The story isn't particularly memorable, but there's a certain boldness to be appreciated in how it escalates despite how contrived the payoff ultimately is.

Its a solid story held back by Paulo Siqueira's art.

It's one of the best looking issues of Soule's Astonishing X-Men run yet.

Soule's dialogue between team members gets better with each issue, though this issue is a bit light on substance.

Soule's Astonishing X-Men has been a fun ride, and the finale isn't bad, but it doesn't quite live up to the title's name either.

It's a book fans are going to want to like, but the artwork will serve as a barrier to entry.

Astonishing X-Men should be a really enjoyable X-Men comic with a more comedic bend than any of the other books in the current line, but the art is working against it.

The dialogue, the tone, the plot are all there for an exciting and unusual X-Men series, but without the visuals to match it continues to feel half-baked.

The banter between the X-Men and the Reavers remains a strong point in Rosenberg's script, especially certain characters finally calling out Beast on his tendency to end up on the wrong side of nearly every conflict for the past several years.

The actual plot of the issue"which involves the return of Xavier's old foe Lucifer"may not be the most memorable, but expectation-defying characterizations and their potential ramifications will linger.

"Avengers: No Surrender" continues to be a throwback to the epic, cosmic, do-or-die superhero fare that so many Avengers fans fell in love with in past eras.

The origin of the mysterious Voyager, the formation of the Lethal Legion, and the resurrection of the Black Order are all finally explained. Mark Waid, Jim Zub, and Al Ewing manage to make it compelling.

This issue is primarily told from the point of view of Red Wolf, who gets a rare moment in the spotlight in the midst of the Avengers mega event.

The visuals don't quite do the concept justice, but it's a fun, almost self-contained adventure that also manages to push forward some of the central mysteries of the larger "No Surrender" story.

Both parts of the story are well executed, and the former dovetails nicely into the latter as "No Surrender" continues to escalate in exciting ways.

Another stellar chapter in the "Avengers: No Surrender" saga as the Hulk continues to threaten every Avenger left standing.

This may not be a traditional Avengers lineup at work, but its classic Avengers storytelling in top form.

Its all executed well enough, and in the grand scheme of things, this breather of an issue is necessary to reset the board for the final act of "No Surrender", but it's also not the most memorable chapter of the saga.

All of that is drawn by multiple art teams delivering on the promise of these ideas with different levels of success.

It isn't bad, but it feels like it doesn't quite meet its full potential.

t's a bit sentimental, but after the journey, it feels earned.

With another creative team change coming next issue, Cable remains a book searching for an identity.

Cable being Cable, those specters are especially literal and deadly, but its good to see "the man called Cable" fulfilling his potential again.

There's still a ways to go, but so far this is the best Cable story since the era this issue is set in.

Cable continues to weave a terrifying web through Cable's history, this time through a locked room scenario in which everyone happens to be an incredibly powerful mutant.

This is simply the definitive Cable story.

"Out of Time" seems like exactly the kind of story that Captain America was created to tell, and the first issue is executed flawlessly.

Chris Samnee sure knows how to draw a Captain America action sequence. He gets to draw a few in this issue, the middle chapter of the three-issue "Out of Time" arc, and they are as dynamic and graceful as fans have come to expect.

Captain America #700 delivers an appropriate ending to what feels like a quintessential Captain America story.

There's a fun twist ending, and some of the individual artwork is stunning, but otherwise, it feels like there's not much to hold onto.

Any attempt at subtlety that Mark Waid may have been making in his latest Captain America story goes out the window in #703 as the conflict becomes defined as the technocratic, universalist, elite blue-skinned Kree against the retrograde fascism and hate of the Red Skull, with regular people caught in the middle, their only hope resting with America's youth -- literally, youngest descendant of Captain America.

Several moments feel entirely tone deaf, but the material is at least elevated by Leonardo Romero's wonderful artwork.

With Garney back, Daredevil is once again a must-read Marvel title.

It all comes together beautifully in a brutally understated moment of surprise from Muse and a final page that promises a big finale.

It's all a bit too much zigging and zagging for a single issue to handle, even an oversized milestone issue.

It's a solid start, setting up a story with a lot of potential for superhero action and fun.

This is a fantastic one-shot that everyone should read.

Death Orb #1 doesn't offer a lot of substance to sink your teeth into, so far it has a pretty basic lone-desert wander on a quest plot and not much else, but the execution is good enough that if you appreciate any of the influences mentioned above you may want to keep an eye on it.

