The Massive
by Brian Wood, Kristian Donaldson, and Dave Stewart

There are a lot of post-apocalyptic, end of the world comics out there. So, why buy The Massive? Why buy one more? You should buy it, because the book is just so smartly done. Brian Wood dives straight into an action scene, setting the stakes, then slowly drops back and starts rolling out his version of the end of the world. The art by Donaldson and Stewart is clean and expressive, which is perfect because this seems like it will be a book about subtlety, and the art can definitely manage subtle changes in facial expressions. Wood is a talent to watch, and this book is a great example why. Pick it up, if you want a well-written mystery, with strong characters and expressive art.


Spider-Men #1
by Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli, and Justin Ponsor

This week we get the most unlikely of crossovers, Spider-Men, where Bendis brings the regular 616 Peter Parker into his Ultimate universe to meet Miles Morales, the new Ultimate Spider-Man. Bendis really can write a strong Peter Parker, and this issue is all about delivering the quippy, fun Spider-Man we know and love. For as strong as Bendis’ take on Parker is, the real star of this book is Sara Pichelli. Her art is outstanding. She captures the grace and agility of Spider-Man in every panel and lends the book a strong sense of movement. She even manages to make Spider-Man expressive despite his mask, which sells Bendis’ comedic dialogue even more. Who knows where they are going with this strong crossover, but as long as it stays well written and excellently drawn, then it’ll be worth every penny.