Top 10 Countdown: September 26, 2015

10. Knuckle Puck - Disdain
Last week: 5.

9. The Wonder Years - Cigarettes & Saints
Last week: NEW!

8. New Found Glory Feat. Hayley Williams (Paramore) - Vicious Love
Last week: 9.

7. Simple Plan - Boom
Last week: 8.

6. Patent Pending - Brighter
Last week: 7.

5. Neck Deep - Gold Steps
Last week: 6.

4. Set It Off - Forever Stuck In Our Youth
Last week: 4.

3. Pvris - Fire
Last week: 3.

2. Man Overboard - She's In Pictures
Last week: 2.

1. State Champs - Secrets
Last week: 1.

Special: Top 10 Critically Acclaimed PS4 Games

Hello everyone! This week I finally got a PS4 and although I currently only have 2 games for it (MLB 15 The Show; Yu-Gi-Oh!) I decided to take a peak at what other people recommend which cause me to dig in depth so here my friends are the top 10 critically acclaimed PS4 games as of this writing (Friday September 18, 2015). Which games would you recommend? As always hit me up at twitter @DonnyForTheWin or in the comments below!

10. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remastered
Rating (8.4)

Summary: Two RPGs - Now in High Definition. Over 200 hours of gameplay, including the International version content never before released in North America. Relive the fateful journey with fully remastered HD visuals and rearranged music.

Praise: Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is already great way to play these classic RPGs on the PS3 and Vita, and the even prettier PlayStation 4 version comes with the visual improvements you’d expect for the new-generation platform.

9. Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition
Rating (8.4)

Summary: The definitive edition of this action game arrives with enhanced 1080p graphics at 60fps, new features and all the original DLC included. Chain together stylish combos with up to 8 unique weapons. Traverse the demonic world of Limbo as you join Dante and Vergil in the legendary rebirth of the Devil May Cry franchise.

Praise: The Definitive Edition is an already fantastic game perfected and shined up brighter for an audience that didn't come in nearly the droves that it demanded the first time. DmC walked the walk and talked the talk of an envelope-pushing experience on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. On the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, it's the chaotic, anarchic Devil May Cry the new generation needs and deserves.

8. Axiom Verge
Rating (8.4)

Summary: A failed scientist dies in an accident, only to awaken in a mysterious, alien world. Where is he? How did he get here? And why do the fundamental laws of reality appear broken? Life. Afterlife. Real. Virtual. Dream. Nightmare. It's a thin line. It's Axiom Verge

Praise: Its story is simple, yet subverts convention with its attitude. The exploration loop is incredibly satisfying, and combat feels both tight and adaptable, like a complex dance where the partners both accentuate each others strengths, allowing any weak points to fade into the background. I could go on, but honestly, the next sentence sums everything I need to say up quite nicely. You really, REALLY, should play Axiom Verge.

7. OlliOlli2: Welcome To Olliwood
Rating: (8.5)

Summary: OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood plucks the iconic skater from the street and dropping him squarely in the middle of the Big Screen’s most bodacious cinematic locations.

Praise: OlliOlli2 is what happens when a developer takes in feedback and does its best to employ the best of said feedback. There isn’t one aspect of the original OlliOlli that wasn’t improved in some way, shape or form in OlliOlli2. The new visual style is incredible, the mechanics are as close to perfect as you can get, the soundtrack is packed with amazing songs and artists that complement the gameplay and there’s exact parity between the PS4 and PS Vita versions of the game. In short, OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood is nothing short of a masterpiece.

6. Dark Souls II: Scholar Of The First Sin
Rating (8.7)

Summary: Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin includes the 3 previously released DLC packs - Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the ivory King - along with additional features. All versions of the game include the following features (Existing Dark Souls II owners will receive a patch to implement these elements): Additional NPCs added for an enhanced story experience. Parameter adjustments for improved game balance. Augmented item descriptions. Improved online matchmaking functionality.

Praise: Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin certainly comes off as a definitive version worth checking out. The changes in enemy placement can be a bit jarring at first, but I think you’ll agree that these changes keep the overall game feeling fresh, regardless of how many hours you devoted to the original game. And if you’re coming off of Bloodborne, and wanting more From Software goodness, than Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin certainly fits the bill.