What action is included is competently done, but there's just not enough substance or flair in this comic to be truly memorable.

The colors are a bit muddy in a way that mutes some of the visual energy, but Doctor Strange is still among Marvel's best-looking comics.

Donny Cates continues to do a great job of redefining Stephen Strange's personality. Other writers have pegged arrogance as Strange's tragic flaw, but Cates goes deeper, showing Strange's pride, temper, and wariness.

The ongoing petty rivalry between Strange and Loki is enough to make this issue worth checking out, but the way Nico Henrichon depicts Las Vegas as a stygian abyss makes it a must-read comic.

Doctor Strange: Damnation may turn into a worthwhile story, but the first issue feels more like homework than entertainment.

With all of the overblown setup and tying into Secret Empire out of the way, Doctor Strange: Damnation #2 is able to play to writer Nick Spencer's strength: his ability to write fun banter for a motley crew of B-list characters.

Compared to the far more consistent Doctor Strange ongoing series, Doctor Strange: Damnation feels all over the place.

If you're a fan overflowing with love for the new Doctor, this is a great place to get an extra dose of Doctor Who.

Based on the first issue, Extermination is an epic X-Men event years in the making.

For the most part, Extermination comes very close to X-Men event perfection.

Extermination gets another strong chapter that isn't quite as jaw-dropping as its first, but avoids the pacing pitfalls of its second.

It may not be Extermination's strongest chapter, but it ends on a note that is sure to have X-Men fans talking until the final issue arrives.

It's disappointing that this series was cut so short, but at least it's going out in style.

If you're in it for the craft, then the work that was done on "Secrets and Lives" may be worth the inflated cost that comes from being bundled with "Hunter's Pryde." Maybe.

Even with these minor possible flaws in mind, Iceman #1 is a stellar return.

It will prove satisfying to some hardcore X-Men fans, but lacks much of the energy and excitement that infused the first issue.

This five-issue Iceman revival is only three issues in and already it seems to be spreading itself pretty thin.

Gerry Duggan, Mike Deodato, and Frank Martin have delivered a brilliant opening salvo for a series that seems to be truly aiming for the stars. The issue is engrossing and leaves readers wanting more. With Infinity Wars #1, the next true Marvel epic has arrived.

If this is your thing, you probably already know that it is. If it's not, then there's little reason to change that unless you're a very curious Westworld fan.

If you're not already interested, I can't say I recommend it -- I'd just as soon go watch the cartoons these are inspired by -- but I also can't really fault it for being what it is.

Looney Tunes #245 is another example of a comic taking typical Looney Tunes characters and humor and depriving them of the inherent energy of animation to create a kind of carbon copy homunculus of a cartoon in comic book form.

Lucifer is ripe with depth and mystery that is poised to unfurl in captivating and compelling fashion.

With Thompson's delightful dialogue and characterizations, Bazaldua's balance of the intimate and the exciting, and D'Armata's tone-setting, Mr. and Mrs. X seems set to deliver equal parts overdue emotional payoff and endearing adventure.

In Mr. and Mrs. X #2, Kelly Thompson and Oscar Bazaldua continue to infuse Rogue and Gambit's cosmic honeymoon with the energy and amusement of a wildy caper.

Mr. and Mrs. X remains one of the top books of the X-Men line.

The high adventure continues in this issue, with Oscar Bazaldua delivering some great action shots and sequences of Gambit showing off his escape skills while in a Shi'ar prison.

By the time readers are done with Multiple Man #1, they may not be entirely sure what just happened or where they're headed, but they'll almost certainly have enjoyed the ride and be looking forward to more.

A solid second act, but something of a jog after the first issue sprint.

This issue may be a touch overly indulgent, but it's still a fun read.

This penultimate issue of Mutliple Man will not leave fans disappointed, but rather have them primed for more.

While it isn't quite the return to form for Madrox that some may have been hoping for, this series is a worthwhile read for any fan of the character.

There's a lot of potential in the groundwork laid here for what could be a fun and engrossing mutant monster hunt.

The second issue of New Mutants: Dead Souls maintains a lot of the potential from the first issue without really building upon it.

All in all, it's the best issue of New Mutant: Dead Souls so far.

Rosenberg has really honed in on these characters' voices and Gorham shows a some versatility in his artwork. This series just keeps getting better.

