is back to take over the reigns of the Hack/Slash franchise from series co-creator Tim Seeley. And while her previous work showed how well she can handle the intimacy and nuances of self-discovery, Hack/Slash: Back to School proves Thorogood is a genre-spanning force to be reckon with. The issue shines with world-class storytelling, with an added mix of gore and an off-brand sense of humor, which may only be matched by the distinctive vibrancy of Thorogood’s accompanying artistic prowess. Fans of her previous work may grasp their pearls at what the multi-talented creator pushes herself to achieve genre-wise in this book, but that won’t stop them from eating this up like it’s their favorite piece of Halloween candy. Even if you’ve never read an entry into the Hack/Slash franchise previously, you’ll want to follow along as Thorogood continues to prove she belongs in the highest echelons of today’s comic book creators.

Rating: 9.5/10