5. Batman: Arkham Knight
Rating (8.7)

Summary: Batman confronts the ultimate threat against the city he has been sworn to protect. The Scarecrow returns to congeal an imposing array of super villains, including The Penguin, Two-Face and Harley Quinn, to summarily destroy The Dark Knight. The game introduces Rocksteady's uniquely-designed imagining of the Batmobile drivable for the first time in the franchise. Batman: Arkham Knight offers gamers a complete Batman experience as they rip through the streets and soar across the skyline of the iconic Gotham City.

Praise: The Bat could not have hoped for a better send off. Graphically astounding, narratively compelling, and featuring two utility belts full of new gadgets. This is bat-time very, very well spent.

4. Bastion
Rating (8.9)

Summary: The goal of the game is to construct a safe haven in the wake of the Calamity, a cataclysmic event that shattered the world into a series of floating islands. As players journey into the wild unknown in search of survivors and supplies, they will confront strange beasts, forge an array of customizable weapons, and gain new powers from specially-brewed spirits. The entire play experience of Bastion is dynamically narrated, gradually revealing a rich backstory as the narrator reacts to the player's actions in real time.

Praise: When the credits first rolled all those years ago, I simply sat in my chair, completely blown away at what I had just experienced. While it may have taken a few years to find its way onto the Sony platform, Bastion still stands as proof to what a small team of creative and passionate individuals can accomplish, and that video games as a medium have an infinite amount of potential. Hopefully, we can all stick around long enough to see what comes next.

3. Shovel Knight
Rating (9.1)

Summary: Shovel Knight is a sweeping classic action adventure game with awesome gameplay, memorable characters, and an 8-bit retro aesthetic. It's a hot mashup of new and old! You play as the eponymous Shovel Knight, a small knight with a huge quest. Shovel Knight has come to this land with two goals: to defeat the evil Enchantress and quest for his lost beloved. He wields a Shovel Blade: a multipurpose weapon whose techniques have now been lost to the ages. Always honest and helpful, Shovel Knight is a shining example of the code of Shovelry: Slash Mercilessly and Dig Tirelessly! But, between Shovel Knight and his beloved stands a cadre of villainous knights. These terrible foes, known as The Order of No Quarter, have been dispatched to prevent Shovel Knight from reaching the Enchantress, and will pursue their mission at any cost. If you love games with perfect platforming, beautiful art, infectious music, crazy bosses, humor and levity, and real heart... Shovel Knight is for you!

Praise: Luckily Shovel Knight is generous with its placement of checkpoints, allowing a measure of modernity where it could have easily opted for the old school Nintendo-hard approach. Likewise, the only real consequence to dying is the loss of some of your treasure which, taking a page from the Souls games, can be recovered upon returning to the spot you died at previously, provided you don’t die again that is. In fact this idea of recovering your own gold can potentially add more to the game, as it encourages revisiting the often precarious situation that killed you in the first place for the opportunity to gain back your hard earned treasure. Unfortunately, there were occasions where the treasure I dropped ended up in a place that made it impossible to recover (such as the point-of-no-return in a bottomless pit) which detracts from an otherwise smart take on dying in a platformer that doesn’t rely on lives and 1-Ups.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Rating (9.2)

Summary: With the Empire attacking the Kingdoms of the North and the Wild Hunt, a cavalcade of ghastly riders, breathing down your neck, the only way to survive is to fight back. As Geralt of Rivia, a master swordsman and monster hunter, leave none of your enemies standing. Explore a gigantic open world, slay beasts and decide the fates of whole communities with your actions, all in a genuine next generation format. Also known as "The Witcher III: Wild Hunt"

Praise: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt sets a new standard for open world RPGs. Its shockingly cohesive world is as beautiful as it is demanding, and it's packed full of mature content that throws you from one emotional response to the next. Its storytelling is superb, its combat is grippingly refined, and its often unforgiving nature only lends itself to a brilliantly rewarding experience. In an industry that's flooded with so many by-the-book open world titles, Wild Hunt stands out as a true labour of love from a developer that's uncompromisingly passionate about its creative freedom. Geralt's incredible adventure is nothing short of a masterpiece.

1. Bloodborne
Rating (9.2)

Summary: Bloodborne is an action RPG in which you hunt for answers in the ancient city of Yharnam, now cursed with a strange endemic illness spreading through the streets like a disease. Peril, death and madness infest this dark world, and you're tasked with uncovering its darkest secrets which will be necessary for you to survive. Armed with a singular arsenal of weaponry, including guns and saw cleavers, you'll require wits, strategy and reflexes to dispatch the agile and intelligent enemies that guard the city's underbelly. You will utility holy chalices to access an array of vast underground ruins, chock full of traps, beasts, and rewards, to explore and conquer on your own or with other people.