New Mutants: Dead Souls is the sleeper hit of the X-Men line.

Lack of resolution aside, New Mutants: Dead Souls' end will leave readers hungry for more.

Where the issue fails is in providing a compelling introduction to the characters, who so far feel a one note and flat. In particular, the main protagonist is very angry, but the issue provides only the vaguest hints as to why, making it hard to empathize with his anger. Still, it's a good-looking comic that involves emergency space exorcisms, so it earns some leeway to grow.

Proxima Centauri's visuals are some of the best in comics and they depict a fascinating world, though the wandering narrative may be an acquired taste.

Proxima Centauri is a masterful work of comic book craft.

Proxima Centauri continues to be one of the most beautiful comic books being released on a monthly basis, and that more than makes up for its meandering plot.

It may not have come out of the gate at full-speed, but Quicksilver: No Surrender seems likely to pick up momentum as it goes.

The mystery Kurtis Wiebe has woven around this mysterious and "helpful" mage has its hooks in deep, especially after this issue's stunning final page.

Not a bad issue, but not the series' best either.

Rat Queens #10 wraps up the current story arc, which feels like it maybe bit off a little more than it could chew.

Rat Queens feels like its in a strange space. The previous story arc was the series' most ambitious so far, but so much happened that's it is almost hard to keep track.

Rat Queens #12 taps into the series' roots for one of its most fun installments since the series relaunched.

The result is mostly a lot of fun. Kurtis Wiebe is able to maintain these characters' voices across genre and William Kirkby's use of jagged lines and fluorescent color gradients sells the setting, though there are a least a few panels where it gets a bit simple, to the point that it seems unintentionally comical.

The art is on-model, the story is solidly told, the character voices are accurate, and Oni Press provides another strong issue to hold fans over during the wait between seasons.

This issue tries, but fails to recreate the humor of its source material, playing instead like a watered down gag strip.

It isn't going to replace the Rick and Morty-sized hole inside of a fan, but it may help ease the longing just a bit.

The first story, written by Kyle Starks, is a riff on a Hunger Games scenario. The second, written by Josh Trujillo, starts as a parody of courtroom dramas and becomes something else by the end. Each is fine, garnering at least a few laughs, but no substitute for the source material.

A very solid issue all around which looks to pay dividends next month as well.

In Rick and Morty #42, Kyle Starks and Marc Ellerby bring the "Rick Revenge Squad" story to a close (or do they?) in funny and satisfying fashion.

Rick and Morty #43 is another solid installment of the series to tide fans until the television series returns.

Rick and Morty fans are going to love this one.

The issue looks decent enough, and there are one or two moments that earn the issue's premise, but this one is purely or the Rick and Morty completionist.

This is shaping up to be a crossover that fans of either property won't want to sleep on.

Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons is a perfect synthesis of the best parts of both worlds.

Young fans may find it an entertaining diversion, but it's unlikely to be considered memorable.

At the outset, the slapstick humor and goofiness is a stark departure from past TMNT show and IDW's current line of original Turtles comics. That rambunctiousness doesn't go away, but if you can stick with you'll be rewarded with some genuinely funny moments, including an amusing concept for a mutant villain.

SHIELD #5 is an exciting penultimate chapter of this long-lost series.

The bigger picture is that Hickman and Weaver have crafted a brilliant Marvel epic that begs to be re-read as much for its depth as to simply steal another glance at Weaver's artwork.

Saga returns and, as usual, doesn't miss a beat.

It isn't particularly eventful, but it is flawless in its execution.

As usual, Fiona Staples' art is gorgeous, and this issue quietly sets up what will likely be a much more dramatic next issue.

It is impressive how much tension Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples are able to build even during an issue that is, for the most part, about a relaxing day at play.

It's still Saga. It's still very, very good.

Read this one and savor it. It may be the last Saga for a while, but it will likely stick with you throughout the series' entire year-long absence.

Renato Guedes and Simon Bowland's visuals skew heavily towards realism, which helps with the conspiracy-thriller tone of the book. Whether Andy Diggle and his collaborators can help elevate the plot to something more than it's basic structure remains to be seen.

The "Gwenom" arc has brought Spider-Gwen to new levels of emotional intensity, and everything comes to a head in this issue.

Jason Latour spends a lot of time on conversations between the two, which should be riveting, but it doesn't feel like much of anything new was learned about either character.

Spider-Gwen #31 takes the themes and subtext of the series so far and makes much of it text.

