The style of the art and the tone of the words are both precisely suited to the material at hand. Talented storytelling and enthralling content combine to create a great comic.

Yes, it's derivative of past art (Thompson's Hawkeye, Pacheco's Spider-Woman). Yes, it ignores prior comics characterization in favor of MCU Yelena. Yes, it's sassy and comedic.

*These are not inherently bad things.*

Some readers, like me, might see them as positives. It's been more than a hot minute since Marvel did a female solo title in this style, and Florence Pugh's Yelena is one of the best things to come out of the MCU since Endgame.

Is it perfect, or even great? No. But it's certainly not terrible, and to the reader who's predisposed to like it rather than loathe it, it's a good, fun read.
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A heap of cool plot developments pile up on each other, shepherded to the reader with highly-polished art and tough, terse prose. It's definitely good, but I'm also convinced it's not great. It's not just cool; it's downright cold. The scope is far too global to allow for deep characterization. There's still a chilly thrill in watching the well-tuned clockwork of the story operate.

This magic fight is a beautifully-drawn and fairly satisfying conclusion to the volume. (Between this and Dr. Strange #9, it's a good week for magic fights, huh?)

For several nitpicky reasons, I can't call this comic great. First, though the prose plays well on a casual read, it dissolves into clichés and clumsiness if you scrutinize it. Second, Hexfinder's backstory is rushed and unsatisfying.

And finally, Joseph is possibly more intrusive here than in the last two issues. #10 is really more about his sacrifice than any of Wanda's choices or actions. It's disappointing to see her robbed of agency here at the finish line.
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The plot developments are rolling along nicely. The dialogue is a little uneven; some parts are dull and expository. But there are also some snappy lines, especially at the end. The art looks gorgeous all the way through.

Nitpickery: The X-Men are fugitives with minimal resources. How many of those resources did they spend crafting that custom branded parachute for Ms. Marvel?

I'm warming up to this arc. The "evil terrorists vs. evil corporation" plot is engaging (and it agrees with my politics). Though the characterization of Dylan and Natasha is still pretty thin, the author does good work with Bren. Plus, the old "give a goon a backstory" trick works well.

Tie it all together with some highly-polished art that handles ordinary people and goopy symbiotes with equal skill, and you've got a pretty dang good comic
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It's a well-cooked slab of apocalyptic Avengers, but that's not exactly a novel recipe, is it? And it's ultimately a big fake-out.

This issue's highest accomplishment might be picking up the foreshadowing from Timeless (2022) and, retroactively, making that a more interesting read.

Though I wasn't impressed by the preceding issues, I think this finale is a good capstone. All the plot and character developments tie together nicely, producing a thoughtful portrait of Magneto's inner struggles.

I remain underwhelmed by Irae and her forgettable Sisterhood, though. The longer they stay in comics limbo, the better.

Finally, I've been a fan of the idiosyncratic art throughout the series, and this last serving might be the best. Subjectively, at least, it's a real pleasure to look at.
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It's pretty dang close to perfection as both a Thor comic and a comic-comic. There's an admirably self-contained story, yet it's undeniable that this will prove meaningful to the larger narrative in the end. The characters are smart, engaging, and deeply in-character. This shows both Thor and Loki at their best, and their interactions are completely captivating

It's your standard Spurrier joint: an amazing amount of content crammed into a single issue. While that doesn't always work, I'd argue it works like gangbusters here. This is delightful (though I question the utility of throwing Dagger in there).

It's also beautiful. The art is very good in its broad strokes and its visual storytelling, and truly brilliant in its subtleties, like the way Sable unmasks Nightcrawler.
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The pace speeds up, the script does a great job keeping past and present straight, and the art is beautiful all the way through. I was quite enjoying it.

But then came those big, wordy exposition scenes from the Nazis in the 30s and the baddy in the present day. They sapped my enthusiasm and, I think, the pace.

Still definitely a good comic; still not quite a great one.
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The plot continues to race along, and I'm quite satisfied with the developments. The visuals are impressive, too--not always detailed, but often very striking. The characterization is subtle. I like the way character traits and developments are mostly inferred through action rather than through bald-faced exposition. It gives the plot-driven story just the extra depth it needs.

The story is engaging and the art is excellent, particularly for a collaboration. Dr. Gaiha is developing into a solid, interesting antagonist, and we get plenty of good character insight into Kamala and her new status quo. The dialogue, though, could be a lot sharper. It's not particularly flawed at any point, just not as memorable as it could be.

The art shift is no problem for me; the visuals remain clear and dynamic. And the animals are as adorable as ever. Their interactions reach new heights of insight and charm. The dialogue is a bit of a weak spot, offering the occasional clumsy phrase to balance out the most memorable lines. The story is simple, but that's no deal-breaker. This is a good comic, and a thoroughly enjoyable one if you meet it on its own terms.
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The pace trots along nicely. I'm invested in how the plot develops, and the art is right in line with my taste. I'll call it a good comic, but just barely. Why?

The biggest shocking developments in this issue all rely on a level of Alpha Flight scholarship that I don't have. And frankly, better writing could get me past that, but this script doesn't try.

Well, this is ridiculous. It's a pretty fun brand of ridiculous if you play along with the tone. The art certainly helps; Ed McGuinness is having so much fun that it's infectious.