Praise: Bloodborne may not be a Souls game and it doesn't fall into the horror genre, but it captures everything that makes the series so satisfying, so terrifying and so magical.

I want to keep playing, I want to discover its secrets, I want to fight every monster, try every weapon, discuss theories and explore as many of the community dungeons as possible. To put it bluntly, I want to bleed the game dry.

Praise: Bloodborne may not be a Souls game and it doesn't fall into the horror genre, but it captures everything that makes the series so satisfying, so terrifying and so magical. I want to keep playing, I want to discover it's secrets, I want to fight every monster, try every weapon, discuss theories and explore as many of the community dungeons as possible. To put it bluntly, I want to bleed the game dry.

Top 10 Countdown: September 19, 2015

10. We Came As Romans - The World I Used To Know
Last week: NEW!

9. New Found Glory Feat. Hayley Williams (Paramore) - Vicious Love
Last week: NEW!

8. Simple Plan - Boom
Last week: NEW!

7. Patent Pending - Brighter
Last week: 8.

6. Neck Deep - Gold Steps
Last week: 7.

5. Knuckle Puck - Disdain
Last week: 1,

4. Set It Off - Forever Stuck In Our Youth
Last week: 5.

3. Pvris - Fire
Last week: 4.

2. Man Overboard - She's In Pictures
Last week: 3.

1. State Champs - Secrets
Last week: 2.

Special: Critically Acclaimed Current Comic Book Series

What's up everybody! Time to do another contest, this month I'm giving away a box of comics! Want to win? Read below but first this week's special we're going to run through the most critically acclaimed titles from all the major (and not so major) publishers!

In an effort to highlight the most well received current comic book series, below is the list of the top comic book series of the past three months. To be eligible for this list, a series must have had at least two issues published within the past three months and at least five reviews for each of those issues. The rating will be in parentheses and is the average rating for the issues published within the last three months.

DC Comics:

Prez (8.8)

Meet Beth Ross, the first teenaged President of the United States. In a nation where corporations can run for office, the poor are used as human billboards, and tacos are delivered by drone, our only hope is this nineteen-year-old Twitter sensation. But the real question isn't whether she's ready for politics - it's whether politics is ready for her. Don't miss this 12-issue miniseries!

Other Notables: Grayson (8.6); Batman (8.5); Gotham Academy (8.4); Justice League (8.4)

Marvel Comics:

Daredevil (9.0)

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT! Join Marvel's fearless hero as he begins his most awe-inspiring adventure yet in the sunny city of San Francisco! Gifted with an imperceptible radar sense and a passion for justice, blind lawyer Matt Murdock—a.k.a. DAREDEVIL—protects the Golden City's streets from all manner of evil. But big changes are in store for Matt Murdock as old haunts and familiar faces rise to give the devil his due. Hold on tight, because here comes Daredevil…the Man Without Fear!

Other Notables: Weirdworld (8.9); Black Widow (8.9); Ms. Marvel (8.3); Groot (8.3)

Image Comics:

Southern Bastards (9.0)

Welcome to Craw County, Alabama, home of Boss BBQ, the state champion Runnin' Rebs football team...and more bastards than you've ever seen. When you're an angry old man like Earl Tubb, the only way to survive a place like this...is to carry a really big stick. From the acclaimed team of JASON AARON and JASON LATOUR, the same bastards who brought you Scalped and Wolverine: Japan's Most Wanted, comes a southern fried crime series that's like the Dukes of Hazzard meets the Coen Brothers...on meth.

Other Notables: The Walking Dead (8.8); Roche Limit: Clandestiny (8.8); Nailbiter (8.7); Birthright (8.6)

Dark Horse Comics:

Harrow County (8.5)

Emmy always knew that the deep, dark woods surrounding her home crawled with ghosts, goblins, and zombies. But on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she learns that she is connected to these creatures—and to the land itself—in a way she never imagined. Don’t miss the first issue of this southern gothic fairy tale from the creator of smash hit The Sixth Gun, beautifully and hauntingly realized by B.P.R.D.’s Tyler Crook!

Other Notables: Archie Vs. Predator (8.4); Age Of Reptiles: Ancient Egyptians (8.4); Fight Club 2 (8.1); Mulan: Revolutions (8.1)

IDW Publishing:

Jem And The Holograms (8.4)

SHOWTIME, SYNERGY! Meet JERRICA BENTON-a girl with a secret. She and her sister KIMBER team with two friends to become... JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS! But what does it mean to be JEM today? Fashion, art, action, and style collide in the most outrageous comic of 2015!

