Expertly crafted in every way, but it needed more giant space monsters.

A great beginning to what should make for an entertaining end to a universe.

A stellar read that anyone - longtime comic book reader or not - would pick up and thoroughly enjoy reading.

A beautifully delivered homage to X-Men history, that has the potential to breathe new life into a struggling franchise.

The #0 issue was spectacular and this #1 followup was a well-written, beautifully drawn examination of what would happen if our greatest hero became our biggest threat. There's a not-so-subtle real-world angle to the entire thing, as well, and while that aspect of the story rings true throughout our actual history, it's impossible not to see current politics between the lines.

Take one part Marvel super-heroine and one part Star Trek-esque space station setting, stir well with a bit of fresh air from a young and hungry creative team, pour over a veteran artist, and enjoy an amazingly well put together comic book debut with a ton of potential. This new direction for Captain Marvel is exactly the sort of thing readers wanted out of All-New All-Different Marvel, and it's great to see the new branding finally pay off for readers. Captain Marvel has taken to the stars, and she's never been better. Get in on the ground floor here. You will not be disappointed.

Pencil Head as a series is an homage to an industry that's very easy to love to hate. The comic book industry, like other competitive entertainment mediums, is a cutthroat business with high demands from shallow people for little praise and full of highly creative individuals (A.K.A. crazy people) who are just too passionate to give up this life. And issue #1 sets up this tone for the entire series to come so very nicely. Funny, ingenious, and with an important perspective to share, Pencil Head is an interesting and enjoyable read.

'The Violent' is terrific, genre-bending comic full of surprises, heart, and a painful realness that's at some times difficult to read but completely impossible to ignore as Ed Brisson presents a meaningful, relevant, and poignant tale of family, crime, and life.

Whether you're a new reader or an old fanboy, have been reading Spider-Man for decades or have never picked up a Spider-Book in your life, you will walk away from 'Spidey' #1 satisfied and ready to read the same unforgettable story you've read before, yet again.

Synergy. One of the best world-building, character driving story tellers in the comic book business today. An artist with a style that fits this genre perfectly and the skill to bring it to the comic book masses. A colorist who knows the definition of 'less is more' and backs it up with one of the most effective examples of the practice I've ever seen. Even the lettering, logo design, and backup material in this book is wonderful, AND the book is a perfect fit for the Halloween Holiday. Everything has come together to give us a perfect comic book.

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While 'Paper Girls' #1 hangs much of its worth on presenting questions without giving many answers, there's a lot of potential of this series to become yet another example of BKV's expertise, and I'm definitely on board for at least another issue. The characters and setting, however, were delivered with such skill that it's nigh impossible to deem this issue as anything else but spectacular debut issue. If the crux of this book's plot stems from nothing more than a series of mysteries, however, there may not be enough ground to cover to really get readers as dedicated to this series as they are for other series, like SAGA. No, this isn't SAGA, but it's another quality comic book from Brian K. Vaughan that you should be reading.

At worst, 'Plutona' #1 is a fun, quaint, and quirky way to spend an entertaining half an hour meeting rich and compelling characters who end up connected by something truly thrilling and terrifying. But, at best, 'Plutona' #1 is the beginning of an emotional and socially worthwhile story of friendships, overcoming fear, and shrugging off awkwardness that all coming-of-age stories can teach, and reteach, each and every one of us.

Writers Donny Cates and Eliot Rahal deliver an expertly crafted comic book with a uniquely timely idea, imaginatively original characters, and outrageous concepts pulled directly from mainstream superhero comic books, then twisted just enough to make them hilarious. 'The Paybacks' is simultaneously a statement on an entire genre and an examination of modern times, that's both funny and relevant in a way that's compelling, fresh, and conceptually brilliant. The art accompanies the story wonderfully, adding to the overall tone of the characters and settings, and culminating in a stylistic synergy that most books fail to capture so perfectly. I cannot recommend this series enough.

