This felt like reading a crappy backup story in an old annual. The clunky dialogue and average 90s art don’t help either.

I enjoy reading the occasional issue where the talking and socialising take precedence over the action, however, it seems that not much is happening in this title at all since I started reading it a few issues ago. I’ve never been a big Avengers fan, but they have had several great runs over the years that I enjoyed, with great art and writing and interesting character dynamics. This isn’t one of those. The art is very average in my opinion - readable, but rough and not very attractive. And the writing - let’s just say X-Men and Avengers are my least favorite books right now, and it can’t be coincidence that McKay is writing both of them. Yes, something is happening, but it all feels underwhelming, like a half-assed attempt at reviving a corpse.

I liked Farid Karami‘s art much better than that of regular artist Valerio Schiti, but that’s about the only positive thing I can say about this issue. This title is just not fun. There’s no synergy, no magic, even when heavyweights like Storm and the Scarlet Witch are battling it out. This issue also suffers from the same problem I see in many Marvel titles lately: there’s no arc of suspense, the issue just ends at some point. I started reading Avengers because of Storm, but honestly it’s such a bore - I might as well drop it.

Teaming up Kang, Black Cat and the Technet sounds like one of those weird ideas that would have made a great issue of Excalibur back in the day, but in the hands of Jed MacKay it ends up being just as dry and boring as... well, any issue of this Avengers series I have read so far. I don't know what it is, but this series is just not working.

Waid and Samnee perfectly capture Batman's broodiness and Robin's youthful exuberance. The book feels cinematic, atmospheric and nostalgic, but not dated, which is a huge feat to accomplish. I haven't read a Batman comic in decades, and this was a wonderful re-introduction.

Old-fashioned superhero fun, perfectly executed. With a better cliffhanger, this would be a 10.

Another great issue in this series. The plot is a bit repetitive, but that’s probably intentional to showcase Robin‘s behavioral pattern. I’m expecting a twist in the near future.

I love this book! It reminds me why I fell in love with comics as a kid. However, this fourth issue drags a bit, but maybe I'm just not that much into villain's monologues.

I didn’t expect to like this so much. I’m usually not a fan of Asrar‘s art, but what he‘s doing with the bugs and ants here is pure genius. The scenes with the family look more like his usual stuff. Solid, but I wouldn’t read it if the whole book looked like this. The story, although clichéd and seen in different variations a few hundred times in The Narnia Chronicles, Alice in Wonderland or Honey, I shrunk the Kids, is enchanting and well written. I guess I’ll be back for issue 2. Let’s hope for more bugs than everyday stuff.

Considering that the writing and art in superhero comics are at an all-time low, this book is probably somewhat entertaining if you’re Gen Z and not used to comics being better. Personally, I would recommend reading the Ladronn run from ages ago instead of this.

I enjoyed Dazzler's old book, but this is just identity cult indoctrination with some disco make-up slapped on. A sham, and not even a well executed one.

I haven’t read a DC title in many years, but with Marvel going downhill, I decided to give the competition another chance. The art in this book was the best I could find in the current DC titles, so I decided to start with Detective Comics 1090. Let’s just say, it blew me away. A perfectly written, perfectly drawn comic.I hope this team stays on the title for a long while.

Perfect art, an intriguing mystery, and it all flows like a great action movie. I can’t find any flaws with this book.

The issue felt a bit short and Janin‘s artwork looked more rushed to me than in previous issues, but not every issue can be perfect. Still one of my favorite books at the moment.

This was probably my favorite chapter in the story so far. The writing is spot-on and the art is just perfect. Someone wrote in their review that the story is too political for their taste, because it supposedly criticizes juvenile prisons. Well... maybe it's just a story. When did we start interpreting any individual situation, person or institution in a story to be an allegory for a whole demographic, system or political situation? Maybe Gotham just has a really bad juvenile prison. We wouldn't have superheroes if we didn't have corruption and evil in their worlds.

A perfect piece of entertainment. Tom Reilly is one of the few current artists that don’t overwhelm the reader, but find the perfect balance between drawing enough details while keeping it simple and elegant.

Woke identity crap disguised as an X-Men comic. At least the art is solid.

I found this issue a bit less annoying than the previous ones. However, it's still all about preaching identity politics and how not to be a bigot. The only thing I really like about this book is Carnero's art. She deserves a better book.

This was probably the first issue in this series that resembled an actual X-Men comic. Plus: Bronze is still a horrible whiny character, but I caught myself rooting for her in this episode of Glee… sorry, issue of Exceptional X-Men.

I applaud Eve Ewing for not shying away from addressing Kitty‘s recent past, however, it’s just not possible to justify the murders she has committed during the Fall of X storyline. Kitty, one of my favorite X-Men ever, is a ruined character, and it isn’t Ewing’s fault. However, the issue of Kitty’s mass murder is brushed aside pretty easily, and this is a problem. The art is great as usual,and the writing feels natural, but I feel this series is written for a younger generation with different sensibilities. Gen X guys like me just don’t give a shit about those teenager’s issues. So the question is, who is reading this title? The younger people that the series caters to or people like me, who just want a great superhero book, but are getting a lot of slice of life and social justice crap instead?

One of the better issues in the series so far, mostly because the ideological preaching is pretty much absent. The art is great as usual.