Other Notables: Ghostbusters Get Real (8.4); Godzilla In Hell (8.3); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (8.0); Sherlock Holmes: The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (7.8)

Dynamite Comics:

Red Sonja (8.5)

THIS IS IT. Red Sonja gets a fresh new attitude by the dream team of writer GAIL SIMONE (Batgirl, Birds of Prey) and artist WALTER GEOVANI (Prophecy, Witchblade), on the book they were born to create. Sonja pays back a blood debt owed to the one man who has gained her respect, even if it means leading a doomed army to their certain deaths! 

Other Notables: Will Eisner's The Spirit (8.0); Swords Of Sorrow (7.8); The Shadow (7.7)

Boom! Studios:

Lumberjanes (8.8)

Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five best pals determined to have an awesome summer together...and they're not gonna let any insane quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way! Five best friends spending the summer at Lumberjane scout camp...defeating yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons...what's not to love?! 

Other Notables: Giant Days (8.6); Burning Fields (8.6); The Fiction (7.9); Power Up (7.9)

Now for the moment you've been waiting for! How can you win? Easy!! Just comment below OR! Tweet me at @DonnForTheWin with your favourite comic book character to be entered to win a bunch of comics courtesy of me! Good Luck!

Top 10 Countdown: September 12, 2015

10. Pvris - Holy
Last week: 10.

9. Nate Ruess - Great Big Storm
Last week: NEW!

8. Patent Pending - Brighter
Last week: 9.

7. Neck Deep - Gold Steps
Last week: 8.

6. The Maine - English Girls
Last week: 1.

5. Set It Off - Forever Stuck In Our Youth
Last week: 6.

4. Pvris - Fire
Last week: 5.

3. Man Overboard - She's In Pictures
Last week: 4.

2. State Champs - Secrets
Last week: 3.

1. Knuckle Puck - Disdain
Last week: 2.

Special: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation/Justice League: Gods & Monsters/Sinister 2 Mini-Reviews

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation:

With the IMF disbanded, and Ethan (Tom Cruise) out in the cold, the team now faces off against a network of highly skilled special agents, the Syndicate. These highly trained operatives are hellbent on creating a new world order through an escalating series of terrorist attacks. Ethan gathers his team and joins forces with disavowed British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), who may or may not be a member of this rogue nation, as the group faces their most impossible mission yet.

My thoughts? Tom Cruise continues to prove that he is seemingly ageless as he continues to pull off all the stops and stunts needed to continue building M:I to the heights it has attained against seemingly impossible odds (heh). Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner and Ving Rhames continue to play off Cruise's Ethan Hunt character very well. An argument can be made that this is the finest M:I movie to date, the same argument can be made for finest movie of the year.

Final Verdict: 5 out of 5 action sequences.

Justice League: Gods & Monsters:

In an alternate universe, very different versions of DC's Trinity (Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman), who operate outside of the law, are framed for murders of prominent scientist and the government decides to take them out.

My thoughts? Although I give DC big points for originality, Batman being equal parts Kirk Langstrom and Vampire; Superman being the son of Zod who fled to Earth to be raised by immigrant mexicans; Wonder Woman errr Bekka is a New God and former Daughter-in-law to Darkseid. The fact remains that for most of the movie that story felt flat as it seemed the writers were trying to hard to add easter eggs as opposed to telling a coherant story. The voice-acting was excellent as was the dark and violent animation style that fits this movie more than any other DCAU movie but truth is this movie lacked. However the DCAU set to roll out 3 films of excellent quality next year this could be simply the calm before the storm of awesomeness.

Final verdict: 3 out of 5 otherworldy Justice Leaguers.

Sinister 2:

The sequel to the 2012 sleeper hit horror movie. In the aftermath of the shocking events in "Sinister," a protective mother (Shannyn Sossamon of "Wayward Pines") and her 9-year-old twin sons (real-life twins Robert and Dartanian Sloan) find themselves in a rural house marked for death.

My thoughts? Although the original left much to be desired it at least had some positives, this sequel however has it's fair share of problems. This movie keeps you feeling uncomfortable and has it's share of jump scares but the plot doesn't move very fast if at all and is mapped out poorly to start with, though this isn't exactly surprising given Blumhouse's history with low budget horror fare. The first film at least benefit from Ethan Hawke's acting and a story that kept you guessing but being a sequel we already know the formula they are going to use which makes the film predictable fare.

