HUNGER

BRAND NEW ONE-SHOT SPECIAL! Jughead Jones has always had an insatiable appetite… but what if his hunger came from a sinister place? When a murderous menace is on the prowl, taking the lives of some of the most well-known and esteemed inhabitants of Riverdale, Jughead and his family’s dark legacy comes to light. Join writer Frank Tieri (Wolverine) and artist Michael Walsh (Secret Avengers) for this horrifying one-shot for TEEN+ readers.

“Hunger” #4 by Joshua Hale Fialov and drawn by Leonard Kirk concludes the miniseries bringing Galactus to the Ultimate Universe. If that sounds like a fairly prosaic description of a comic, it’s because the remit seems to have left room for little else. Spinning out of the literally universe-shattering conclusion of “Age of Ultron,” it initially seemed as though “Hunger” was going to be a huge deal for the Ultimate Universe, as Galactus peered in and decided he’d like a sample the goods. Unfortunately, it seems that readers will have to wait a little longer for the chance to see the big G actually attempting to chow down on Earth, because “Hunger” was four issues of lead-in to the forthcoming Ultimate event, “Cataclysm.” As a reader, it’s hard not to feel as though there wasn’t actually a story here. That’s not an entirely fair, of course — at least half of the series is an Ultimate Captain Marvel and Ultimate Rick Jones story in disguise, and this issue in particular hammers that ho

It’s kind of sad that the most exciting moment in “Hunger” so far actually took place in another series — at the end of “Age of Ultron,” before this one even began. “Hunger” #2 by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Leonard Kirk brings the series to its midpoint, but there is little excitement to be found inside as the double team of Galactus from the Marvel Universe and the Gah-Lak-Tus swarm from the Ultimate U make their way through the galaxy looking to devour everything. In other words, doing exactly what they’ve done countless times on their own with really no reason or explanation as to how this so-called event is any different from any other Galactus / Gah-Lak-Tus story. Questionable logic aside (like why the Gah-Lak-Tus swarm would so readily join with Galactus rather than simply try to consume him), the main focus of the issue is on Ultimate Rick Jones. Jones remains the prototypical slacker-drafted-as-hero, and like the concept of Galactus, Fialkov does little to really provide any ki

I ignored “Age of Ultron” as much as humanly possibly (or comics reviewer possible), as I do with all big event books, so I was surprised to find Joshua Hale Fialkov and Leonard Kirk’s “Hunger” #1 a compelling and engaging start to a miniseries, considering it was born of a crossover I tried my damndest not to read. Kirk’s artwork is perfect for all the epic space battles and high tech mumbo jumbo that this issue demands. His strengths aren’t in character expressions and real world banality, but then, he doesn’t need much of that to excel on this issue. When it comes to spaceships, space battles, forced teleportation, and Galactus madness, he absolutely brings it. While slightly weak on the more real-world things — like florescent lit skin tones give colorist Jesus Aburtov a panel bursting with glowing yellow teleportation effects, and the book just sings. And since the book is far more teleportation, the vastness of space and aliens, the weaknesses in the art are largely inconseque

BRAND NEW SERIES! Jughead Jones is a werewolf, and Reggie Mantle has fallen victim to Jughead’s monstrous ways. Now Betty Cooper: Werewolf Hunter along with Archie Andrews are hot on the trail of Jughead. For TEEN+ readers.