Just need to finish this week’s books and I’m totally caught up reviewing purchased books, and you get to see those reviews later today.

American Vampire #18 – Pearl and Skinner duke it out as time ticks down until the island goes boom.  There’s some nice action and great art with a very solid ending to this story arc.  Here’s hoping the next one is just as solid.  Snyder has been continuously improving as the series has gone one.

Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5

Astonishing X-Men #41 – The story switches back to Mentallo.  The ending is ok, but overall, I can’t say I cared about the story or it’s conclusion.  The art was also a bit inconsistent at times.  The arc was forgettable to me, but it was nice to see Roxxon play a bigger role.

Story: 7 Art: 7 Overall: 7

The Bionic Man #1 – Kevin Smith blows the dust off another classic series and gives it a bit of a modern spin.  All the basics are there and this issue is full of set up for what we know is coming.  It’s more than enough to get me to come back for a second issue and here’s hoping he does for this as to what he did for The Green Hornet.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing #3 – What a cop out crap ending.  Absolutely nothing is resolved and the ending just feels so convoluted and a waste.  I’m absolutely baffled as to the point of this three issue limited series other than bringing Constantine into the DC universe.  There’s so much wrong with this last issue, I don’t even know where to begin.

Story: 6.5 Art: 7.75 Overall: 6.75

Captain America & Bucky #621 – The early adventures of Captain America and Bucky don’t feel wedged in like they should and the focus on the beginning of their partnership, void of over the top villains, is a great change of pace from the bigger stories that have been occurring lately in their other and past series.  It’s a nice “retro” comic whose focus is on character.

Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8

Chew #20 – The series continue it’s mystery as to what the strange writing in the sky is.  I really have no idea what to expect, but the humor is great as usual, I love the art and I always walk away being entertained with a smile on my face.  This is consistently one of the best comics out there.

Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9

Daken: Dark Wolverine #13 – The idea that Daken is “The Claw Killer” is thrown into question in this issue and now I don’t know the answer myself.  The series continues to show it deserves a lot more respect than it gets and has improved throughout it’s run.  A solid comic that keeps you on your toes.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt #4 – Gravity and Hardball fight it out over Hardball’s actions in the last issue, while everyone else reacts to it, but none really do anything.  There’s some things I really like, but the fact so many stand around and just talk about their fighting, as opposed to reacting to it, the overall issue is a bit silly.

Story: 7 Art: 8 Overall: 7.25

FF #8 – Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys?  It’s pretty damn unclear at this point, cause it’s pretty obvious there’s a lot more going on than we’re aware of and the story we’re being given isn’t all of it.  Jonathan Hickman continues his guiding of Marvel’s first family and while single issues might falter here or there, the overall vision is solid.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #3 – Am I supposed to have mixed feelings about the Hal Jordan of this world?  In one way he’s a hero, but in other ways he’s a complete coward and shit head.  Not the best of endings, but it’s a piece in the bigger puzzle of the story.

Story: 7 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7

Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #3 – I liked the final chapter more than the first two and wish the first two had Kid Flash doing more of what he’s doing here.  There’s also a nice homage to the White Lanterns.  Another piece of the Flashpoint puzzle that’s kind of cool and feels like an end chapter to the convoluted story that is The Flash.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #3 – Released a week later than it should have been, this issue has a key part of the Flashpoint storyline and it makes it a good one to read for that.  Overall though, it’s not so much a story as a series of events that all tie into Flashpoint and it can’t really be enjoyed without that.

Story: 7.5 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.5

Flashpoint: Project Superman #3 – I’m a bit mixed on this one.  There’s a lot more potential in this than three issues and a Superman created out of torture and grief instead of love and ideals is an interesting idea.  Too bad the story was so short and often not as focused as it should of been.

Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #13 – Guy Gardner and Batman team up to solve a murder.  I can’t say this was the best way to end the series.  A lot to be desired, but at least it’s a self-contained story.  It’s just one that didn’t need to be told.

Story: 6.5 Art: 7.25 Overall: 6.75

Incorruptible #21 – Max Damage is building something, no one knows what and someone has shown up from Plutonian’s past that’s scaring the crap out of all of the loose villains.  It’s an interesting story that’s starting to focus more on Damage atoning for everything he’s done and out of everyone, he’s stuck to the straight and narrow.

Story: 8 Art: 7.75 Overall: 8

Kick-Ass 2 #3 – Long delays have taken the shine off of this series.  The super villains make their move though, and there’s the over the top violence you’d expect.  This feels like Tarantino doing a super hero movie, except the violence is just for violence sake.  Not quite sure what I think, but it just doesn’t feel as much fun or interesting as it used to.

Story: 7 Art: 8 Overall: 7.25

Mystery Men #4 – There was a fun pulp feel to the comic, but it just feels really slow paced now and a bit boring.  The story is ok, but I can’t say I’m blown away by it at this point.  It’s not what I was hoping for, but it’s not really bad in any way.

Story: 7 Art: 8 Overall: 7.25

New Mutants #30 – Yawn.  Another Fear Itself tie-in that derails the progress a series was making.  The team is in Hell while Dani is trying to help Hela in Hel.  And even with all of that, it’s still boring.

Story: 6.75 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7

The Punisher #2 – Greg Rucka mixes a noir crime drama with a traditional super hero comic which is pretty cool.  The focus of the comic is more on two detectives figuring out a wedding massacre, instead of the Punisher dispensing justice, and it works really well.  A great comic that welcomes back a much missed character.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.25

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 – It’s great to see the Turtles back in action, and the comic has a great feel towards the grittier version of the comics.  There’s some nice digs at the slapstick version of them, but it looks like the series is the welcome return I’ve been waiting for.  There’s enough there that makes the comic feel like it’s classic version, but also a lot hinted at that gives me a reason to come back for more.

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25

The Ultimates #1 – Are the past volumes like this?  The first issue of this relaunch packs a punch right from the start as global crisis light up and Nick Fury and his team must respond.  It’s enough to get me to come back for more.  One hell of a start.

Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5

Uncanny X-Force #13 – The team scrambles to save Warren and lots of sacrificing happens.  It’s all action this issue that doesn’t really stand out by itself, but it’s a solid addition to the great story that’s being told.

Story: 7.75 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8

Wolverine #14 – While the lead up hasn’t impressed me at all, that ending was one hell of a twist I didn’t even think about.  This story arc and the one that preceded it haven’t impressed me at all, but this issue finally puts the pieces together and lifts up what’s come before a bit.  It’s not the best Wolverine, but, in the end it packed a punch.

Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75

X-Men #16 – The FF and the X-Men have to team up to save a friend.  The story is ok so far, but the interaction between everyone is great.  Some pretty good stuff so far, but not great.

Story: 7.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7.75

X-Men Legacy #254 – The team is trying to figure out what the hell is going on as they attempt to rescue Havok, Rachel and Polaris.  The story is ok and there’s a nice build up of mystery and also a tie-in to a past story arc.  Overall decent, but not quite the exciting return I was hoping for with these characters.  But thankfully they’re back.

Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75