Comic Book Reviews for 11/14/12

This was enormous week for comics, as it ushered in four new Marvel NOW! titles -- Fantastic Four, All-New X-Men, Thor: God of Thunder and X-Men Legacy -- while also giving us the next chapter of the epic Batman story Death of the Family. Not to mention, the first issue of the last Locke & Key mini-series hit, along with a bunch of hot Image Comics titles -- including the much-beloved Saga.

A little housekeeping before you go forth and ponder our scores: there will be no review round-up next week, due to the Thanksgiving holiday and our bellies being full of turkey and other such deliciousness. There are some big titles releasing next week though, so we'll have a sprinkling of single issue reviews.

DC COMICS

Batgirl #14

Written by Gail Simone | Art by Ed Benes & Daniel Sampere

"The Joker’s return to Gotham City means a lot for the Bat-family, but Batgirl takes the cake. When the Joker paralyzed her in the classic tale The Killing Joke, her life changed forever. With the New 52, Gail Simone has given Batgirl her legs back, but the emotional scarring of the incident has always shown through. Now, all of that pain and fear comes to a head as Batgirl must confront the Joker once again, and the results might surprise you." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.5

Batman #14

Written by Scott Snyder | Art by Greg Capullo

"The Joker made his presence well known with a theatrical slaughtering at the Gotham City Police Department in issue #13, but now he’s out to show the entire Bat-family that he’s back and he’s gunning for them. Batman #14 is another chilling installment of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Death of the Family story arc, and one that builds on its predecessor by amping up the tension to even greater heights. There are sprinklings of great character moments here, but ultimately this issue celebrates dread and atmosphere above all else." -Joey

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.3

Batman and Robin #14

Written by Peter Tomasi | Art by Patrick Gleason & Tomas Giorello

"Yeah, so, I’ve never really been very heavy into the zombie genre. I mean, the classics are good: Night of the Living Dead, Shaun of the Dead, and 28 Days Later. After that, it’s kind of background noise for me. That’s a big reason why Batman and Robin #14 failed to grab me." -Poet

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.2

Demon Knights #14

Written by Paul Cornell | Art by Bernard Chang

"Demon Knights #14 showcases all the stuff that makes this series so wonderful. It's funny, epic and intriguing. You'll get to last page and wish the next issue was in your hands already. The only major bummer about this issue is that it is one step closer to Paul Cornell's departure from the series, and that is some seriously depressing news." -Ben

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.0

Fables: Werewolves of the Heartland

Written by Bill Willingham | Art by Jim Fern & Craig Hamilton

"The first original graphic novel spinoff in the Fables franchise, 1001 Nights of Snowfall, hit the stands back in 2006. In addition to exploring many new angles in Bill Willingham's colorful universe, it served as an excellent primer for new readers. I'd even go so far as to recommend it as a better starting point than Fables Vol. 1. With that book being such a creative and commercial success, it's a bit surprising that its taken so long for a second Fables OGN to emerge. Werewolves of the Heartland is neither the accessible gateway to the franchise nor as creatively engaging as its predecessor. However, fans of Bigby Wolf's misadventures will be pleasantly entertained." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.0

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #14

Written by Matt Kindt | Art by Alberto Ponticelli

"I’m really going to miss this book when it’s gone. Issue #14 is infused with the same strong balance of emotional gravity and comedic whimsy that Matt Kindt, Alberto Ponticelli, and Jeff Lemire have cultivated since the series’ instantiation. Take a trip with Frank on this bittersweet quest to save the world." -Poet

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.3

Green Lantern Corps #14

Written by Peter Tomasi | Art by Fernando Pasarin

"At what point does willpower become arrogance? Peter J. Tomasi answers that question in Green Lantern Corps #14 when Guy refuses to call for a retreat during a rather gruesome fight between his Lantern team and the Third Army. The Guardians have been setting Guy Gardner up to fail in a big way, and now that their goal nears completion, Guy must deal not only with them but his own ego. While Tomasi has been not-so-gracefully planting clues to the Guardians’ shenanigans throughout his run on this series, he does manage to use them to good effect here." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.2

The Phantom Stranger #2

Written by Dan Didio | Art by Brent Anderson & Philip Tan

"I want to like The Phantom Stranger, but too often it seems as though this series goes out of its way to make me hate it instead. For all the potential it has in showcasing a new, more human version of the character, the book is more interested in cycling through an endless series of cameos than building an ongoing and engaging storyline." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