It's a wonderful summation of the entire Spider-Gwen saga so far.

There's solid stuff here, its just unfortunate that the execution can't match it.

The issue brings a well-earned sense of closure to the saga of the Spider-Woman that fans who have been following the series won't want to miss.

This feels like a skippable episode of an otherwise enjoyable story.

The return of the Sinister Six story continues in the pages of Spider-Man and its... fine.

The penultimate issue of Brian Michael Bendis' Spider-Man run is, unfortunately, little more than an average throwdown between superheroes and supervillains.

The Star Trek vs. Transformers crossover hits the ground running with the gleeful energy of a child mixing two sets of action figures for the first time.

The penultimate issue of Star Trek: Boldly Go sets the series up to end on its highest note.

The finest comic in IDW's Star Trek fleet comes to close with an excellent, if not quite perfect, landing.

IDW'S first Star Trek: Discovery miniseries continues to trudge along, but at this point is hard not to wonder why.

It's definitely a plot over character kind of story, but if you're seeking additional context for the events that kickstarted Star Trek: Discovery's first season, then this will not disappoint.

This is exactly what a Star Trek: Discovery tie-in comic should be, providing insight into the show's characters by telling a story that doesn't fit into the narrative of the television series itself.

Angel Hernandez strikes the perfect balance in the art to keeps the characters recognizable but also stylized in an interesting way and the final page twist is predictable but still exciting.

Succession is the perfect companion piece to Star Trek: Discovery and a must-read for anyone missing the show.

This is everything a Star Trek fan could want from a comic book series and a mirror universe story unlike any in Star Trek's history.

Angel Hernandez's artwork as as solid as ever, and writers Mike Johnson and Kirsten Beyer give fans an unexpected ending to this Discovery tie-in.

Writers Scott & David Tipton will also be familiar to Star Trek comics fans and they begin this story on a slow burn, but it seems like a tale destined to go in some interesting directions as we see mirror Barclay redefine the character's relationships with his colleagues.

The creative team here is capable of solid storytelling, but this issue just does not come together in a way that makes sense.

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Terra Incognita continues to be a curious series. Billed as the next installment in The Next Generation mirror universe series, the issue minimizes Barclay's role. Instead, the issue plays out like a lost episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Captain Picard plays the familiar role of mentor when one of his crew members comes to a emotional turning point.

With the mirror universe Barclay story still simmering in the background, this is another delicious serving of comfort food for Star Trek fans.

So far, "Through the Mirror" is an absolute blast for Star Trek fans.

Through the Mirror struggles a bit in its third issue. The action finally begins in the first story, but Josh Hood's artwork doesn't match the level of polish of the two artists who preceded him.

Through the Mirror spins its wheels a bit this week and feels mostly like a setup for what's to come in next week's finale.

It's an incredibly fun read that does a great job setting up the next chapter of The Next Generation's mirror universe saga.

The first issue may not quite stick the landing, but Stellar is beautiful and promises a world of possibility to come.

Stellar is epic sci-fi superhero action with gorgeous artwork and haunting themes and if any small part of that peaked your interest, or even if it didn't, you should give it read.

Brett Blevins continues to deliver one of the most gorgeous sci-fi experiences in comics in Stellar.

If you're a fan of Wood's past Viking-era dramas like Northlanders and Black Road, or even his Revolutionary War series Rebels, Sword Daughter is the spiritual successor you've been waiting for.

Sword Daughter shaping up to be a journey worth going on, bumps in the road and all.

The issue won't turn off anyone who enjoyed the first two, but it doesn't live up to its potential.

Up until now, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has always felt like it was at its best during its more intimate stories. The fourth chapter of "Invasion of the Triceratons" shows that Tom Waltz and company can be just as adept at telling a story about urban warfare.

After a powerful and focused penultimate issue, the final issue of "Invasion of the Triceratons" struggles a bit to stick the ending.

A solid, if not momentous, issue.

It's a decent installment, but we're still waiting to get to the meat of this arc.

There's action and humor and pretty much everything fans have come to expect from another solid issue of TMNT.

The TMNT team is playing the long game here, and this is one more tension-building step down that road.

This is another solid issue that will leave Turtles fans happy.

David Wachter's style has become a bit darker and more jagged and that evolution fits well will this issue, which feels like the opening of a war story.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles creative team continues to up the stakes of the Battle for Burnow Island with another solid issue.

