This book is VINTAGE awesomeness! See the earliest days of Judge Dredd, including an original treatment of him as "judge, jury and executioner" that was adjusted down for the ongoing stories.

This book collects the earliest Dredd stories from 2000AD in the late 1970s. What the stories lack in subtlety they make up for in old-school action. The character is not fully fleshed out, and these early stories have some of the same noir feeling as the Batman stories from the late 1930s.

There are better Dredd books, but this volume is essential if you are relatively new to the character and want to dive into the earliest days.

This book is also worthwhile if you are a child of the 70s and miss some of the straight-ahead storytelling and action from that era.

Plus, be on the watch for early work from well-known creators like Brian Bolland. It's a visible surprise when his work pops up (like Bolland's one-page artwork in Walter the Wobot near the back of the book)

The Princeless is a terrific line of books from Action Lab. The stories in this volume are easy to get into, the artwork and storytelling is solid, and the characters are interesting. The Runaway Prince is a fun story about overcoming prejudice and others. The Smiths story centers around the breakup of a family and the choices that are faced by the child who may be in the middle. There's also a preview of the story from the next volume of Princeless, which serves as a pretty good introduction to the personalities of the main characters, Adrienne, Bedelia, and Sparky.

This is a book you can share with anyone, and your kids will enjoy it as well. Don't let the "all ages" moniker fool you, though . . . this is an enjoyable comic to put in your reading pile as a breezy change of pace.

Since the Top Cow Rebirth, we have been wanting to see Sara and Jackie "reunite." Not so they can get together, but so that Sara can confront him and put him in his place. This is a satisfying chapter of the Progeny crossover, and it brings plenty of action in the midst of major internal conflict for Sara. What takes place is a classic fight between the Darkness and the Witchblade, only to end with a feeling of "to be continued later."

This issue is notable for Top Cow fans, as a previously unknown event from the ending of the initial Artifacts mini-series is revealed and makes us question everything we have known thus far. The Top Cow Universe continues to crack under pressure, and Sara is beginning to remember what her life held in the past.

Witchblade 164 is a solid chapter following Artifacts 25 and leading nicely into Darkness 111.

Mouse Guard is an outstanding example of comics done right. It's great to say that it is also an example of "All Ages" storytelling done right. Mouse Guard Winter #1 picks up with the Guard on a mission to obtain medicine for the kingdom from an outpost settlement. While this first issue jumps right into the story, the characters and scenes unfold quickly. There is not a lot of exposition in the text, but the action provides what the reader needs as the story is told.

David Petersen's artwork is outstanding. With Mouse Guard, he produces some of the best sequential art being made. This issue includes intrigue, a little mystery, and some key examples of how hard it must be for a mouse to traverse the wilderness in the face of elements and predators. As soon as you feel like the Guard is winning and catching a break, another life threatening challenge faces them.

Mouse Guard displays courage, communication, and adaptability at its best. 10 year olds will enjoy this story as much as readers 5 times as old.

Archaia, also, is a low-risk publisher. The consistently put out high-quality comics. Mouse Guard is a prime example and worth your money.

You need to be reading this book! Not only is it free, it is a high-quality story from some seasoned creators.

In this issue, Velocity is still on the run looking for Stryker. She has information about the Aphrodite Protocol along with what she believes is knowledge about how the world will end. Cyberdata is hot on her heels to get her back in control. Oh, it also adds to the intrigue that she is the daughter of the Chairpeople of Cyberdaata.

This issue #3 helps to bind the frenetic pace of 1 and 2 together. The three read together are satisfying and make you ready for 4 and 5.

The artwork is decent, but it's the coloring of Andy Troy that makes it really pop, particularly digitally.

Yes! If you are a fan of mysticism and mystery, along with Arthurian legend, then Son of Merlin should be in your collection.

The story is well crafted, with enjoyable action in the first half and needed introductory material in the second half. It's a solid start to this series, and priced just right at under a buck.

The art by Zid is gorgeous, with a realistic, painted style. The storytelling really comes through in this style. It's the right style for a story like this one.

The Think Tank story continues to evolve with issue #5. There is enough background setup in this book to make it a good jumping-on point, although you will more likely be ready to buy the Volume 1 collection.

There is a new element to the Think Tank story in this issue: a more whimsical humor that comes through, particularly when describing grim details about how DNA can be deconstructed to help identify targets for genocide. It's a grim subject, and Hawkins and Ekedal keep us pushing forward to see the horror that is possible within our own real world.

Top notch book.

This book wraps up a solid story arc, but I recommend you pick up #161 and #162 to be fully satisfied. While the issue is good and readers can follow it, the story will make more sense with at least the previous issue being read.

I have become a fan of the artwork of Diego Bernard, who has created a nice flow and panels that make sense through the book. The artwork shows movement and subtlety, and he really works hard to set a new standard with rain effects in outdoor scenes. Mainly he does a good job with this, although there are a couple panels of water sheeting that don't work as well as he might want it to. Still, solid art worth the price of the book on its own.

As with most recent Top Cow Universe books, you'll invest some time reading this story. It's nice to get your money's worth in these days of speedy comic reads.

AAM/Markosia puts out good stuff, and Haven #1 is certainly in the "good" category. I mainly enjoyed the art, which has a sketchy quality that is carried forward in the coloring.

The story is interesting and mystical, although there are a lot of unanswered questions in this first issue. However I am no so confused that I want to throw it aside; I want to read more and find out about the powers that are about to be granted to Haven in her quest to fight the "bad people" and clear her father of murder. This is made unique in that she has a strained relationship with her dad, at best. Haven herself has a long history and a bad reputation. Unfortunately, that's all we know.

