It seems like we've got a lot of events culminating around this month, bigger than before; because The New 52 has only begun to scratch the surface of events; but that's mostly been a good thing, only the truly deserving storylines become events, and they're not nearly close to being exhausting. We'll have to see about Trinity War though.

ACTION COMICS #14

Superman looks just as baffled as I am. Don't get me wrong, the composition is damn excellent, but seriously, what the hell is going on HERE? Last issue had that bondage dog collar thing, suddenly there's angels? But the weirdest part about this is the fact that the solicit mentions The Multitude that Brainiac alluded to, and the conflict will be happening on Mars; and then the cover has an army of angels in a blue sky? Grant Morrison, what crazy drugs have you been taking this time?

ALL-STAR WESTERN #14

Ok, this has a similar sense as the previous one, but ends up far goofier. The grins just seem to give people hilarious faces instead of creepy uncanny ones. And Jonah Hex just doesn't look at all like Jonah Hex, I barely recognized him. The story sounds REALLY interesting, but I'm wondering why there's no description of what the co-feature will be, but it says there will still be one.

ANIMAL MAN #14

BLACK ORCHID! DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND! I ALREADY LOST HAWKMAN!

They're dragging me away to where I really belong, IN SWAMP THING!

BUT HE'S ALREADY GOT POISON IVY AND DEADMAN! I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET!

AQUAMAN #14

All right, this is a solid cover. Not an artistic masterpiece, but good poster fodder. Introduction of Ocean Master getting a simple cover like this works fine, especially for Geoff Johns... It'll be interesting to see Pete Woods doing a guest art issue, his work on Legion Lost has been solid, and his run with Paul Cornell on Action Comics was excellent. Also, apparently the conclusion to The Others is connected to this, and that intrigues me.... though now that I'm typing it out I realize that's a very 'Geoff Johns' move.

BATGIRL #14

Hmmm, Ed Benes' work actually looks good here. He managed to resist the urge to highlight Batgirl's boobs and ass together. And he's made the Joker look deliciously creepy. It's amazing that what makes this work is something that is generally the opposite of Benes' m.o., and that's subtlety and minimalism. There's no background behind The Joker, and it makes him really stand out with the glare of the spotlight. He looks like such an amazing fusion of gentelmanly and psychotic. It looks like he'd just finished dancing a tango with her, and we have no idea if he stabbed her before or after the dance, he's just that insane and chaotic. And the valentine's candy really ties it all together with a beautiful bloody bow.

BATMAN #14

THIS. IS. FANTASTIC. It's so goofy on a level that genuinely works. Joker's just watching his hastily stacked monitors dressed as a utility worker. The whole makeshift headquarters is just so damn Joker. Everything about this cover is unexpected, and pretty much the opposite of the previous cover. It just feels like this is a rare 'behind the scenes' look at The Joker as he works on a plan. It's genius in the way is so unexpectedly clashes with the intensely creepy tone of the previous cover and the other 'Death of the Family' tie-in covers.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #14