AQUAMAN/JUSTICE LEAGUE DROWNED EARTH #1/ Written by SCOTT SNYDER/ Art by FRANCIS MANAPUL, HOWARD PORTER & SCOTT GODLEWSKI/ Colors by HI-FI & FRANCIS MANAPUL/ Letters by TOM NAPOLITANO/ Published by DC COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

The battle to save Earth from an invasion of other-worldly sea-gods comes to a fever pitch. Aquaman and Wonder Woman have secured the power they need but can they stand against a Black Manta empowered to match Aquaman and a Cheetah armed with the power to slay gods?

Scott Snyder spins a magnificent tale, but three artists with drastically different styles leaves this book muddled and muddy. Still, it does clean the slate for a new Aquaman series just in time for the movie’s release, so it has that going for it. Good for what it is, but this mini-series will never be remembered as the best work of any of the creators involved.

 

BOOKS OF MAGIC #2/ Written by KAT HOWARD/ Art by TOM FOWLER/ Colors by JORDAN BOYD/ Letters by TODD KLEIN/ Published by DC COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

Tim Hunter begins to take his first steps towards working magic on his own. Yet eldritch forces are aware of the boy’s presence and it may be more than Tim’s teacher can manage to keep him safe.

This Books of Magic series is proving to be far slower-paced than the original Gaiman series. It’s not bad – just different – but it is now apparent that Kat Howard is taking her time with this story and setting up the rules of magic in this reality. The artwork is gorgeous, which makes the waiting somewhat easier. Still, this book may read better as a trade for those who lack the patience to handle a slow-boiler.

 

FANTASTIC FOUR #4/ Written by DAN SLOTT/ Art by STEFANO CASELLI & NICO LEON/ Colors by ERICK ARCINIEGA/ Letters by VC’S JOE CARAMAGNA/ Published by MARVEL COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

The Fantastic Four have returned to Earth only to walk into the middle of another crisis. First, that the Baxter Building was bought out from under them in Reed and Sue’s absence and now a scab superhero team called The Fantastix taking up residence there! Throw in an attack by The Wrecking Crew and it’s one heck of a homecoming…

Slott rebounds wonderfully after last month’s outing, with a fun story that defies most of the usual conventions regarding superhero teams meeting for the first time. It remains to be seen what will be done with The Fantastix but we can be sure of seeing them in the future. The artwork captures the fun of Slott’s script and the whole thing is, dare I say it? Ah heck – it IS fanastic.

 

HEROES IN CRISIS #3/ Written by TOM KING/ Art by CLAY MANN & LEE WEEKS/ Colors by TOMEU MOREY/ Letters by CLAYTON COWLES/ Published by DC COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

Tom King’s superhero snuff-film on paper continues to underwhelm, as we are given an entire issue to examine the therapy of three characters who are dead and thus any analysis of their character is completely pointless.  Weep not for the fallen heroes, dear readers. Weep for Clay Mann and Lee Weeks, who could have been spending their time bringint King’s scripts to life doing something, anything else. I only read this book to see if it could somehow get worse after the second issue. It is not a mistake I intend to repeat in the future.