With its big step forward for the portrayal of LGBTQ characters and their relationships in mainstream comics, Astonishing X-Men #50 is sure to be a comic that will be remembered and discussed for a while to come. It's good to be able to see that step taken in a comic that's both well-written and allows its characters to be something other than stereotypes and tokens.

I'll start by stating the obvious: Red Skull is not a sympathetic villain. He's a Nazi, which is probably, in fact, the exact opposite of a sympathetic villain. Greg Pak has taken on the difficult task of writing a Red Skull origin story where we're asked to follow along in the early years of a character who, as the title of the comic itself suggests, is basically evil incarnate. Red Skull is not the sort of villain who, while clearly not the product of a loving home and a good childhood, is also not someone who you can effectively portray as having the excuse of lacking those things. The story of how Red Skull becomes Red Skull cannot be one of a decent man turned bad, but instead the story of a bad man turned evil. In Red Skull Incarnate #3, Pak continues as he's done in the last two issues of this series by walking the fine line between showing what sort of tragic past a man like Red Skull could have and showing what was innate in him all along.

X-23 was never a character I expected to like. Despite going through a phase in my youth where I had enough Wolverine paraphernalia in my room to scare off a German exchange student (true story), Wolverine isn't at the top of my list of all time favorite superheroes. I'm also not a huge fan of gimmick characters for the most part, so Wolverine + girl parts = new character was not an equation I thought would produce anything I wanted to read. However, as both a reader of comics and someone with girl parts of my own, I usually try to give books with female leads and/or female writers a chance. From the very beginning, Marjorie Liu's X-23 comics surprised me, presenting a character who was so much more than a new twist on Wolverine, and with X-23 #14, Liu continues to give X-23 room to grow beyond her roots.

X-23 #15 delivers another fast-paced, entertaining read with the third part of the "Chaos Theory" arc. Picking up from where issue #14 left off, it opens with Sue Storm, Spider-Man and X-23 stranded in an alien world. We quickly learn, however, that things are far from what they seem, in a comic full of enough twists to keep you guessing up to the last page.

The "Misadventures in Babysitting" arc has been full of twists and surprises from the beginning, and this issue continues to take unexpected turns, right up to the last page. If this enjoyable, well-written series has to end, at least it's going out on a good note.

This issue also starts to wrap up the series, with Laura saying good-bye to the characters who have been important to the series, such as Gambit and Wolverine. As she ultimately makes her decision of what team to choose, it is based, however, not on her ties to other people or what she feels like she may owe anyone in loyalty, but instead what she feels is best for her. She's not the weapon she was created to be who only takes orders, nor is she simply a clone of Wolverine, following in his footsteps. She's a strong character with her own motivation and mission, and, if she can't be in her own book, it's good to see she'll at least be sticking around the Marvel U.

This issue focuses on Bucky Barnes feeling like the odd man out with the Invaders during WWII. He's not a super soldier like Captain America, nor does he have super powers like the Human Torch and Toro. As Bucky puts it in his narration, "I was just a kid in a domino mask." When the other Invaders are captured in a trap Bucky wasn't able to prevent, he sets out to rescue his teammates and prove himself despite his lack of superpowers.

By the end, we can see that the background given here is leading to what promises to be an exciting story, with interesting twists that make the reader want to come back for more. It should be interesting to see what Asmus and Brubaker have in store for Captain America and Bucky -- no matter who it is under the masks.

If you're reading this comic for the promised appearance of the Runaways, you may be disappointed, as they only appear on two pages in this issue. (From the looks of things, however, they should get a larger part in the next one.) However, there's still more than enough in this issue to make it an enjoyable, solid read, and one I would recommend picking up.

Daken :Dark Wolverine #19 gives a good, solid conclusion to its latest arc while still leaving enough loose ends to make you want to read more as the series wraps up. It's been a title that has continuously stayed strong, and that doesn't seem to be changes, even as it stares down its final issues.