Scott's notion of masculinity comes from his ideas that masculinity stems from man's superiority over both women and his environment, and the loss of height is tantamount to losing that privilege by becoming something "other". This, however, simply requires adaptation and the need to redefine the term altogether. Sound a bit deep? Well, it should, and this comic makes you think about timely and integral aspects of modern society, and that makes for a very special comic book: One that makes you think. Not many of those around.

The Combiner Wars event was good, almost great, but lacked a certain amount of depth that the Transformers series are known for. While there was plenty of action, and perhaps even some setup for future stories, the morality tales and "human" problems took a back seat to over-the-top action and fun character moments.

Entertaining and full of potential for real social importance, We Stand on Guard is a perfect scored comic. Run, do not walk, to your local comic shop and pick up a copy right now.

I really felt like putting on a flannel, listening to some grunge music, and saying the "like", like, way too often, while reading this book and it was a great feeling. It's seldom that a team of comic book creators can make you feel nostalgic for a TV show that was based on comic books. This amazing feat, however, was not pulled off perfectly, but those small missteps barely take away from the enjoyment of X-Men '92 #1. If you've even been a fan of that old series you'll definitely not want to miss this ish, but there's really something enjoyable from anyone who's even been a fan of Marvel's Mutants and the X-Men.

Despite feeling unimportant in the overall scope of the Marvel Universe, Squadron Sinister is wildly entertaining comic book, full of extreme violence, evil, and mistrust wrapped around something that is both inherently Marvel and DC, with an unmistakable Secret Wars flavor. Expertly crafted writing and artwork make this ish a terrific read that you should only miss if you're dead set against the very idea of a JL ripoff…because this series has a lot of them.

Secret Wars has certainly allowed for creative freedom at a publishing house infamous for putting short editorial leashes on writers, but it can't all be great, and 1602 Witch Hunter Angela takes way too many missteps for it to be a great comic. The universe that the ish gets half of its title from just isn't represented enough, and the character giving her namesake to the other half of the title just isn't represented well. The art, while good, is just as unclear as the story with two artists sharing pages, and didn't add anything meaningful to the narrative. It's a good one, but not great.

Despite the severe lack of zombies in a zombie comic book, Marvel Zombies #1 was a wildly enjoyable start to an action story starring a very entertaining and compelling character who desperately deserved the attention she is now getting in this book. Spurrier's well told action tale has just enough heart and mystery to keep readers interested, and Walker's artwork is a terrific accompaniment with great action sequences, consistent detail, and brilliant zombie depictions. Marvel Zombies #1 is a great start to what looks to be shaping up to be yet another must-read Secret Wars tie-in.

Long Distance isn't just a very well-written and beautifully designed comic book, it's a relevant and timely one, as well. Zahler marvelously captures the world as it is today, with spot-on pop culture references, perfectly delivered social media posts, and a plot that features a type of relationship that's becoming more and more widespread than perhaps ever before. Above all, however,Long Distance has heart. It feels real, I care about the characters, and I can't wait to travel down the road Carter and Lee's relationship has just now started upon.

Overall Secret Wars #3 is a terrific wrap-up of the first part of what is shaping up to be an event of epic, Multiversal proportions. Jonathan Hickman is both an expert storyteller and expert world-builder, and the groundwork he's laid in the past few years in his Avengers/New Avengers run is finally paying for readers and, most assuredly, the creator himself.

Secret Wars as a brand has been a bit tricky for me to put my finger on. There are some tie-ins that seem to merely glance by the fact that the events of the series are taking place on Battleworld, while others fully embrace the fact, putting Battleworld and its various nations at the forefront of the storytelling. The most compelling aspect of the Old Man Logan story (after Wolverine goes back to being a hero, that is) are the side-characters and the world itself, and while it appears like we're not going to get either of those in the rest of this series, we definitely didn't get enough of them in this single issue. But, man, that art is almost worth checking out the story til its end.