3.8

Punk Rock Jesus #5

Written by Sean Murphy | Art by Sean Murphy

"Punk Rock Jesus is finally bringing the punk in a big way. Last issue started to let it loose, but it is in full effect here. Chris and The Flak Jackets are keen to bring punk rock's message to the world. They are heading down a path that can't end well. This issue is mainly setting up the final showdown of sorts, so it covers a lot of ground and breezes through things a bit too quickly, but it's still of the same high quality that this book has been since day one." -Ben

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.8

Suicide Squad #14

Written by Adam Glass | Art by Fernando Dagnino

"The tendency with any Batman-related crossover these days is for one writer to tell the actual story and all the other writers to be saddled with pointless, superfluous tie-ins. Death of the Family is proving to be no exception so far. Suicide Squad #14 has more direct connection to the event than the first issues of Batgirl or Catwoman did, but it still does a poor job of either adding something meaningful to Death of the Family or furthering its own plot threads." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

5.8

Team 7 #2

Written by Justin Jordan | Art by Ron Frenz & Julius Gopez

"I don't disagree with the assertion that Team 7 is a pointless series. It's sort of an inherently pointless exercise to showcase a team formed in the early days of the New 52 universe and comprised mainly of characters that have their own solo books set in the present day. We all know where this is leading for most of the players involved. But the most important thing is that I'm enjoying reading the adventures of characters like Black Canary, Deathstroke, and Grifter more in this series than I am in their own books. So yay for Team 7." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.8

Source : ign[dot]com

Comic Book Reviews for 11/14/12

This was enormous week for comics, as it ushered in four new Marvel NOW! titles -- Fantastic Four, All-New X-Men, Thor: God of Thunder and X-Men Legacy -- while also giving us the next chapter of the epic Batman story Death of the Family. Not to mention, the first issue of the last Locke & Key mini-series hit, along with a bunch of hot Image Comics titles -- including the much-beloved Saga.

A little housekeeping before you go forth and ponder our scores: there will be no review wrap-up next week, due to the Thanksgiving holiday and our bellies being full of turkey and other such deliciousness. There are some big titles releasing next week though, so we'll have a sprinkling of single issue reviews.

DC COMICS

Batgirl #14

Written by Gail Simone | Art by Ed Benes & Daniel Sampere

"The Joker’s return to Gotham City means a lot for the Bat-family, but Batgirl takes the cake. When the Joker paralyzed her in the classic tale The Killing Joke, her life changed forever. With the New 52, Gail Simone has given Batgirl her legs back, but the emotional scarring of the incident has always shown through. Now, all of that pain and fear comes to a head as Batgirl must confront the Joker once again, and the results might surprise you." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.5

Batman #14

Written by Scott Snyder | Art by Greg Capullo

"The Joker made his presence well known with a theatrical slaughtering at the Gotham City Police Department in issue #13, but now he’s out to show the entire Bat-family that he’s back and he’s gunning for them. Batman #14 is another chilling installment of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Death of the Family story arc, and one that builds on its predecessor by amping up the tension to even greater heights. There are sprinklings of great character moments here, but ultimately this issue celebrates dread and atmosphere above all else." -Joey

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.3

Batman and Robin #14

Written by Peter Tomasi | Art by Patrick Gleason & Tomas Giorello

"Yeah, so, I’ve never really been very heavy into the zombie genre. I mean, the classics are good: Night of the Living Dead, Shaun of the Dead, and 28 Days Later. After that, it’s kind of background noise for me. That’s a big reason why Batman and Robin #14 failed to grab me." -Poet

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.2

Demon Knights #14

Written by Paul Cornell | Art by Bernard Chang

"Demon Knights #14 showcases all the stuff that makes this series so wonderful. It's funny, epic and intriguing. You'll get to last page and wish the next issue was in your hands already. The only major bummer about this issue is that it is one step closer to Paul Cornell's departure from the series, and that is some seriously depressing news." -Ben

