A 90-year time-skip calls for a lot of world-building, and this issue delivers in spades. It also lavishes plenty of development on its plot and--best of all--its characters. Wagnerine emerges as a more three-dimensional figure, and Mother Righteous takes what can only be described as a *sinister* turn.

Every step is illustrated with exceptional artwork that delivers razor-sharp polish on top of impeccable fundamentals. This is a beautiful comic.

Its prose is also delightful--subjectively, at least. Sometimes Si Spurrier can lock onto my exact wavelength and his words flow straight in like honey. This issue is one such situation; I was staggered by the beauty of some of this script's phrases.

But I can step back far enough to see that the one place this comic falls short of perfection is in its sheer density. There's so much packed in here that it's overwhelming. Great as many of these ideas are, they could be even better if they had more room to breathe.
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Like the previous issues, this one is built around a very simple story. But the creators tackle it with their wildest pitch yet, adding depth and intrigue to an off-the-shelf fantasy quest with an exotic structure. The art delivers consistently delicious splash panels, and the second-person narration is infused with insight and earnestness. What could be a hopelessly basic story instead becomes engaging and compelling.

It's not quite a grand slam, but it's an eminently respectable triple.
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This fun, fast adventure is a very smooth segue from the title's previous one-shots into longer stories. There's a little taste of insight in the treatment of Reed Richards, and if the rest of the character work is shallower, it still feels authentic. The visuals conform to the artist's usual high standard of finish throughout, and he stretches a little to add a surreal pop to the story's multi-dimensional weirdness.

Frankly the biggest surprise is that Ryan North resisted the temptation to use and/or define the term "chirality" here.
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This is a stylish little chapter, and some time spent in Reese's point of view is much appreciated--even if it doesn't dive particularly deep. The art is dynamic and polished, but it really seems to be testing the absolute minimum amount of detail required for good comics art.

This title is still a dependably satisfying read, but the current arc seems prone to wandering into the tall grass and letting the strategic plot stall out.
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The art's gorgeous and the dialogue features some tasty lines. There's even a spot of good character insight for Scott and Bobby. The main Brood plot is developing nicely.

The B plots are problematic, though. Forge's Knowhere shenanigans and now Krakoa's least-welcome refugee? They're just kinda…there, leeching pages away from the main story and, for now, totally failing to connect.

I'm sure it'll all come together a few issues down the road, but on its own, this issue is hurt by the randomness.
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I like Jed MacKay and I love Jed MacKay's Black Cat. But this particular issue is scripted more like the author's Moon Knight series, and I mean that in a "damning with faint praise" way.

It's a sparse script in terms of plot development, with lots of room left for spectacular visual storytelling. This issue's art gets the job done, but it doesn't really wow me. It's been a while since I read #3; somehow I forgot that the visuals were so sparse and male-gaze-y.

The MJ-Felicia relationship stalls out at a rather shallow level. If they're passing the Bechdel test, it's by the skin of their teeth.

I'm pretty sure my disillusionment is mainly subjective. This might be my least-favorite chapter, but I still like this story a lot.
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The plot evolves in interesting directions. The art remains strong and chunky, doing an incredible amount of storytelling with a minimum of detail.

But the prose! The author is imitating Stan Lee's early Silver Age style (verbose, excessively expository, contraction-averse) and going way too far. I'm sure it's an intentional affectation and I respect the intent, but it does real damage to the pace and enjoyability of the comic.
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The conflict coasts to a quiet, bittersweet ending, and then it's on to epilogue business. Wakanda's new status quo is affirmed, the new characters are shelved where other authors can find them if they want to, and T'Challa rides off into the sunset of exile.

"Relief that it's over" is hardly the ideal feeling you want to evoke in your readers at the end of a run, but it is a (minor) positive for this issue. It also features good art and some snappy dialogue, making this finale a bit of an up-tick. Still, this volume isn't going into the hall of fame.

The issue's theme suits the end of a problematic volume: This is where we are now, and there's nothing to do but move forward.
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Ah, yes, "refer to this filler arc from 15 years ago"--exactly the sort of payoff I want after a twenty-issue tease.

Saltiness aside, this arc hasn't lost me yet. But it hasn't engaged my enthusiasm, either. The storytelling's solid, but at least subjectively, the content remains poised on the fence. It could fall good or bad. Without knowing where the story's headed, I can't call this issue anything but average.
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I see we've reached the point in the play-date where the frustrated rich kid dumps out his entire toy chest of action figures and declares himself the winner by sheer quantity.

Poor Javier Garrόn is working his fingers to the bone creating intensely detailed panels stuffed chock-full of characters. It's counter-productive in two ways: The story is too feeble to encourage readers to scrutinize those panels, and they are just so busy that the best/most important sights are drowned out by the clutter.

If there's one lesson to take from this finale arc (and Aaron's Avengers as a whole, really) it's that you can definitely have too much of a good thing.
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The art is lively and it has a strong sense of style, but the sketchy lack of detail is a problem, particularly in the action scenes. The script's pace is herky-jerky, like the last issue, and the dialogue still features the occasional stilted line.

But the overall quality is improving as the plot finally kicks into gear. One feature I admire is that the conflicts are driven by character interaction. The author has a talent for developing plot and character at the same time. It also helps that (so far) everyone has rational motivations for the choices they make.
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Eddie's story shifts back into drive and the plot develops with a vengeance. First, though, a little Dark Web recapping and tying off a loose end from Thor. These are digressions, but they're structured and illustrated so beautifully that they're engrossing.

The nuts-and-bolts prose is a bit less impressive than the issue's other features, but it's by no means bad. It's clear and it keeps the story moving.
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I respect what the creators are aiming for here, but I think mindscape head games are a little outside their wheelhouses in terms of both words and art. They end up strong in terms of plot and character development, but the start is very shaky.