A slapstick farce might not be the course correction this volume needs, though. And this issue's Gang War foreshadowing scene (Silvermane, oy) suggests that the upcoming Big Serious Event isn't going to be all that serious. (Devil's Advocate: It may turn out that slipping the silliest GW guest-star into the silliest run-up arc might be a stroke of brilliance.)
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The art is splendid, but the script leaves much to be desired. The dialogue is very expository. The plot is long on setup and short on resolution. I still appreciate the ties to Immortal X-Men that make this more than your average What If…? series, and this issue really ups the ante on that score. And, given that I'm not that familiar with the original Inferno, the heaps of exposition do have subjective value.
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I'm ambivalent to Marvel Zombies. I know the company's done linear feet of these comics already, and I haven't read a lot of them. Maybe that's why this anthology strikes me as pretty novel and entertaining.

For a start, the art standards are high, particularly for the first two strips. Secondly, all three strips have inventive ideas. Garth Ennis sketches a setting that's refreshingly different from the MZ standard (I think). Alex Segura digs deep to find the dark pathos in a simple "Spidey vs. zombies" tale. And Ashley Allen delivers a twist on the "zombie superhero" idea that's uniquely suited to Moon Knight.
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This is a cute story that adds some fun new content to the protagonist's bag of tricks (literally). It's not at all consequential, though. This feels like it'd be better suited as an annual in an ongoing run, not a one-shot capping off a miniseries. The frivolity of the plot is balanced out with solid writing and good art. The only real regret is that this is the last Hallows' Eve story we're gonna see for a while.
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This issue slaps together an all-new situation, and the key that would explain it--the new villain's motivation--hasn't been provided yet. All I'm left to fall back on is the characterization and the storytelling, and those aren't quite strong enough to fully engage my interest. There's nothing *wrong* with it, but it's not distracting me enough from the hand of the author setting up the plot like a board game.
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This issue (and series) threads a new story through a familiar needle, and it does a commendable job of it. It establishes a promising springboard for new stories in the DoFP continuity.

In and of itself, though, it's just not a standout story. There are no fatal flaws, but there's nothing particularly exceptional to captivate the reader.

This has little bearing on the wider Fall of X, and it doesn't have the storytelling oomph to captivate on its own merits. I can't deny there's talent on display, in the words and especially the art, but neither suits my taste. And I think beyond my subjective frostiness, there are plenty of places where a line could be sharper or a panel more dynamic. There's solid plotting here; it just needs stronger storytelling to get a hook in me.
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Saying something nice about this comic would be difficult.

On the one hand, this is a relatively straightforward "foil a heist" story. It's a little rushed by the space available; the pieces jigsaw together with suspicious speed and simplicity.

On the other hand, the storytelling on display is virtually faultless. And there's ample character material lurking just beneath the surface to satisfy any desire for greater depth.

And on a subjective note, this issue is almost ideally focused according to my taste. The big-picture story involving Ant-Man is present, but on the back burner. The main stage is occupied by a straight, self-contained crime story. I like it a hell of a lot.
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The author and artist haven't lost a single step as they launch into this delightful new volume. Jen's life remains as enthralling, sweet, and troubled as ever. Things are going great with Jack, the words assure us--while the art hints that the words are overly optimistic. And there's plenty of activity and comedy to distract Jen and the readers.

I found Travel Foreman's art underwhelming in the last issue. Now the pendulum swings the other way, and I am delightfully overwhelmed. Mr. Foreman's Hulk is magnificent and distinctive. His blocking and layouts are imaginative, and his action scenes are full of passion.

It helps that Mr. Johnson has given him a great script to work with, full of wild ideas and psychological horror and fiery conflict. The prose isn't flowery, but every word is picked for maximum impact.

Even the back-up strip is pretty good. It's short on plot, like most strips of this length, but it slots tightly into the title's status quo, scores some good character insights, and hints at a promising road ahead of Victor Alvarez--if he ever gets the spotlight to walk it.
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The plot continues to thrum like a well-tuned engine. The author enhances the story with a few nicely-tuned phrases, and the guest art is pretty gorgeous.

This title has its ups and downs (in my opinion, at least), but at its best, it's thoroughly engrossing.

It's elegant, it's stylish, and it's dramatic. It's a gripping build toward a climax, particularly if you're invested in the characters. These factors make it, indisputably, a good comic.

Subjectively, though, it's very predictable (the Hollywood landmine? Really?), which is why I'm not rating it a great comic.

The Peter Parker characterization is solid, and the first hints of plot development are appropriately mysterious. The pace is a little slow, but that's forgivable, especially as it makes room for a heaping helping of incredibly creepy art. This first issue is all about tone and mood, and it succeeds wildly in throwing Pete into a bona fide horror story.

The non-stop onslaught of Cable and Bishop is the engine driving this war story, and it has ample twists of its own. However, the conflict is further complicated by the web of inventive sci-fi ideas woven around it, little sparkles of ingenuity that make the whole thing shine.

It's another incredibly dense script, and the artist deserves credit for keeping pace with the torrent of novelties.

I recognize that the density may not be to everyone's taste, but it is to mine. I can even imagine a distant future where some next-generation Al Ewing spins whole sagas out of the imaginative ideas off-handedly dropped here.

I also admire the boldness of taking the "Fall of X" status quo and spinning it out into a unique story of global upheaval, regardless of how well it does or doesn't mesh with other contemporary titles.
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