To say much more would be giving too much away, but suffice to say this issue, as well as the entire "Lost Weekend" arc that lead up to the finale are dark yet engaging comics that are a welcome addition to mainstream comics. It's sad to see it ending here.

Ghost Rider #6 is a dark, twisted, and compelling story with solid scripting from Williams and great art from Talajic. This title has been consistently good and yet still improving with each issue, and it will be a shame to see it missing from the shelves soon. Pick up the last few issues now before you miss your chance to read a great comic.

Overall, however, this has been a strong series with an interesting take on the Ghost Rider, and there's enough potential in this issue to hope that it can move forward from here into a solid ending to the run. Alejandra and her fate continues to be an intriguing storyline, and is left with a compelling cliffhanger in this issue that makes you want to read more. It should be interesting to see how Rob Williams wraps up all of these plot threads and where the series will end from here.

Generation Hope #11 ties in with the current X-Men event Schism and follows the events at the Mutant History Museum where 14-year-old recent mutant Idie was forced to kill several people in order to save the lives of others. Hope and her team have since found their way back to the mutant island of Utopia, where they have camped out on the beach, watching a Sentinel as it makes its way towards the shore to destroy the island.

Generation Hope continues to remind me what it is I like about the X-Books when they're done right. With its focus on a younger team of recently powered mutants, it allows for an X-Men story that gets back to its roots of teenagers not only trying to defend themselves against threats to mutantkind, but also dealing with the struggles of growing up. Issue 12 manages to blend those two things perfectly to offer a book that gets to the heart of what X-Men stories are, even in the midst of the X-Team shake-up that is Schism.

For the most part, Generation Hope #15 is an enjoyable read that, while having a few moments that seemed to falter a bit, mostly goes along smoothly and continues to develop the complex and fragile relationship of Hope and her "Lights." The art was, at times, distracting -- especially with some of the impossible contortions Green seems to like to put his female characters in -- but it had stronger moments as well. Overall, it was another good issue in this series, and one that left me wondering at the end where it will go from here.

Age of Apocalypse is a dark, brutal comic, a fact that is reflected in both the writing and the art. It's not a glossy world, and it's not one where you can take for granted who are the "good" guys and who are the "bad." Yet at the same time, it's a compelling comic that pulls you in and keeps you reading. The last page offers an interesting surprise that sets up a fair amount of excitement for issue two. Overall, it's definitely worth a read, whether you were a fan of the original Age of Apocalypse or not.

All Winners Squad: Band of Heroes was a book I didn't know much about when I purchased the first issue, but I've been increasingly happy that I decided to give it a try. The mini-series focuses on WWII veterans who were, in the 1940s, the heroes that Timely Comics (which would later become Marvel Comics) used in their comic books as propaganda for the war effort.

All Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #5 delves right in to the aftermath of the last issue's cliffhanger. "Slo-Mo" Jones is trying to come to terms with the kiss he saw between American Ace and Frank Cortez and what it means for his position in the Crazy Sues. The comic sets up tension in the beginning as Merzah the Mystic warns Slo-Mo that he'll be tempted to out Frank Cortez, and when that happens, he needs to resist the urge. Merzah tells Slo-Mo that while it may be tempting to "not be the lowest man on the totem pole any longer," he cannot betray Frank Cortez's trust.

Avengers Solo offers a mix of superhero tale and noir, as Hawkeye finds himself pulled into the middle of a search for a missing woman and a murder investigation. While on patrol, Hawkeye stumbles on a man named Tulio Guzman as he's being attacked by a villain Hawkeye doesn't recognize. After saving Tuli, Hawkeye learns that the man's sister has gone missing, though it's not until the next day that Tuli reluctantly agrees to allow Hawkeye to help him. However, Hawkeye never gets to learn much from Tuli, as he soon finds him dead in a hotel room, with a note reading "Avenge This!" pinned to the mattress beside his body with an arrow. Reading it as a clear message to him, Hawkeye takes it upon himself to take up Tuli's quest to find his missing sister.

