DC Zero Issues Part 2: 9/8/12

Swamp Thing #0
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Kano
Company: DC Comics

The art. Dear god...The art! It's so beautiful. Kano has the "touch". And yes, I mean that in the 80's, Transformers kind of way. Guitar riffs and all. All kidding aside, he's a perfect fit for this horror title. He brings the creep factor so well. There are several scenes in here, displays of normalcy but skewed to such a degree that you feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand out. It's vivid and wonderful. Snyder's story, which sees the same version of Swamp Thing that we saw in the Animal Man Annual, go head to head with the Big Enchilada of the Rot. Arcane is a nasty fellow and takes much

DC Zero Issues Part 1: 9/5/12

Action Comics #0
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Ben Oliver
Company: DC Comics

The greatest story about someone stealing Superman's cape there ever was and Superman's first foray into the camera lens of the world, that's the nature and innate Zero-Ness of this issue. Really though, these are the simple stories that Grant Morrison excels at. He injects great character moments, specifically during a fun conversation about dating and video games between Clark and Jimmy, right along the traditional superhero moments that you expect. There's heart in this story, which seems so very right for Superman. Oliver, who uses a loose and slightly painted style, turns in some nice looking work. It

Week in Review 8/31/12: Part 2

Batman Incorporated #3
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham
Company: DC Comics

Well, when it was announced that Morrison was leaving the Batman books, I was sad, but he's had a hell of a run, really. This third issue, delayed by DC, is just another swanky piece of a tapestry of evil, ingenuity, and brilliant storytelling. With every issue, Morrison gives fans things that they didn't even know they wanted. More Matches Malone? Heck yes! An odd reference to Hitman era character Bueno Excellente? Right over there. It's cool, because he's not only doing these fun nods, but he also forwards the story of Batman versus Leviathan. Burnham doesn't know how to do wrong at this

Week in Review 8/29/12: Part 1

Uncanny X-Force #30
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Dave Williams & Dean White
Company: Marvel Comics

The dissection and discombobulation of the team known as X-Force continues. This time out, we get the back story of what this new version of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants is doing to our young clone of Apocalypse, Evan, and just what they can possibly do to make him become evil. Remender tosses the poor boy into a psychological wood-chipper, and turns in a fairly effective story. The buddy-buddy-ness of Daken and Sabretooth is a little strange, but they get a lot of good lines. This issue however was devoid of an X-Force team, but you know, sometimes that's okay. The art

Before Watchmen: Rorschach #1

Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Lee Bermejo
Company: DC Comics

Hurm.

Okay. Got that out of my system. There's a quota that you have to meet with the word Hurm, and I've probably exceeded my allocated amount. But what they hey, you only live once, right? I think that's how it goes at least. Anyways...Again, another Before Watchmen book hits the stands, and again, it's a pretty good one. When these books were announced, this creative team made the most sense to me. Azzarello seems a perfect fit for Rorschach. The bleakness and the darkness and the sense of doom and gloom; all of it spoke to ideas or themes that he's played around with before.

Pathfinder #1

Writer: Jim Zubkavich
Artist: Andrew Huerta
Company: Dynamite Entertainment

For those missing the slice and dice, humor infused panels of a John Rogers written Dungeons and Dragons comic, your quest for entertainment has ended. Jim Zubkavich, the man behind the zany, fun, and adventure fueled antics of a dwarf and a bald guy in the pages of Skullkickers, takes the lead of this bad boy and blazes a trail that leads to blood and fire and the occasional verbal sparring session. For those not in the know, Pathfinder is essentially the Dungeons & Dragons role playing game, rolled back from it's 4th Edition rules to what is often referred to as 3.75. It's widely popular and well supported. Really, a great property. Making it into a comic only makes sense.

Is that a Podcast I Hear?

I really do miss doing the Comic Pants Podcasts. Getting a group of guys together and sitting around a table and talking about something that we're all passionate about is probably one of the coolest ways to spend an evening.

So I was fairly ecstatic when the guys at Geek Bombast asked me

Marvel Rebooted

This is not a review.

Just putting that out there at the very beginning. I have been slacking in the way of reviews lately. For that, I'm sorry guys. But that does not mean that I have been slacking in the writing department completely. In fact, I've been doing quite a bit of it.

Wednesday Number Ones 8/1/12

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover: Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe #1, First X-Men #1, and Harvest #1.

