Here’s the reviews for this week’s comic book releases.  Which ones are worth your hard earned cash?  Which maybe deserve to be given as presents?  And which should be burned and forgotten?  Find out below!

Monthly Comics

Avengers Academy #7 – This issue has a nice old school feel to it as Hank must decide what his future is going to be.  Just when you begin to groan about a certain direction, the story pulls back, as if tempting you with a crap story, just to make the direction it does go in seem that much more solid.  While the issue isn’t amazing, it is entertaining.

Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75

Black Panther: The Man Without Fear #513 – I was a bit skeptical when I first heard about this series, but this first issue just blew me away.  The tone and set up is near perfect and the art very solid.  Hopefully when Daredevil returns, this quality series won’t go away and also with it’s Daredevil tie-in more people will give it a chance.  No matter what, it’s nice to see such a quality comic.

Story: 9.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 9

Brightest Day #16 – Last issue was pretty piss poor, so it was nice to see this issue bounce back so solidly.  This issue continues to focus on Firestorm as well as Aquaman and Aqualad and his origin.  Not the greatest issue, but very solid.

Story: 8 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8

DMZ #60 – Just when you think the series can’t get any better writer Brian Wood finds a way to prove you wrong.  This two part story shows the beginning of the Free States in a world and America that seems all too familiar.  Just amazing.  The best political commentary out there today.

Story: 10 Art: 8.75 Overall: 9.5

Green Hornet #11 – I’ll admit I was nervous as to where this series would go after Kevin Smith’s run, but Phil Hester has picked up where Smith left off with a solid first issue.  The humor isn’t as prevalent but the writing and action is solid as to be expected.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

Green Lantern #60 – After having such an amazing run that lead up to the Blackest Night storyline, it’s hard to follow up.  That’s been the issue with the past few issues with this series, you compare to what’s come before.  This issue isn’t that bad, and follows up the fairly recent event quite well, but there’s still some magic missing.

Story: 7.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7.75

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #5 – This series is just enough content and story to need to be it’s own thing.  But it’s clear what’s going on here ties into the other two Green Lantern comic books.  This isn’t so much a stand alone series with it’s own voice, but instead an extension of the other two.

Story: 7.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7.5

Iron Man: Legacy #9 – There’s nothing really bad about this series at all.  We finally find out when this series takes place (at least this story arc), but the bigger question is if it’s needed?  I can’t say it really adds a whole lot to Iron Man, but it definitely is entertaining and a solid enough series.

Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5

Thunderbolts #151 – It’s the origin of Ghost of which I shrug my shoulders.  We also find out who the new team member is.  I yawned in the end.

Story: 7 Art: 7.25 Overall: 7

Uncanny X-Force #3 – I’m really enjoying this series, and it’s easily the best of the “X” books right now.  The team gets their asses handed to them by the new Four Horsemen and we learn about each of them.  The issue is just solid.

Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5

The Unwritten #20 – I usually feel like an idiot after reading one of these issues as it’s so dense and digs so deeply into literature (an area I’m not the most solid in).  But this issue focuses on Moby Dick, a book even a non-reader like me has gotten through once.  Probably one of the most straight forward issues of the series.

Story: 8.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.5

Wolverine #4 – Wow, I’ve really not enjoyed this entire storyline about Logan going to Hell.  The scenes are silly and what’s happening to his body in the real world just doesn’t interest me.  It hasn’t added anything to the character at all.  Hopefully it’s all be over soon.

Story: 6.5 Art: 7 Overall: 6.75

X-Factor #212 – I really haven’t liked the storyline that’s seen the team take on Hela with the help of Thor.  This issue is very blah, but what happens to Darwin opens up a lot of potential in future storylines.

Story: 6.5 Art: 7 Overall: 6.5