Art: The art in this issue is actually rather impressive and pencillers Renato Guedes and Eduardo Pensica do an excellent job of matching style to the plot. Although the arrangement of panels was a little awkward at times, overall it made for a wonderful and unique way of compiling the story and more enjoyable to read. The use of color was also particularly amazing, especially in the more action intense panels towards the end.

Overall: This issue, although not the most satisfying of conclusions, still makes an excellent read and is very aesthetically pleasing. Superman #691 is for sure another “must-buy”, not only because of the wonderful artwork and paneling, but also the intriguing plot twists and cliffhanging conclusion.

Art: Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy are amazing artists and their talent really comes out to shine in Green Lantern #45. In every panel there is an extraordinary amount of attention to detail which makes for a very complex collection of strips. This is definitely a positive though, as the artwork changes to match the plot and provide as much complexity as the story line itself. The coloring in the book, done by Randy Mayor, is also very complex and detailed, as well as excellently varied panel from panel.

Overall: Green Lantern #45 is a work of art, both in actual aesthetic properties and in the plot. Even if you can’t appreciate the art, the story line in the book is so engrossing, there is no chance that you could not be enthralled by the episode.

Art: Frank Quitely did an astounding job creating art for Batman and Robin #3 that perfectly corresponded to the story, mostly due to the relationship between Quitely and Morrison. Quitely also has an amazing command over color and utilizes it to his whim, expressing emotion, anticipation, action, and any other thing he can think of. He also pays very close attention to detail and even in the large fight scenes still manages to capture every single aspect in his artwork.

Overall: Batman and Robin #3 is one of those comic books where neither the writing or the drawing is better than the other, but put together they become a powerhouse of emotion and control over the reader. If you want a comic book that will affect you in ways no other can while at the same time entertaining you, look no further.

Art: Mark Bagley, the main artist behind the issue, does a good job of matching the hectic style of the story to the artwork, but at times this can become a little overdone and the panels a bit crowded. However, he does do a wonderful job with variations between strips as well as an excellent job portraying the true emotions of the characters.

Overall: Batman #690 isn’t exactly the worst comic book ever, but it certainly is also nowhere close to the best. Its lack of a substantial plot is very detrimental to the feeling of the book and makes it a little hard to read and take seriously. That taken into account, the art does a relatively good job compensating for the lack of plot and makes the overall experience more than bearable.

Story: Robinson does a tremendous job pacing and developing the story in this issue. However, his dialogue is a little lacking, which is always my main complaint with him. I find some of his dialogue very awkward, and many times I find myself questioning the logic of the line I just read. With that said, he finishes the issue with a worthy ending that left me yearning for the next issue.

Art: Renato Guedes utilizes some interesting panel layouts in this issue, but they work remarkably well. Many times, the action carries over to the following pages, but works in this instance. I really have no complaints with this issue. The style matched the story and I was pleased.

Overall: Superman #688 is a must have, especially with the emotional ending that will leave you wanting the next issue sooner rather than later. Don’t miss the one because some exciting things will soon be taking shape.

Story: Mighty #1 begins with an old newsreel flashback from the 1950s before focusing on the present time and superhero Alpha One. He is the driving force behind Section Omega, a police force run by Captain Shaw.

A hefty amount of backstory is jammed into the first 3 pages telling us how Alpha One came to be (nuclear testing) and making reference to famous DC comic images of the past (Action Comics #1). However, Alpha One is not the focus of this issue. He takes a backseat to Gabriel Cole who comes to the forefront after Captain Shaw’s mysterious death. However, he raises more questions than answers and leaves the reader wondering why his connections to Alpha One are so mysterious.

Art: Peter Snejbjerg handles the art duties for the Mighty #1 and he is very impressive. From start to finish Peter does a tremendous job of making each panel project the feel that it was intended too. I am really looking forward to seeing his work continue throughout this series.

Overall: I have a lot of praise for The Mighty, but there is one aspect that will probably turn a few readers away. Mainly, the fact that the story has a lot of holes in it. Some of the mystery is good, but a lot of the holes could keep some people from coming back. Another down side is that their was very little publicity surrounding the beginning of this series. Besides the solicitation in PREVIEWS that I saw I never saw anything else promoting it. Hopefully some strong sales and getting word of mouth back to DC on how good the series is will help them step up their promotional efforts so this title doesn’t fall by the wayside. Finally, if you are looking for a new standalone title that isn’t connected to the main DC universe then pick up this book.

Story: Batman #686 begins with friends, and enemies, coming together to reflect upon the life of the Caped Crusader. Alfred is the host of the memorial service and plays meet and greet with all who arrive, like the Riddler, Selina Kyle, and the Joker. The meat of this issue are the two flashback stories of Catwoman, Selina Kyle, and Alfred that tell how they each killed Batman.

The two stories cause more confusion than a clear explanation of what is going on, but they are both crafted well. The first flashback is told by Catwoman and her relationship with Batman, while Alfred tells a story of how he helped fill Gotham with so many villains. Like I said, Gaiman causes confusion with these 2 conflicting stories, so it will be very interesting to see where he goes with this in Part 2.

Art: I don’t have much to say except that Andy Kubert’s art complements Gaiman’s writing style very well. He was able to pack each panel with an impressive amount of detail really bringing to life this story.

Overall: An excellent issue and Kubert and Gaiman do not disappoint. The only drawback with the issue is the confusion it creates because the direction it will go in is unclear. Don’t let that deter you though. This is still a must have issue.

STORY: James Robinson did an above average job in this issue. He planted the seeds for future events that could turn out to be quite interesting. A Parasite run could very well be in our future, and I, for one, would love to see it as long as the same quality of his character is preserved. Briefly showcasing Mon-El adds another avenue to explore. I am definitely looking forward to the possibilities.

ART: Alex Ross provided the cover for this issue and he did a bangin’ job. I love that Parasite is the sole persona on it, and he is reaching towards you ready to take your power. Jesus Merino crafted the interior work and to say his detail is impressive is an understatement. He did a great job graphically depicting the story.

OVERALL: It may sound like I have nothing but praise for this issue, but I was a little let down during the middle pages. I found them boring and they really didn’t elicit any emotional reaction from me. With that said, I was digging Parasite through and through and am looking forward to the future.