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.0

Fables: Werewolves of the Heartland

Written by Bill Willingham | Art by Jim Fern & Craig Hamilton

"The first original graphic novel spinoff in the Fables franchise, 1001 Nights of Snowfall, hit the stands back in 2006. In addition to exploring many new angles in Bill Willingham's colorful universe, it served as an excellent primer for new readers. I'd even go so far as to recommend it as a better starting point than Fables Vol. 1. With that book being such a creative and commercial success, it's a bit surprising that its taken so long for a second Fables OGN to emerge. Werewolves of the Heartland is neither the accessible gateway to the franchise nor as creatively engaging as its predecessor. However, fans of Bigby Wolf's misadventures will be pleasantly entertained." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.0

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #14

Written by Matt Kindt | Art by Alberto Ponticelli

"I’m really going to miss this book when it’s gone. Issue #14 is infused with the same strong balance of emotional gravity and comedic whimsy that Matt Kindt, Alberto Ponticelli, and Jeff Lemire have cultivated since the series’ instantiation. Take a trip with Frank on this bittersweet quest to save the world." -Poet

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.3

Green Lantern Corps #14

Written by Peter Tomasi | Art by Fernando Pasarin

"At what point does willpower become arrogance? Peter J. Tomasi answers that question in Green Lantern Corps #14 when Guy refuses to call for a retreat during a rather gruesome fight between his Lantern team and the Third Army. The Guardians have been setting Guy Gardner up to fail in a big way, and now that their goal nears completion, Guy must deal not only with them but his own ego. While Tomasi has been not-so-gracefully planting clues to the Guardians’ shenanigans throughout his run on this series, he does manage to use them to good effect here." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.2

The Phantom Stranger #2

Written by Dan Didio | Art by Brent Anderson & Philip Tan

"I want to like The Phantom Stranger, but too often it seems as though this series goes out of its way to make me hate it instead. For all the potential it has in showcasing a new, more human version of the character, the book is more interested in cycling through an endless series of cameos than building an ongoing and engaging storyline." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

3.8

Punk Rock Jesus #5

Written by Sean Murphy | Art by Sean Murphy

"Punk Rock Jesus is finally bringing the punk in a big way. Last issue started to let it loose, but it is in full effect here. Chris and The Flak Jackets are keen to bring punk rock's message to the world. They are heading down a path that can't end well. This issue is mainly setting up the final showdown of sorts, so it covers a lot of ground and breezes through things a bit too quickly, but it's still of the same high quality that this book has been since day one." -Ben

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.8

Suicide Squad #14

Written by Adam Glass | Art by Fernando Dagnino

"The tendency with any Batman-related crossover these days is for one writer to tell the actual story and all the other writers to be saddled with pointless, superfluous tie-ins. Death of the Family is proving to be no exception so far. Suicide Squad #14 has more direct connection to the event than the first issues of Batgirl or Catwoman did, but it still does a poor job of either adding something meaningful to Death of the Family or furthering its own plot threads." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

5.8

Team 7 #2

Written by Justin Jordan | Art by Ron Frenz & Julius Gopez

"I don't disagree with the assertion that Team 7 is a pointless series. It's sort of an inherently pointless exercise to showcase a team formed in the early days of the New 52 universe and comprised mainly of characters that have their own solo books set in the present day. We all know where this is leading for most of the players involved. But the most important thing is that I'm enjoying reading the adventures of characters like Black Canary, Deathstroke, and Grifter more in this series than I am in their own books. So yay for Team 7." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.8

Source : ign[dot]com

Avengers Assemble #9 Review

With this issue, Avengers Assemble finally becomes the book that it was always meant to be. If you enjoyed the Marvel movies, particularly The Avengers, then you'll feel right at home here. In fact, this is the perfect book to introduce people who loved the movies to the world of comic books. In a lot of ways, this book feels like it takes place in the Marvel movie universe, and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Kelly Sue DeConnick focuses on Iron Man and the Hulk in this issue. Or, more accurately, she focuses on Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. What we get here is opposing world views from two brilliant men. It's an interesting angle and a fun way to look at the characters. The dialogue feels like it was ripped right out of the movie in all the best ways. It's funny and snappy. At times, there might be a bit too much of it, but it's a forgivable offense. Who would have ever thought that an issue that takes place almost entirely in the Avengers' kitchen could be so much fun?

