Green Lantern soars, while Barfly steals the show - July 10

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]!

Marvel Comics

The Ultimates #2 - Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri, Federico Blee, and VC's Travis Lanham - For me, issue two was a stark improvement over #1, which I felt suffered from being tied to previous storylines and overuse of exposition. However, #2 is a more contained story featuring a great showdown between Midas and the team. It’s also a very good-looking book. 7.5/10 

X-Men #1 - Jed MacKay, Ryan Stegman, JP Mater, Marte Gracia, and VC’s Clayton Cowles - A solid start for the new era of the X-Men following a rocky ending to the Fall of Krakoa. MacKay continues to show why he’s Marvel’s most consistent writer. I specifically enjoy how he writes Juggernaut. 7/10 

DC Comics 

Green Lantern #13 - Jeremy Adams, Fernando Pasarín, Oclair Albert, Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Dave Sharpe - Now this is how you do a crossover issue. The comic features a large cast with many characters getting moments to shine. The Absolute Power stuff feels organic and one of the closing moments made my jaw drop. Pasarin’s art is worth the price of admission. 9/10 

Absolute Power Task Force VII #1 - Leah Williams, Caitlin Yarsky, Alex Guimaraes, and Dave Sharpe - A surprisingly funny book, the first of the new Task Force VII shows how Mary Marvel and Billy Batson can still be heroes even with their powers depleted. The comic emphasizes how dangerous Last Son and the Amazo robots truly are. Plus who doesn’t love seeing Mr. Dinosaur? 8/10 

Dark Horse Comics 

Minor Threats Barfly #1 - Kyle Starks, Ryan Browne, Kevin Knipstein, Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, and Nate Pieros - Spinning out of the events of Minor Threats, this issue focuses on the loveable loser Shiteater, a leather jacket-wearing fly who used to work for a well-known supervillain but is down on his luck in life. The tragedy and comedy about a henchmen fly is packed full of heart with Starks’ script being hilarious and sad, while Browne’s (with Knipstein’s colors) highly detailed and fittingly chaotic art bring the unlikely world to life. Ultimately, you can’t help but root for Shiteater, even if he just wants to be a bigger threat. 9.5/10 

IDW Publishing 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 40th Anniversary Comic Celebration - Kevin Eastman, Jim Lawson, Tristan Jones, Paul Harmon, Ronda Pattison, Pablo Tunica, Tom Waltz, Michael Dialynas, Ciro Nieli, Lloyd Goldfine, Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez, Andy Suriano, Chris Allan, Tom Napolitano, Frank Fosto, Gary Carlson, Adam Guzowski, Shawn Lee, Erik Burnham, Sarah Myer, and Luis Antonio Delgado — A really fun comic celebrating the Turtles and their impact over the last four decades. Seeing all the different styles and generations of Turtles come together in one anthology makes for an exciting read that offers something for every kind of fan of the franchise. 7.5/10