AWA; $17.99

Sarah Ross is the Raven, a woman with superpowers who uses those abilities as a thief that only steals from the super-wealthy. Sarah’s plan is to make one last big score so that she can retire and live happily ever after with her fiancé and two sons. Unfortunately, she gets IDed by her latest powerful target, and a team of superpowered people are sent to assassinate her. After a devasting attack that leaves Sarah traumatized, readers meet the real Raven, and The Madness becomes a story of ferocious vengeance.

The Madness by J. Michael Straczynski begins with a daring theft, then introduces morally ambiguous people with superpowers masquerading as heroes, and the dark side of government deals. It’s a superhero story with a dark side, and a lot of action in nearly every issue.

The art is a collaborative effort with pencils by ACO, inks by David Lorenzo, and colors by Marcelo Maiolo. Each page has a different approach to the panel structure and style, which keeps things fresh from start to finish. They present the action from many different angles and perspectives, clean lines that add to the realism, and colors that bring the light and dark aspects together nicely.

-Amanda Sheriff