Suciders #1 wavers just a bit with its use of some overused story-telling techniques, but it's not enough to damper the amazing quality of the issue. It's a beautifully drawn, superbly colored, and very well told introduction to a series with a big world, bigger concepts, and even bigger characters. There's also some great opportunities for Bermejo to address important social issues, if he takes a risk. Discussing society through sci-fi is one of my favorite aspects of the genre, and if this first issue of the series is any indication, Lee Bermejo will take those risks. Pick this one up!

Busiek is doing some amazing things in this series, but he's taking his sweet time about it, and issue #4 of The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw is not only as slow as the previous issues, but it completely ignores many of the more compelling aspects of the series thus far. While I'm still enjoying his overall approach to the series, the pacing of this issue just didn't work well with the subject matter found within. Ben Dewey's art was as superb as it's been throughout the series, with only a minor hiccup here and there. Still a good issue for the series, but I want to see a lot more of everything else Autumnlands has to offer.

Despite building a unique and beautiful world and characters, The Empty fails to adequately put together all of its overarching plot elements. While there's a ton of cool things going on, they seem to be just haphazardly thrown toward one another, making for a lackluster story. The artwork makes up quite a bit for this lacking, however, and The Empty still has a ton of potential moving forward.

While Rick Remender plots a good story in Uncanny Avengers #1 misses on so many details and subtleties that are just impossible to ignore. Characterizations are off, the reasons for characters being around seem absurd, and the entire idea behind this team is being ignored. This Unity Squad is a group of government funded super-friends, using taxpayer dollars to get in their pals' personal business, while ignoring friends with real problems and the team's overall mission of pushing mutant/human relations. If it wasn't for Acuna's fabulous work this would be a complete bust.

I loved Star Wars #1 but it's really a sign of what's happening with the franchise as a whole, and things are going to change and they are going to change drastically. Things that have been integral parts of the history of the franchise since forever are fair game for change, and I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it now that I'm seeing it happen with each turn of the comic book page. Star Wars is now in the hands of the publisher that had the audacity to <insert ANY fanboy hatred Marvel has committed in the past 30 years here> and now it's real. This is the publisher that put their best selling character through One More Day and Brand New Day because they wanted to make Civil War a bigger deal than it already was, and didn't have an exit strategy. Welcome Home?

Star Trek/Planet of the Apes #1 isn't quite the peanut butter and chocolate combination I was looking for, but it's certainly peanut butter and jelly. It's not quite as sophisticated, with one side almost entirely eclipsing the other, but is still a very enjoyable experience. This is not a Planet of the Apes book, however, at least not yet, and while longtime Trek fans will be pleased, Planet of the Apes fans will have to wait at least another issue to see a payoff. Another thing worth noting is the fact that two different publishers are cooperating to bring this series together, and I hope beyond hope that this precedent leads to more IDW/Boom! Studios crossovers in the future.

There is truly something special happening in Superior Iron Man, and this specialness is on full display in issue #3. Writer Tom Taylor does a great job of building off of already established concepts in the series, while building on that with entertaining facets that are only now beginning to shine. Artist Yildiray Cinar is getting better and better, and the risks he takes with style and design are exactly what this reviewer was asking for in his review of issue #1. I was a bit on the fence with this artist, but he's pushed me over the edge, and I cannot wait to see more. The true appeal of this issue is the feels. I just wasn't expecting the level of emotion that the Daredevil scene of this ish provided, and the surprise factor pushed things over the top. It's a perfect score.

Like I said, there's a ton of potential in They're Not Like Us #1 but this single issue confuses quite a bit more than it entertains. The pacing is way off, and there are instances that are completely confusing. Yes, there is a certain X-Men quality that could be associated here, but that association is quickly lost by the reveal of the ultimately evil backdrop. While at its heart, X-Men is about overcoming our differences to find unity and equality. They're Not Like Us is taking the low road, showcasing a group of extraordinary people taking advantage of a society that couldn't possibly understand or stop them from doing whatever it is that they want to do.

