CrazyforRAMU's Profile

At the plot level, this is a fairly self-contained adventure that does some enthralling, weird world-building. On the character level, Wyn and Dimitri build up some welcome depth, and Mia remains a key figure for making things relatable. To top it off, Mr. Hickman demonstrates that he's STILL building on the mythology of his FF and Avengers runs.

The art is polished and almost irresisti bly attractive. But what's more, it's a significant storytelling tool; Mr. Schiti salts in subtle, visual-only ideas that enrich the narrative.
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It's a big finish that pulls the trigger on tons of compelling ideas. The artist certainly got the memo, and he goes above and beyond to make things look as epic as possible. However, I think that the characters (with one big exception) don't get as much thoughtful, heartfelt insight as they did in Guardians #10. That's why I've rated this one a scooch below that one.

This magic combination of personal theology and street-level crimefighting lands right next door to greatness. The author has a steady grasp of the throttle, telling a satisfyingly smooth story. The artist is going the extra mile, enhancing an all-around rock-solid visual performance with some truly exceptional splash pages.

The storytelling is so good that it encourages close scrutiny. And it's there that some cracks in the narrative logic start to appear; the wrong sorts of questions go unanswered. Despite the trappings of Christian theology, I'm still not sure that this title has anything really profound or moving to say. But in terms of entertaining the reader with an engaging, interesting story, this issue is highly successful.
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I like this a lot. The art is talented, and it tickles my fancy. The script strikes a nice balance between brisk, dialogue-free action scenes and incisive, well-written conversations.
What holds it back a little is that the villainy of Beast Prime drives this plot, and that has grown regrettably stale. He's about as complicated and interesting as a Bronze Age baddie at this point.

The story is good, the dialogue is great, and the monster of the week is full of creepy promise. I found the guest art frustrating, though. It's obviously committed to the title's moody tone and body horror. I felt like there was a critical detail shortage every time things got really intense.

I truly love what the creators are trying to do here (the way this issue hooks the premise into established continuity is terrific), but I'm not blind to the weak spots in their execution. The writing is uneven, particularly when it comes to pacing and characterization. The art is generally stronger, but it's not without its soft spots. I expect I'll end up filing this series in the "ambitious but flawed" drawer.
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I appreciate the continued expansion of Bailey's world and supporting cast, and the way the A and B strips interact is a thing of structural beauty. The art is clear, refined, and delightful.

And yet…this issue (the A strip especially) is a perfect example of the Idiot Plot. The characters have to misunderstand each other, overreact, and generally act like morons to develop the story ac cording to the author's desire. Even as I admire the final effect, I wish Dan Slott could have found a less grating way to achieve it.
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Weapon VIII delivers novelty and creepiness in a big, body-horror way. Miguel's story provides some hints for the upcoming Big Dumb Event™. And Spider-Byte is…there.

Carol isn't the only one who gets furious when she can't do anything. She's staggeringly passive in this issue. Plus, she's still a guest star in her own title. If this issue had one problem or the other, I could call it decent, but both?

Still, it gets close, thanks to the way the author is building a parallel family theme between Yuna and Carol. If that thread is pulled tight in the n ext issue—and Carol DOES SOMETHING—this series might yet get good.
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The final issue is livened up by a big, genuinely intriguing twist. But it's the kind of idea that a modern writer would build the entire miniseries around, building it up and using it to enhance the entire story instead of just launching it out of the blue to make the climax interesting.

There are also some transient character insights thrown into the mix that make me respect the autho r and his command of Marvel continuity. But he still fails to make me respect the characters, which is a problem.

Beyond that, we get the usual retro art, polished but stiff, and that leaves my rating hovering on the low side of "average."
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This issue has a very satisfying script. A few lines of dialogue could be smoother, but overall, it's tense and engaging.

It's in the art that this issue truly shines. It's a visual tour de force. Copious detail, superb characters, and wildly inventive blocking all come together to deliver a feast for the eyes. This is a masterclass in what great art can do to elevate a good comic.
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So we're sticking with the cross-cut action and therapy? That's fine; the creators have a firm handle on how to work it for maximum drama. The therapy breaks marry powerful character insight to the rather slender serving of plot development. The art is still powerful and vigorous, though I'll always be wishing for a little more clarity.

The art is at its most stylish, making even an action-light installment a pleasure to look at. The dialogue has plenty of snappy back-and-forth, and the latest plot developments build nicely on what's come before. Plus, this issue's guest star is a rare treat, and this is one of their better appearances.

This is slightly more serious than previous issues, but it's still pretty corny—in an easily forgivable way. There's not a lot of real depth to the Pete/Otto conflict or its resolution. Paradoxically, though, it delivers the illusion of depth by casting a wide net and doing lots of satisfying continuity work.

One big plus is that Mark Bagley really ate his Wheaties for this issue, juggl ing a whole truckload of characters and polishing up every design. It's visually impressive.
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After some promising development, the plot falls into a holding pattern that messes up the pace. The choice of antagonists is strange.

But there are ample strengths to make up for the problematic bits. The dialogue has a lot of snappy lines and a lot of good jokes. The characterization is engaging. The art is strong, often gorgeous. And best of all, this issue fully engages my "what hap pens next?" reflex, leaving me eager to read on.
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The pace of movement from scene to scene remains slow, but that's deceptive. This issue actually adds a ton of new playing pieces to the game, answers a few questions, and raises more.

The art remains entrancing, and the story is developing in a fascinating way. Hisako needs a "partner in crime," and Mei fills that role perfectly. We get a first hint at a human face behind their antagon ist, but their specifics remain deliciously mysterious.
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Well, of course, it looks gorgeous. The prose carves out a little island of understated clarity, but both words and art hint at vast oceans of mystery and danger stretching out beyond that island. Though it raises tons of questions, and that can be frustrating, it never gives the sense that the story itself is uncertain.

The great double-edged sword here is that it's hard to imagine thi s unique story crossing over with the other Ultimate titles. That might mean it winds up feeling disconnected—or it could mean that when it DOES cross over, it will be in remarkable, novel, impossible to predict ways.
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Shang-Chi and U.S. Agent have just saved this series for me. Shang manages to explain the cockamamie status quo in a way that makes it clear and compelling, and John Walker's "@#$% that noise" reaction to the situation mirrors my own. But one ridiculous kaiju-fight later, and he's on board—and so am I.

The art remains short of detail, but I appreciate the cinematic blocking, the dynamic fight poses, and the perfectly-chosen facial close-ups.
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For me, this issue was a much-appreciated course change. The other characters continue to call out Sabretooth's stupidity, but flashbacks and inner monologues give some insight into his motivations.

The entry of the Exiles expands the scope of the conflict and makes it MUCH more interesting for me. It inspired me to go review Victor LaValle's last miniseries, and the amount of foreshad owing that's now paying off is remarkable.

The art has a rough finish that doesn't thrill me, but the blocking—the bones of the visuals—is impressive.
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The plot coasts to a smooth, logical resolution. The art stays in its "retro, but refined" lane. I remain somewhat perplexed by the writing. In my opinion, the author has a terrific ear for dialogue. And yet the narration is always poised on the edge of pretension.

Anyway. It's a solid flashback story that fulfills its assignment: Evoking a specific moment in Daredevil continuity and p utting a little modern polish on it.
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