Stefano Caselli absolutely rocks this book. It's incredible looking. The double spread that features Hulk and Iron Man could be a poster. In fact, it should be a poster. Get on that, Marvel. Of course, since the bulk of this issue is heroes talking, Caselli gets lots of opportunity to do some amazing character work. It all looks great. Unfortunately, he doesn't get to cut loose on too much action here, but that seems to be coming in the next issue, which means you should buy the next issue.

Benjamin is known as Hardball in some circles. He belongs to a very exclusive club called The Fraternity of Fighting Men. Follow Benjamin on Twitter @616Earth, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Uncanny X-Men Relaunch Confirmed

In the wake of the events of AvX: Consequences, Cyclops and his allies are going to be getting a new series of their own in the form of Marvel's latest volume of Uncanny X-Men, set to debut in February.

Written by new X-scribe Brian Bendis, who will also be handling All-New X-Men, with art by Chris Bachalo, Bendis told Marvel.com that Uncanny "came right out of our story planning for Avengers Vs. X-Men. There was a great deal of time where Marvel had asked Jason Aaron and [me] to bring all the elements of the story together. It was during this process that both of us came up with a lot of ideas for the mutants going forward. By this time I knew that I was taking over the X-Men and that allowed me freedom to take his [X-Men] characters into places I probably wouldn't have the guts to [in AvX] if it wasn't my job to clean up the mess so to speak."

The series will focus on Cyclops, Magneto, Magik, and Emma Frost attempting to recruit the new mutants that are popping up all over the globe as a result of AvX. These new mutants will play a huge role in this new series. "They are front and center. They will be interacting with our main cast. Time will show that some might become characters that people grow to love and some may interact with the Marvel Universe in surprising ways," stated the writer.

Those fearing that All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men will be necessary reading for one another, rest easy. "At least initially my goal is to do exactly what I did [with] Avengers and New Avengers. The books will connect thematically and sometimes even story-wise, but you don't have to buy both books to enjoy them. Hopefully I will make you want to buy and read both books with our stories and our characters," said Bendis. "But these books are both looking at mutants and Marvel from their unique point of view. Both of these books' points of view are, in my opinion, very legitimate and very much a concern."

In the interview, Bendis also confirmed that Scott Summers and Emma Frost are no longer a couple. "The romance is done. They are not together anymore romantically. It's pretty hard to come back from what they went through in Avengers Vs. X-Men. Things were said, powers were stolen, and as we will discover in the very first issues of Uncanny X-men, some things happen between them that cannot be taken back. And because they are Scott and Emma, this breakup is going to take a while. And it's not going to be pretty, but fun to write."

For more with Bendis on Uncanny X-Men, head over to Marvel.com.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He thinks  knows the world needs more horror comic books.

Source : ign[dot]com

Marvel Unveils All-Female Fearless Defenders

Teased in a new teaser a couple of weeks back, Marvel has unveiled its latest title, an all-female superhero series called Fearless Defenders, written by Cullen Bunn with art from Will Sliney. The series will star Valkyrie and Misty Knight as well as introduce some new female characters to the Marvel Universe. Following Fear Itself, Bunn was one of the writers that tackled the enjoyable follow-up series called Fear Itself: The Fearless which, perhaps not surprisingly, featured Valkyrie in a prominent role.

In an interview with Newsarama, Bunn said, "You've got Misty, who's a very street-level character. And you've got Valkyrie, who's a goddess. So you've got very different backgrounds, and I think they will see their potential teammates very differently, and I think you'll see that the two of them have some differences of opinion on who would be the right team for what they're going to be facing."

He added, "This will also be a book that gives us a great opportunity to showcase the women of the Marvel Universe. You'll be seeing a lot of characters in the book who may not necessarily be in the core team, but will have the opportunity to guest-star and rotate into the book."

Bunn also revealed that Dani Moonstar will be another member of this new Defenders team, though the entire team won't be present right out of the gate in issue #1.  The writer also coyly dodged a question about the possible inclusion of the Wasp, who was recently brought back in the pages of The Avengers, so take that for what it's worth.

For more on the Fearless Defenders, head on over to Newsarama.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He thinks  knows the world needs more horror comic books.

Source : ign[dot]com

Peanuts Movie to Open Against Marvel's Ant-Man

Good grief, Charlie Brown! Your studio has decided to open your new movie against a Marvel film.