Final verdict: 3 out of 5 boogeymen

Top 10 Countdown: September 5, 2015

10. Pvris - Holy
Last week: NEW!

9. Patent Pending - Brighter
Last week: 10.

8. Neck Deep - Gold Steps
Last week: 9.

7. Neck Deep - Can't Kick Up The Roots
Last week: 2.

6. Set It Off - Forever Stuck In Our Youth
Last week: 7.

5. Pvris - Fire
Last week: 6.

4. Man Overboard - She's In Pictures
Last week: 5.

3. State Champs - Secrets
Last week: 4.

2. Knuckle Puck - Disdain
Last week: 3.

1. The Maine - English Girls
Last week: 1.

Comic Shop Corner: September 2015

First Wednesday of the month so let's count down some comics!

28. Justice League United #13
Last ranking: 27 (out of 27)

Guest artist Paul Pelletier joins the JLU for a special storyline that sees Stargirl and the team of Steel, Robotman, Batgirl and Vandal Savage enter a war zone that's at once very familiar and utterly weird. Plus: the long awaited return of a legendary DC Comics hero.

27. Secret Wars #6
Last ranking: 20 (out of 27)

THE FINAL WAR!

26. Secret Six #6
Last ranking: 23 (out of 27)

What is the Secret? Actually, there's more than one-and the answers are revealed here. The true identity of Mockingbird was only one of the secrets, and it's not even the most shocking. Plus: A marriage that should not happen is proposed. A person you thought was long gone returns. And at least one of the Six is not the person you think they are. (Okay, it's the dummy.) From this point on, all bets are off.

25. TMNT Color Classics #9
Last ranking: 26 (out of 27)

"City at War, Part Seven." While Splinter faces off with the Rat King in the dark sewers, the TMNT are given an ominous invitation to a meeting with Karai!

24. Gotham By Midnight #9
Last ranking: 25 (out of 27)

As the Midnight Shift is dragged in for interrogation by Internal Affairs, Dr. Tarr makes a startling discovery that might change everything for Corrigan and The Spectre. But will it be too late?

23. The Paybacks #1
Last ranking: NEW!

Heroism doesn't come cheap, so when superheroes borrow money to finance their genetic enhancements or crime-fighting supercomputers, their debts make student loans look like IOUs! Enter the Paybacks, a repo squad composed of bankrupt former heroes here to foreclose on everybody's secret lairs! From the team that delivered the acclaimed Buzzkill!

22. Bat-Mite #4
Last ranking: 19 (out of 27)

There's a new bad guy in town: Gridlock, the villain who's stuck in the past! And now, he's out to stop the future from coming! Booster Gold, the hero from the future, obviously can't allow that, but when he seeks Bat-Mite's help in finding this purloiner of progress, it doesn't take much of a prognosticator to predict that he's going to regret it.

21. TMNT Amazing Adventures #2
Last ranking: 22 (out of 27)

The adventures continue! The Turtles face a new, all-powerful foe. To survive they'll have to turn to... Shredder?? Bonus story featuring a comic book made by Mikey!

20. Lobo #10
Last ranking: 21 (out of 27)

Lobo is finally face-to-face with Sinestro! But did our favorite bounty hunter bite off  more than he could chew when he agreed to kill the leader of the Yellow Lanterns?

19. Harrow County #5
Last ranking: 18 (out of 27)

After uncovering Harrow County's twisted history and her own bizarre connection to the populace, Emmy forges a new and profound connection to the land and its creatures-but a familiar and sinister presence lurks just over the county lines . . .

18. Justice League of America #4
Last ranking: 13 (out of 27)

As The Flash struggles to get back to the present, the rest of the team regroups for a rematch against the overwhelming forces of the Church of Rao. And, as foreshadowed in issue #1, they must also consider how to prevent the seemingly inevitable death of Superman!

17. Silver Surfer #14
Last ranking: 14 (out of 27 - July)

THE LAST DAYS - "UNIVERSE 2.0" Given unheralded new power, the Silver Surfer is tasked with REMAKING THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE! From the laws of physics to the origins of new life itself, what strange new cosmos will Norrin Radd will into being? Meanwhile, Dawn Greenwood has a far less intimidating task. All she has to rebuild... is Planet Earth. Plus, if the Surfer, Dawn, and Toomie were the only survivors of the previous cosmos to make it into the void... why are they not alone?!

