I really loved this issue. It was a ton of fun to be reintroduced to the Squadron Supreme, now Americanized. And of course, the big bad is who the big bad is. Makes those Avengers BC issues more relevant. Only question I had, really, was how Kyle Richmond is alive. This version of the character died off panel in the Occupy Avengers tie-in to Secret Empire. I'm perfectly fine with him being back because he's a cool character, but there's no explanation given and that irked me. Not enough to impact my enjoyment of the issue, clearly. I'm sure it could be explained away by the nature of the entire team and Phil Coulson's resurrection, but maybe it'll be explained in a future issue. more

It’s pointless to say how badly conceived this death was, because death in the X-Men universe long ago lost any significance. But even so, it was a bad story badly told.

I think with some punching-up, this would have made a fine entry into the movie series. The art on the series as a whole was good in parts but lacking in others, making several of the big moments puzzling (what was going on with Fox at the end?)

I just don't understand why anything here is interesting enough to merit an entire miniseries. It's a bad fit with both the current War of the Realms event and the new X-Men status quo.

This still feels like a series so determined to roll around in obscure continuity that it lacks a strong central storyline (don't get me wrong, I love the obscure continuity).

I am not a fan of the art, though. Larroca does fine individual panels, but his story flow has a lot of room for improvement, and there is a perfect example in this issue. Page 8(?), last panel, Cyclops is clobbered from behind by Forearm (who was not behind him in the prior panel). Next page, Forearm is a good 20 feet in front of Cyclops. It fails as sequential art on a basic level.
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This was fine. Some stuff felt a little odd. Like how this type of tech isn't exactly new to Spider-Man, see: Superior Spider-Man. Or why Jackal is alive after being killed in Clone Conspiracy. I'm not exactly on board with it yet.

What bothers me most about this issue is that the majority of the stories it is referencing happen after Frank Castle's family is killed. How Cosmic Ghost Rider apparently knows all this intimately without actually being able to experience it yet is a big question that I don't think is going to be answered. I know this will all just be undone somehow by the end of this story, but at least have some consistency. I mean, the same thing happened last issue but it wasn't nearly as apparent to me as this was because the Punisher is directly tied with Spider-Man. He first appeared in Spider-Man. You're flying too close to the sun with this one. This series is basically the equivalent of talking about old comics with your friends and joking about the hokey aspects in them that didn't age particularly well. There's nothing much else to it and that's not enough for me. more

The bad reviews on here still don’t seem to understand the difference between “plot-driven” and “character-driven.” This issue was all character, and showed more of what Wally and Harley were going through, as well as give a barbarian hunter named Gnaark a spotlight. It’s beautiful, thanks to the revealing dialogue and the amazing art that still hasn’t let up.

Heroes In Crisis is living up to its idea: to show that these heroes/villains have all undergone psychological trauma, and they all need some sort of emotional support. It’s not depressing just to be depressing. If you care more about mindless explosions and a typical “point A to Point B” story, this isn’t for you. But if you like the idea of humanizing these characters, then this issue is more of that. more

I'll be honest. A lot of people who are criticizing this particular issue seem to complain that the arc is moving too slowly. Just a reminder that this issue isn't plot driven: it's character driven. Yes, I'll admit, this whole series is, overall, plot-driven. But two of the issues were supposed to drive into the characters, and I think 3 and 6 were meant to do that.

So let's talk about the characterizations. First off, I love the deeper look into Gnarrk. It's very poetic and artistic. It speaks of a simpler time, and how ultimately, society took over. For him, it's dragging. It puts him in chains. But then, he wonders if the old times are any better. Ultimately, there is no answer. It's choosing between worrying about death and worrying about life. A pretty deep question, if I must say.

Second, the interactions between Harley and Ivy are just great. It shows just how close they truly are, and how willing they want to look out for each other. I'm touched by it, and honestly, I can't say too much about it. They've always been a dynamic duo.

Wally's arc irked me a bit for some reason I can't really explain. Maybe it showed him a bit too egocentrically for my tastes? However, this also feels like we're looking at what Wally felt when he was going through life back in the real world. And you can't help but feel some sympathy for him. I also like how they use both character-driven stories with Wally. After all, he is the face of Rebirth.

Now, let's get to something that made me stand up and shout, "I KNEW IT!" And that's the murder of Wally. When they first showed Harley killing Wally in #3, I was a bit frustrated. After all, there is no way a mallet can take down the fastest man alive. However, this one just proves that it wasn't Harley. And it certainly isn't Booster, either. There are still visual inconsistencies. Wally definitely didn't die to a blaster through the chest. He's still not in the right place. Gnarrk wasn't shown in the first issue, and I don't know where he was. Nonetheless, one thing is now clear: it's neither Harley nor Booster Gold. It's someone else.

I would go into detail about the symbolism and hidden elements of this issue, but alas, character max limit. But I'll make one final note: the art is amazing. Gerads made a good impression on me, and though it did take a bit to grow on me, I came to like it.

Overall, great character-driven issue, and I'm ready to get back to action in Issue 7. more

Ill start by saying that every single Gnarrk moment was pure gold. I didnt know the character, but he seems amazing. I shouldnt even have to say anything about the art. Its Mitch Gerads! I spent a full minute admiring the Gnarrk lying in a mammoth page. So beautiful!

Now the questions.
Alright. So, Wally is suspicious, and Booster shoots him. Both killers, maybe? Harley was inside of the simulator room, but then, she appears as coming from outside the sanctuary. So, is the simulator room outside of the sanctuary or inside?
We know that the dead Wally is five minutes older. So, how is this happening? When Wally hears the emergency alert, is he running? Like, is he inside the speed force? He says "Wait. Slow down.". Who is he talking to? Are the characters on the last page the real suspects?
Last issue we got clues, but now, im a bit lost. I mean, we see Booster shooting Wally, but that raised more questions.
I just hope Wally isnt the killer. But if he is, for any reason, i hope theres a very well written arc about that showing some kind of redemption. But hes not the killer. more