Hawkeye #1

Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: David Aja
Company: Marvel Comics

I think it's safe to say that Hawkeye saw a dramatic influx in fans after the Avengers movie. He was cool. No doubt about it. Hell, I want one of those choose your own arrowhead quiver and bow combos, as it's just plain neat and would no doubt look great on my wall, right next to Gandalf's sword and Captain America's shield. So yes, a Hawkeye ongoing seemed like a logical thing to have happen. But who do you have write him? Who can capture that essence and perform some magic to have it bleed through on the page? Who has the chops to draw exciting archery? The team given this task is Matt Fraction and David Aja. They've teamed up together before working on Immortal Iron Fist, and separately, they've wracked up

Wednesday Number Ones 7/25/12

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:  Debris #1, National Comics Eternity One Shot, Star Wars Darth Maul: Death Sentence #1, and X-Treme X-Men #1.

Punk Rock Jesus #1

Writer: Sean Murphy
Artist: Sean Murphy
Company: Vertigo

If you think you've seen the bleak and insane edge of the lengths that reality television will go to gain viewership, i.e. money and fame and fortune, then Sean Murphy would like to educate you a bit on just how far things COULD go. Welcome to the world of Punk Rock Jesus, a place where anything is possible, even cloning Jesus Christ himself.

First and foremost, Sean Murphy the artist is what's on the firing range when you open the cover to this one. Last year, for me, he was the runaway knockout for Best Artist for the work that he turned in on both American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest and Joe the Barbarian. His style is both in your face, like a

Revival #1

Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Mike Norton
Company: Image Comics

Good horror is hard to come by in comics. Sure, we've got your zombies and your Cthulhu books, which don't get me wrong, is great. Classic, spine tingly, goose bump inducing, hairs rising up on the back of your neck...That kind of horror doesn't happen that often. Tim Seeley has been around in comics for awhile now. I first remember him from G.I. Joe back when Devil's Due was still publishing it. Then entered Hack/Slash, the horror comic with a heart of gold. That book, to this day, is a hell of a good time and ages like a fine wine, as it only seems to get better every time I pull it off the shelf. It was more comedy and fun situations than horror though, even with the occasional guest star from people like Chucky. With Revival, he's struck horror gold.

Wednesday Number Ones 7/11/12

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:  Battle Beasts #1, Bloodshot #1, Chew: Secret Agent Poyo #1, and Crow #1.

Marvel Now! - What Is It and Should You Care?

Relaunch, reboot, re-imagining...It seems that a lot of these newfangled R words are getting thrown around in regards to this thing, but what exactly is Marvel Now? Well, if Marvel Editorial is to be believed:

 "It is a coordinated creative refresh across our entire publishing line." 

That's according to Editor in Chief of Marvel, Axel Alonso. It's the best definition that I've heard so far. It isn't a relaunch or a reboot, as they are going to be continuing on with the same world that they've been dealing with. Obviously something will change at the end of Avengers vs X-Men, as that would account for some of the costumes being changed in the promotional

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1

Writer: Len Wein
Artist: Jae Lee
Company: DC Comics

Always thinking. Always cold and distant. Always willing to do what others are not. These are the bits and pieces that make up the character of Adrian Veidt, better known in the superhero community as the great Ozymandias. This mini series, right there with the Dr. Manhattan one that is schedule to hit shelves in about a month, were the ones that I was the most worried about. Not that they couldn't be good, just that they were going to be the toughest sells. Truthfully, the reason for this is that during the course of Alan Moore's Watchmen, we really do get such a good feel for Ozymandias and his background that the prospect of a straight-up retelling of his origins would end up being dry and bland.

Wednesday Number Ones 7/6/12

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:  He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #1 and Hero Worship #1.

Batman Earth One

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank
Company: DC Comics

For DC, Elseworlds have always been a mainstay in their arsenal of entertainment. The re-imagining of their first tier characters, their heart and soul changed or tweaked to bring something new to the table that is unexpected, is a genre unto itself that has been going for as long as I've been reading comics. The Earth One series, if two graphic novels (one Superman and now Batman) can be called a series, takes this stance and proceeds to launch itself in a sideways like motion into unseen territories. The only problem with that is that with Batman, a lot of territory has already been covered. I mean A LOT. Hell, he's been a Vampire, a Pirate, a Victorian Era Crime Fighter, a Reverend, and a Scotsman to name just a few off the top of my head.

