CAPTAIN AMERICA #701 MARVEL COMICS
A tale from the future, featuring the descendants of Steve Rogers. After a bit of an abrupt future/parallel universe Captain America tales finishes up last issue, you’d think Marvel would be wanting to clean up the mess and reestablish Cap in the present day. But this is apparently not the case. And while there is plenty of merit in Mark Waid’s story and some guest artists putting their best foot forward, there is something missing here. And without Steve Rogers reclaiming the title, I feel a bit lost. Lets hope that Waid can keep us interested in Jackson Rogers until we can navigate back to the present. I give it a 7 out of 10 Grahams.
BATMAN #46 DC COMICS
Complete and utter WTF moment here as part 2 of Tom King’s script drives us completely off the deep end and gets cut short by a preview of a New Age of Heroes book. But before that, King drives us straight into a daytime soap opera cliffhanger that has to be seen to be believed. Two main issues here are #1- We should be getting ready for the wedding storyline not playing the Flashpoint card again. And #2- I thought we were trying to keep Booster Gold on the straight and narrow so people would take him seriously. Having him return to his idiotic roots is not helping the DC Universe in the slightest. I give it an 8 out of 10 Grahams.
AVENGERS #1 MARVEL COMICS
According to Marvel, I have now lived through 8 (yep, count em) 8 Avengers #1s. And the sad part is that aside from the original with ole Bucket Head Iron Man and teenage Thor, the only other Avengers #1 that made an impression was the Heroes Return #1 back in ’98. This time around the old order changeth once again and we’re given a more movie friendly group. Joining the “Big 3” are such new comers as Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel. Starting with a flashback to prehistoric Avengers, the ultimate battle centers around the Celestials. Again, pushing the limits of credibility to the max as to just how powerful does a villain have to be to defeat the Avengers. The drinking “Let’s put the band back together.” scene lacks the warmth and real humor that it deserves and along the way, we pick up Ghost Rider in his CAR?!! and She-Hulk looking like someone slapped Jen’s head and lady bits on the male Hulk’s body. Sigh! But have no fear Marvel Zombies because Black Panther is here. Another Sigh. Where’s my Infinity Gaunlet? I need to snap my fingers. I give it a 6 out of 10 Grahams. 
JASMINE CROWN OF KINGS #1 ZENESCOPE PUBLISHING
Hot babe cover (Letter C) – CHECK. Curious and entertaining mix of literary characters in a new world setting, (Ali Baba, Jasmine) – CHECK. We must be in a Zenescope title. While it is nothing we haven’t seen before, the story still is entertaining and the tension between Ali Baba and Jasmine is well done. As usual the level of art is on point and the colors are holding the hand of the art. I give it a 7 out of 10 Grahams.
Just a reminder that our little merry band of artists will be doing free sketches during Free Comic Day this Saturday at the Plainfield, Wheaton, and St. Charles stores. So swing by, pick up a few free comics and pay us a visit. We’ll be raising money for the Hero Initiative Charity. See you there.