Jay Faerber has done it again! One of my favorite writers of 2014 is heading into the New Year at full speed, and Graveyard Shift #1 is prime example of this. The twists and turns of this issue oblige the pacing quite well, but leave readers to wonder if any of that really matters by the end. Of course, none of this matters at all as Graveyard Shift #1 stands on its own as an enjoyable, highly entertaining comic, beautifully drawn by Fran Bueno.

A few surprises, a single disappointment, and a slower than expected buildup couldn't do much to bring down a brilliantly drawn and well-written story of sentient wild animals living in a post-apocalyptic world of feuding tribes. Ash Maczko's writing is terrific despite the slower than expected pacing, but the beautiful artwork of Ashley Witter is the only reason anyone needs to pick up this amazing comic book.

I can't stop raving about Lazarus! The series has done some great building of both the characters and the overall world up to this point, and that's been an amazing ride, but this creative team is just getting started, and issue #13 is solid proof of that. Greg Rucka doesn't just have a firm grip on the world and characters he's created, but he's giving readers intimate details of these creations, and the more I know about it, the more I love it. I swear, I don't like to hand out perfect scores for comics, but Lazarus deserves it.

The Bigger Bang #1 was a slow but compelling initial installment to a series that looks to be a wonderfully different take on the cosmic comic book genre. The blend of high adventure and morality tales, mixed with some of the most unique and artistic pens and colors I've seen in years, culminates in a terrific comic books. I'm hooked on everything about The Bigger Bang, and I can't wait to get more.

Despite a bit of lacking from the art, Superior Iron Man is exactly what it was promised to be, expertly delivered by a writer destined for more Marvel titles. From his lackadaisical vigilantism, to his attitude with Pepper to his being back on the sauce and loving each and every single drop, every fiber of Stark's being now oozes with arrogance, greed, and contempt, and I can't wait to see more.

Birthright is a comic book that takes everything you know about what makes for a good comic and takes it to the Nth degree. It's a thrilling adventure full of rich characters, with a plot that keeps readers guessing at every turn of the page. Writer Josh Williamson expertly weaves a tale that is impossible not to fall in love with, while Andrei Bressan's art completely sucks readers in to this wonderfully imaginative and daring world. If you're looking for big adventure that keeps you guessing do not miss Birthright.

While it's difficult to tell where Tooth & Claw is going to go after this, ish #1 was an interesting, if not strange, entry into a wonderfully imaginative world of magic and odd characters. The story, however, left something to be desired. The lead character was less than appealing, many seemingly important aspects were only glanced over, and even more questions arise by the book's conclusion. Despite these problems, Tooth & Claw was a solid first issue that leaves a lot of potential for the series, and it's a book you should buy even if it's just to see that wonderful art.

Memetic is a great comic book that anyone can pick up, read, and walk away from the experience with something substantial. There's a solid story, well paced horror, and an underlying examination of current societal trends that leave readers wondering, but stays open-ended and nonjudgmental. The character-driven tale gives everything a strong sense of realism, and I can't help but ask the question: ‘What If?' Accompanied by amazing art and backed by great design decisions, Memetic is definitely something you should check out.

Wayward #3 was kind of a stinker. It certainly built on the previous 2 issues, and left readers with a lot of questions, but there's no evident overarching story even remotely apparent, and chance meetings by real-world magic-users, mystery powers, and more awkward school days just aren't what I want to see. Wayward #3 was Wayward #1 and 2 all over again, with a bit more angst, a bit more action, a lot less substance. There's a team being built, but we have no idea why, how, or to what end, and it seems like no one, not even the intriguing characters themselves, care. I'm willing to give Zub the benefit of the doubt for caring so much for his own characters and wanting to build a story around them, and the art was its usual brilliant spot-on emotional depictions, action panels, and supernatural awesome, but Wayward #3 was a more-of-the-same, unconvincing repeat of the previous issues in the series, and I was hoping for more.

