Infestation 2 #1
Written by Duane Swierczynski
Art by David Messina, Valerio Schiti
Ink Assist by Gaetano Carlucci, Federica Manfredi
Colors by Scarlet Gothica, Eleonora Carlini
Letters by Robbie Robbins, Shawn Lee
Covers by Alex Garner, Livio Ramoindelli, David Messina, and Joe Phillis
IDW Publishing
Release Date: January 25, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Although summer is still months away, it feels like it’s here because Infestation 2 #1 feels like a big summer crossover/comic event. And in fact, it is.

Duane Swierczynski does a FANTASTIC job setting up this event. This issue is both set up AND execution. While none of the licensed characters appear in this issue, you get the origin of the monsters that are set loose to go and attack the Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the GI Joe team, and more. This is one comic that’s packed with action from start to finish. Any history or continuity points are revealed in between action sequences. This is a great first chapter to the next two months of Infestation comics.

Steel
Reign of Doomsday Part 1: Full Circle (One-shot)
Writer: Steve Lyons
Artist: Ed Benes
Cover Artist: Alex Garner
DC Comics
Release Date: January 5, 2011

Steel #1 is part of a series of one-shots and regular issues that DC Comics is releasing with iconic covers of their heroes. Alex Garner‘s artwork on the cover immediately catches your eye.

The story begins in the middle of a battle between Steel and Doomsday, the vicious creature that murdered Superman in the monumental Death of Supermanstoryline. All of Metropolis’ other defenders are unavailable, so it falls on John Henry Irons to defend the city. Irons is recently recovered from a coma, but he feels that it is his duty to stop Doomsday.