This week’s releases may not have been large in numbers but were massive in storytelling and in their overall importance in their respective universes. With Secret Invasion #2 coming out later on this month and Final Crisis set to kick off at the end of May, this week’s releases we uncover important pieces of each company’s puzzle. As for Black Summer, it’s just a kick ass comic. Ready for some reviews on full-auto? Let’s roll!

Black Summer #6 (Avatar)
Despite having one of the most bizarre release schedules I’ve seen recently, Black Summer remains my favorite indie comic book on shelves right now. The sixth issue, technically the seventh, gives us a massive battle between the remaining Seven Guns as well as a look at a possible return of Tom Noir. Next issue, unless the action of this issue confused me, should see John Horus fighting off a gang of Gun-Killers which could be the greatest fight in the title so far. Great writing by Ellis and, as always, spectacular artwork by Juan Jose Ryp. While the ending seems a little bit rushed, it’s still a solid preview into the final chapter of this epic.
- 8.4/10

DC Universe #0 (DC)
Readers of Countdown could have saved themselves $151.99 by picking up this one issue, which sells for $0.50 by the way, and still being at the exact same place as the people who hadn’t read a single issue of the disappointing and pointless weekly series by DC that ended last week. DC Universe #0 is written by the duo of Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns. As for art, that job is covered by eight different people including George Perez, Tony Daniel, Aaron Lopresti and JG Jones to name a few. This is the perfect comic for DC to show off the plans for their massive stories this summer and should please any DC fan out there.
- 7.9/10

New Avengers #40 (Marvel)
This comic hardly feels like an issue of New Avengers. In fact, if someone wouldn’t have mentioned to me that I was reading a New Avengers comic, I would have been completely lost. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Bendis and Cheung are at their best as this issue explains just how screwed all of the heroes are. The history of the invasion as well as the developments of the Skrull empire that have enabled the aliens to infiltrate the Earth and remain completely undetected. This is the best issue of New Avengers in a very long time.
- 9.1/10

Want a copy of New Avengers #40? Buy one here!

Rapid Fire Reviews are written and posted every Friday and feature reviews of some of the biggest titles in comics…in as few words as possible! All the review, none of the filler!