This ish is getting a lot of perfect scores around the interwebs, but I just can't do it. It's a great start to what should be an amazing Batman story, and, OMG, that surprise ending was worth every penny. Some looming questions, a price hike, and some boring back-up material bring things down a notch or two. okay, just a single notch.

The CBLDF's Liberty Annual 2014 is more of a statement and fundraiser than a cohesive and consistent comic book anthology, but the themes are there, and the book is more geared towards children. When looked at in this context, Liberty Annual 2014 is teaching some important lessons; lessons that may not be learned elsewhere due to the very censorship the CBLDF is fighting. Who know? Maybe this comic can be used in classrooms to teach the dangers of censorship. Or maybe that was the whole point. Teachable moments; amazing creator lineups; supporting a good cause. There's no way this one gets a bad rating.

Just in time for Halloween, Image Comics brings us another creator-owned title destined to be a smash hit. The lineup of Snyder and JOCK is a creative dream team that brings a synergy greater than the sum of the separate parts. The story is intriguing, the characters are interesting, and the horror is…well, horrifying. All this adds up to a winner.

Black Mask Studios is a young company that is taking the comic book publishing business seriously, and Last Born #1 is a prime example of the quality work they're doing.Last Bornis a fantastically weird sci-fi story with beautiful artwork, and a ton of potential. You should jump on both this title, and this studio, early. Last Born#1 is out October 1st, from Black Mask Studios.

Hickman's work on Avengers has been one of the best runs on the title in decades, but it's this previous success that leads me to dislike this ish so very much. The huge buildups and plot-points he's been creating for 34+ issues, have, presumably, been thrown to the wayside, and now we're only given the confusing aftermath of that buildup, with no real payoff until later, or at least once I buy all the AXIS issues.

Despite being way too scared than I should have while reading this book, I'm not sure I can really call that a ‘Bad Thing', and it would be unfair for me to lower my score just because I don't like big bugs. Manifest Destiny has been a wonderful comic book, and you can tell the creators have some confidence and are willing to push some boundaries as the title continues. This means things are not only getting better in this book, but it's going to keep getting better. This ish may have been a departure from the series thus far; the creators took a bit, and gave a bit; but different, in this case, was definitely good.

Because Howtoons is all about creativity, do-it-yourself projects, and education wrapped around a fun comic book story, all of those aspects need to be represented in each issue, but not all are equally in this one. A great start, though, probably required this sort of follow-up, and I'm sure it'll read a lot better in a collected trade, but I have to judge it as it is.

I'm a big fan of character-driven stories, and writer Jay Faerber knows how to do characters right. I'm also a big fan of sci-fi/westerns, and all the elements are here in this first ish to make for a solid, if not derivative, space western, but the genre is already pretty fleshed out at this point. The true star of this ish is the amazing work on art from one of my new favs Scott Godlewski, and I'm telling you, he's going to be one to look out for. I remember a little-known artist named Mahmud Asrar on another Faerber book called Dynamo 5, and he's one of Marvel Comics' All-New Young Guns. History is definitely repeating itself all over again.

Maybe if this ish felt like it mattered, or if I cared anything about the past events being depicted in this ish, or even if I thought that things between Peter and Gamora will be different by what's going on, Guardians of the Galaxy #18 would still have a clumsy approach, with terrific art that seems to be meant to compensate for a less than inventive story.

I'm not sure it's fair to base my final verdict on writer Jim Zub's previous work, simply because I know how different Wayward is meant to be from everything else he's done in the past, but I'm going to anyways; I owe Skullkickers' Rex and Rolf at least that much. Lucky for Mr. Zub, though, the art more then compensates for this lacking, and I have the utmost faith that Wayward‘s slow start will be long forgotten by the end of ish #2.

