Comic reviews for the week of 12/28/11

Hot Pick of the Week: Aquaman #4 (D.C. Comics) Geoff Johns Writer/Ivan Reis Pencils/Joe Prado Inks

     In my opinion this on-going series out of the birth of D.C.'s The New 52 is one of the brightest spots in comics today. I have not picked up Aquaman in any capacity since the early 90's, but I felt when you have a creative team such as this it may as well be a shoe in. And it has been, Coming from some of the key members that brought Green Lantern back from the dead some years back. The story is well written and the art work provided by Reis/Prado is spectacular and fits this title like a glove. I have seen and read on what is coming in this revamped Aquaman title in 2012 and personally I cant wait experience this grand adventure.

Also Hot:

Star Wars Crimson Empire: Empire Lost #3 of 6 (Dark Horse Comics) Mike Richardson & Randy Stradley Writers/Paul Gulacy Art/Dave Dorman Cover

**Runner-Up**This issue is the Empire Strikes Backs of Star Wars issues**

Batman: The Dark Knight #4 (D.C. Comics) Paul Jenkins Writer/David Finch Pencils/Richard Friend Inks
**Finally a issue I knew Finch could deliver, now lets see that for a few more months in a row**

The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men #4 (D.C. Comics) Ethan Van Sciver & Gail Simone Writers/Yildiray Cinar Art **A total turnaround, this title can only get better with Van Sciver doing the art coming up. Also on the down side Gail Simone is leaving the title**

Gears of War #21 (D.C. Comics) Karen Traviss Writer/Pop Mahn Art **The only pre-New 52 title to remain and it is so clear to see why)

Voodoo #4 (D.C. Comics) Ron Marz Writer/Sami Basri Art
**4 months in a row on the hot list**

Kick-Ass 2 #6 (Marvel Comics/Icon) Mark Millar Writer/John Romita Jr. Art

The Mighty Thor #9 Shattered Heroes (Marvel Comics) Matt Fraction Writer/Pasqual Ferry & Pepe Larraz Art **Fraction and Ferry have to be in a list of great creative teams on Thor**

Star Trek #4 (IDW Publishing) Mike Johnson Writer/Stephen Molnar & Joe Phillips Art

A Game of Thrones #4 (Dynamite Entertainment) George R.R. Martin Writer/Tommy Patterson Art

Honorable Mention:

Green Lantern: New Guardians #4 (D.C. Comics) Tony Bedard Writer/Tyler Kirkham & Harvey Tolibao Art

Legion: Secret Origin #3 (D.C. Comics) Paul Levitz Writer/Chris Batista and Marc Deering Art

Teen Titans #4 (D.C. Comics) Scott Lobdell Writer/Brett Booth Pencils/Norm Rapmund Inks

Alpha Flight #7 of 8 (Marvel Comics) Fred Van Lente & Greg Pak Writers/Dale Eaglesham Art

Annihilators: Earthfall #4 of 4 (Marvel Comics) Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning Writers/Tan Eng Huat Pencils

Astonishing X-Men #45 Regenesis (Marvel Comics) Greg Pak Writer/Mike McKone Art

FF #13 (Marvel Comics) Jonathan Hickman Writer/Juan Bobillo Pencils

X-Men: Legacy #260 Regenesis (Marvel Comics) Mike Carey Writer/Khoi Pham Pencils

Iron Man 2.0 #12 (Marvel Comics) Nick Spencer & Will Pfeifer Writers/Carmine Di Giandomenico & Andy Troy w/Ariel Olivetti Art/Salvador Larocca Cover

Artifacts #12 of 13 (Image/Top Cow) Ron Marz Writer/Jeremy Haun Art/Greg Horn Cover

Dungeons & Dragons #14 (IDW Publishing) John Rogers Writer/Andrea Di Vito Art

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles  Micro-Series #2 - Michelangelo: The Dresden Heist (IDW Publishing) Brian Lynch Writer/Andy Kuhn Art

Not so Hot:

The Savage Hawkman #4 (D.C. Comics) Tony S. Daniels Writer/Philip Tan Art

Uncanny X-Men #3 Regenesis (Marvel Comics) Kieron Gillen Writer/Rodney Buchemi, Paco Diaz & Carlos Pacheco Pencils/Cam Smith Inks

Haunt #20 (Image Comics) Joe Casey Writer/Nathan Fox Art