Overall another win for team Marvel as they continue to keep me hooked to the X-Men/Avengers team up title. And to think I almost didn't grab issue one because I didn't want to buy another team up title, sure am glad I am careless with money and did it anyways! Nothing comes close to how good Uncanny Avengers is. Period.

As I stated earlier Bendis and Frazer Irving created not a GOOD issue of Uncanny X-Men, but a GREAT issue of the short Bendis run X-Men team. It was like Bendis had read every review I had ever written. He fixed everything I hated about the series. He pushed me to actually enjoy the issue rather than nit-picking it. Granted this was the issue before Battle of the Atom #1 so it had a lot of stuff to play out before we got down to the nitty gritty, but it picked right up where #10 left off and then pushed us to the next level. The artwork is worlds better than it has been in a while. Frazer really steps up his game and proves that his artwork really does work in an X-Men book.

Depressing is the only word I can come up with when I think of how hard it is to follow Uncanny X-Men. Rarely does it feel like I just read a big pile crap, but it NEVER feels like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This issue proved there is in fact a light at the end of this dreary tunnel. X-Men has always been one of the more mature books for Marvel (Well not always but you know what I am saying) and lately this has not exactly been the case. It feels like it has grabbed more at the childish roots once again. I am not talking about X-Men Legacy or Astonishing but the others, especially Wolverine and The X-Men has nearly lost all the grit it had going for it. Going through and reading Uncanny X-Men the first time and reading it twice was unheard of. But then I read it a third time...

Even with an entertaining filler issue it was fairly entertaining, hence the 3.5 rating, but the artwork is just hard on the eyes. Seeing Beast look like Peter Griffin was slightly disturbing. Seeing Jean Grey and Beast together seemed like Peter and Lois Griffin. Yet the cover conveys the love between them in a gorgeous fashion. I repeat PLEASE bring back Stuart. Please.

Make this another issue of Uncanny X-Men where the story actually moves forward!

Although the review is finished I wanted to discuss a letter that a gentlemen named Chase Bowman wrote to Marvel about how crass the dialog has become. In case you haven't read it he talks about how Marvel books used to be something he could read with his kids but the swearing has become too much and he will no longer be buying Marvel books. I can admit I do not read Marvel to my kids, but these comics are also rated T which means Teenager. I don't want to insult you Chase but maybe you shouldn't be reading your kids Teenager material. Even though I agree with you completely that the writing has become crass and the swearing almost doesn't even fit in half the time, you should not be reading your kids anything the likes of Uncanny Avengers, easily the most mature book that isn't a MAX title.

This issue had tremendously stupid dialog yet some great artwork for the rising talent of Stuart Immonen.

Easily one of the greatest villains in the entire Marvel Universe, the Skrulls are always up to no good. This time around, we get to see what happens when one Skrull is left alone on Earth in 1776. As a few members are considering abolishing Slavery the Skrull posing as Benjamin Franklin ensures they do not. If that doesn't show what kind of scum the Skrulls are, then I dunno what does/will! And this wasn't some devious plan by the Skrulls. No this was just a bored Skrull “meddling”. The question I had at the end was this: If the Skrulls had never met the Fantastic Four till that day, did the Fantastic Four start the battle that will rage for years and possibly the first stepping stone to Secret Invasion? There is just a little food for thought. Overall, a great issue. I highly recommend it.

The issue isn't terrible but it isn't anything special either. At least Bendis actually got a very plot points going, so we may have something to look forward to. Please Bendis follow through with something. Anything.

Why didn't Jimmy Palmiotti write the "actual" Avengers vs. X-Men? Only one issue deep and we have a death take place!? I love it! This is what would REALLY happen if these two went head to head.

This book has so much potential. It is frustrating reading each issue as I know Brian Michael Bendis is capable of so much more. Frazer Irving has a very specific kind of artwork that is remarkably unappealing to me, but highly accepted by the art world. Not so sure why… I was excited to see an X-Men member die. Then he didn't really die. Then I realized something more disturbing than this kid dying in battle as a brand new X-Men member…I had no friggin clue what this guys name was. Nor do I know the rest of the new recruits. I just don't care. And that is never a good thing. Uncanny X-Men is really gonna need to pick up the pace if it wants to be a top X book. I know you can do it. So just do it already!

Another highly entertaining issue. Who cares if it makes sense as long as it's fun"right?

NO! It ended on a cliffhanger!? Seriously!? I am clearly being fascias but this cliffhanger I did not see coming. I am all about bringing back dead characters when it doesn't seem like a trick to bring back a dead character. This is the kind of concept I am a huge fan of. And when you are brought back from the dead by Apocalypse you are never ever the same again. People forget how X-Men is just as dark as Punisher or Daredevil. I think Uncanny Avengers is going to take that darkness and that twisted drama, that makes you squirm from the tension in the room and turn it on it's head. Because that is what good writing is all about! This is why Uncanny Avengers is the flag ship title for Marvel Now! Because it has the power to be the best. It has the divine ability to change the face of Marvel. And believe me, it is doing just that.