20th Century Fox has rescheduled its untitled new Peanuts movie from a November 25, 2015 release to November 6, 2015 debut ... which puts it head-to-head at the box office with director Edgar Wright's Ant-Man.

Peanuts takes over the slot originally slated for a different Fox release, B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations, which has been shifted to September 25, 2015 instead.

Source : ign[dot]com

Comic Book Reviews for 11/7/12

This week marks the debut of two of Marvel's biggest relaunches: Iron Man and Deadpool. One delivers the goods and one, well, isn't as successful. This week also marks the conclusion of the beloved Avengers Academy and the continuation of the epic Uncanny X-Force story arc, Final Execution.

At DC, the penultimate chapter of Vertigo's Sweet Tooth breaks hearts while new Green Lantern Simon Baz continues to impress and the epic Rotworld storyline continues throughout Animal Man and Swamp Thing.

Finally, Valiant Comics debuts its latest resounding success in Shadowman. Yes, that character from the N64 game.

DC COMICS

Action Comics #14

Written by Grant Morrison | Art by Rags Morales

"Each issue of Grant Morrison’s run on Action Comics has been a hit or miss for me, so I’m glad to report that this issue hits. Hard. Superman answers a distress call from an international terraforming team on Mars -- complete with scientists, a soldier, and a family with a child -- and must combat a threat out of his league. By playing to the character’s strength not only as someone who can physically endure more than an ordinary person, but as someone who can inspire people to be as super as he can be, Morrison delivers his purest Superman story yet." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.0

Animal Man #14

Written by Jeff Lemire | Art by Steve Pugh & Timothy Green II

"Stories like Marvel Zombies and Blackest Night sold so well because us fans just can’t get enough of watching zombified versions of comic book characters get hacked to pieces. If that’s your sort of thing then Rotworld’s apocalyptic landscape of a world all but succumbed to the Rot eagerly awaits your $2.99. Hawk and Dove, Deathstroke, Grifter -- they’re all here and more disgusting than ever. The best part? The story supporting all this gore totally rocks." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.7

Before Watchmen: Moloch #1

Written by J. Michael Straczynski | Art by Eduardo Risso

"In hindsight, a Before Watchmen mini-series devoted to Moloch the Mystic seems like a logical choice. Alan Moore never devoted more attention than necessary to the retired supervillain in his story. But while the potential is there for J. Michael Straczynski to weave a compelling yarn as he explores Moloch's formative years, the newest addition to the Before Watchmen crop never feels like anything more than filler." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

5.8

Detective Comics #14

Written by John Layman | Art by Jason Fabok & Andy Clarke

"Detective Comics fills a niche right now as a Batman book that allows itself to be more free and more fun than the others. The tone of the series under new writer John Layman is not unlike Batman: The Animated Series, with its copious assortment of iconic Bat villains and a tone that isn't too dark or too comedic. It isn't ambitious or ground-breaking, but it achieves what it sets out to accomplish." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.5

Dial H #6

Written by China Mieville | Art by David Lapham

"Having just completed his first arc on Dial H, China Mieville offers readers a bit of a breather with issue #6. This standalone story strikes a distinctly more humorous tone than those before it, despite the fact that both Nelson and Roxie are dealing with the aftermath of a big battle and two major deaths. The concept is simple enough. While Nelson is forced to wait out his transformation into the racially insensitive Chief Mighty Arrow, Roxie shows off her Refusenik Diary -- a scrapbook highlighting all the bizarre and extremely un-PC transformations her dial has granted her over the years. We don't actually see Doctor Cloaca or the Golliwog in the flesh, but as with so many of Mieville's wacky creations, the name is usually enough to get the point across." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.2

Earth 2 #6

Written by James Robinson | Art by Nicola Scott

"The New 52 sure has done a number on the Golden Age superheroes. I have enjoyed bits of Earth 2 since its launch, but it has done little to truly reinvigorate these characters. And no, messing around with their costumes, origins, and sexuality does not count. Being the first generation of heroes who ushered in the heroes of today made characters like Alan Scott and Jay Garrick a special, integral part of the old DCU. In the New 52, they have zero bearing on the other 51 titles, leaving the success of their book to the quality of its storytelling, which has been okay at best." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.3

