By Tim Seeley (Writer), Emily Stone & Kevin Mellon (Art), and Mark Englert (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The recently completed Re-Animator crossover left me itching for a stand alone, one-and-done Hack/Slash story about Cassie and Vlad taking care of some random slasher. Unfortunately, it looks like I may have to wait at least a little while for something like that. Why? Well, for starters, there is some serious character work to be done in the aftermath of the crossover. In addition, a few overarching plot threads are in serious need of some advancement. Luckily, it looks like Hack/Slash #18 is going to start dealing with those very issues so that the series can get back to what it does best sooner rather than later.

The Story: Picking up shortly after the traumatic events that involved Dr. Herbert West, the latest Hack/Slash finds Cassie and Vlad at a crossroad of sorts. Both characters question the status of their relationship and how they exist in the world in general. Vlad takes his questions to the bar where he finds himself facing off against a plethora of guest stars. Cassie, thanks to Vlad, spends some quality time with her lady-friend Georgia. Meanwhile, the demon from another dimension introduced last issue on a rampage in search of Cassie and the dog-like alien currently living with Cassie’s friends.

What’s Good: Tim Seeley’s character work for both Cassie and Vlad is incredibly effective considering how easily it could have come off as forced or overly dramatic. It’s next to impossible not to feel for the characters in some way, especially considering what went down over the past few months. As for the visuals, the best thing in the issue is Vlad’s brawl with a number of familiar comic characters. It’s a fun, well-choreographed surprise among all the weighty themes.

What’s Not So Good: The whole alien dog storyline just doesn’t do it for me as a whole. It has been going on for a while now and to this very day, it still seems out of place in a series so heavily based around the things that make the horror genre so fun. Hopefully the arrival of the demon-warrior thing signals the beginning of the end for that particular plot thread, because it feels like it just gets in the way of the good stuff.

Conclusion: Hack/Slash #18 is very good when dealing with Cassie and Vlad. On the other hand, it definitely loses a bit of momentum anytime anything else takes the spotlight. That said, the good most definitely outweighs the bad in what ultimately amounts to a strong, character-driven issue of an entertaining series.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

By Brian Reed (Writer), GG Studios (Art), Marco Castiello (Pencils), Barbara Ciardo (Colors), and Amerigo Pinellio (Asst. Colorist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: After an extremely promising start, the latest installment in the Front Line series has sort of stumbled to the finish line (sounds like the main Invasion series more than a little bit eh?). And to be honest, I’m not exactly sure why that is, considering that the characters and situations have been compelling enough to hold my interest. I suppose my main complaint is that the story just hasn’t captured the situation as well as I’d hoped it would. With that said, I am still very interested in seeing how Brian Reed and his creative team handles the street level reaction to the main event battle in New York.

The Story: With only a few brief shots of the gigantic Secret Invasion battle, the final chapter of Front Line mostly deals with the aftermath of the event and the personal toll it has taken on the survivors. Journalist Ben Urich finds himself suffering from writer’s block while coping with the loss of his wife and the rise of someone he has written about. Melanie Crane deals with the trauma of losing her father. Officer Bill Dawson takes a desk job and pursues a relationship with fellow survivor Lisa Dobson.

What’s Good: If you can deal with the approach the book uses in regards to the event it is tied to, Front Line #5 proves to be a surprisingly powerful read. With Ben Urich’s emotionally charged narration driving a story about loss and the steps people take to move on after traumatic events, Brian Reed manages to effectively (and realistically) capture an often ignored segment of the Marvel Universe. As such, I find myself extremely satisfied with a comic I really didn’t expect a whole lot from.

What’s Not So Good: While the artwork is more than serviceable, it never really rises above being average. Then again, it doesn’t really need to, considering the story being told. So ultimately it is a very minor complaint. Also, I must mention that I was a little bit irked by how quickly the major battle was glossed over. I understand why the story heads in the direction that it does, but a little bit more time with the heroes might have gone a long way.

Conclusion: While the latest Front Line series is a bit hit-or-miss as a whole, the conclusion is definitely a homerun in this reviewer’s opinion. It hits all the right notes and manages to bring some much needed subtlety and realism to an otherwise bombastic event.

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny

By Grant Morrison (story), Lee Garbett (pencils), Trevor Scott (inks), Guy Major (colors)

Grant Morrison takes a trip down memory lane, flashing to key points of Batman’s life while slowly weaving the story into the events happening in Final Crisis. These memories run all over the place, ranging from golden age to modern times. There’s a good story flow here and one that even casual readers will be able to follow without too much trouble. But per usual, those with intimate Batman knowledge will get the most bang for their buck.

