The art and style of this series has really been refreshing and the simple, almost hokey even, stories have made this one of the most talked about series currently running. Panel after panel in this issue have the feel of nostalgia oozing out of them. Fall leaves and jakolanterns are everywhere and the feel of Fall and Halloween seem to be captured perfectly on the pages. The art alone takes me to years of trick or treating and frequenting haunted houses in my past.

There is a theme throughout the issue capturing the mindset of super heroes and villains on Halloween. The mindset that only on this one day can they walk among Gotham’s population as their masked selves and fit in. There are a few cameos of masked heroes walking the streets in anonymity surrounded by costumed children and adults. It brings a heart to the story and gives us another dimension to think of these guys.

There are a few surprise villains both in major roles and in the background. My favorite panel of the issue, a silhouette of Batman with the face of a jackolantern on his chest from the one the Joker is holding. It is begins and ends with dramatic events and it was a treat not to be let down by this big Halloween issue. The next one is already on my radar!

Captain America is still benifiting from a reboot from back before the summer of this year.

Batman is also capitalizing on the amazing big screen success of the Dark Knight. With great writing and standout art the recently completed Joker’s Asylum had some things in common with this weeks standout, Batman: Gotham After Midnight.

Finally on the standout roster are a pair of Secret Invasion titles that should give us one of our biggest SI weeks so far.

Darkness is falling and death rules the day. Is this truly the end of the Age of Super Heroes? Don’t miss FINAL CRISIS #4: “How to Murder the Earth!”

It does what it needed to which was to take the story to the action that has been going on in the other SI titles but it does it really well. There is what seems a little to much like an in story ad for the iPhone but it actually works. It was not just in the background glaring at us it actually had a decent part in the story. There is still a sense of confusion that has been permiating in all the SI titles but the characters are developed and we get another reminder of the whole point of this tie-in, that it is following a newspaper editor following and reporting the story as we watch.

This book also does the important task of creating even more anticipation for this upcoming weeks Secret Invasion titles. I have been impressed by Secret Invasion: Front Line and have really enjoyed it’s take on this big Marvel event. The next issue and final of this series should be a good one as well.

-Heath