This issue touched upon all sorts of things. The Uncanny Avengers are now after the X-Men for what happened at Stark Resiliant. Angel likes who Scott Summers grows up to be. The original X-Men have lost the first member, they can no longer return with just four. Brian ensures he touches base with every character on the team, except Rachel who hasn't been seen or heard from since issue one or two. I want to know her thoughts on Young Cyclops and Young Jean Grey. That is her family for crying out loud. Her mother and father! As Uncanny X-Men continues to straddle the line between good and average, All-New X-Men continues to make each issue hit where it counts. This issue was full of talking. Nothing else really happened. And it sets the bar for another remarkable issue by Bendis and his team. All-New X-Men is the perfect blend of character, story, and commentary. It doesn't look to be changing anytime soon.

Millar, Matthew Vaughn, and Gibbons created a story that was very clearly written for a completely different medium than for comic books. If anything I would have loved an origin story of how Jack London came to be, well the greatest spy ever. The most clever concept of this series was the newspaper articles being framed. How do you celebrate your accomplishments when no one can know what you accomplished? Even though the finale let me down, the first five issues were excellent and I hope to see more Secret Service from Millar and team in the future.

Enough ranting about the actual title, time to rant about the actual issue a bit more. I wanted to enjoy seeing it from both sides but the Stepford Coo Coo's are not exactly the most entertaining characters ever written. I would like a bit more explanation why Emma doesn't talk the way she has for quite some time now. I would like a little bit of explanation about why they would even remotely allow Scott Summers to step foot on the school grounds? Granted that is also something I had beef with ANXM but they are both written by Brian Michael Bendis so they really need to step up it up a notch as far as content for each issue. Uncanny X-Men should be one of the best titles I read. Always. No matter what. This time around was not the case.

Mark Bagley remains a solid mark on the art front for Fantastic Four. His art grows on me, it's childish yet mind-altering. It kinda fits with something the likes of Fantastic Four. Most of these stories thus far have been fun. There is no dark brooding, traumatic character drama in this run for Fantastic Four. Yeah Reed needs to find a cure but that whole thing is totally on the back burner, and that is just fine! If the story is gonna be fun and nothing more Bagley is a great fit. He enhances the fun, I even dare to day he creates the fun and Fraction is the one who enhances it. Not the greatest issue ever made but most certainly not the worst. Fantastic Four is pretty much just a good time with very few attractions but regardless of how many rides there are, you still have a decent time. That is pretty much all you can ask for.

I won't rant long but about 3 days ago I went around and checked out everyone else's reviews on Uncanny Avengers, and I was shocked. Most reviewers have had the gull to call this series a mess, with 2-D characters…are we reading the same book!? This series is filled with character depth, if anything it is the only series to even acknowledge the animosity between mutants and the rest of the world. It has everything you want in an Avengers title and all the drama from the X-Men, and splashes of Uncanny X-Force. How can you possibly say this is a mess? I would like to see you still be able to say that after this issue. Do it, I dare you.

Invincible Universe #1 suffers from what I like to call "The Burrito Effect". If you have a number one issue it should be a great jumping on point for anyone. Not the case with Invincible Universe. I will give credit where credit is due. The concept is intriguing from the first page, but it gets jumbled and lost in the lists of characters, words, places, teams that we are supposed to claim to understand.

Overall the issue proved that Skullkickers has a lot of life left in it. This is one title I would severely miss, especially if any of the Skullkickers team left. They make great artwork, humor, and intelligent writing that could keep pretty much anyone entertained, especially if they are looking for something the likes of Fantasy Humor.A rare gem in the racks of comics that people should not overlook. Next issue we have the return of Copperhead and our two heroes do battle with, themselves? What else did you expect?

There is a saying called “Perfecting Your Craft”. I believe that saying goes hand in hand with Stuart Immonen who has certainly perfected his craft. His artwork was never bad but it certainly didn't stand out as tremendous either. Every single issue it seems to improve, I dunno maybe it just fits better with X-Men. The Dark Brooding, Animalistic Tenacity bleeding out of every character is just outstanding. To be honest I hope he never leaves X-Men. The combination of Stuart's jaded characters fits perfectly in thedisheveled X-Men world that Bendis has returned to greatness.

Overall another incredible issue. Uncanny Avengers is everything comics should be. I should never have trouble getting through a comic. I can't say that I don't have trouble reading through some of the comics I read. But Uncanny Avengers has a recipe and the main ingredient is success.

Elephantmen #47 is no different than any other issue when it comes to jaw dropping plot twists and massive dedication to finding that glorious freedom from all the oppressors. And in this issue the battle takes them to the moon where even MORE is revealed. This issue is a great jumping on point but I highly recommend reading the whole series. Well worth it.

Well done Team Skullkickers, even with a new #1 you continue to impress me.

Perhaps the best quality of Rick Remender,John Cassaday, and Laura Martin is how well they display pain. For every painful word that Remender puts on paper, Cassaday and Martin find a way to draw it even more disturbing than the description.

Never in my life have a read a comic book for that long. There was so much to read! It sounds like I'm irritated. I assure you I am not. I am impressed that every single bit of reading was well worth it. This issue was $3.99 and I would have paid ten bucks for it. I am not joking. This issue is just that good. And this is coming from someone who isn't exactly blown away by the comics of the year 2000 and beyond. This comic blew me away. Mad props to everyone who had anything to do with this issue. And Mr. Remender you just got yourself a nomination for best comic of 2013 in my book.

But the best part so far? This team hasn't even come together as a team. They have questioned each other, had doubts but only behind the scenes. Can't wait to see where this takes us. Add Wonder-Man to the mix and you have the craziest batch of good guy nut jobs out there. If this is what happens when Marvel shakes it up, they should shake it up more often.