The story also reads rather quickly, serving as a refresher for Bat’s life while not feeling overly compressed. If you’re wanting more resolution to the RIP storyline, however, you’re not going to find it here. And that’s probably the most disappointing aspect of all. To his credit, Lee Garbett does a rather impressive job in keeping pace with Morrison’s almost schizophrenic script.

Those wanting the final fate of Bruce Wayne are going to have to wait a little longer. Batman #682 serves as a time capsule before our hero goes away. Personally, I think readers should pass on this one. If you don’t read it, you’re not missing out on anything.

Grade: C

- J. Montes

By Jeph Loeb (Writer) Art Adams & Frank Cho (Artists) Walden Wong (Inker) Albert Deschesne (Letters) Peter Steigerwald (Colours)

The story: For the time being, at least until Ed McGuinness returns, Hulk Has been split into two separate stories with Art Adams and Frank Cho taking up the artistic duties on green and red Hulk respectively. The story. “What there is of it” seems to be written to match the artists strengths, so Art gets to draw slavering hordes of Wendigo’s and Cho gets to draw lots of ass and giant breasts as She- Hulk along with her Lady Liberators take on Rulk.

What’s Good: Unfortunately very little, to be honest the only reason that anyone would buy this dross would be for the art which I really cannot fault.

What’s not so good: Dear me, where do I begin? It seems to me that Jeph Loeb has completely lost the plot. The story makes no sense at all with random characters thrown in for no apparent reason like Moon Knight and Joe Fixit– two characters that behave in no way like they do in their own monthly titles which makes it even worse. This comic would be insulting for a five year old, nevermind the adults.

Conclusion: I remember reading a while ago how series artist Ed McGuinness claimed that he had waited years for the chance to draw Hulk, how dissapointed he must feel to have been stuck with this dud of a comic book. Shame on you Jeph Loeb, and Marvel in particular, for allowing this travesty to continue.

Grade: D

- C.Flanigan

By Brian Bendis (story), Leinil Francis Yu (pencils), Mark Morales (inker), Laura Martin (colors)

Once again, Brian Bendis (one of my favorite comic book writers) fumbles the ball on yet another Marvel event. If you thought House of M and Secret War was lame, well, feel free to lump Secret Invasion right along with those titles. Sure, the series had some great highs, but the conclusion is so anti-climatic and uneven that I couldn’t help but shake my head the entire time. What a waste.

Right from the get go the on-going narrative/conversation speaks to the reader in past tense. The war is over by all accounts and the plot moves along, connecting the dots as if Bendis is running down his checklist of things to scratch off. The fate of The Wasp? Check. The rescue of the captured humans? Check. Tony Stark made the scape goat? Check. The rise of Norman Osborn and the most ridiculous status quo change to ever hit the Marvel Universe? Check. Oh yeah, and all this goes down in one day. This wasn’t a war or invasion. It was a skirmish.

It’s amazing to see how far Marvel has fallen over the last year. With continuity problems running amuck, the screwing of Spider-Man’s marriage, and now the undoing pretty much everything Civil War set up (not to mention the inevitable cover price increases to $3.99), well, let’s just say I’m at the edge of my rope here. I think it’s time Joe Quesada stepped down and Marvel put some editors in place who won’t let writers run wild with ridiculous ideas. Secret Invasion started off with a bang and ended as a farce.

Sorry guys but Dark Reign is an incredibly stupid idea.

Grade: F (FAIL)

- J. Montes

A Second Opinion

As I have mentioned a few times before, Secret Invasion is really my first experience with an event series. As such, I don’t have any lingering disappointment from something like House of M or Civil War to compare my thoughts about the conclusion of Secret Invasion to. That said, I am disappointed with Secret Invasion #8…just not to the extent my colleague Jason is.

Deep down, the fanboy within me wants to address and argue every single negative about the book mentioned in the main review. I woke up this morning to find the review and instantly thought to myself “it can’t possibly be that bad.” And you know what? It really isn’t. But that doesn’t change the fact that my critical side actually agrees with nearly every point that Jason makes above. In many ways the event’s conclusion is a big disappointment from start to finish. Now, after reading that I imagine many of you are wondering what’s with the fairly good score then. Allow me to explain.

While S.I. #8 mostly fails as the conclusion to a big, bloated, far too lengthy event, I believe it really succeeds as a mechanism for riling up the masses for the new status quo of the Marvel Universe. Truth be told, outside of a few new books set to launch (especially the Jonathan Hickman/Stefano Caselli Secret Warriors title), I really didn’t have a whole lot of interest in Dark Reign prior to today. Now, I simply can’t wait to see what happens next. That is why I absolutely must give credit where it is most definitely due. It is far from perfect, but it also does what was needed extremely well. And that counts for something.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

By Brian Reed (Writer), Adriana Melo (Pencils), Mariah Benes (Inks), and Chris Sotomayor (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Let me just get it out of the way and say how pleased I was to find the art team of Adriana Melo, Mariah Benes, and Chris Sotomayor working on Ms. Marvel again. The three of them make for one hell of a team in my opinion. It will be interesting to see what they can do with a story that is much more subdued than the Secret Invasion arc that they worked on together.

