EC Comics is back, TMNT gets bloody, and Zatanna remains magical — July 24 Reviews

This week’s comic book reviews. While I try to read everything, I can’t review everything. So, if you’re a publisher who wants me to check out their upcoming releases, email me at [email protected]!

DC Comics

Zatanna: Bring Down The House #2 - Mariko Tamaki, Javier Rodriguez, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou - Zatanna: Bring Down The House is the best comic on the stands right now. Tamaki and Rodriguez tell a riveting story with gorgeous art that pops on every panel. The action is magical, the emotional beats hit, and the story remains the perfect showcase for the hero. It’s going to suck when this comic eventually ends, but man, is the ride worth it. 10/10

Marvel Comics

NYX #1 - Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Francesco Mortarino, Raul Angulo, and VC’s Joe Sabino - For those worried about Kamala Khan’s place in the Marvel Universe in the new era of the X-Men, Lanzing and Kelly show they have the chops to tell her next chapter. The cast in NYX is a lot of fun, the art and colors elevate a good story, and you’re left wanting more by the end of the issue. The young X-Men heroes are in good hands. 9/10

Mad Cave Studios

Flash Gordon #1 - Jeremy Adams, Will Conrad, Lee Loughridge, and Taylor Esposito - Adams’ is one of the best sci-fi writers in comics and his handling of Flash Gordon breathes new life into the character, while not forgetting what made him great to begin with. Conrad and Lougridge’s cinematic art is brisk and energetic, with eye-popping colors and monsters that remind readers what makes classic sci-fi pulps so good in the first place. I can’t wait to see what comes next. 9/10

IDW Publishing

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 - Jason Aaron, Joelle Jones, Ronda Pattison, and Shawn Lee - A mature, violent reintroduction of the Heroes in a Half Shell, issue feels like a balloon that’s on the verge of popping at any second — and when it does, hoo boy. The comic is a blood-soaked affair that embraces the franchise’s darker origins and roots while forging something captivating in the present. Jones and Pattison create a stylish, brutal atmosphere heightened by Aaron’s descriptive and emotive writing. 9/10

Oni Press

EC Epitaphs from the Abyss #1 - Brian Azzarello, J. Holtham, Stephanie Phillips, Chris Condon, Phil Hester, Peter Krause, Dan Jackson, Michelle Madsen, Travis Hymel, Vlad Legostaev, Brittany Peer, Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith Marissa Louise, and Jorge Fornés - Bringing back the EC Comics horror line turns out to be a major home run, as the new anthology from Oni Press is scary, gross, bloody, and everything you’d ever want from the title. Giving creatives a chance to tell their own dark tales with EC Comics works as much now as it did decades ago. 9.5/10