It's been a long time since a book has told a solid morality tale in the modern style with as much entertainment quality as New Avengers has. This ish takes things in a whole new direction by adding a directly opposing team of villains against our team of "heroes", but the true appeal of this title is the ongoing morality tale that Hickman is weaving into his multiversal incursion storyline. This is a story that is epic in scope, but, like all really good sci-fi, forces the reader to look inside himself and wonder, and re-wonder, what he would do if put in the same position. It's an imaginatively frustrating and entertaining personal exploration of humanity, that no comic book reader should be missing.

If you are looking for a great comic, full of great heroics, great story, interesting characters, and an even more interesting plot steeped in real-world problems; because I know for a FACT you aren't finding this stuff from DC or Marvel; I implore you to do yourself a favor and check out Critical Hit #1 from Black Mask Studios, and Matt Miner and Jonathan Brandon Sawyer. While Image Comics is certainly a place for different, there is no other comic studio/publisher releasing timely and important social issues wrapped in comics, and there certainly isn't one doing it as good as Black Mask Studios is with this fist ish. Critical Hit debuts on August 27th. For more on this book and more from Black Mask Studios check out their website.

I simply adored this book! It takes so many things that I love " comics, science, engineering, playing, spending time with my kids " and rolls them all into one very awesome comic book. From the initial opening that explains complex scientific themes in an easy to understand way, to the final pages of the book that describes the different types and uses of handsaws (something many kids may never get a chance to learn), I was thoroughly entertained and educated from cover to cover. Even better, I sat down and read the book with my 8 year old son, and after a trip to the local hardware store for some PVC pipe, we began and completed building his very own Marshmallow Shooter. Now, I can't know for sure if he really learned anything at all, but it sure was fun trying. If you have young children of your own, or are just a kid at heart, go out and pick up a copy of this very different, very ingenious, very awesome comic book.

Although I'm not going to let a retcon ruin a story for me, and I'm still going to be picking up the next issue of the event, Original Sin #5 does nothing but explain away a couple of established mysteries through the establishment of still more mysteries. Which would have been just fine if the solution to these mysteries wasn't an obscenely dramatic change to a character for the sheer reason of making the overall story work. Filling in Fury's retconned backstory, while a necessity for the entire Original Sin story, was such a departure from the previous issues in the series that it felt like the brakes were smashed to the floor, and any momentum that had been gained is completely lost. This was a big speed bump for the series, but with 3 issues to go there's plenty of time to save it, but it definitely needs saving after this ish.

All-New Ghost Rider #4 is a good comic book overall, and a fun addition to the series in it's very brief run so far, but it's not a great book, and is the worst of the series so far. There's nothing particularly bad going on, it's just not on par with the work in issues 1-3. What we have is the classic “filler issue”, and it's really hard for me to blame the creators in this case, because despite 6-issue arcs being the current trend, this filler issue wasn't boring, had a few semi-important thing going on, and was still a blast to look at even if the art fell off a tad. Definitely still a book to read, but not the best example of the run so far.

I love fantasy comic books a lot, but there just aren't that many great ones on comic book shelves. I am so excited that I can say that there is, indeed, one more great fantasy comic on comic book shelves. It's very early on in the series, but I'm sure the writer can keep up this pace, and it's going to be fun to see Asa Stone take his place as the Magi…whatever the hell that is. Rise of the Magi is a high-concept fantasy tale but it reads like a character-driven adventure story, with great characters and an awesome adventure. Jump on this while it's new, because you'll be hearing a lot more about it in the coming months.

All in all this was a great issue for old readers and new readers alike. And with the upcoming movie about to hit, Marvel is doing a great job of giving those new readers a chance to jump on the bandwagon while still providing some entertaining story for longtime Guardians fans. This is a tough one to rate. The writing was great; the art was good; but the overall score takes a hit because of the cover debacle. It's a shame when promotion for a book actually hurts it.

