Nina Perez Comic Reviews

The series is off to a great start visually; the panels are sleek with an eye for the details that might not immediately catch your attention. Coipel and Posnor get a special black woman head nod for depicting Michelle's natural hair so beautifully and realistically.

It's going to be very interesting to see which side our heroes fall on. I haven't yet finished the first Civil War event (and I will), and I don't know how the ending of the film (and its upcoming fallout in future Marvel films) differ from the conclusion of the comic book series, but it seems as though Tony is a bit more reserved than his character has been in the past. Though his relationship with one of the deceased pretty much guarantees that will change going forward.

While I like that the teams will have to deal with the very thing Tony was worried about, I do find it a tad suspicious that Ulysses had this vision " especially because Tony made it a point to mention that Ulysses' own biases could affect how he interprets what he sees. Can Ulysses be trusted? We shall see.

The back and forth of this issue was very effective in peeling back the layers of the story, and shots of heroes watching from various locations and glued to their TV screens are eerily similar to footage of people watching real world horrors unfold. It helped to capture the gravity of the situation and give the impression that nothing will ever be the same in the Marvel universe.

The art wasn't always my favorite, but this series was entertaining from beginning to end. Some of the highlights include a beautiful diverse cast of heroes, the homage the series paid to iconic Marvel scenes both old and new, and the dual identities of Captain America and Roberta.

Great issue with lots of twists and revelations; building nice momentum towards the finale. Sharp dialogue with a few laugh out loud moments. Facial expressions are sometimes comical, but the action panels are ace.

Not really much to add here. Most of the action in this issue was great, but it really should have been condensed with issue #7 and let #8 be the finale.

I love how this series will hint at another mystery or two while the main events are taking place.

This issue was a much-needed jolt of energy for the series. Not only are Norman's motives becoming clearer, it finally has some connection to Battleworld. The idea that the Spiders were able to have memories of their prior lives in their "real" worlds is what drew me to the series. As we get closer to the end of Secret Wars, I'm anxious to see how this plays a role in Doom's undoing or whatever comes out the other side.

This was a satisfying ending to a series that has been mostly flawless. It had been so long between issues that I felt like I'd missed something in terms of Thor's appearance, and it would have been nice to have a bit more Loki.

While I tend to be a fan of more vibrant art, Stacey Lee's and Ian Herring's work as totally won me over. The more subdued look really suits this story, because Cindy's tale is sad.

Seriously, those last frames were beautiful and heartbreaking. A fitting end until we see what comes out on the other side of Secret Wars.

There was something from this issue that I cannot put my finger on. The story is solid enough, and the twists at the end (which I won't spoil) promise an interesting run, but there's a charm missing. Perhaps it's because prior to this, Cindy's search for her family was filled with hope.

This was a fun issue as you could feel the pressure Cindy is under getting increasingly heavier with each turn of the page. We didn't get any answers, but the new questions posed are intriguing. Who's this mystery person who knows Cindy is Silk? How will Peter react to Cindy working as a double-agent? And what the hell is going on with the Goblin Nation and those kids?

This is my favorite issue of this series in a long time. The story is always most interesting when we see how Cindy's time in isolation affects the way she deals with situations now.

There's so much going on and I like all of it.

No movement on the missing family storyline - just that the Goblin King now knows Silk was interested in his records - but the episode was still full of great stuff. In addition to the scenes with the people in Cindy's personal life showing concern for her, we got a brief encounter with the mystery guy from the sewers. He seemed to be able to turn into a mere reflection of himself, causing the Goblin-infected Silk to run and punch right through him like water. When she takes off, he apologizes. Very interested in seeing where that leads. Of course, Black Cat and Silk going after the Goblin Nation should be excellent.

Now that Jessica Drew (bae) is about to enter the picture for the limited Spider-Women run, I can't wait to see what happens next.

I'm dying to dive into the next issue in the Spider-Women event (Spider-Woman #6) as it's one of my all-time favorite series and the best I'm reading right now.

There was a lot of great artwork in this issue. A few of the highlights include the facial expressions as Cindy and Gwen argued in the S.H.I.E.L.D. van, the closeup of the tablet Mockingbird used to show Cindy surveillance footage of "her" crimes, and Black Cat's face when she tells Cindy, "You're no fun," after Cindy wouldn't let her disfigure a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Speaking of which, this escape won't do anything to convince Mockingbird Cindy is being framed.

Last week, when I saw my subscription notice for this issue, I wondered if we'd get any movement on the search for Cindy's family, or more scenes with her therapist (I enjoy those), or if we'd get an answer to Cindy's apparent move to the dark side. We got a bit of everything in this issue, and it was all great.

The dialogue, as usual, was full of that signature Spider snarky humor. And the reveal at the end was great " didn't see it coming at all.

If you are not completely in love with Kamala Khan you are reading wrong. Go somewhere quiet, think about your life choices, and read this series again. She is every teenage girl ever: self-conscious, hopeful, vulnerable, stronger than she knows, adorable, and badass. I love that this chapter in Kamala's story didn't wrap up before her idol could tell her how amazing she is.

A sweet conclusion to this part of Kamala's story. Loved seeing the neighborhood band together, everyone being the best they can be in the face of the end of the world. I need to acknowledge how awesome the facial expressions are in this series. I've had some issues with other books where the facial expressions (usually ones showing shock or anger) were laughably bad. Alphona captured every emotion wonderfully, especially Kamala's. That girl can pout like no one's business and I love it.