The writing gets a little bogged down with exposition. Yet there is a skill coming through in the writing that makes him a promising talent. With more experience, I think this team will continue to improve.

Flare is the most recognizable character in the Heroic Publishing stable, and this collection of her stories is accessible and well made. The stories are full-on superhero tales, but there is a tongue-in-cheek nature that helps make them fun to read.

The art is cheesecakey, but the characterizations are well thought out. Heroic doesn't shy away from the stereotypical superhero body-style, instead it makes that a key element of the art. It's distracting enough to appeal to the adolescent boy, but not so much that it's not a decent read for the rest of us.

Overall a good value at the Drive Thru price. You get a lot for your money here. Note: these will just collect the Flare adventures, not the backup stories from other Heroic characters like Liberty Girl that might have been in the original issues.

This book is engaging, compelling, and skillfully crafted. That's the quick "I only have one sentence" review.

Beyond that, Think Tank vol. 1 is one of the most carefully crafted books I have ever read. Writer Matt Hawkins gives us a technological thriller, made more frightening by the plausibility of the tale. The military has tech and secrets that we can barely dream about. Hawkins gives us a peek into a grim reality that is present, not future.

Artist Rahsan Ekedal is at his best, and his panels compliment the writing very well. You may remember his deeply emotional characters in the Graphic Novel Echoes. He takes a bold forward step with his work in Think Tank.

Your enjoyment of Think Tank is directly proportional to the time you spend reading it. If you can take your time, soak in the words, drink in the art, you will be rewarded.

Think Tank vol. 1 also is a good choice to give to other readers. The story is accessible and short enough to avoid intimidation. I would recommend this book as an engaging escape that'll also influence how you look at the world around us.

Artifacts continues to be one of the solid monthly books being created. With Artifacts #23, it is the art which takes center stage. Sejic is a master at digital painting, and this issue is a showcase for his remarkable storytelling and striking action scenes. Nobody can render demons in action in the same way, with the same kinetic energy.

In this issue Tom Judge battles a demon both as the Rapture and again as a priest in an exorcism. It is remarkable when Judge actually acts as a priest, and the resulting scene is compelling and intense, despite displaying what seems to be an established ritual.

Enjoyable read, and a feast for the eyes.

Artifacts #22 begins a new arc with a teaser: a mystic and horrifying tragedy takes place between a priest and a parishioner in a confessional booth. Even though this is a dream in the mind of Tom Judge, can the return of the Magdalena be far behind?

The meat of the story begins with Tom Judge (the Rapture) and Tilly Grimes investigating a ritualistic killing in Washington D.C. Along the way, Tom confronts the workings of hell as the fully enabled Rapture. A lot of action is blended with the mystery here.

This issue has everything that Top Cow does best these days. Well written stories filled with the supernatural, touching on horror, and firmly rooted in the mystery of how this universe came to be. Mix in Stjepan Sejic's gorgeously painted panels, and you have a book worth reading and re-reading.

There is a place for Fearless Dawn in your collection. Creator Steve Mannion resurrects all the best elements of the early EC comics . . . the good-girl art, the clever humor, the frenetic panels, and the gruesome creatures. He blends in some modern-day sensibilities (reminiscent of Mike Allred's work) and creates something that will hold up for years to come.

The story is a bit madcap, which matches the art nicely. This book will give you some engaging and fun reading.

It's hard to know exactly when this takes place, but the settings and characters suggest a range in 1935-1945. The writer places us "16 years later" to start the story, staying in that time period throughout. We see Nazis. We see goons hyped up on a super-soldier Combat Drug. And the battleground is that hot spot known as Manitoba.

The book is a lot of fun. I am excited to keep reading this story.

This book might surprise you. If the description doesn't not hook you, the execution of the story will.

The main character, David Loren, is a believable mix of gifted intellect and sensible lethargy. This man is years ahead of his colleagues in logical thought and technological creativity. With these gifts, it makes sense that he would be arrogant and unafraid of authority. As a result, we follow somebody who takes risks that give us a start. His brilliance makes us admire him while his treatment by authority makes us root for him.

Writer Matt Hawkins has a refreshing command of the language, turning phrases that are natural and correct. It is notable that his script avoids common errors in comics today (he writes "a whole other" instead of the easily mistaken "a whole nother," for example). Beyond that, his experience comes through in the structure of the story. The writing sets the pace, and i found myself reading more carefully as the book went on. This wasn't due to the word count; it was the natural flow of the issue.

It takes a special effort to get me to read a book steeped in science. Hawkins tricked me into it, though. The story begins with a profile of this overachieving scientist who happens to be an under-performer. It can be easy to admire somebody who lives like they are on a permanent vacation. From there, however, you get an introduction to fascinating and frightening technologies that may already be in military hands. Midway through, you are compelled to understand more of the details. You'll go back and refresh yourself on F=ma.

Artist Rahsan Ekedal is an emerging talent, best known for his work on Echoes by Joshua Hale Fialkov. With Think Tank, he has taken a noticeable step up in his storytelling and execution. There is good movement in the story, and he does a solid job expressing the emotions and subtext in his figures and faces. A good test of success is how well you can recall the story when flipping through the artwork alone. This art passes that test.

Think Tank is unsettling. It is plausible. And it's good comics. Some of the mainstream books I buy take only 5 minutes to read. This book will take more of your time, and you'll be glad for it.