Batman Inc. #2

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham
Company: DC Comics

An important issue not only for the story that Grant Morrison has been telling from the moment he took over the Batman franchise, this issue also proves that the single issue story is alive and well. I'm seeing that somewhat forgotten style more and more often these days and I'm quite pleased by it. That's not to say that this doesn't continue the story of Leviathan versus Batman and his team of dead soldiers, because it does so in a big way. What it means is that this has a blast coming from both barrels. From cover to cover there is a story, and interesting one at that, being told.

The story in question is the all important roller coaster ride of Talia Al Ghul's life.

The Rundown: Previews July 2012

Every month, Previews is published. The book usually solicits material that will appear either two or three months from the time the book hits shelves. This is by no means a complete listing of what's found in it, as every issue of every comic that's coming out is put into its pages, this is merely a list of titles that caught my eye or made my buy pile. Please tell me the books that you are looking forward to, as my brain is often feeble and there's no way that I can cover all of them. Anyways, enough of this blabber...Onto the List.

Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #1 of 4

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artists: Andy Kubert & Joe Kubert
Company: DC Comics

Well, disappointment was bound to happen at some point, right? In all fairness, Nite Owl isn't a bad book. It is in fact a decent book. The problem with it is that it doesn't shine in the way that the previous titles for this prequel event have, therefore it feels slightly lackluster and not as satisfying. JMS, known for about a billion things in comics and television, has a record skipping track record in my opinion. There have been great things such as his runs on Thor and Rising Stars, but there have been countless other series that have fallen apart as well. Here he gives us the life and evolution of Dan Dreiberg from teen to man to hero.

Blast From the Past: Lucifer Vol 1 Devil in the Gateway

Writer: Mike Carey
Artists: Scott Hampton, Chris Weston, Warren Pleece, & Dean Ormston
Company: Vertigo

Horror is one of those multi-tiered genres. Think of it as an immense dark obelisk or tower that looms over all the land, each section devoted to a different type of beast or baddie. The majority of the time, when a person hears the word horror, their mind instantly goes to monster. Monsters are great. Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Stephen King, Scott Snyder and a host of others have breathed life into creatures that have given countless people nightmares and spiked adrenalines everywhere. Horror has also brought in things from the serial killer realm, the suspense and tenseness that comes with watching someone be hunted and killed. Hannibal Lecter, Dexter, and The

Week in Review 6/22/12

Saga #4
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Company: Image Comics

The Naughty has been released! Sex, relationships, and humanity, those are the items that are on the docket for this fourth issue of BKV's new series. Each one, approached and expressed in his keen and conversational style, shines in its own way. Staples' vision of the Sextillion, a place of business where, "Whatever and whoever you desire," is probably a catchphrase that gets thrown around alot, runs the gamut between sexy and creepy. Her colors are beautiful and evocative and the cover, with its sunshine-y yellow brightness just begs to be picked up. The alien-ness of the place in

Daredevil #14

Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Chris Samnee
Company: Marvel Comics

A lot has said about Paolo Rivera bowing graciously out of being the lead artist on Daredevil. It's true, it sucks. Really sucks. The piece of information that seems to be overlooked however is that Chris Samnee, the artist tackling this issue, is taking over. This is a great thing. Samnee, who's been around for quite some time and proved his unbelievable skill on books like Thor: Mighty Avenger and Agents of Atlas, is a perfect fit for what Daredevil has become. Much has also been said, by me and the rest of the internet, as to the brilliance of this run. I feel like I've said it countless times, but Waid and Co. are like magicians and continue to come up with new ways of pushing the boundaries of the term: Brilliant Comic.

Skullkickers Vol 1: 1000 Opas and a Dead Body

Writer: Jim Zub
Artists: Edwin Haung & Chris Stevens
Company: Image Comics

Call me late to the party with this one. Part of that has to do with the tons and tons of comics that come out every week that seem to pile up on each other. Another part of it was that I never heard what the story in Skullkickers was actually about. No one came out and said, "Hey, this is Dungeons & Dragons distilled in a Hyperdrive and served with a chilled dose of sarcasm." If someone had done that, I don't think I'd be coming late to the game. Still, I'm glad that I came. From the foreword written by popular games designer Robin Laws, who does a solid job of summing up role-playing games and the themes that this book tackles, to the book's ability to cut through all of the bullshit and start with the words, "Who ever

