Comic reviews for the week of 1/4/12

Hot picks of the Week: Witchblade #151 Rebirth (TopCow/Image Comics) Tim Seely & Ron Marz Writers/Diego Bernard & John Tyler Christopher Art & Artifacts #13 (TopCow/Image Comics) Ron Marz Writer/Dale Keown & Tom Raney Art

     WOW!!! Top Cow Rebirth!!! Image comics has started 2012 out with a bang. Look at the creative teams on both these books for this month. When is the last time Dale Keown has done something, how I have missed the legendary art of Dale "Hulk" Keown. This is with a transition from the Artifacts story coming to a conclusion and therefore you have rebirth when the old TC universe comes to a end. The other major difference was the change of the guard on Witchblade, from Marz/Sejec to Seeley/Bernard, I may report it was the smoothest transition ever with a story that moves in a different direction but still feels like the book I have come to know and love. Also next month the former Witchblade team of Marz/Sejec hook up for Artifacts issue 14. Let's see where the next 12 months takes us.

Have I failed to mention that not only is there two book on top this week there actually is a third which trumps both WB & Artifacts that I will announce tomorrow. Good week...Very good week!!!

Also Hot:

Stormwatch #5 (D.C. Comics) Paul Cornell Writer/Miguel Sepulveda Art

Avengers Xsanction #2 of 4 (Marvel Comics) Jeph Loeb Writer/Ed McGuinness Pencils/Dexter Vines Inks

Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha & Omega #1 of 5 (Marvel Comics) Brian Wood Writer/Roland Boschi, Dan Brown, Mark Brooks Art **This incarnation of Wolverine and the X-Men is a sucker punch to all other X-Titles. Fun and inspirational**

X-23 #20 (Marvel Comics) Marjorie Liu Writer/Phil Noto Art

Uncanny X-Force #19.1 The Age of Apocalypse (Marvel Comics) Rick Remender Writer/Billy Tan Art **This leads into a new X-Title, It is promising to say the least**

Uncanny X-Men #4 (Marvel Comics) Kieron Gillen Writer/Brandon Peterson Art **The first 3 issues were lack luster, this was a full 360**

X-Men #23 Regenesis (Marvel Comics) Victor Gishler Writer/Will Conrad Art

Vescell #5 (Image Comics) Enrique Carrion Writer/John Upchurch Art **Truly a book off the beaten path, a fresh idea for the industry**

Honorable Mention:

Batman Detective Comics #5 (D.C. Comics) Tony S. Daniels Writer/Sandu Florea & Szymon (Spawn) Kudranski Art

Red Lantern #5 (D.C. Comics) Peter Milligan Writer/Ed Benes & Diego (Witchblade) Bernard Art *Love this title, I think it just needs a little more progressiveness on the story, too slow*

Star Trek/Legion of Super Heroes (IDW/D.C. Comics) Chris Roberson Writer/Jeffrey & Philip Moy Art

Not so Hot:

Hawk & Dove #5 (D.C. Comics) Sterling Gates Writer/Rob Liefeld Art **The story from the first page of issue number one has been not even close to something relevant. If it was not for growing up with and following Liefeld's art I would of probably dropped this comic after the first issue.**

Blood Red Dragon #3 (Image Comics) Jon Goff Writer/Carlos Soriano & Crimelab Syndicate Art **The art and idea are awesome and intriguing, but at the same time this book just rambles on and on and on and on...Just end it!!!