The Story: The origin story of Carol Danvers, the secret agent continues as Brian Reed continues to jump around the timeline to tell about the mystery surrounding something called “Ascension.” Unfortunately, I am going to have to leave it at that. To say much more regarding the plot is a bit difficult due to the nature of the storytelling style being used, but I will say that the issue picks up nicely from where the last left off.

What’s Good: I definitely like what Brian Reed is doing with his tale of espionage and intrigue. It provides a great glimpse into the events and people that shaped the hero known as Ms. Marvel into the character she is today. The mystery surrounding “Ascension” looks to be filled with an interesting cast and some surprising ties to the present. The main question though is whether or not Reed has the ability to really pull this story off in a satisfying manner. And an answer regarding that will have to wait.

One thing is for certain, Ms. Marvel #33 reads and looks much better than #32. The reason? The story is given some much needed breathing room and much better looking visuals. While Paulo Siqueira did a nice enough job last month, I consider Adriana Melo’s work an upgrade in nearly every way. Not only does she draw one hell of a Carol Danvers, her work is more detailed, more attractive, and just all around more visually striking.

What’s Not So Good: The issue as a whole still leaves a whole bunch of stuff up in the air regarding the plot. While it is fun to get drawn into the mystery along with the character, it leads to some confusion regarding exactly what the hell is going on. Visually, the only complaint I have is that a few scenes leave the characters looking a bit like, well, zombies. For whatever reason, a few panels show the characters without pupils and it’s quite creepy-looking. A strange bit of missing detail, yet it’s still impressive work.

Conclusion: It is still far too early to judge this story as a whole, but I like what is happening so far. Ms. Marvel fans should find a lot to like here, even if it lacks the usual superheroics.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

By Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (Writers), Paul Pelletier (Pencils), Rick Magyar (Inks), and Will Quintana (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: In my opinion, Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the most consistently entertaining and visually impressive books Marvel puts out. It effortlessly blends action, comedy, and drama into one hell of a satisfying package. The question now is whether or not the series can maintain momentum since Secret Invasion pulled the team apart. My guess is that it can.

The Story: The issue opens with a glimpse into a devastating future as described by Starhawk, who is being held in captivity by Cosmo the dog for precautionary reasons. Apparently, humanity’s future is doomed unless Starhawk can manage to correct an error occurring during the present time. Meanwhile, Rocket Raccoon’s new team of Guardians answer a cry for help from a colony in need that seems to be facing problems strikingly similar to the ones Starhawk spoke of. Adam Warlock seeks to find out more information regarding the Church of Universal Truth with the help of Gamora. As for Drax and Quasar, they are out in search of answers regarding someone named Cammi. And Starlord? Well let’s just say that he’s got problems as well.

What’s Good: Despite all the characters in play in this issue, the creative team once again knocks one out of the park. While mostly set-up for the future, the storyline provides for some great character work and extremely good looking artwork. While I may not have fully grasped the implications regarding some of the plot beats, I found myself completely entertained, thanks to the colorful cast of characters. Simply put, Guardians of the Galaxy #7 is another great chapter in an awesome series that seems to get better all the time.

What’s Not So Good: My only major complaint with the issue is that I felt a bit lost regarding some of the plot beats. While I am sure Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning will catch me up with everything next month, some of the impact regarding the story was simply lost to me.

Conclusion: If you aren’t reading Guardians of the Galaxy, you should be. ‘Nuff said.

Grade: B+

Looking for a Response: Anyone want to catch me up on what I might have missed regarding some of the stuff in this issue?

-Kyle Posluszny

By Steve Niles (writer), Kelley Jones (art and cover), Michelle Madsen (colors)

The Story: Bruce Wayne wrestles with his feelings for Detective Clarkson, while Batman tries to find her missing partner. Detective Lucas’ disappearance at the hands of Killer Croc clears him of being Midnight, but the harder Batman looks for Lucas’ body the further he gets from the truth about Midnight.