16. American Vampire: The Second Cycle #10
Last ranking: 16 (out of 27)

Vampires in space! The war against the beast takes to the vast vacuum of stars, but who is inside the space suits (and what they find inside the space ship!) must remain to be seen. AMERICAN VAMPIRE: SECOND CYCLE continues to suck every last drop of dread from the century's most dramatic decade.

15. Fight Club 2 #5
Last ranking: 5 (out of 27)

Since he was discharged from the mental hospital, Sebastian has been a do-nothing cog in the world's largest military-industrial corporation: Rize or Die. Marla searches for clues among the various clubs that have spun off of Tyler's original fight clubs, and she discovers that Project Mayhem is not a boys-only enterprise-not anymore.

14. Action Comics #44
Last ranking: 11 (out of 27)

The epic "Truth" arc reaches its finale as Superman makes some brutal choices and discovers the source of the Shadow Warriors.

13. Hip-Hop Family Tree #2
Last ranking: 15 (out of 27)

Hip Hop jumps from the streets into the record business in this issue documenting the first rap songs on wax by acts like the Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious five and Kurtis Blow. Discover the secrets that took place to make Hip Hop culture the global phenomenon that it grew into.

12. Justice League #44
Last ranking: 2 (out of 27)

Darkseid versus Anti-Monitor! A corrupted Superman versus Lex Luthor! Myrina Black versus Grail! This chapter of "Darkseid War" has it all-plus an ending that will change the League forever!

11. Deadpool Vs. Thanos #1
Last ranking: NEW!

We all know Thanos-the man who single-handedly made bejeweled gloves into THE deadly weapon of choice for mass murder. But did you know he shares an ex with Deadpool? No, not Vanessa-I refer to the cosmic "lady" known as DEATH. And when everyone in the universe stops dying, both of her former beaus take an interest. Can the pair overcome one's overwhelming hatred of and annoyance by the other? Or will Thanos finally let Deadpool die once and for all?

10. Deadpool Vs. Thanos #2
Last ranking: 11 (see above stupid)

Also see above... Stupid.

9. We Stand On Guard #3
Last ranking: 14 (out of 27)

What will torture look like in the future?

8. Batman Beyond #4
Last ranking: 9 (out of 27)

Everyone knew he wasn't good enough to be Batman, and now Tim's mistake has put humanity at risk. But when all seems lost, an old friend takes him back where it all started. Will a gift from the past give Tim what he needs to save the future?

7. Sex Criminals #12
Last ranking: 5 (Same issue resolicited)

Suzie and Jon continue the worst recruitment plan in the history of entertaining second-act montage sequences. Getting the band together never had so many fluids. By Hollywood jerkhole MATT FRACTION (ODY-C, SATELLITE SAM, Hawkeye) and literally a shed-full of car keys that somehow manages to draw comics.

6. Grayson Annual #2
Last ranking: 4 (out of 27)

When Dick comes home to find that the Batman he knew is gone, he seeks out his mentor, Superman. But both friends have changed since they last met. Can they find common ground and team up to stop Blockbuster's plans for Spyral?

5. Grayson #12
Last ranking: 6 (duh!)

For the first time since he faked his own death, Dick Grayson returns home to Gotham City. But will Spyral ever really let him go for good?

4. All-New Hawkeye #5
Last ranking: 4. (way back in June!)

A boy at odds with his big brother. A hero out of sync with his partner. Team Hawkeye, both past and present, is fractured. Things come to a head as Barney, Clint, and Kate learn what it means to carry the name Hawkeye.

3. Batman Annual #4
Last ranking: 6 (out of 27)

Batman is gone... but Bruce Wayne is alive? What does that mean for Gotham City? And who is Bruce Wayne without Batman? This special annual delves deeper into the mystery building, and whether or not Bruce can ever really escape from the shadow of the Dark Knight.

2. Batman #44
Last ranking: 3 (why have you not figured this out yet?)

It's the origin of new villain Mr. Bloom! In a tale from Bruce Wayne's past, Batman must investigate a vicious crime in the shadowy area of Gotham City known as the Narrows. Don't miss this special issue illustrated by superstar artist Jock (Wytches, GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE)!

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #50
Last ranking: 1 (out of 27)

The epic conclusion to over four-years worth of storylines! The Turtles stand against Shredder for one final battle that will determine the fate of NYC, and the world, for years to come!