Really great writing in this issue and the panel in which we get glimpses of the conditions of other domains was well done.

Wow. I was disappointed in the final issue of the 2099 Secret Wars tie-in, but this was a great run that finished strong.

This was a fantastic kickoff to the next chapter in Kamala's life. It was cool seeing her as Avenger, being a more capable hero, but not losing that fangirl inside.

I could find nothing wrong with this issue. As mentioned above, the best issues include all of the things and people who make Kamala great, and this one had them all. I was happy to see Nakia as she is someone I'd forgotten about until she popped up at the end of the last arc pre-Secret Wars. It's interesting to see her involved in a case Kamala is actively investigating.

Another satisfying arc. Looking forward to more Kamala and Mike interactions, and I would not mind seeing Nakia clash with Ms. Marvel. Kamala learned a lot when she was forced to see her alter ego through her best friend.

Give this book to anyone who thinks comic books aren't for girls or women. Give this book to anyone who doesn't understand that representation matters. Give this book to anyone who fails to understand that Muslims want the same things we all want for our families - unfortunately, those people exist.

I did not enjoy this issue as much as the most recent ones, but I am not yet sure why that is - it had all of the elements I love. I think it may be because the story felt like a filler. The upside of that means the finale, next issue, should have lots of pay off.

In an issue packed with cameos, Kamala Khan learns a valuable lesson most women don't learn until much later in life: You cannot be all things to all people, nor can you be everywhere at once. It's okay to say no and ask for help.

I need to point out how much I appreciate the diversity in this series. Not just seeing Muslims and people of color represented, but all body types as well. It's a refreshing change in an industry with busty and impossibly thin women heroes. And despite her super abilities, Kamala remains one of the most grounded and realistic teenage characters in literature today.

I wasn't completely sold on "Carol's Cadets." There really didn't seem to be a purpose and they weren't super-powered at all. They felt like more of a liability than a help. Still, the story was filled with lots of heart " with Kamala's conversation with Tyesha being the highlight. I have no doubt Kamala will come out on the right side of this, but (as always) it's a lot of fun watching her education.

This issue ended with one hell of a cliffhanger, and its consequences could drastically alter a few of Kamala's most important relationships.

I need to, once again, point out how wonderful the art is in Ms. Marvel. I've been reading faithfully since issue #1 and it truly feels like we've watched Kamala grow. Sure, she'll still fangirl with the best of them, but there are panels where I'm struck by how much she's changed from a young girl to a young woman. This is even evident in the action panels where she has grown into her fighting style and has command of her powers.

There wasn't a damn thing wrong with this issue. Seriously. The flashbacks were inserted naturally and were perfectly placed to illustrate how Jessica got to where she is now. Well, except one bit: We don't know who the father is, and I'm okay with that. The real story was watching this fearless hero adjust to being "normal," which is what she was striving for when she left The Avengers. I'm reading many series right now, but Jessica Drew is the character I feel I know the best. Understand the most. That's all due to Hopeless' own handle on who this woman is.

I'm such a broken record when it comes to this series, I know, but it's so damn good.

This is one of the best, if not THE best, issues of the series.

If you haven't yet picked up this series, I'm not sure I need you in my life. What are you waiting for?

Everything in this issue just worked for me. A few highlights were: the way they told us what everyone was thinking during Jessica's first night out with her friends, Jessica picking up the baby's pacifier with her toes (because we've all done that), and the reveal of the baby's father.

The story picks up again in Spider-Gwen #8, which is reviewed by ProFan Shanna. Then I'll be back to continue my coverage with the next issues of Silk and Spider-Woman. Finally, Shanna will bring it home in the finale, Spider-Women Omega #1.

Their back and forth was a lot of fun to witness and even though Jolle Jones' style is different than Javier Rodriguez's (and you guys know I adore his work), she brought the elements I've come to enjoy when reading this series " like the realistic facial expressions. P.S. Jesse is a bit of a hottie, huh? Rachelle Rosenberg's vibrant colors really popped as well. And hat tip to Yasmine Putri for a gorgeous cover.

Jessica's actual daily bumps and bruises may seem like an exaggeration of what real life parents go through, but it doesn't feel that far off when you're in the thick of it with middle-of-the-night feedings and self-doubt. It's another reason this series is so damn important. It normalizes all the crappy feelings you have as a new parent, because that shit is hard.

Jessica's crew has been an unexpected delight. Who woulda thought Roger would end up not only working with Jessica and Ben, but become her most trusted babysitter as well? There are so many small beats that go a long way in effortlessly showing us how familiar they are.

So much good stuff to unpack in this issue. It feels like Hopeless, Rodriguez, and Fish really had fun creating this story, especially Jessica's encounters with the criminals in each case. Every one of them was a full story told on one beautifully drawn page.

I am fast becoming a fan of G. Willow Wilson and Marguerite Bennett.

I can't stress enough how gorgeous this book is. Every page is a marvel; the splash pages are particularly beautiful and the action panels are exciting. The design of the mystery girl (her body is a universe!) has always been stunning, but it's at its best here as we see just what she's capable of.

I'm so pleased this series will be back after Secret Wars and they're not mucking up the formula that has worked so well: Hopeless, Rodriquez, and the kickass new uniform will be back. And the time away is just long enough for Jessica to find herself in a delicate situation. Click here if you wish to be spoiled.