Squadron Sinister #1 is a pretty entertaining way to start a new series. The action kicks off the issue with a bang before the characters and intrigue are fully introduced. The story just keeps ramping up from that point and finishes in a fantastic way. Now is the perfect time to get on board with Secret Wars, and Squadron Sinister #1 is an enjoyable issue to start with. Read Full Review

The figure drawing is frankly amazing, which is to be expected from Carlos Pacheco, a consistent favorite of mine. The characters are appropriately bold and god-like in their depictions, a kind of retro 70s/80s-style, classic and solid. It helps sell how real and how powerful these characters really are. Read Full Review

Despite the few flaws, Squadron Sinister #1 was an entertaining comic. It's not for everyone with it being a villain book, but I found the team to be interesting and leaves room to want to see what this world has to offer like the others. Read Full Review

The only area where the book doesn't completely shine is the visuals. Carlos Pacheco is certainly a talented artist, but his style is best suited for more traditional superhero storytelling. The script has a certain darkness to it that isn't conveyed through Pacheco's visuals. This has as much to do with Frank Martin's colors as Pacheco's pencils, however. The book really needs a grittier texture to ensure that the tone of the script and the art line up. At the very least, the Squadron members could do with more contemporary costume designs. Mind you, Pacheco's storytelling really shines in the action sequences (particularly the nighttime raid later in the issue), but he may not have been the best fit for this series overall. Read Full Review

Squadron Sinister #1 is a first issue with two vets taking on dastardly versions of some tried and true archetypes. Guggenheim and Pacheco know how to weave a tale and I'm intrigued by this one. I'll be giving it another go, and if you like your archetypes with edge to spare, then you should try Squadron Sinister too. Read Full Review

SQUADRON SINISTER was a delightful surprise. It's quite a bit different from the other SECRET WARS books we've seen so far, but it plays in pretty well into the Battleground world that has been set up. It's a nice companion piece that really helps develop one areas of this new world, while focusing on one of the villainous groups of the world. It's a great stand-alone book and if you're looking for something SECRET WARS to get this week, this may be a pleasant surprise for you. Read Full Review

Guggenheim delivers even more than supervillain battles and super-sex, though, not that there's anything wrong with those. There's palpable tension between team members, as many have their own secret agendas that deepen the story, making it even more engaging than the fooling around and fisticuffs. The various character-driven plot threads give the issue the kind of depth not normally seen in these kinds of event spinoffs, and the strong characterization makes a case for Guggenheim, Pacheco and Taibo's "Squadron Sinister" to stick around even after "Secret Wars" finishes up. Read Full Review

Secret Wars continues to release engaging and compelling tie-ins that are using characters from throughout Marvel's rich history. Although Hyperion has played an important role in Hickman's Avengers over the past couple years, the rest of the Squadron Supreme team have been missing in action for quite some time. I'm glad to see them back in all their evil glory, and it remains to be seen just what type of impact this all-powerful team will have on the larger Battleworld. Read Full Review

Despite feeling unimportant in the overall scope of the Marvel Universe, Squadron Sinister is wildly entertaining comic book, full of extreme violence, evil, and mistrust wrapped around something that is both inherently Marvel and DC, with an unmistakable Secret Wars flavor. Expertly crafted writing and artwork make this ish a terrific read that you should only miss if you're dead set against the very idea of a JL ripoff…because this series has a lot of them. Read Full Review

"No Honor Among Thieves" is more an acquired taste than a one-size-fits-all crowd-pleaser but it is a great pot-stirrer all the same. As a series, it seems more about the destination than the journey but it will have you coming back to see it all go down! Read Full Review

Guggenheim gives us secrecy, as many of the team members have secret affiliations and alliances they’re not willing to put in public. This causes a lot of tension between characters, which is actually a really good thing. It makes for some really great character dynamics. He also gives us some superhuman sex, villain battles, and an extremely character-driven storyline. This tie-in has more depth and character development than I’ve seen in a while. This is an incredibly engrossing book that’s definitely worth the read. Read Full Review

As an introductory issue, this could absolutely alienate some fans due to the treatment of the Supreme Power team. Marc Guggenheim has never been afraid of taking chances and he takes a big one in this book. The art by Pacheco and Martin is very good and helps make this book a decent read. There are some interesting elements in place here, and Guggenheim is a good enough writer to give us a nice payoff. Read Full Review

Part of Squadron Sinister's issues is that sometimes its too little, too late - Guggenheim serves up two interesting twists by the end of the book, but without the requisite set-up, it's hard to get invested. And with so many other quality reinventions doing on during Secret Wars, it's getting harder to justify giving a second chance to a non-starter. Here's hoping that now that they've established their characters, Guggenheim and Pacheco can give their bad guys more of a twist. Read Full Review

Squadron Sinister #1 is about a bunch of characters we don't really know being generally jerks to one another in a context that we don't really know. The characters aren't from any beloved Marvel history, so there's no real reason to connect with them. This is the most generic Secret Wars tie-in I've read so far, with no promise of anything more interesting around the corner. Read Full Review

I'm all for villains headlining a title, but when they're cartoonish and without redeeming quality as this iteration of Squadron Supreme is, it's hard to become invested. Read Full Review

Ton of good stuff.

Ahh, a new riff on an old favorite. This was a pretty well crafted issue, that ebbed and flowed with its story beats. The ending was very nice, and I'm sure any fans of Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme wil get a kick out of this. Otherwise, it's the remix of a great tune for a brand new audience.