But like Bryan said, the art here is pretty - and far better than the first issue. Being a bit of a fan of Madureira, and of art in general, I found quite a bit of enjoyment from that aspect of the book - but I dare not actually read it again. This definitely builds the case against "silent" comics.

All in all this is a tolerable effort. It's better than I expected, but don't pick this up expecting a Dark Tower. Miracles don't happen with licensed properties every day.

Umbrella Chronicles is spectacular and yet incompetent. I'm pretty sure I like it and yet at the same time it's frustrating beyond belief. But I can see how it would charm some people into disregarding those problems.

Simply put, Deadpool is very much a known entity at this point. Lots of violence, lots of funny and lots of juvenile insanity. If you're fine with these things, you're probably already on board. If not, tread carefully, as this series is not shy about what it is and is not. For my money, this is a guilty pleasure, but one that is skilled at being utterly ridiculous.

Despite all of this, any fan of the X-franchise, and Messiah Complex in particular, should be buying this book. Marvel seems to have positioned it as the key title in whatever future the mutant race has - if it has one at all.

Really the biggest complaint anyone can have here is there isn't more here than would be expected. This was billed as an assault on Asgard, and that's what it is. End of story. Frankly, as a fan of the larger tapestry Marvel has woven over this decade, that's just fine by me. That's what I wanted from Dark Reign all along (and never felt I was getting it, to be honest). I also expect we'll see more complexity in the coming chapters as well as a greater focus on the heroes. As an opening chapter, Siege #1 works incredibly well, building off the layered tapestry Marvel has woven over the past several years while retaining focus and a sense of purpose that kicks off Marvel's 2010 with style. I'm truly looking forward to what's around the corner and what new developments this will lead to in the coming year.