The first issue of the TMNT Macroseries is essential to any Turtles fan.

If you can get past the weak setup, this is a near-perfect Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles story.

Mondo's descent into punk rock raging against the machine is a bit on the nose, but Ryan Ferrier provides a solid foil in how he writes Michelangelo and Pablo Tunica's loose linework and Patricia Delpeche's saturated colors are the perfect aesthetic for Mondo's worldview.

Altogether, TMNT Universe #20 is a great package for Turtles fans.

The story will be of interest to anyone following the Turtles saga, but watching these aliens try to hammer out the logistics of cohabitation isn't the most exciting Turtles adventure ever.

Paul Allor wraps up the Triceraton and Ultrom story on Burnow Island (for now) with a surprisingly dark episode of political intrigue.

It's a fun concept, but the tale ends so abruptly that it feels a bit more like a pitch than a complete story. All around, an okay issue, but not a standout.

Still, while it may be familiar territory, Flynn and Daniels do a solid job of bringing this spiritual realm to life and, much like the most recent arc of the core Turtles book, this helps build tension heading into the coming showdown between the Turtles and the Pantheon.

It isn't bad, but if the creative team can sharpen their voice and let the visuals do more of the storytelling in future issues then this could be something more.

Ben Bates' is still the perfect artist for this story, but the script still doesn't quite keep pace. It's like two musicians playing the same song at different tempos.

Weaver's art and the chaotic material make this issue feel like the miniseries has finally achieved its potential for highly destructive hijinks, which has been there from the start.

This issue feels like connective tissue put between the over-the-top chase scene that made of up most of the previous issue and what looks to be an action-heavy climax, but it is still worth the ride.

Bebop and Rocksteady Hit the Road will be a fun ride for hardcore Turtles fans, but an easy pass for more casual fans.

Typhoid Fever X-Men feels like it was a failure from the word go.

The individual elements can be enjoyed, but they don't quite form a cohesive whole.

The "Poison X" crossover between X-Men Blue and Venom continues in Venom #162, and the story may be suffering from symbiote overload.

Perhaps when the larger Poisons storyline that Cullen Bunn is telling is complete this chapter will feel more worthwhile, but for now, it just feels like a derailment of what he had going on in X-Men Blue.

Venom is beginning to feel like a skipping record. Each issue plays out pretty similarly to the last.

The first issue of Venomized makes it clear that Cullen Bunn has thought long and hard about how the mechanics and ecology of symbiotes and Poisons work. Unfortunately, those details aren't particularly interesting to have explained.

Venomized feels like a comic book with the volume turned up a bit too loud.

Venomized remains hard to recommend, but at least it's pretty and the plot seems to be going somewhere in this issue.

If Venomized ever had a narrative thread, it has certainly lost it by now.

What If? Magik packs a novel's worth of story into a single comic book.

As the opening chapter in a story that will continue throughout X-Men Black, it's just enough to whet your appetite, but Nadler and Thompson's take on classic archvillain Apocalypse, Geraldo Borges' artwork, and the hook that reveals itself at the twist at the chapter's end will have readers intrigued.

X-Men Black - Mojo delivers a surprisingly heartwarming villain tale.

The Apocalypse backstory slows the pace down a bit in this installment, but the chapter ends on a note that suggests things are going to pick up in a big way next week.

Robbie Thompson's story dives into Cain Marko's psyche, both literally and figuratively, but rather than revealing anything new, it doubles down on who we already understood the Juggernaut to be.

It can not be emphasized enough how essential this issue is for anyone with a soft spot for Emma, and its plenty enjoyable for everyone else as well.

The idea of pairing up the X-Men and Venom is still fun since its so unusual, the story Bunn is telling is still resting on solid legs especially given the interesting final page turn, but this issue stumbles a bit in its execution.

X-Men Blue #22 continues the "Poison X" crossover with Venom, and the story feels like its dragging.

Cullen Bunn writes Magneto exceptionally well, so this issue plays to all of X-Men Blue's strengths.

Bunn seems to be going somewhere, but the road to get there is a bit bumpy.

It's not awful, but it feels like it should be much, much better.

X-Men Blue feels like it had a lot of its life sapped out of it due to its main character being elsewhere during what feels like the culmination of over 20 issues of stories.

Marcus To does a solid job with the art, but there's still the lingering feeling like X-Men Blue became a different book at some point.

X-Men Blue is a comic where important things happen, but the comic itself fails to make those things feel important.

