I understand the limitations inherent in producing a series like this; you never know for sure how it's going to sell, so committing the dollars for top talent, or allowing the story to stretch out, is risky. But given just how popular A Game Of Thrones is right now, I think those are risks worth taking. This is the kind of series that can bring new readers into comic shops; why not put your best foot forward? Now, if you're already a comics fan and you love A Game Of Thrones, you may want to pick this series up, just to see how the story is translated to the comic medium. But if you're only one or the other, it probably isn't worth bothering– you're better off just reading the novels or watching the TV series. Which makes this pretty much the definition of a missed opportunity.

I understand the want to jump directly in to stories about the kids, since they are easily the breakout characters of the show, but I would like to see more of Bob and Linda in the next issues. Aside from their one page gag pieces, each is relegated to minimal supporting stature in these tales. Other than that, it's a great start to this series.

Dixon looks to be employing rotating artists per arc on this ongoing, which makes me think about the nature of an ongoing title at this point in the evolution of comic publishing, especially at IDW. Dixon will surely adapt his script to the artist he is working with, so why not just create a new title and volume per arc? Either way, there's more "Winterworld" coming down the pike and Dixon seems to really enjoy spending time in this universe. It's the best work he's done in years.