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Book 1

Adapted by Denise Mina | Art by Andrea Mutti and Leonardo Manco

"Denise Mina (Hellblazer, A Sickness in the Family) is right at home here, diving head first into the Swedish crime series without any reservations of losing the reader along the way. There are names tossed our way fast and furious with jarring scene transitions every few pages, but if you’re willing to go along for the ride and put the pieces together yourself, then Dragon Tattoo Book 1 is actually a pretty rewarding experience. The onslaught of information and names is enough to make your head spin, particularly when artists Leonardo Manco and Andrea Mutti don’t do much to differentiate the characters in physical appearance. However, Mina does a great job of letting the reader slowly construct the pieces of the book’s many mysteries alongside protagonists Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander." -Joey

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.0

Green Lantern #14

Written by Geoff Johns | Art by Doug Mahnke

"I was amazed by the engrossing political thriller involving Baz and his family in Green Lantern #13, but with the Justice League showing up in this month’s issue the title steers back towards more standard superhero fare. But that’s not a bad thing. Geoff Johns often gets credit for being a writer that develops long form, character-based stories, yet the arrival of the League lets him show everyone that he’s also one of the funniest writers in the business. Just try and get past page seven without laughing your ring off." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.2

Stormwatch #14

Written by Peter Milligan | Art by Will Conrad & Cliff Richards

"The loose ties between Demon Knights and Stormwatch have grown much more apparent with this current arc as Etrigan the Demon has awoken and made Stormwatch the target of his wrath. I don't know if it speaks poorly of the series as a whole to say that Etrigan's characterization is currently my favorite element. Peter Milligan writes him as supremely arrogant but also somewhat justified in feeling bitter about being imprisoned for centuries and betrayed by his old team. The fact that Etrigan's tendency to rhyme is exploited for comedy and not overplayed is also a welcome change of pace." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.2

Swamp Thing #14

Written by Scott Snyder | Art by Yanick Paquette

"There’s something about the Hero’s Journey that gets me going. I don’t know if it’s the repetition of the thousands of narratives that I’ve experienced or whether it’s programmed into my DNA somehow, but watching a hero put on his armor and head into adventure puts me in a good mood. In Swamp Thing #14, writer Scott Snyder expertly uses the Hero’s Journey model to push his main character out of his comfort zone and into danger in the name of love and the greater good. If you’re anything like me, you’ll finish this book craving more." -Poet

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.0

Sweet Tooth #39

Written by Jeff Lemire | Art by Jeff Lemire

"If you’re looking for all the feels, they are in Sweet Tooth #39. The penultimate issue of the series and the conclusion of Wild Game, Jeff Lemire crafts a heartbreaking finale to Gus and Jepperd’s journey. I’ll avoid direct spoilers, but suffice it to say that this is the issue fans of the series have been simultaneously anticipating and fearing, and I can confirm that all of your fears/wishes come true." -Joey

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.6

Source : ign[dot]com

Avengers Academy #39 Review

Another week, another batch of Marvel series coming to an end. In the case of Avengers Academy, however, I never expected the series to last this long in the first place. And though there are plenty of plot points left unresolved or open to continuation, Gage is able to deliver a fitting and mostly uplifting end to the series.

Gage brings the book full circle in more ways than one. The revelation from issue #1 that the Academy recruits are not the best and brightest of a new generation, but rather those most in danger of falling into darkness, comes back into play as the kids finally confront their teachers. But as the issue is titled Commencement, the focus is not on darkness and despair but the excitement and uncertainty that comes as a group of young men and women embrace the next stage in their respective lives. This can be said for the series as a whole, but issue #39 excels in delivering a teen superhero book that eschews cynicism and offers a more positive look at growing up. Gage capitalizes on all the attachment readers have built with these characters as we see romance blossom, friendships endure or unravel, and new opportunities open up. The script is equal parts jubilant, whimsical, and wistful as Gage bids the characters farewell. It's hard to imagine any longtime reader feeling disappointed with the results.

Tom Grummett closes out the series alongside Gage. By now readers should know what to expect from his visuals. The art has a distinctly old school flavor that suits the optimistic tone very well. Certain characters sometimes look younger than they should, but Grummett delivers plenty of heartfelt emotion and a nice visual callback to Mike McKone's issue #1.

