My main concern about this book is that it isn't really offering anything new. Since the release of the original Marvels, there have been numerous attempts to ape its success, and as such the "street-level view of the Marvel Universe" gimmick doesn't seem quite as fresh as it once did. I also can't help but feel that the creators or editors of the book have been so respectful to the original series that they don't want to try anything new for fear of undermining the first mini. As a result, we're left with a book that isn't bad, and features some very pleasing artwork, but can't help but feel like a dilution of the original series, as it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. That said, Marvels fans will probably be pleased with the book as another opportunity to enter the world of Phil Sheldon, and appreciate just how amazing the larger-than-life characters of the Marvel Universe are when viewed from his perspective. Read Full Review

While the pacing may very well improve over the course of the book, I have t say I'm more worried about the art. As I said, the sequel faces a huge and immediate hurdle with the loss of Alex Ross. Jay Anacleto takes over instead. Had you asked way back in the day when I first glimpsed preview art for this series, I would have set I was intrigued. Anacleto is a far different artist than Ross, but his work still evokes that sentimental Norman Rockwell feeling taht the original series had in droves. Unfortunately, Anacleto lacks the sense of raw scale and framing that Ross possesses. In the first book, these Marvel heroes felt like gods as they towered over mortal men and waged wars that the average man on the street couldn't comprehend. There seems a concerted effort to bring the heroes down to the ground, both in the writing and the art, and in my opinion it works against the purpose of Marvels. Couple that with the fact that the painted colors seem to muddle and obscure Anacleto's penc Read Full Review