Ed Brubaker and Steve McNiven deliver another solid read with Captain America #3. The central action of the comic is Captain America fighting the "Ameridroid," a twenty-foot tall robotic version of Captain America with the mind of an insane former Nazi scientist. Like many comic book villains created in the 70's, the Ameridroid certainly has the capacity to be more campy than compelling, but Brubaker manages to avoid that as he puts a surprisingly human face to a giant Nazi robot.

Daredevil #6 is a great blend of art and storytelling that is both visually appealing and manages to wrap up the current story arc in a satisfying way. Waid manages to neatly tie up several plot threads without falling into the all-too-common trap of comic books where storyline endings feel rushed and forced. Additionally, it transitions well into a setup for the next arc, showing promise for a compelling storyline that should continue to be as excellent a read as Mark Waid's run on Daredevil has consistently been so far. If you haven't been reading Daredevil recently, now is the perfect time to hop on board.

The answer is plain: the Hulk and Bruce Banner are not two separate beings. If anything, the "true" face is the Hulk, the embodiment of the part of human nature that we try to suppress but cant always succeed in doing so. Bruce is the Hulk, a point Pak hammers home as we see that Bruce doesnt truly wish to be rid of the Hulk, but wishes to be the Hulk. Furthermore, as the plot of A.I.M. Supreme Scientist Monica Rapaccini and her Wishing Well comes to a close, no ones true wish appears to be without their "hulk" selves, but rather a blending of the two -- the ability to change from "hulk" to human and back again at will, without the loss of either side.

Pherone is a fast-paced blending of the noir and spy genres. It weaves a dark story of a rogue operative named Eve, who has no memory of her missions or why she takes them. After waking in a hotel room covered with someone elses blood, Eve goes in search of answers, even as shes hunted by both the police and her own employers.

Where Rachel is only just removed from her life as a soldier (as we're reminded of when Norah Winters calls her "Marine"), Castle is far past what both he and Rachel once were. He may see himself as a soldier, but the rest of the world does not. The scenes between Castle and the little boy are poignant and well-written, as we're ultimately reminded that what he's lost is more than his family, but his own identity.

With tight, strong plotting and visually compelling art by new artists Matthew Southworth and Matthew Clark, The Punisher #6 continues a streak of great comics in this most-recent incarnation of the character.

Secret Avengers has been shaping up to be some of the best mainstream superhero writing Warren Ellis has done in a while. With the book's focus more on behind-the-scenes missions than the flashier, more traditional superhero tones of the other Avengers books, Ellis's style and sensibilities make him a good fit to take over as writer. Ellis continues to show how adept he is with writing espionage in Secret Avengers #17.

The central action of the book is a visit from two inspectors for the New York State Department of Education, who arrive on the first day of classes to decide if the school can continue or not. Their visit becomes a well-utilized plot device to bring the reader along on a tour of the school as well, introducing many of the characters that make up this team of X-Men and student body, showing the set up of the new institute, as well as laying the groundwork for what's to come in later issues. It's a clever bit of writing that allows for a fair amount of exposition without feeling like the comic is too weighed down by it.

There's a lot going on in this issue, but it's paced well, keeping it from feeling forced or weighed down. It lays a lot of groundwork for where Aaron seems to be going with this series, while at the same time throwing in twists (namely, the last page) that let the readers know we're going to be kept guessing. Wolverine and the X-Men was a series that started out strong, and by Issue 4, it's proven to also be a series that just keeps gaining momentum.

After opening with a quick teaser of a flashback to 1945 and the Invaders, X-Club #1 goes back to the present where the X-Men (of Utopia) are appearing at a press conference for the opening of the Stringstar, the first space elevator, which the X-Club (the nickname given to the X-Men's Utopia-based science team) designed in order to create good PR for mutant/human relations. Which probably work out pretty well for them, were it not for the small issue of a group of nomadic Atlanteans claiming the construction of the Stringstar has "had a negative effect on local sea life -- and their own 'spiritual equilibrium.'" While the X-Men and the company in charge of the Stringstar, Stratocorp, are both quick to deny the Atlanteans' allegations, it becomes rapidly apparent that their complaints aren't baseless and this won't be the PR boon the X-Men were hoping for.