It's sad to see this series go, partly because Gage makes it abundantly clear that there's still so much story left to tell with his cast, and partly because Avengers Arena does not appear to be the kind of book that will explore that potential. Regardless, we'll always have these past 40 issues to look back on fondly.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Avenging Spider-Man Annual #1 Review

There's been a real renaissance of fun, lighthearted superhero adventures at Marvel lately, and you can add one more book to the pile with Avenging Spider-Man Annual #1. Though little more than a slightly longer installment of the main series, it succeeds in offering another worthy team-up between the webbed wall-crawler and Yancy Street's favorite son.

Rob Williams and Brad Walker step in as the creators for this standalone adventure (though it's not as if Avenging has ever had a stable creative team). Williams kicks off the adventure with a clever idea -- what if two brothers go digging for relics of past superhuman battles in Central Park. The result is the uncovering of a device that makes everyone in Manhattan fill with rage and attack each other. I take it that's supposed to be a change from the usual status quo there.

Needless to say, the script is a fun and breezy read that offsets the slowly darkening tone of Amazing Spider-Man nicely. Williams doesn't always pace his humor well, with too many jokes and pop culture references flying about in the early pages, but in this case too much humor is probably better than not enough. The two brothers and their constant bickering provide a fun counterpoint to Peter and Ben's prickly relationship. The limited invovlement of Franklin and Valeria Richards also adds a ncie touch. Only Williams' choice of villain leaves something to be desired.

Walker's art offers an appreciable shift from his usual harsh style. Most notably, his facial work is more relaxed and expressive. Only rarely do characters suffer from "Brad Garrett face." Walker's Spidey is also highly dynamic and detailed.

If books like Wolverine and the X-Men don't completely fulfill your desire for goofy superhero antics this week, you might consider giving this annual a try.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Avengers #1: Sneak Peek at the Script

Jonathan Hickman is known for meticulously plotting his stories. Fitting, then, that Marvel would be teasing his upcoming Avengers run by showing off some of his script pages for Avengers #1. Here's a snippet:

And of course, the magical transformation of words into images by artist Jerome Opena:

So what does it all mean? I have no idea. But we'll find out when Avengers #1 hits in December.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.

Source : ign[dot]com

Deadpool Battles Some Dead Presidents

Today Marvel held the fourth in a week-long series of Next Big Thing press calls covering the various Marvel NOW! releases lined up for November. Today's call focused on the new volume of Deadpool from writers Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan and artist Tony Moore. Duggan and Moore were present on the call, along with editor Jordan White.

With the first issue still a couple weeks away, the creators weren't able to reveal too much more than was discussed in our exclusive interview this past August. We'd recommend checking out that article for the full scoop on the new series. However, there were some interesting new tidbits revealed during the call.

Duggan explained how the initial story arc, wherein Deadpool does battle with a horde of reanimated, super-powered US Presidents, was designed to take advantage of the current election season. "We knew it was going to debut near Halloween during an election cycle. We wanted to open big with our Ghostbusters or Big Trouble in Little China -- some really big action thing that would also allow us to be funny. And Marvel agreed and said, 'That's how we should open it up'... We figured people are going to be sick of the election. Here's a way to have fun with the Presidents that wasn't political."

Duggan discussed how the zombie Presidents will be portrayed. "They've all sort of returned with their various strengths and weaknesses. Gerry Ford is a little bit of a stumblebum. JFK still has a weakness for the ladies." He also revealed that master huntsman Teddy Roosevelt will be a major threat to Deadpool in issue #2 and hinted that "Reagan finally gets to enjoy a little Star Wars later in the run." The zombie Presidents will be joined by at least one other historical figure, as the ghost of Benjamin Franklin is poised to play a major role in the arc.

The preview for issue #1 included below showcases a team-up between Deadpool and Thor. This is characteristic of the interaction Deadpool will have with various Marvel heroes in the series. Duggan said, "People will help him because the situation demands it, but they don't want to be seen doing it." Following Thor's guest role in issue #1, Doctor Strange will appear in issue #3.

Scroll below for preview art and cover images of the first two issues of the series, both of which are scheduled to ship in November. And we'll have plenty more Deadpool coverage next month.

Deadpool #1 interior art

Deadpool #1 interior art

Deadpool #1 interior art

Deadpool #1 interior art

Deadpool #2 cover

Deadpool #2 cover (Gurihiru variant)

Deadpool #2 interior art

Deadpool #2 interior art

Deadpool #2 interior art

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com