Black Panther still has a long way to go before it becomes a book I'd recommend reading, but the simple fact that it is showing improvement is encouraging. I'm not sure how much farther the series can go with such goofy dialogue dragging everything down, but I'll cross my fingers that the coming of Morlun will be a catalyst for even greater improvement.

Cable hasn't exactly been setting the comic world on fire, and that's not changing here. But it's now more clear than before that Duane Swierczynski has an overarching point to the whole exercise and the X-line will at least get a compelling new mutant to its ranks by the end.

But unlike the conclusion to the war against the Adversary, which was unexpectedly brief but still culminated in a gripping sense of excitement and uncertainty for the series, this foreshadowing does little to capture the imagination. This series has often been in want of a clear and purposeful sense of direction. The conclusion to the Mister Dark conflict does nothing to foster that direction. Fables needs a new injection of fun, and this time it had better come from a new direction and not another Adversary or Mister Dark.

Hastings dawdles a bit as he introduces the Walrus and is perhaps a bit too sly with his hints of the hammer's true import, but he has created an engaging premise for issue #2. On its own, issue #1 does not offer a compelling reason for a purchase, but it does bring hope for a strong series conclusion.

As a Fear Itself tie-in, Youth in Revolt isn't quite unique or ambitious enough to rise above. But as a vessel for revisiting forgotten characters and relationships from Avengers: The Initiative, it succeeds quite well. Adjust your pull list accordingly.

Hulk isn't just a bad book. There are plenty of those. Quite frankly I can ignore the bulk of the lackluster independent books out there and even trash like What If: Fallen Son. They are forgotten within days if not minutes. What I hate, what I truly find problematic, is a book like Hulk, one that consistently places high in the monthly sales. It's not just bad, it's a poor representation of what we love to read. People read Hulk and never think something like Thor or Ex Machina is possible. It's frustrating to think that all editorial control in this industry seems to turn off at the whim of sales. I understand that at the end of the day this is a business, but it seems to me there's also a responsibility not to abuse these characters, and that's exactly what's going on here.

Yes, there are some odd and aggravating qualities to the series right now, but overall "The HAMMER War" is shaping up to be an enjoyable little Avengers crossover. My biggest concern right now is merely that the story won't have time to fully expand and breathe in the last few months before Avengers vs. X-Men takes over.

It's telling that the most enjoyable issue of Red Hood and the Outlaws almost completely omits Arsenal from the equation. Lobdell now seems to have a strong handle on two team members, but the series can't thrive in the long run until the same can be said for the entire cast.

If Anya can't enjoy her own ongoing solo series, at least projects like this help expand her story and keep her in the spotlight.

Hopefully, next issue is when The Rinse kicks it into high gear. The foundation is set and now I'm ready for some payoff. If you're a fan of series like Criminal, you might find The Rinse to your liking, just expect a much slower burn.

The best alternate universe storylines are the ones able to leave a profound and lasting impact on the characters afterwards. In that sense, Age of X was a major success.