YDRC's Premier Panels of 4/17/19 // Reviews
Welcome to Premier Panels! The weekly roundup of You Don't Read Comics' highest rated reviews. In this installment, the Legion of Doom learn about the secret histories of the cosmos in Justice League #22. Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans torture their players in Image's Die #5. And the Amazing Nightcrawler continues to be a highlight in issue #3 of his Age of X-Man tie-in. All of this horror, intrigue, and more in another installment of Premier Panels!
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Age of X-Man: The Amazing Nightcrawler 3 - Grade A
“With only a couple of issues left to go in the mini-series, McGuire and company appear to be right on track to really get this series going right before it has to end. With the sheer number of titles that comprise the Age of X-Man mega-event, it was bound to happen that one of them might end up frustratingly reaching its most satisfying moments uncomfortably close to the end of the event. For now, it’s okay, though. The Amazing Nightcrawler’s third issue is one of the few genuinely good issues in the Age of X-Man thus far.”- Russ Bickerstaff
Auntie Agatha’s Home for Wayward Rabbits 6 - Grade A
“There’s a lot going on here beyond the surface. It’s difficult not to see a deeply flawed contemporary society reflected in the strange collection of psychologically challenged bunnies living on a rural farm that has been targeted for demolition. On some level, we’re all Sawyer trying desperately to save our homes from the utter destruction of sinister forces. We’re all dealing with the dysfunctional dynamic of so many others who are far too wrapped up in their own infinite gallery of psychoses to be able to tackle the challenges of continued survival. It’s just a funny animal comedy, but there’s a very deep allegory going on here. Hopefully Giffen and Roman will be able to continue their exploration with the rabbits for a long time to come.”- Russ Bickerstaff
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 4 - Grade A-
“Boom! Studios’ reboot of Buffy has been solid from its start, but it’s this issue that really shows why relaunching the franchise opens up new possibilities in a way that continuing it couldn’t. This issue is a promising surprise; here’s hoping that what’s done here isn’t undone, as it so easily could be.”- Jason A. Fleece
Die 5 - Grade A
”Die has once more proven that this is a book that deserves to be in your long box or on your shelf. Compelling characters, twisted motives, and beautiful art make for an utterly fantastic package. If you’ve not checked this book out yet, you need to.”- Brandon Masters
Farmhand 7 - Grade A
“Guillory further develops each member of the cast with his warm, and often sad, character moments in every issue. As he builds upon each of them through the use of flashes into the past, characters motives are explained as they come into the light. Life on the farm has never been this interesting, Guillory creates a whole new flavor for readers with this smile-inducing tale making it one not to miss.”- Rick Lopez
Gideon Falls 12 - Grade A+
“The spectacle of the series is by far the artistry of Sorrentino, bringing into existence the insanity Lemire puts onto these completely unhinged scripts. From the beautifully rendered depictions of life to the mind-bending landscape from within the Sinclair’s haunted black barn, Sorrentino delivers some of his best work to date. As the series is set to air on television in the future, the overall positive responses to the title bring hope for a rich story with longevity from this fantastic duo.”- Rick Lopez
Justice League 22 - Grade A
“With the villains taking center stage and Perpetua in the starring role, Tynion and Manapul deliver a momentous secret origin to this beloved Universe, painting a tapestry of wealth to build upon. As the world stands upon impending uncreation at the hands of Mxyzptlk, this small breather added much-needed clarity and backstory for this brand new cosmic entity before the final showdown of this arc.”- Rick Lopez
Meet the Skrulls 3 - A
“Meet the Skrulls #3 is one of the most visceral, pulse-pounding issues to come out of Marvel in quite a while, and makes a good break from big crossovers and their incessant tie-ins. Do not sleep on this sleeper hit.”- Jason A. Fleece
Middlewest 6 - Grade A
“Middlewest swings into a clever bit of momentum with this issue, which continues to develop through sharp bits of mystery that cut through every aspect of the issue from bits of plot resonating out of the dialogue to details drawn into key panels. Young, Corona and Beaulieu round out the first six issues of a series which clearly has a sweeping sense of momentum carrying through a fantasy mutation of the American midwest. From here, there’s the risk of a repetition feeding into the story now that all the basic elements of the story are in place, but Young and company feel inventive enough to maintain interest in future issues.”- Russ Bickerstaff
Miles Morales: Spider-Man 5 - Grade A
“Miles Morales: Spider-Man continues to be one of the most charming, most classically “superhero” books on the stands. This new Tombstone arc--complete with a final-page twist introducing a new character--looks to be the continuation of a winning streak for the title with no end in sight. Would that Miles himself could catch the same kind of break.”- Jason A. Fleece
Naomi 4 - Grade A-
“In this fourth issue, Bendis, Walker, and Campbell deliver the backstory of Naomi--a new hero who likely gets the big delivery on her mysterious origin next issue. The background on the character has been pretty fun in the course of this mini-series, but once the mystery is fully revealed, it will remain to be seen if she can remain as enjoyable as she is here. Given that the character is driven by the mystery of her own past, it’s possible that they’ll continue to string that out as far as possible as she forges ahead in the DC universe beyond her initial mini-series. The perpetual mystery is only as engaging as the character that mystery is shadowed by. Naomi continues to feel engaging in this fourth issue.”- Russ Bickerstaff
