Hardware #2 - Last we saw Hardware he was fleeing the police in his high tech suit. After being framed for intentionally setting off the ‘Big Bang’ Curtis is out to clear his name and to do that it’ll take a well planned heist, with a gorgeous assistant to help of course. But things rarely ever do go as planned, and Curtis must decide between saving the life of an innocent caught in the crossfire and saving his reputation and name. His decisions have begun to weigh on his conscience but seeking comfort from his ex one more time before trying solve all his problems doesn’t seem to break the ‘it’s all my fault’ funk that has set in.

  

Black Panther Legends #1 - A new telling of the life of young T’Challa. This time around T’Challa has an adopted white brother from outside the borders of Wakanda named Hunter. The current question weighing on King T’Chaka’s mind is do they open their borders to the outside world and make treaties and welcome other in or do they stay hidden. But danger awaits when the UN council coming to visit turns out to be black market dealers looking to get their hands on the vibranium mines. This new Black Panther story definitely feels as though they’re trying to bring the feelings of the MCU movie while also updating the current story of who T’Challa is without altering what he stands for. If you enjoyed the movie then you’ll feel a similar taste but the comic does a good job distinguishing itself as a different timeline.

  

Star Wars the High Republic Trail of Shadows Issue #1 - No such things as too much Star Wars if you ask me! This new mini-series picks up right after the Battle of Grizal. The Jedi are still trying to make sense of everything that happened and what exactly they saw happen with Master Loden. As the best hope for the Jedi, Master Emerick is tasked with investigating what exactly happened on Grizal and out if the Jedi killing weapon the Nihil have is real. Meanwhile Sian is playing babysitter to her new partner Keefar Brantos, an ex bounty hunter who got messed up in all the wrong things in his previous lives and is still managing to cause himself (and her) trouble. Things quickly take a turn for the worst for these two at the same time as Master Emericks enters into battle with the last remaining Nihil on Vrant Tarnum and comes face to face with the sound that has been plaguing his mind since the battle.

  

Batman: The Imposter #1 - I’m sure you guessed it, but there is a fake Bat roaming the streets of Gotham. Unfortunately, this one isn’t a do good-er and more of a caped killer. But with a pretty convincing costume and the dark of night on his side, everyone thinks Batman has abandoned his code. Bootleg Bat’s crimes are all over the news and the citizens turn to Gotham PD for justice. They are just as upset by this sudden change, and can no longer turn a blind eye to their pal vigilante. The only way Batman can fix this is to figure out who the imposter is, and more importantly who is pulling his strings. While Batman works this case, Bruce is getting some much needed (yet unwanted) help from an unlikely Gotham citizen. Now a knock on the door of Wayne Manor may be the final nail in Batman’s legacy.

  

Legends: Black Panther #1 - Time to take trip back into the past and visit a young T’Challa before he becomes the Black Panther. Now his father, T’Chaka, holds title of ruler of Wakanda and he thinks it’s time to make a few changes. Much to his wife’s dismay, he has agrees to a meeting with The UN inside of Wakanda’s walls. Ramonda tries to reason with T’Chaka explaining the peace Wakandians have kept because they shield themselves from the outside world, but the king makes a counter. Years ago they found an abandoned baby on the border, and although he is was white they took him in and raised him as their son alongside T’Challa. A recent visit to Ramonda’s homeland of Johannesburg, South Africa, a country plagued with racial divide, further proved the point, and they new Wakanda must be better. But the UN meeting goes terribly wrong with Klaue back on his bullshit. T’Challa might have to pick up the mantle of Black Panther and ruler of Wakanda sooner than anyone would have liked, but this time he has his brother Hunter by his side!

  

Batman The Imposter #1 - While the book itself was a delight to read it doesn’t seem to offer up more than what a perceived real world Dark Knight would be. That could be me, but besides some explaining as to how a real world Batman would operate, it’s still just Batman trying to stop a newly introduced villain from harming the city and his reputation. Gordon is gone, Alfred is gone and Bruce is diagnosed with all manner of disorders including possibly being on the spectrum. All would actually happen in the real world, because the world does not abide by comic logic. The art was great and really delivered on accentuating the tone of the book. Also didn’t realize that the writer of this was a co-writer on The Batman so that’s cool!

  

Batman ‘89 #3 - It would have been cool to see Billy D. Williams get to be Two-face. All we have for the movies is Tommy Lee Jones, and that could have gone better. With this issue, we get to see what that might have been like. The first part of this issue got me hook, line, and sinker. Maybe if I had remembered what happened at the end of the last issue it wouldn’t have, but I didn’t. There’s a part in here where Batman and Catwoman have a meet up to engage in some rooftop foreplay. I can’t help but imagine Michael Keaton saying the things that are spoke and it does not bode a favorable image. This comic rocks.