Batman No. 1
Holy Snyder, Batman!
By securing his safe haven amid the confines of DC's doors, Scott Snyder has been able to produce some truly outstanding issues. Ironically enough, "Batman No. 1" isn't among them.
This issue is perhaps cursed by being so highly anticipated, but for all of the comic's incredible twists and turns, there is just something slightly amiss in the Dark Knight's reworked representation.
Snyder does well to meticulously sandwich the issue's slightly meaty subject matter between two hearty slices of mystery, but unfortunately, a vast majority of that deli goodness is a lot of bologna.
Bruce Wayne, as a character, has always been an affluent, kind-hearted – albeit slightly reserved – character. Snyder has, single-handedly, morphed the masked vigilante into more of a shammed Tony Stark than a tepid-toned philanthropist, a change that is a touch too much to reconcile Bat's collective past and rewritten future.
Greg Capullo's art, however, perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Gotham in every panel. Opening with a gaggle of villains both classic and cutting-edge, the artist's renditions of each will hopefully be the forerunner for some superb issues on DC's horizon.
While Batman represents the epicenter of mediocrity for DC's reimagined universe, there's still one week left for DC to create some ink-endowed masterpieces in this truly monumental moment in comic history.
X-Men Schism Issue No. 4
Between the near deaths of a dozen X-Men, a gigantic sentinel marching closer every minute and Wolverine threatening to rip out Scott Summers throat every other panel, Cyclops has a lot on his plate right now.
Pitting two of Professor Xavier's most skilled soldiers against each other, Schism explores the brewing conflict between the X-Men's historic commander and the team's resident killing machine in a series of five issues that are, quite literally, tearing the X-Men apart.
Jason Aaron, Schism's architect, has been hard at work to bring the tension between the two mutant magnates to a boil, and in nearly every way, has exceeded reader's expectations.
Aaron's fantastic plight of Cyclops' turbulent social status is even furthered by the artistic designs of Marvel veteran, Alan Davis. Davis, known for his work in the UK on '80s Captain Britain and later on The Uncanny X-Men, lends his phenomenal talent to the series and with it a handful of panels that illustrate perfectly the pain and inner turmoil Scott Summers is forced to endure.
With just one issue left in this exceptional series, there's a lot of ground to cover, but readers can go in to the finale knowing that Aaron and Davis will craft an ending worthy of every ink and panel mutant-lover's attention.
Witch Doctor No. 3
Somewhere in between Sherlock Holmes, Merlin and House, there lies the character of Dr. Vincent Morrow. Witty and self-righteous, yet undeniably heroic, Morrow is a kind of character too often seen, but never quite done this well.
As a series, Witch Doctor has been progressively declining since a phenomenal "No. 1" showing and after "Witch Doctor No. 3," it's safe to say that while the series may not have reversed its fortune entirely, there's a glimmer of hope going into its fourth and final issue.
Providing a great deal of back story through the course of the issue, writer Brandon Seifert has been hard at work perfecting much of the story's tone and Morrow's character as a whole becomes more intriguing every issue. Seifert extends beyond the mundane and attempts to weave a story of incredible emotional and intellectual impact, and while "Witch Doctor No. 1" is still the pinnacle of these attempts, Seifert leaves a lot to love in the series' third outing.
Beautifully unique characters like Penny Lane and Eric Ghast get their share of the spotlight throughout the issue, and receive an absolutely amazing illustration by artist Lukas Ketner. Admittedly, splitting the inking into two artists may have been a financial decision, but artistically makes for a real disconnect between the pages.
Mixing monster lore, medieval medicine and hilarious quips from the doctor himself, Witch Doctor's short-lived ventures will be a comic sorely missed by many.
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