Roger Aubrey proves to be a lifesaver for the authors as well as the Invaders; his story is the magnet that pulls everything together.

The art is formidable as ever, featuring superb layouts. The choice to slap MODOC's rictus grin on the faces of other characters is jarring, though--and not entirely in the way intended.
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The Xeno plot coasts to a smooth conclusion, though it's not particularly surprising or intense. Fortunately, the art remains excellent and the point of view digs just deep enough into Domino's head to give the issue the engaging hook it needs.

It's a simple "meet the antihero and see what she can do" story. The details are laid out in clear if not particularly memorable language, and some fine, delicate art livens things up. Nothing I'd call bad, but not exactly an instant favorite, either.

But then the creators drop Maxine Danger and the Beyond Corporation into the mix, and that's exactly the kind of bonus that makes me sit up and pay attention. I'm eager to see where this goes.
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The plot takes a darker twist than I expected here. It's a good story, and this final chapter is particularly well illustrated. But the darkness is undercut by two factors: First, the protagonist/PoV character is incredibly flat, spurred on by the most generic motivations. And second, the resolution turns this entire series into a shaggy-dog preamble for a hypothetical Black Widow vs Arcade story. And if the authors *had* that story, they coulda/shoulda told it here.
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This is a simple--almost simplistic--story idea spun out to issue length with incredibly stylish scripting and art. I appreciate the subtlety and nuance, and I think the storytelling's talented, but even with close scrutiny, I don't see a whole lot of content.

If this series is going to be a semi-sorta anthology of little untold stories throughout Tony's career, starting with the timey-wimey future story is a *damned* weird choice.
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This issue faffs around with a lot of Avatar-press-level Grand Guignol theatrics before finally dragging the protagonists to the place the solicits brought the readers 2 months ago: They need to deal with Danny Ketch. To me, this is a competent but thoroughly superfluous middle chapter.

This issue features perfectly acceptable storytelling conveying a complicated, fast-moving plot that I am really struggling to care about. I'm giving myself half-credit for my Chosen One bet--I knew it wasn't Peter, but I picked the wrong alternate Spider. Ah well.

I'll credit the creators: They put in the work, and there's nothing mortally wrong with the storytelling here. Except they failed to accomplish the most important task.

My eyes roll at the basic premise: "Gwen meets more variants, but this time they're villains! And clones!" (And I bet mine aren't the only eyes rolling.)

All the creators had to do was give us *something* beyond that tired elevator pitch, some spark of novelty or mystery.

And they didn't.

Comedy Rule of Threes: If Marvel goes back to this well *again*, it might become hilarious. But the "Gwen vs. variants" count stands at two, so this is just sad.
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Frankly, It offends me that Marvel is rolling out a full slate of a-listers to shill for this dumb-ass Vampire: the Masquerade fan-fiction.

A sufficiently intriguing story told with considerable talent could get past my inherent distaste. This story? With these words, with this art? Not a chance.

Most comics are cinema. This one is poetry. A rare gem.

It's an excellent combination of slow-burn psychological study and hard-boiled Punisher combat. The tough, terse, symbolic language suits the protagonist to a T.

The art demonstrates a remarkable facility for both subtle character interactions and hard-hitting action--not easy to do in this heavy-line style.

I think I might like Torunn Grønbekk better on the Punisher than on Asgardian business.
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The plot's a bit of a hot mess, but the humor's solid, the art is gorgeous, and the pace is impeccable. Plus, the mysterious Valentine Vuong is well on their way to "breakout character" status.

The plot progresses smoothly, with plenty of fun along the way. The two authors pair nicely, shoring up each other's weaknesses. Donny Cates adds clarity, while Torunn Grønbekk brings wit and style. On the art front, Nic Klein makes everything look gorgeous all by himself. Though this issue doesn't deliver big payoffs, it's a thoroughly satisfying middle chapter.

The backup strip is flawed (short of plot and featuring a little clumsy language), but it has its charms. It looks great and what plot there is is enjoyable.
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We've reached the part of the event where plot developments march forward to a relentless drumbeat, leaving little room for subtlety or nuance.

That's not a bad thing when the story is told this well. Nicely-polished art, snappy dialogue, and the delicious treat of Emma Frost's PoV make this a delightful issue.

As the plot marches slowly towards a confrontation, the day-to-day business of finals seems a little superfluous. The storm preparation stuff at the end is a different matter, though; that's charming. And the shifting character allegiances are engaging. The whole thing is wrapped up in another serving of refined, distinctive art. This strikes a great balance between entertaining on its own and building anticipation for the finale. more

The story climaxes in a way that's both technically and viscerally satisfying. The dialogue might be a trifle simple, but the script's structure and pacing are just fine. The art remains knock-your-eyes-out gorgeous. Getting a new superhero that's worth revisiting is the icing on the cake.

This is still an incredibly charming portrait of She-Hulk, the superhero you'd love to party--or commiserate--with. The art is right in line with the charming-ness, and it's (for me, anyway) a really fun read.

But the important scenes take so long, and so much space is devoted to showing the passage of time, that this issue just can't make much progress. *One* development on *one* plotline. No motion on the mad science antagonists at all--the characters even lampshade the lack of development there. And not a word said about the 4th-wall-breaking elephant the last issue dropped in the middle of the room. more

It's essentially a middling Star Trek story, but I appreciate how smoothly the Marvel elements have been massaged into the script. It's nicely-paced, too, holding interest as the action ebbs and flows. The art's imperfect, occasionally dropping the ball when it comes to detail and dynamism, but there are also plenty of visual flares. A touch of great expression, a spread of inventive blocking--ultimately, I like the visuals.

Subjectively, at least, it succeeds in the core mission of any #1: It has me looking forward to #2.
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