The look of insanity on Scott's face as he shoots describes him to the reader more so than words ever could. The way in which the art team presents Ord as a blustery bruiser and far, far removed from the realms of superior alien intellects gives weight to the comedy he produces. The anger they seethe from a third-tier character helps Whedon draw dignity from the shambles of the Holodeck gone mad affront. The way in which they frame Hank McCoy as he enters the fray makes the whole scene work. Cassaday and Martin are David Boreanaz and Sara Michelle Gellar to Whedon's scripts. Read Full Review

That said, if you're reading this book in its episodic format, you're unlikely to be too put off by another cliffhanger - and even a middling issue of Astonishing X-Men is a quality book by most standards. Whilst the resolution of the Hellfire Club's role in the story is a let-down, there's definitely still a sense of momentum that should keep the book moving, and the low-key final panels of this issue carry a mood of danger and foreboding in more than one respect. It looks as though Whedon is keeping all his major pieces in play in order to bring them together for a climactic final arc, and despite the slight wobble in finishing off "Torn," I'm still confident that he and Cassaday will be able to pull off a satisfying ending for their highly entertaining and always very readable run on the book. I just wish it came out more often! Read Full Review

Astonishing X-Men #18 was another enjoyable read. Whedon continues to impress me with his excellent dialogue and great sense of humor. Combine Whedon's entertaining and wild story with Cassaday's wonderful art, and you get a comic book that is well worth your hard earned money. Read Full Review

John Cassaday and Laura Martin make it all look great, of course, but they're wasted on this malformed non-story, as frankly is Whedon. Hints of the writer's ability poke through the morass, with his trademarked snappy dialogue very much in evidence, but snappy banter and pretty pictures can't save this mess. Read Full Review

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Issue #18 is another stand out issue for Kitty Pryde. I can't get over how much I love this character. The X-Men have faced their fears and now they are coming together once again to wrap up the Torn arc in another great chapter.