Rob's Picks:

Blood Hunt #2

Picking up the threads of Blood Hunt #1 and the first issue of this event’s Dracula tie-in, we return to the impossible city in the aftermath of the vampires' attack. Many heroes lay defeated, some fighting the transformation into blood-sucking monsters. On Earth, the daughter of Blade (Brielle Brooks, aka Bloodline) is still fighting to protect innocents while Dracula fights to protect her from the pursuing Bloodcoven. They join with the remains of the Avengers and the Midnight Mission at the home of Steven Strange. The Sorcerer Supreme is still on the job despite his corporal form being compromised in issue #1, but his plan to save the world will have to wait when one of Marvel's most popular characters joins the forces of the dead! The first issue of this event series was overpacked with action and incident, but with the setup out of the way this book finds its pace. Bloody action set pieces and exposition both get more room to breathe, with the cast of characters pared down to our central players, so fewer stories get lost in the shuffle. For the horror hounds out there, the red band issue is a worthwhile upgrade.

Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #3

Parker Robbins, formerly the Hood, is putting the spirit of vengeance to personal use, taking out rivals in a bid to take over the criminal underworld of Chicago. Given the many sins of Parker’s targets, the spirit has no objections. His systematic attack on the various gangs of Chicago, using both the power of the Ghost Rider and an alliance with a pack of vampires, is the kind of street-level action that many were hoping to see more of in the Gang Wars event. The creative team of Percy and Kim have proven their action/horror chops many times over, so no surprise this is such a satisfying issue. Johnny Blaze is back on the road again, looking for answers with his new ally Zeb. Johnny may have lost the spirit but there is still enough fire in him to do some damage, and he’s coming for the Hood.

Blow Away #2

Paranoia rises in the Arctic. Nature photographer Brynne grows more certain that her camera has captured evidence of a murder. She takes her suspicions to the local authorities, who have little interest in a scuffle between hikers, forcing Brynne to play detective. The locals are indifferent to the comings and goings of outsiders, but some clues begin to emerge about the two mountaineers and the mysterious hunter. All the while she waits for a camera found frozen on the mountain to thaw, hoping it contains answers. Asking too many questions may be getting her the wrong kind of attention in the isolated community, and her own employers are more concerned with getting their pictures than Brynne's suspicions. Artist Nicola Izzo contrasts wide vistas and cramped closeups, giving readers the sensation of standing in a vast open space and still feeling the walls closing in.

Solomon's Picks:

Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #1

Gwen finally gets an ongoing with The Ghost-Spider title in this exciting first issue! Created by Stephanie Phillips, Federica Mancin, and Matt Milla, Gwen has been given an opportunity by the TVA to relocate from Earth-65 to Earth-616, giving her a chance to finally start over and live life on her terms. She was given a few rules though, the biggest being not putting on her super-suit under any circumstances. Obviously, she quickly breaks this rule and we see the consequences of her actions almost immediately. Kraven and Gwen get a chance to go head to head about midway through the book, shifting the focus from Gwen’s introspection to Kraven's relentless pursuit. While I’m conflicted on Gwen coming to 616, this opening issue has definitely left a good taste in my mouth and I will be waiting for the coming issues! Grab a copy now!

Blood Hunt #2

The Blood Hunt event continues and this issue was definitely worth the wait! Picking up right where the last left off, Blade and his Coven have just laid to rest several heavy hitters on the Avengers, and are on the hunt for the remaining ones. Blade also requests the retrieval of his daughter, most likely in an attempt to convert her. What sells this issue for me are the actions the remaining members of the Avengers team take towards avenging their friends and taking back what’s left of the Earth. Definitely left me with a very hyped-up feeling, watching them put what remaining strength they had left to fight back against the vampires. Marvel promised an epic event for the summer, and so far they’ve been delivering on that promise! Highly recommend this book, as well as the tie-ins currently releasing!

The Spectacular Spider-Men #3

A very very interesting issue with Spectacular Spider-Men #3! We watch as the residents of New York City have their deepest wishes fulfilled by the same organization that has been responsible for the strange happenings around the city the last couple of weeks. We see Peter and Miles dealing with two very different realities, both of which center around their love lives—with Peter envisioning a life with Gwen had she never passed, and Miles picturing himself and Kamala Khan. A very interesting insight into what these two value above all else, and I hope the plotlines this issue introduced aren’t brought up simply to be discarded in later issues. While much of this issue is an internal battle for the characters, there were many things brought up that could drastically change the characters of the Marvel Universe going forward. Very satisfying read, and I definitely recommend it for everyone!