Dan Jeal Comic Reviews

It was nice to see an oversized issue containing one, succinct story that is the perfect introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the character and is the ideal read before the movie arrives. Ramon Rosanas's art is also very nice, simple but clean with no noticeable flaws and a surprising amount of expression. It doesn't stand out but it perfectly suits the character and the story. There are really no bad things to say about this issue; it's a very strong start to the series and great introduction to the character.

The art of the issue is extremely inconsistent. There are some pages drawn with incredible detail and others where the main heroes on the page look gawky or in some cases are completely faceless. It's the inconsistency that causes the art to be distracting as the low points really stand out. Inconsistent is probably the best way to describe the whole issue as the story as the isn't too bad and could go in an interesting direction. It does seem like a strange choice for an event however and until the end feels more like two separate comics - one Avengers title and one X-Men title.

Overall AXIS #2 does a lot with what wasn't the most exciting premise to begin with. With some great moments and some interesting story development the issue has shown that AXIS could be a fun event if the quality continues to improve.

AXIS #3 is a fantastic issue and while the story may not be going in the direction some may hope, its other qualities more than make up for it.

Overall this issue undoes all of the progression in writing quality seen since the start of the event, and the story feels as fractured as it did in issue one. Other than the formation of one united X-Men force and Iron Man's potentially interesting story this issue really doesn't have much to offer.

Overall the story still isn't as compelling as past events and even this far in still feels quite fragmented. However, unlike the last issue, this one does have quite a few redeeming features and they do help mask its mediocrity. Consistent really isn't the word to describe this event, whether talking about the writing or the art and it's starting to become tiring.

Though the issue doesn't really go anywhere, the individual narratives are all taken in interesting directions and the characters are well written. The fight between Wanda and Dr. Doom was a highlight. The two characters fit well in their reversed rolls and they are well matched. It's short lived but it stood out from the general mediocrity of the issue. The event still doesn't feel like it has a clear direction and while the concept was so promising, it is so poorly structured that it's borderline dull; certainly not the fast paced game changing event it could have been.

The highlight of the book is the first page. It is totally separate from the story but it's a really nice addition. It features TV interviews of random citizens of New York and their reactions to Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. An angry news reporter suggests it's pandering, two elderly men argue that it should have been Luke Cage or Ben Grimm, and a young girl in the arms of her parents says she wants to be Captain America when she grows up. The page adds nothing to the story, but it does show the various reactions to the news in real life, and it's nice to see something this self-aware. It just shows care on top of an already brilliant read.

While the issue is well written, its connection to the AXIS event feels forced, despite being better than some of the other tie-ins. It does feel like Al Ewing really does enjoy writing these characters and has good plans for the series, if only we can get the AXIS event out of the way and get on with the real story that is trying to be told.

Both this series and the newly released Star Wars comic do something better than any other Star Wars media in the past. They capture the feel of the original series, and there's not much more you can ask for than that.

The art of the issue is extremely inconsistent. There are some pages drawn with incredible detail and others where the main heroes on the page look gawky or in some cases are completely faceless. It's the inconsistency that causes the art to be distracting as the low points really stand out. Inconsistent is probably the best way to describe the whole issue as the story as the isn't too bad and could go in an interesting direction. It does seem like a strange choice for an event however and until the end feels more like two separate comics - one Avengers title and one X-Men title.