The serviceable but not particularly memorable artwork does little to elevate the material.

X-Men Blue #30 is a textbook example of a serviceable superhero comic book. There's some melodrama, some fighting, some teases of things to come, but none of it is particularly memorable.

It finally feels like X-Men Blue is back on track and headed towards an exciting climax.

It is hard not to feel a little divorced from the rest of the issue's events as a result, those events comprised mostly of seven mutants yelling very passionately at each other.

Marcus To delivers stellar visuals in what is a solid issue that seems primarily interested in setting up bigger thing to come.

Marcus To shows some of his best work, building to a final visual note that will leave readers, longtime X-Men fans in particular, with chills.

The biggest flaw here may be that it will leave fans wishing we saw those vignettes explored in more depth. But all good things come to an end, and X-Men Blue #35 is a thoughtful, satisfying beginning of the end for the original five.

This is a graceful and satisfying end to X-Men Blue and closing chapter to the All-New X-Men saga.

The character work and plot set up is of a high enough caliber to carry the issue few, but the rough around the edges artwork keeps the issue from truly soaring.

X-Men Gold #22 doesn't stray far from typical X-Men superhero fare, but it executes that material very well.

It may be comfort food for X-Men fans, but it's good comfort food.

X-Men Gold #24 is a low point for the series.

X-Men Gold #25 loses all sense of narrative causality.

The road to the wedding of Kitty Pryde and Colossus begins here, with a flashback drawn by David Marquez. It's beautiful, but given the problematic elements of the early days of Kitty and Peter's relationships, one wonders if reminding fans of those early days is a wise choice.

Still, despite some small art hiccups, the strengths of this issue far outweigh the flaws, delivering one of the best installment of X-Men Gold in weeks.

While X-Men Gold has been inconsistent as of late, issue #29 gets back to what made the series' early issues so much fun: high action-adventure and enjoyable dynamics between the characters.

It's a beautiful, complicated issue that's sure to bring out some complicated feelings from fans, and it's all the better for it.

It's a solid start to what seems like it may be the story Marc Guggenheim has been building towards through his entire run.

X-Men Gold seems to be hitting its denouement as it wraps up every long-running plot that Marc Guggenheim planted in his run.

The result is a relatively quiet but solid chapter that moves X-Men Gold closer to its finale and whatever may be next for the X-Men.

It is a strange way for X-Men Gold to be heading towards its end. With most of the cast unrepresented, this feels like a postscript to the wedding. Perhaps Guggenheim will bring it all together for the finale, right now the book feels a bit listless.

There's nothing to hate in X-Men Gold #35, but there's not much to love here either.

On a technical level, it's solid, but it feels like a strange note to go out on.

McGuire's story strips down the character to her basest parts to discover what it is at her core that really defines her and Failla's artwork does a great job of depicting the character and her campmates as being at that transitionary early teenage.

X-Men Red teases the return of a villain who is perfectly suited to the story the series is looking to tell. In their first issue, Taylor, Asrar, and company present a story that has plenty of visceral energy and that seems interested in carving a new path for these characters rather than recapturing past glory. That combination of big ideas and big action makes X-Men Red one of the boldest new X-Men comic in years.

X-Men Red is still going strong.

X-Men Red is the X-Men book to watch.

While some of the books in the X-Men line seem devoted to recapturing past glory, X-Men Red continues to be the one interested pushing the X-Men into the future just as much as Jean Grey is trying to build a future for mutantkind.

X-Men Red #5 continues to do what this series has done so well already, only even more-so.

Even without all of that long-term X-Men history in your head, X-Men Red is an exciting, relevant, high-concept, and epic superhero adventure.

X-Men Red #7 is arguably the most pedestrian issue of the series so far, but it is a still very good superhero comics.

It may not be the series' best installment, but it's still pretty darn good.

This issue is lighter on the metaphor than most of the series has been, but has enough strong relationship moments and excellent characterizations that it will likely still leave X-Men fans with the urge to pump their fists in the air.

Tom Taylor's script starts slow here, but before the end, he's managed to toss out another big, ridiculous idea that no one was likely to have seen coming and that will have will have fans ready for the big finish.

By the end, the emotional punch of X-Men Red Annual #1 more than makes up for the moments when it doesn't quite come together.

The stories go from bad, to not bad, to good, making the issue easily recommendable if you're really invested in these characters, but easily skipped if you're not.