Hickman is sure taking his time to arrange the pieces for his long form game in this book, but in the meanwhile it's nice to see such nice done-in-ones every now and then.

Don't hesitate to be on the ground floor of something monumental.

To be fair, Hickman has a habit of doing a very slow burn approach which only picks up two-three arcs in, as evidenced by his Fantastic Four and Secret Warriors. So it might not be entirely accurate to use the disappointing performance of this issue as a litmus test for the whole run.

Journey Into Mystery #642 gets Everything Burns going full speed ahead, making a very strong case for the high quality and entertainment value of the crossover. Thor fans, as well as casuals, looking for an emotionally engaging tale of mythic proportions will find little to complain in here.

I, for one, would totally pay to see Tom Cruise as a balding Captain America analogue struggling to come to terms with his closet homosexuality. Honestly, who wouldn't?

This is another solid issue that doesn't fail to entertain. With another two issues left to go, it will be interesting to see what exactly happens in there that draws the superheroes' ire towards Frank's activities. Hopefully, Rucka will go down a relatively novel path instead of using the trite morality plays we have seen in the past (and which Ennis so effortlessly mocked half a decade ago). In this closing stages, the sky's the limit, and Rucka seems to have no intention of settling for any less.

Another solid offering from a dedicated creative team, Saga #6 offers a pretty organic, if not seamless, transition out of the first arc. Unfortunately, we have to be content with that for the next two months, as the book resumes publication in November. It's going to be a long, restless wait, but it will definitely be worth it.

The Mighty Thor #18 provides a pretty good entry point into the current story arc for diehards and newcomers alike. The prologue builds intrigue and centers the narrative around the (potential) players of the arc. Now it's up to the following issues to deliver a narrative compelling enough to make the readers stick around all the way through to the end. The cumulative talent and charisma between Fraction and Gillen makes me hope for the best in that regards.

The conclusion of the first arc couldn't have been executed any better, and kudos to the creative team for achieving that feat so effortlessly in Thief of Thieves #7. From the get go, this has been a series that has been a pleasant surprise, but this latest issue has elevated it into a whole another level of quality. In retrospect, the first arc reads like a rather well-done origin movie, without any of the usual tedium accompanying such an enterprise. Although there have been no plot threads left deliberately dangling as easy bait for future stories, the sheer quality of the story makes the audience want to return for more. And that's quite the achievement for this ambitious venture, no doubt about it. Image has launched a variety of great new titles over the year, and right now, I can firmly say that Thief of Thieves oozes enough charisma and star power to stand firmly among the very best of them.

A riveting addition to the series that is not without its share of flaws, Morning Glories #19 definitely justifies the long spell of slow build-up issues before it. A must buy for all fans of the title, without a doubt.

A promising beginning to what looks to be an interesting new arc, Journey Into Mystery #639 features a solid return to form, featuring very above par performances from Gillen and co. Regular fans of the book won't be remiss picking this one up...and also, can I say, reader-friendly jumping on point? Those on the fence, waste your time no more and come onboard my friends! You won't regret it, that we can promise you.

In hindsight, the entire tale was a fun little exercise in creativity, though the end result was often uneven, with the spotlight being relegated mostly to Loki and Dani Moonstar with the rest of the cast being mostly glorified extras. The Disir got the best deal out of this one, both literally and metaphorically, so that's the one thing I will be taking away from this enterprise when I look back on it. Overall, not too shabby.

Saucer Country #3 is another solid outing that delineates the title's long-run intentions a little more clearly than its predecessors. That being said, the element of mystery is still aplenty in this series, and how Cornell and co. draw that out will be something to see in the upcoming months.

Supercrooks #3 provides a fairly entertaining addition to the series, though it does suffer from the lack of exciting set-pieces that the first two issues had in spades. It also leaves a lot of ground to be covered in the conclusion, and it will be interesting to see how the finale works all this out in the next month.

A good book that is not without its shortcomings, Daredevil #13 nevertheless manages to throw an enticing bait towards the readers that's guaranteed to make them return for the next issue. Another solid effort from the creative team puts this one squarely in the win column for the series.

A superlative product featuring some solid work by all parties involved, Journey Into Mystery #638 sports a glorious return to form for the title. For those turned off by the shaky beginning of the crossover, read on this latest part and see a stupid grin produced on your noggin right this instant!

While the second part of Exiled is heaps better than the confusing opener, there are still rough edges in the overall product that prevent it from creating a lasting impression. Hopefully, now that the set-up has been mostly dealt with, the ride will be a lot smoother from here onwards.

The Third Part of Exiled picks up the pace and clears up the path for the final two installments to ostensibly hit it out of the park. A necessary upswing, New Mutants #42 doesn't fail to disappoint.

Featuring some great, all-round performances from the creative team, Saga #3 is another home-run for the series. The book continues to venture into all sorts of unexplored territory, while always keeping its heart in the right place- and that's the sort of mixture between stability and flexibility that makes this book so unique in regards to its contemporaries.

An entertaining and intriguing addition to the title, Morning Glories #18 is perhaps the most fun issue the book has had amongst the usual spate of gloomy inevitability and murderous conspiracies. Definitely warrants a buy from fans of the series!

An okay wrap-up of the first wave of the initiative, Spider-man: Season One does get a couple of things right, but it's not exactly spectacular in any of those, unfortunately. For any new reader coming in from the movies or the various cartoons, this book could be a slog to the point of being tedious. A mixed conclusion, overall.

Another good addition to the long-running superhero epic, Invincible #91 carries the ball forward on the intriguing possibilities of this new direction, showing just enough to keep fans on the edge of their seats for next month. Well worth a buy from fans of the series!

Punisher #11 features a solid script by Rucka, supported by some great visuals from the art team. While it doesn't further the long term plot of the book one bit, it provides a nice breather issue...call it a 'reorientation', if you will. Well deserving of the cover price, at any rate!

Featuring a disappointing script with fantastic art being its saving grace, Avenging Spider-Man #7 doesn't feature highly on my recommendation for this week's releases. Even if you happen to be a fan of She-Hulk, I can't say that there is a faithful interpretation of her here that's going to be satisfactory enough for that segment. It's not a really bad book, it's just a thoroughly average book (with great art, of course!).