Admittedly, the plot here is still paper thin. Someone targeted Captain America and they're following a lead, which in the end doesn't really amount to much. But I can't say I mind too much because the fun here is in watching these versions of these characters from the 2099 world interact with each other. It has me hopeful that the post-Secret Wars 2099 book will get a chance to really do some work in that time period and establish things. The Defenders are a nice balance to what we've had so far and it brings fun people into play overall while also working to show in blunt terms that there's things that the Alchemax sponsored group isn't dealing with. It's a familiar storyline but one that's getting just the nods here rather than anything significant. It spends more time dealing with pointless fighting than that, though the pointless fighting at least has some fun moments and lots of drinking. Read Full Review

As ever, Hercules is the star of the book, and his affection for Valkyrie and disdain for Roman the Sub-Mariner are among the highlights. If anything, the problem is that the Defenders frequently overshadow the Avengers. Read Full Review

The series continues to be fun and action packed, but Secret Wars 2099 has abandoned its most interesting elements and still struggles with plot, stakes and theme. Read Full Review