Hey everyone! Welcome to the latest installment of UTF’s Weekly Comic Reviews, I’m your Godzilla-loving host, Daniel Alvarez. It’s been a pretty awesome week for gamers. (Well, maybe not for Xbox fans.) I mean, Super Smash Bros. 4 got three trailers! Great stuff. Now in comic land, the second arc of My Little Pony comes to a close among other cool stuff. Let’s get started.

A Distant Soil #40

Six years is a long time for a title to hit the pause button, and Colleen Doran seems intent on making up for lost momentum by giving us an uber-fast and ultra-violent entry issue.  We have decapitations, explosions, and plenty of soulful screaming.  What we don’t have is entry point for new readers.  Yes, the inside cover offer the requisite summary of “What Has Gone Before,” but it’s sparse and given the richness of the world Doran has created you get the feeling it’s akin to cramming every season of Game of Thrones onto a bar napkin.  And I felt lost the whole time.

For the full review, click here.

3/5

Aphrodite IX #2

For those familiar with the original mini-series many of the core mechanics of this green haired beauty are here with some potent additions that simply keep the story fresh.  To the creative team’s credit what they deliver is compelling and despite the depressing view of our future fans are bound to find something to love within the confines of these pages.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Artifacts #28

As this shattered universe limps forward, we find our heroes willing to step up as unknown villains move pieces on this proverbial chess board.  To the creative team’s credit right from the first page on they instill a strong sense of self that yields a striking pace that’s sure to keep their devoted followers glued to their seat.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

The Dream Merchant #2

The Dream Merchant is a great book and Edmondson takes the material and presents it with respect to the reader. It’s a story that feels complicated but reads clearly and defined. This is one head-trip you are going to want to take.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

Great Pacific #7

This new volume of Great Pacific offers intriguing new setting, conflict, and status quo, but unfortunately suffers from the same faulty character work.

For the full review, click here.

3/5

The Manhattan Projects #12

The Manhattan Projects #12 drags the skeletons out of yet another character’s closet, but, in the process, it makes last issue’s focus character, Harry Daghlian, even more likeable as he suffers the betrayal of a friend.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

Peter Panzerfaust #11

What we have in our hands is something that does enough to keep the story moving, even if it fails to offer anything revolutionary in its pages.  Truth be told at this point there doesn’t need to be as this creative team once again proves there’s still plenty of narrative to draw out of this proverbial lake of ideas.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

The Walking Dead #111

Finally! It’s been quite a few issues where the stakes have been raised and real threat has been an issue for Rick and Co. The Walking Dead #111 brings it back.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Black Beetle #4: No Way Out

The Black Beetle: No Way Out #3 is an incredibly fun read, not in spite of its dark grittiness, but because of of it.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

BREATH OF BONES A TALE OF THE GOLEM #1

In most horror stories, the monster interrupts “normal life” when it shows up. It makes sense then that the defeat of the monster is what makes for a happy ending — the creature’s death allows for a return to the status quo. It’s this very thing that makes the Jewish Golem so unique.  As Breath of Bones #1 so beautifully demonstrates, this particular monster’s job is to actually protect the status quo, not threaten it.

For the full review, click here.

5/5

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9 #22

This issue of Buffy has enough action to keep fans interested. There’s a sense that the story is going somewhere, but a lot still needs to be resolved in the final three issues. I have my doubts that the ending will live up to fans’ expectations, but I’m rooting for this creative team to pull it off.

For the full review, click here.

3/5

Star Wars #6

The Star Wars universe has been an ongoing narrative for more than thirty years and many creative teams have graced fandom with their presence.  But I have to say that after six issues I find myself to be thoroughly excited about the work being done here by this creative duo.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Damsels: Mermaids #2

When it comes to adapting and expanding a classic fairy tale there are many possible outcomes to be sure.  For instance the creative team could easily decide to discard the plot points of the original jaunt in order to fulfill their own ideas and aspirations.  In the case of this piece we have a duo working hard to create a sequel of sorts, complete with their warped version of this particular mermaid’sodyssey.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Jennifer Blood #28

The saga of the acclaimed and cursed Jennifer Blood continues here, and after a year of shocking events and gut-wrenching revelations I’m proud to say this series has never looked better.  The creative team is simply firing on all cylinders as they seek to press upon the audience the knowledge that they require in order to understand that our protagonist is set to face down some dire situations complete with deadly foes.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

The Shadow #14

There’s an air of horror settling in over the city, as the terror of yet another vigilante haunts the streets. Her motives are still in question, but more to the point: her apparent abilities seem to be beyond the talents of our classic pulp hero.  And to the creative team’s credit they deliver a level of consistent threat to make the match believable.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

THE CROW CURARE #1

In spite of the dialogue, however, The Crow: Curare #1 is great read that has completely changed my outlook on the Crow going forward. I can’t recommend it enough.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #8

This issue is a perfect example of how the My Little Pony brand appeals to everyone. The conclusion to Nightmare Rarity’s reign is jam-packed with pretty much everything you’ve come to expect from the arc. Lots of Luna, the power of friendship, (that will never get old) and most of all it delivers what the main cover promises, a war with the Ponies of Ponyville against the Nightmare Forces. While the story could have maybe used another issue to flesh things out a bit more, it’s still a solid finisher.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters #2

The issue picks up where the previous one left off. We have the Dinobots, mainly Sludge, taking on the Insecticon Kickback. The first issue was okay, but nothing truly special than asking the question “What are the Dinobots up to after the Fall of Cybetron?” This issue is an improvement, packing some solid action and dialogue. It’s still lacking a really good story, but it’s becoming fun for fans of the Prime continuity.

For the full review, click here.

4/5

Transformers: Regeneration One #92

This issue is something I think longtime fans of the 80’s cartoon will especially find interesting. We have a very passive Optimus Prime being manhandled by a superpowered Spike. It’s a rather intriguing future of Generation One. Regeneration is ending soon, so naturally things are beginning to really heat up. Soundwave unleashes his plan, Optimus has a conversation with the survivors of Earth, not to mention Bludgion and Galavtron are arriving. It’s a good issue packed with great writing and is just something Transformers fans will enjoy.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

BUBBLEGUN #1

So far I have to say that this “10 for 10” initiative has been going fairly well, as this particular independent company forges ahead in some bold territory.  Take this title for instance: we have humanoid machines, hackers and espionage all rolled into one very convenient package that happens to be very entertaining to boot.

For the full review, click here.

3.5/5

Grimm Fairy Tales presents Hunters: The Shadowlands #2

Raven Gregory and Pat Shand team up to handle the text side of this piece and the duo do an outstanding job framing the unique personalities therein.  In this situation tempers run high as we charge toward a somewhat dynamic cliffhanger and trust me when I say the script offers enough literary meat to make this saga work.  There were some moments where the guaranteed conclusion weighed down the ending a bit but for the most part I found myself eagerly entertained.

For the full review, click here

4/5

Grimm Fairy Tales presents Robyn Hood: Wanted #2 

Overall, with huge plot development and great characters, Robyn Hood: Wanted #2 is a winner. Avella is a highlight, with a great rivalry between her and the title character being established. There’s some really tense scenes in Nottingham, and Gisborne is proving to be a good antagonist. Wanted is a great read, it has something for everyone.

For the full review, click here.

4.5/5

2000AD #1836

Another week involves another issue of 2000AD. This week, in 2000AD #1836, there’s a decent selection of science fiction and other strange and wonderful titles. With Judge Dredd, Cadet Anderson, Defoe, Sinister Dexter and Terror Tales to look at, there’s a lot to take in.

For the full review, click here.

4/5