Mars Attacks #1

Writer: John Layman
Artist: John McCrea
Company: IDW Publishing

I remember sitting in the theater with my Dad watching the Mars Attacks movie back in 1996 and scratching my head a bit. I went in, not quite knowing what to expect back then. I was only beginning to take note of different actors and directors and the styles that they utilized in their various movies. Still, the odd blend of Sci-Fi action and off the wall zaniness that went so far as to use Slim Whitman's Indian Love Call as the vehicle for the downfall of the Martian invasion, certainly struck a chord for me. For a new take on such an odd property, it only makes sense to call on the talented and Purveyor of the Bizarre, John Layman. His work on Chew has been humorous, ingenious, and straight up strange. Can we say, "Perfect Fit?"

Before Watchmen: Comedian #1 of 6

Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: J.G. Jones
Company: DC Comics

Three out of three so far, that’s how I feel the Before Watchmen score card reads right now. Before Watchmen: Comedian is probably the first one of this series that I had any real cause for alarm with, as even though Azzarello is one of those writers that seems to be on a hot streak with the various titles that he is in charge of right now, he can be a very obtuse writer. Still, his specific style does seem to jibe with the Comedian’s outlook on life, so there was always the possibility of it being one of those match made in heaven/hell kind of things.

Avengers vs X-Men #6

Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Olivier Coipel
Company: Marvel Comics

With issue five of this twelve issue series being more of the lighter fare than previous outings, it was nice to be able to sit down with a comic, an event comic no less, that felt BIG in both scope and size. Hickman, who's recently been rumored to be one of the guys taking over one of the Avengers titles when Bendis leaves, is definitely a big idea guy. More importantly though, he has the chops to deliver said idea, an ability easily seen in the confines of this issue.

Week in Review 6/15/12

Batman #10
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Greg Capullo
Company: DC Comics

I'm willing to give Snyder the benefit of the doubt, but the twist ending that occurs at the end of this issue, if true, might sour the rest of his otherwise great run. It just doesn't gel with what we know Batman to be. Now, this might end up being just a tease, hence me giving him the benefit of the doubt. With his current track record though of adding things to the Bat-Mythos, it seems like the kind of thing he'd do. Other

Dracula World Order

Writer: Ian Brill
Artists: Rashan Ekedal, Declan Shalvey, Gabriel Hardman, & Tonci Zonjic
Company: Self Published

Vampires. Out of the many monsters of cult fame, your zombies and creatures from the Black Lagoon, vampires are and always will be, my favorite. Chalk it up to watching things like Lost Boys and reading John Steakley's Vampires and Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire, I guess. It's been shown over the years that you can do so much with them, place them in any genre, and get a result that works. I'm partial to the, "I'm gonna rip out your throat and suck you dry 'till the cows come home," type of vampires, but like I said, there's a vampire out there for everyone. Ian (Darkwing Duck) Brill's take on the fanged femoral feeders is both classic and served up with a twist.

Planetoid #1

Writer: Ken Garing
Artist: Ken Garing
Company: Image Comics

Space: Ominous, harsh, foreboding, horrific, and huge. These are all words that accurately describe such a place, and more often than not, the movies and books and comics that use it as a setting. Planetoid does the genre of Sci-Fi justice. Not only that though, it puts forth a first issue that begs you further and further into the tale. It is seductive and layered, fun and uninhibited.

And let's not forget cool.

In the same vein as Prophet, Garing smacks us upside the cranium with a tale of survival in a harsh and new world. He plays with concepts that, for fans of Sci-Fi,

The Massive #1

Writer: Brian Wood
Artist: Kristian Donaldson
Company: Dark Horse Comics

Brian Wood doesn't shy away from big concepts with his books. Neither does he back away from books that tackle controversial subjects that ask questions with complex answers that aren't exactly easy to find. The Massive is one of those kinds of books wrapped up in the shiny hull of a Post Apocalyptic meets Sci-Fi thrill ride. The first issue is a bit of a slow burn. There are numerous information dumps spread throughout the issue. The term infodump usually has a bad connotation that comes along with it, but the kind that are found here aren't of that genus. The ideas that Wood gets down on the page have that make you think quality to them and quickly and succinctly build an ominous world with hundreds of dark shadows to poke at.

Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #1 of 4

Writers: Darwyn Cooke & Amanda Conner
Artist: Amanda Conner
Company: DC Comics

Let there not be talk of controversy or bad contracts or anything of the sort. Let us instead speak on comics and whether they are good or whether they aren't so good. I'll be completely honest out front and say that among all of the characters of Watchmen, Silk Spectre was never my favorite. I understand her and her story. It's needed and genuine. But I always felt that while there was some character depth to her, like there was with just about everyone, she still felt superficial and bland. So, while the creative talent on this drew me in like a heat seeking missile, and really, Amanda Conner and Darwyn Cooke could collaborate on a Mr. Ed comic and I'd gladly pay the money with a smile. Still, I wasn't sure what could be done that brought something else to the table.

Wednesday Number Ones 6/6/12

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:  Creator Owned Heroes #1, Extermination #1, and Harbinger #1.

Earth 2 #2

Writer: James Robinson
Artist: Nicola Scott
Company: DC Comics

To get it out of the way, as this cover, when it was first solicited, bugged me. The design for the new Jay Garrick felt overdone and not as sleek as a speedster should. I will now travel back in time to 3 months ago and smack myself with a Iron Gauntlet, as in practice, the design works. The helmet still throws me a bit, as the Mercury Helmet has been the one defining attribute for the character for so many years, but Scott's look gets put through its paces and doesn't flinch.

Now that that is out of the way, let's talk story. Robinson amps up the fun and cool factors with this second issue, which in many ways one-ups the first. Serious and clever, the story here focuses mainly on

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #1 of 6

Writer: Darwyn Cooke
Artist: Darwyn Cooke
Company: DC Comics

As I'm typing this I'm imagining Alan Moore sitting in a pub somewhere in England, his eyes little slits, his lips curled up in a snarl, filed teeth gnashing, his mane (and beard) furling and unfurling, and a magic infused cannon ready to fire Glycon tipped bullets at everyone. Why am I imagining this. It's fairly simple: Because Before Watchmen is good. DAMN GOOD, in fact. It's not an accident that they have Darwyn Cooke, a man who's track record for comics is one of the best that we have in the business, be the first out of the gate. His name is synonymous with a certain level of craft and skill. The Parker adaptations alone are bound pages of amazing and astonishing and many other adjectives that mean great, and then there are other things like New Frontier and Catwoman. Wow seems like the proper response for Cooke's talent.

Night of the Owls 5/23/12

Crossovers in the New 52 have been few and far between. Sure there have been a few where Omac fought Frankenstein and the like, but big crossovers? Nope, we haven't seen those yet. Until now. Night of the Owls is spinning out of Scott Snyder's story in the main Batman book and its gripper paws are large and long, popping up in most every book that is tied in with Batman. While that can be both good and bad, what I hope to do with this article is take a look at each of the titles and give you a quick blow by blow accounting: Is it good? Does it suck? Is it going to be important? Without further talk...Onto the reviews!

Justice League Dark #9

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Mikel Janin
Company: DC Comics

There's a lot to like about this comic. In fact, let's make a list of the reasons why its oozing with cool:

1. Right there on the cover you get two titillating, eye grabbing ideas. New Members and New Threats! They're so cool that both of them require EXCLAMATION POINTS.

2. Jeff Lemire.

3. Mikel Janin.

4. A Done in one tale that really does set the stage for a new direction for our team.

Week in Review 5/18/12

Avengers vs X-Men #4
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: John Romita Jr
Company: Marvel Comics

Marvel's crossover keeps on chugging with its Round 4, and while it's lost a little in the way of steam, it continues to be the first line-wide meeting of the minds that has had a cohesive story that is understandable and interesting. The "What The" factor, meaning I have no clue where they're going to go for another eight issues, is also keeping things fresh. This issue is a little on the lighter side, with much of it

Blast from the Past: Infinity Gauntlet

Writer: Jim Starlin
Artists: George Perez & Ron Lim
Company: Marvel Comics

I'll be honest, my desire to re-visit this particular story was entirely prompted by The Avengers movie. If you've seen it, then you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, well, you should. It's probably the best superhero movie that we've gotten so far from Hollywood. I remember reading it when it first came out in the early nineties, but the singles have long since ended up in either that mythical graveyard all mothers seem to dismiss comics to or I gave them to a friend when I was done. I imagine that it was the former, but it's really anyone's guess as to where this legendary Cosmic Crossover written by one of the best Cosmic writers ended up in my own personal collection.