What’s Good: Taking a break from Midnight is good. It’s not that he isn’t interesting, he’s just too much at once. His plan is so intricate, it’s cumbersome. Through seven of twelve issues I still don’t know what he wants aside from giving Batman the runaround. So moving away from him gives us a nice breather. Still, I can’t say enough about Kelley Jones’ art. Cover to cover, the tone of Niles’ writing is captured perfectly. The liquid-looking skull on the ground of a crime scene, and Croc’s character designs stick out in particular. Michelle Madsen proves once again why she was the prefect choice to color this book. The aforementioned crime scene is a good example of that. The white background shows how bleak the case looks, and the skull design indicates death. These simple, but unique choices help Madsen keep pace with Jones’ pencils and help give the book’s visuals an added flair.

What’s Not So Good: The idea that the book needed to step away from Midnight in the first place. Why introduce a villain to Batman’s Rogue’s Gallery and then avoid any clear explanation of intent. The book is about him, but it’s only really good when he’s not around. This is never a good sign. There also seems to be something a little off with the character work here. Batman’s dialogue continues to bug me in this issue. I understand he’s the world’s greatest fighter, and his movements are instinctual, so he can actually think while fighting. But that’s the sort of thing that only makes sense when he’s fighting a common thug. Fighting someone like Croc, who is a much more formidable foe is more of a challenge that should require more attention.

Conclusion: People who love unique, detailed artwork should definitely stick to reading this series. If you’re just in it for the story, it might be a little tougher to keep following. Niles’ depiction of Batman is spotty at best, with his writing showing the characters duality to an annoying degree. Too much genius one week, too much fighter the next, this is a balance he’s yet to find throughout the series’ run. It’s not a good sign when a comic is most enjoyable without it’s two main characters. Still, the artwork is amazing and in my opinion worth the price of the book.

Grade C+

-Ben Berger

By Joe Pokaski (Writer), Tom Raney (Pencils), Scott Hanna (Inks), and Guru eFX (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The Inhumans Secret Invasion tie-in has for the most part, been quite successful. It tells an engaging, cosmic chapter in the Invasion story while, at the same time, working to re-establish the Inhumans within the current Marvel Universe. I have had my issues with the series from time to time, mostly concerning the inconsistent artwork and unnecessarily complex storyline, but I look forward to seeing how the Inhumans are going to be situated for the future.

The Story: The Royal Family works to obtain the items necessary to save Black Bolt from the Skrulls trying to make him into the ultimate weapon. Meanwhile, the Skrulls continue their attempts to make Black Bolt crack.

What’s Good: I never thought I would say this but, thanks to the way this particular Invasion story ends, I now find myself interested in the War of Kings. The main reason? The last chapter of Secret Invasion: Inhumans is full of surprisingly effective character work that finally made me feel some emotional investment in the characters and their future. Couple that with some good looking artwork (including a few fantastic full-page shots) and you can consider me happy to have checked out the return of the Inhumans.

What’s Not So Good: The inconsistency in the artwork once again pops up, though it isn’t quite as distracting this time around because it’s kept to a minimum. To be honest, that is my only real complaint with this one.

Conclusion: It’s tough to criticize something that succeeds in doing everything that it needs to do. Definitely check out Secret Invasion: Inhumans #4 if you are planning to follow the War of Kings event.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Jay’s Picks

Kull #2
Solomon Kane #3
Batman #682
Haunted Tank #1 !!!
Amazing Spider-Man #579
Marvel Zombies 3 #3
New Avengers #47
Secret Invasion #8
X-Infernus #1
X-Men Noir #1
Crossed #2

Kyle’s Picks

Broken Trinity: Witchblade
The Darkness #8 (#72)
Ender’s Shadow: Battle School #1
X-Men: Noir #1
X-Infernus #1
Hack/Slash #18
Secret Invasion #8
SI: Front Line #5
She Hulk Cosmic Collision
Immortal Iron Fist #20
New Avengers #47

Conrad’s Picks

Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #1
Sandman: The Dream Hunters #2
Immortal Ironfist #20
Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #2
She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision #1
Mice Templar: HC vol 1 The Prophecy

Tony’s Picks

Criminal #7
Immortal Iron Fist #20
Secret Invasion #8
X-Men: Noir #1
Batman #682
Sgt. Rock: Lost Battalion #2
Sandman: Dream Hunters #2
The Boys #25
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #1
Kull #2
Solomon Kane #3
Creepy Archives vol 2
Hercules: Thracian Wars vol 1
Invincible Iron Man vol 1
The Spirit vol 1

Rob’s Picks

Amazing Spider-Man #579
Astounding Wolf-Man #10
Batman #682
Justice Society Of America #21
Marvel Zombies 3 #3
New Avengers #47
Secret Invasion #8

Daniel’s Picks

Broken Trinity: Witchblade (One Shot)
Chuck #6
Complete X-Files Behind Series Myths & Movies hc
Darkness #72
Doctor Who: Forgotten #4
Solomon Kane #3
Zero G #3