Inhuman #2 is a strong comic book, introducing new and interesting characters in a world with so many different characters it's tough to find something new, and is entertainingly telling a story that changes a group of characters created in 1965 in a way that they have never been changed before. While there's still a reminiscent X-Men feel to the "birth" of new Inhumans, the whole Royal Family feel and sense of belonging that is integral to the Inhumans truly sets the groups apart, and writer Charles Soule is doing a great job of getting this new and updated dynamic across while keeping to what's made the Inhumans stand apart all along.The Inhumans are flying headlong into the 21st century (finally!) and it's a really fun ride.

This new take on Magneto as a Punisher-style vigilante has been a refreshingly fun and different sort of comic book, and issue #4 was just as enjoyable as the beginning of this series. While the slow-build is getting a bit old, and things will have to change for ish #5 to not be my last, it takes nothing away from issue #4 of Magneto being a terrific comic book. The pace, the tone, the direction, the art style, and characterizations are all spot-on, and this new and terrifying menace of a Magneto is just really fun to see.

I hate to judge a book by the previous books in the current arc, but this issue doesn't really stand on its own, requires previous reading, and simply isn't as good as those required issues. There were plenty of cool concepts introduced, fun characterizations, and an amazingly well-done and important social statement, but nothing that seems will last into the next issue. The future King Thor half if this ish definitely saves it in the long run, it's a mixed bag for the present-day Thor half of this ish, but that wasn't enough to ruin it altogether.

Original Sin #2 was by no means a bad book, but it took a direction away from issue #1 that was unexpected in a way that leaves the reader wondering just where the event is going from here. I'm sure Aaron has a plan in place for the rest of the event, but this unsureness encompassing the overarching tone of the title, ie. the mystery, leaves a question in the reader's mind about just how much footing the event has. A slow, clunky start is not the way to sell an event early-on in the process, and it seems like a ton of the potential this title had in issue one was quickly taken away by the end of issue #2. Sure, Aaron can do away with all that within the first two pages of issue #3, but then what the hell was the point of this issue #2? Murder mysteries require there to be questions needing answers, but this event has way too many questions about the plot, and not enough supporting the plot.

This series has been good for the very simple reason that it's fun to see the original X-Men deal with the modern-day Marvel Universe, but this single ish completely ignores this idea in lieu of moving in a new direction. Although the future Brotherhood is a fairly interesting group of villains, they simply don't work for this book because of the inherent lack of fully understanding their motivations, and the fact that they are a newly created team from the future, taking away from the original team dealing with the modern day angle that was, up to this point, the driving focus of the entire story.

Deadly Hand of Kung Fu #1 wasn't a bad book by any means, it just wasn't the comic book I was expecting. Although I was looking for something that paid homage to those great and terrible kung-fu movies of my youth, what I got was just another Avenger's story, starring an Avenger that I don't really care that much about, doing things that only slightly resemble those weekend TV viewing pastimes on its subtle surface. At its core, Deadly Hands of Kung Fu is a karate book in name only, and is really just another comic book starring an uninteresting character.

The Original Sin event has given Marvel the chance to tell some interesting untold stories from Marvel's past, and, according to the tie-in solicits, that's the majority of what we're going to get. The same spider that bit Peter bit someone else, Thor and Loki have a sister, Iron Man and Hulk have some old-school beef, Professor Xavier left a last will and testament, among other things…and we simply had no idea it happened? Yeah, I'm not buying it! But this Avengers #29 tie-in dealt with the whole original sin premise echoing throughout the Marvel Universe in a way that works in current continuity and does so in brilliant fashion. If the rest of the Original Sin tie-in books are half as good as this one it's going to be a great summer. And Hickman's entire universal incursion story-line continues to twist and turn with each and every Avengers issue he writes, with a hard left-turn careening off the rails by the last panel of this issue.