Contest of Champions #1 is, so far, my favorite series born from the aftermath of Secret Wars. It gets right to the thick of its purpose without burying us with too much exposition which believe me is a great thing. For that reason this easily comes recommended. Read Full Review

Can a comic inspired by a mobile game really work in today's market? I'm not sure; but, with ALL-NEW ALL-DIFFERENT MARVEL POINT ONE tying in to this so strongly, and with a possible focus on the international market, I think this may be the best chance a book will get. I'm definitely going to be along for the ride, and I wish the whole team the very best of luck! Read Full Review

It almost feels like an entirely different universe to the main Marvel storylines, which might be the point, or it might be a by-product of the merchandising nature of the comicbook's inception. So far, that remains intriguing, if by-the-numbers, and I'll be looking for more of the edgy/comedic dynamic and for a continued balance of new, obscure, and twisted characters as the series continues. However, the reluctant point-of-view character is a bit bland, and something more substantial or out-of-the-box may be needed to really capture my attention. Read Full Review

Contest of Champions #1 isn't a bad book and features plenty to enjoy, but there's also a distinct lack of characterization or setup for most of the comic. It has good writing, a neat lead character, decent artwork, and an enjoyable backup story; however, at a steep price point of five dollars and not a lot happening story-wise, I think you could wait on this issue a bit until you can get it cheaper — or see what we say about issue two, of course. Read Full Review

Ultimately, Contest of Champions #1 is a decent debut for the "All-New, All-Different Marvel" initiative. Readers may find the premise a little too familiar in the wake of Secret Wars but Ewing's penchant for strong characterization keeps the story engaging. The art in both stories is effective, with Paco Medina getting to show off his skill in action. Thomas Labourot gets the short end of the stick, with an underwhelming back-up. In a competitive market, Contest of Champions will need to offer more in the way of narrative to be successful. Read Full Review

His characterization of the "British Punisher" being a prime example of how the talented writer can make most scenarios relatable. But the novelty of throwing characters from different series together has more than worn off at this point. Read Full Review

"Contest of Champions" #1 has little to do with the handheld video game or the original miniseries. There is a text page in the back of the issue where Bill Rosemann spells out the connections and teases upcoming synchronous events, but the story itself just seems like a random collection of oddball Marvel characters. The mystery of the "Secret Wars" conclusion inevitably keeps this issue from being more impactful, but Ewing, Medina and company give readers enough material here to be judged independently. This isn't the worst debut, but it needs to put some hustle into the next issue to hold readers' attention and provide them with legitimate rationale to pick this title up issue after issue. Read Full Review

It feels weird coming out at the same time as the Secret Wars does similar tricks, but it's pretty strong for a video game adaptation… Read Full Review

"Contest of Champions" delivers a very average first issue. The premise of having characters fighting either against their will or for some carrot being dangled in front of them is an old one. This issue doesn't bring anything new to the table for that idea. This comic takes a few obscure characters and focuses on them while some of the better known characters make appearances to keep things interesting. The usage of caption boxes to both provide character insight as well as describe action is awkward. The artwork is very strong for a comic that is supposed to look and feel epic. Overall this is an average comic book with some minor potential going forward. At five dollars you might want to look elsewhere. Read Full Review

Another one of those comics intended to accompany a video game. These are rarely worthwhile and this one doesn't appear to be an exception. The creative team does a good enough job, it's just not something that works well as a comic because the mash-up fights don't feel earned or worthwhile. The Guillotine character looks cool, I'd like to see her in an interesting story but not so much in a mash-up brawl. I'm going to recommend to save your money and just play the game if the concept interests you.