Ok, time to kick this into overdrive and get totally caught up…..

The Avengers #25 – This was supposed to be a tie-in to Avengers Vs. X-Men, but really the connection is flimsy.  It has a lot of wrapping up of the previous story arc, which for people wanting to get into Marvel’s big event throws you off.  The characters are often off and the art is a bit of a let down.  Overall, I finished the comic and scratched my head.

Story: 6 Art: 6 Overall: 6

Avengers Vs. X-Men #2 – The second chapter of Marvel’s big event is choppy and poorly written.  I just can’t describe the issue, but the narrative just has tons of issues.  It jumps around and just sets up a bunch of fights, that’s about it.  For such a huge event, it really doesn’t hold up to what it should be.

Story: 7 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7

Batman #8 – The beginning of the Batman event, The Night of the Owls first issue shows off how it’s supposed to be done.  Snyder’s writing is just fantastic.  A solid comic in every way.

Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5

Captain Atom #8 – I’m honestly shocked this series is still going and expect it to get chopped at some point.  The series really steps it up a notch as there’s now a bigger story arc involving the destruction of the world and preventing it.  The art is great, concepts interesting, people, you should be reading this!

Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8

Fables #116 – So many story lines, so much to keep track of.  The series isn’t quite as solid as it once was, but it’s still pretty damn solid.  The concepts are great and I really have no idea what to expect next.

Story: 8 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8

Green Lantern Corps. #8 – Guy gets promoted and the Alpha Corps steps up.  Overall a quieter story that I think is an improvement over the last few issues.  Not amazing, but intriguing.

Story: 7 Art: 7 Overall: 7

The Invincible Iron Man #515 – That was one hell of an issue.  Tony is being attacked from all sides and the Mandarin sure as hell looks like he’s got a solid plan.  There’s one shocker of a moment, one I wasn’t expecting and then a twist that I again wasn’t expecting.  So good.

Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8

Justice League #8 – Wow is the team filled with a bunch of dicks.  This is a team I just don’t like.  That being said, the Shazam back up story has a lot of potential actually giving us interesting characters and some emotion that doesn’t drive me away, but makes me want to find out more.

Story: 6.5 Art: 7.25 Overall: 6.75

New Mutants #41 – Wow did I not like this issue.  I don’t know much about Blink, is she always this irritating of a character?  It’s like an anime character I want to punch.  And the art is so off.  Not my cup of tea at all.

Story: 6 Art: 6 Overall: 6

Nightwing #8 – The Night of Owls starts here for this series, though it say prelude.  It really jumps into the storyline.  There’s a great backstory that’s told giving a lot of history of the Owls and it’s ties to Dick Grayson.  I’m mix on the whole concept, but it feels like villains who can really challenge Batman and his family.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

The Punisher #10 – The second part of the Omega Drive story, the action and banter is so good.  This is how you do a solid crossover.  Each character has only added to the story and brought out the best in each other.

Story: 9 Art: 8.5 Overall: 9

The Shadow #1 – I’ve like some Shadow comics, this, not so much.  The story is choppy, some of it doesn’t make sense.  I struggled to get through the issue.  A shame, because I’ve really been digging Dynamite’s recent comics.

Story: 5 Art: 6 Overall: 5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Micro-Series: Leonardo – Leonardo meets the Foot Clan in the latest entry in this nice series of one shots that tie into the main series.  So fantastic.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

Thunderbolts #173 – The team fights their past selves and a plan to get to the present is set out.  That ending, I wasn’t expecting that.  But still, not a fan of the time travel story.

Story: 7 Art: 7 Overall: 7

Uncanny X-Force #24 – Deadpool, Logan and Kurt take on the Age of Apocalypse Iceman while the Otherworld storyline gets wrapped up.  The story is an absolute improvement over the last few issues, but the art is still off.

Story: 7.5 Art: 7 Overall: 7.5

Venom #16 – Venom is tasked on a mission to transfer a prisoner which goes awry.  The issue is pretty solid and I definitely liked the ending.  I just wish the mystery of who the assassin was went on a bit longer.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

The Walking Dead #96 – Not a lot of action, but a very important moment as writer Robert Kirkman continues to drive the series in a whole new direction.  Some major changes are under way.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

Wolverine and the X-Men #9 – It’s a prelude to Avengers Vs. X-Men in an excellent issue that’s all set up.  You can tell the tough choices being made, there’s some fantastic back and forth and great art.  All of that dashed with a sense of humor.  So good.

Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9

Wonder Woman #8 – Wonder Woman heads to Hades to free Zola.  The action is ok and take on Hades is interesting.  Overall, the story is just ok.  The series is definitely losing the steam it once had.

Story: 7.5 Art: 8 Overall: 7.5

X-Factor #234 – This is the beginning of a bigger story arc and with Jamie back, that’s the whole team.  The series has always been about the interaction of folks, and that’s top notch.  The art is a bit off and other than the lots of talking not a lot happens, but it’s really damn entertaining.

Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75

X-Men #27 – The X-Men’s battle by the side of the vampires ends.  I yawn.  There’s lots of set up, but for all of the action it seems like it’s just a dangling story and not complete…. sigh.

Story: 6.75 Art: 7 Overall: 6.75