All the "X-Club" wanted to do was help build an elevator into space in order to improve human/mutant relations. It seemed easy enough until the Atlanteans reported dangerous levels of toxic pollution in the water that turned them into rampaging monsters, Danger seemingly lost her mind, and Dr. Nemesis got a telepathic starfish bonded to his head. Now it's up to the X-Club to use their science skills to figure out what's polluting the water and affecting the Atlanteans, stop Danger from killing the X-Men, and, if they can find the time, get that starfish off Dr. Nemesis's head. Oh, and get that space elevator officially up and running, of course.

The Fearless picks up in the aftermath of Fear Itself, with Captain America searching for the recently-escaped Sin and trying to contain the power of the hammers previously wielded by the Serpent's "Worthy." The focus, however, is not on Captain America or any of the core Avengers, but on Valkyrie, an Asgardian warrior who has been seeing more action these days thanks to her addition to the Secret Avengers. Valkyrie is often an underutilized character, and she's a good fit for this comic, with her ties to both Asgard and the Avengers. By the end of the comic, however, Valkyrie has decided to go it alone, asserting, against Captain America's stance, that it is "not the responsibility of man to stand vigilant over" the weapons of Asgard. She asserts herself as a warrior of Asgard and takes on herself the burden of keeping something from her world from again bringing destruction to Midgard.

Overall, this comic is an enjoyable read that opens the door for a new chapter in Iron Man's saga while keeping the character well anchored in his roots.

While this issue felt a little slow at times with Sinister's numerous speeches, it was overall a good comic that successfully opened the door for many possibilities as this new volume of Uncanny X-Men continues. With the new Extinction Team, the split between the East and West Coast teams, and the hints of the return of the Phoenix, it's already shaping up to be a busy year for the X-Men -- and hopefully an entertaining one as well.

X-Men Legacy #255 is the second issue in an arc that has Rogue, Gambit, Magneto and Frenzy on a mission to recover Polaris, Havok and Rachel Summers from the far reaches of space. Nothing ever goes smoothly for the X-Men, however, and they quickly find themselves in the middle of a civil war between the Shi'ar and the Grad Nan Holt, with Rogue separated from the rest of the group. To make matters worse, the space station where they've ended up is in danger of being destroyed as it's pulled in towards a collapsing star.

As X-Men Legacy is very much a book that centers on Rogue, her decision on which team to join is given a lot of time and focus as she weighs both her options. She's torn between the two sides because, as she tells Magneto, "I see a good man following his conscience for the very best of reasons. Trouble is, I see that twice." Though she's been a team leader in her own right, Rogue still knows she has to pick a side now, even as she can see the point of view of both Wolverine and Cyclops. Magneto then offers to help her by allowing her to see his point of view by absorbing his thoughts through her powers. Rogue agrees, hoping it will make her decision easier.

Hulk #40 was a fairly solid progression of the Omegex story arc. It filled the reader in on just what the Omegex is and how it came to be fighting Red Hulk and provided set up for what's to come in the rest of the arc. However, it also felt a little too heavy on exposition in parts.

Overall, Hulk Smash Avengers is a fun limited series that while starting out with more of a rumble than a smash, gains momentum as the series continues. It would've benefited from being less loosely connected and offering more of an overall arc, but the better issues are worthwhile standalones that give good insight into the Hulk, the Avengers and their long and complicated relationship.

For fans of Magneto who don't want to put the entire confusing '90s mess of his sometimes-amnesiac clone Joseph behind them, this is a book they'll probably want to pick up. Magneto himself has been the most compelling character in the series so far, which is good, given that his name is in the title. Otherwise, this comic is more likely one that's going to leave you wishing for a little more than what you're given.