DC Universe Presents #9

Writer: James Robinson
Artist: Bernard Chang
Company: DC Comics

While I know there was a lot of love for the Paul Jenkins penned Deadman story that launched the DC Universe Presents title, for me, the book never really revved up to be anything but bland. Deadman just isn't the guy that can carry a whole story. I love him, don't get me wrong, but a full six issues is a bit much. The same can be said for Vandal Savage. The difference, however, is really in the writing.

James Robinson, the man behind things such as JSA: Golden Age and Starman and Superman. He's a talented writer. Sure, he's had his flops and moments where he's made some questionable calls, but that's something that can be done with most writers. With

Night of the Owls 5/17/12

Crossovers in the New 52 have been few and far between. Sure there have been a few where Omac fought Frankenstein and the like, but big crossovers? Nope, we haven't seen those yet. Until now. Night of the Owls is spinning out of Scott Snyder's story in the main Batman book and its gripper paws are large and long, popping up in most every book that is tied in with Batman. While that can be both good and bad, what I hope to do with this article is take a look at each of the titles and give you a quick blow by blow accounting: Is it good? Does it suck? Is it going to be important? Without further talk...Onto the reviews!

Night of the Owls - 5/10/12

Crossovers in the New 52 have been few and far between. Sure there have been a few where Omac fought Frankenstein and the like, but big crossovers? Nope, we haven't seen those yet. Until now. Night of the Owls is spinning out of Scott Snyder's story in the main Batman book and its gripper paws are large and long, popping up in most every book that is tied in with Batman. While that can be both good and bad, what I hope to do with this article is take a look at each of the titles and give you a quick blow by blow accounting: Is it good? Does it suck? Is it going to be important? Without further talk...Onto the reviews!

Top 5 Comics - 1 Year Anniversary!

Well, it's hard to believe that this site has been around for a year already! Time sure does fly.

Anyways, I wanted to thank everyone who has stopped by and been entertained by the reviews and the other articles that I've posted. Your comments and the conversation that I've had have been great and I hope for more to come! Sorry for the sporadic nature of the, as I have learned this year that Life Finds a Way of messing with you no matter what.

That said, there's a lot more reviews on the way!

Wednesday Number Ones 5/9/12

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:  Dan the Unharmable #1, Fury Max #1, Higher Earth #1, Mind the Gap #1, and Night of a 1000 Wolves #1.

Night of the Owls 5/3/12

Crossovers in the New 52 have been few and far between. Sure there have been a few where Omac fought Frankenstein and the like, but big crossovers? Nope, we haven't seen those yet. Until now. Night of the Owls is spinning out of Scott Snyder's story in the main Batman book and its gripper paws are large and long, popping up in most every book that is tied in with Batman. While that can be both good and bad, what I hope to do with this article is take a look at each of the titles and give you a quick blow by blow accounting: Is it good? Does it suck? Is it going to be important? Without further talk...Onto the reviews!

Wednesday Number Ones 5/2/12

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:  Dial H #1, Earth 2 #1, GI Combat #1, Smallville Season 11 #1, World's Finest #1, and X/O Manowar #1.

AvX: VS #1 of 6

Writers: Jason Aaron & Kathryn Immonen
Artists: Adam Kubert & Stuart Immonen
Company: Marvel Comics

While I think the title of this mini is a little on the confusing side and a mouthful to boot, what appears beneath this flashy and hero emblazoned cover is something that I think many people will want to get their hands on. AvX: VS is a book that is completely devoted to the smashing and bashing fisticuffs of this summer crossover/blockbuster event. On the very first page of this thing, in a Previously On page that resembles the letter colums from Nextwave, it states quite plainly that if you want story, you've come to the wrong place. Listen to the truthful narrator, whoever he is. It/He/She isn't lying to you.

Week in Review 4/20/12

Batman #8

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Greg Capullo

Company: DC Comics

The Night of Owls begins, and I have to say, bring on the Night! Snyder knows a thing or two about ratcheting up the tension of a story, something that he plainly shows here as the numerous Talons of our very own Secret Society of Psychopaths take to the streets in search of their various high value targets. Among them is Bruce Wayne. Seeing Wayne actually fight as Wayne, instead of as Batman, is

Wednesday Number Ones 4/20/12

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:  The Shadow #1 and Resident Alien #0.