You've gotta be kidding me. This is how the FF deal with Doom taking over the world? By exchanging niceties with She-Hulk and fighting bigotry against vampires - who, by the way, should be their enemies? FF #29 is not only a clumsily written superhero comic with almost no superheroing happening, it's also a misguided and inappropriate allegory that North uses to force-feed the reader his political propaganda. The funny thing is, he is actually doing the minority groups he wants us to root for a disservice by comparing them to undead bloodsucking killers. WTF.

I read this issue because I loved the last FG series, but this one didn’t look like the same quality. Well, I gave it a chance, but didn’t find anything compelling or interesting in this first issue. The writing and art are solid, but nothing spectacular. I will probably not read the next one.

Good story and amazing art! I just wish it was a standalone series and not part of another shared universe.

Another great issue. Unlike the other G.I. Joe title, this one makes me care about the characters. In this case, I’m really worried about my favorite, Clutch. I hope he makes it out of the enemy’s lair. The only issue I’m having with this series is the coloring. While I generally like a reduced moody color palette, it does look a bit lazy and uninspired in some places. Anyway, the perfect comic book art doesn’t exist (well, maybe in Geiger…), and I’m really loving this series so far!

As a newcomer to the G.I. Joe franchise, I’m not quite sure how this series connects with the other current G.I. Joe title - I think they are just two different versions? I’m not quite sure if this is a good approach - personally, I find it confusing. Anyway, I read this book because I really love the Energon version. This one looks completely different. Mooneyham’s artwork reminds me of the late eighties/early nineties, with hints of Jim Lee and Andy Kubert. it’s not my favorite style, especially compared to Tom Reilly’s, but it’s solid and very dynamic, and it made me feel a bit nostalgic, especially paired with Larry Hama’s writing. Although the story being hard to follow at times and the characters coming off as less human and more pinup-y than in the Energon title, there was enough good stuff in this action-packed issue to make me want to come back for the next.

After last issue, which was pretty good, this one was quite disappointing. The tonal shifts are weird, and there really isn’t much of a story, just the repercussions of last issue. The art, however, is great.

Better than last issue, but I really don’t like the way the issues just end at some random point in the story. Maybe it’s a stylistic choice, but I prefer single issues to have a dramatic arc, ending in a cliffhanger of some sort.

Pretty enjoyable, but five issues in, I need more characterization, group dynamics, subplots and most of all, a character I can identify with. Maybe this is not that title.

Solid script, solid art. Pelletier's style is more accessible than Mooneyham's, but also less exciting. The story seems to be going nowhere though.

Solid, but the art looks a bit rushed, especially in the action scenes.

I'm starting to realize this is just some nostalgic 90s trash without an outstanding artist.

This series is always better when Hama injects some humanity into all the action.

Thank God, Mooneyham's back.

More of the same, but this issue has some stunning visuals.

A fast-paced stand-alone issue with a predictable twist. The guest art by Andrew Krahnke reminds me of both Carmine Infantino and Jim Cheung, but doesn't reach those artists' quality. Definitely one of the better filler issues I read in the last months.

I finally decided to read Geiger and I didn't regret it. A comic needs great art and writing to captivate me, and this one has both. I didn't expect the story to be so emotional though. It's not ever day I come across a comic that makes me immediately care about what happens to the protagonist.

This series was a perfectly spun tale from start to finish.

I cannot recommend Geiger enough. Every issue just works perfectly and adds to the greater story. I haven’t been this excited about a comic in years.

I’d give a 12 if I could.

This comic is so well written and drawn, I even care about the dog.

Paul Pelletier is a good artist, but he has the hard job of filling in for the excellent Gary Frank, which unfortunately makes the difference between a good and a great comic.

Geiger continues the downhill trend, and it’s not actually the artist’s fault, but the fact that Geoff Johns focuses a bit too much on Geiger‘s affection for books. What started as an interesting character trait that showed Geiger‘s humanity and idealism is now becoming the main plot, and it comes across as preachy.

Gary Frank is back and the story is back on track as well. I’m still not sure why we have a Zebra sidekick in this book, but I’m confident that Johns is going somewhere with this.

I'm having some minor issues with this issue. Tariq's hostile reaction to Ash Arden feels like coming out of nowhere. Plus, I've had difficulties making sense of the Junkyard Joe scene. It looked like a flashback to me because of the people and the car. At the end, it became clear that the scene took place in Arden's camp in the present, but since there was no visual reference before (except for the dog, which I didn't notice), I mistook it as some street in the past before the war. Gary Frank could have avoided this confusion by showing us the inside of the camp. Then, there's the Zebra still. Anyway, those are minor things, and since the book is generally beyond 10 when Frank draws it, I still give it a 10.

Hyde Street reads like an old spooky comic you're sure you read as a kid but you just can't put your finger on it. Maybe it didn't exist at all. I really like the deep concepts and storytelling the reader is introduced to in this first issue. The art is pretty good, conveying a creepy blend of horror and comedy. The opening scene was a bit too extreme for my taste though - sometimes less is more. Anyway, I'm hooked.

Excellent storytelling. Hyde Street is a true gem among the bland sameness of modern comics.

This issue didn’t work as well as the previous two in my opinion. There were panels in which I didn’t quite know what’s happening, and the ending wasn’t a satisfying conclusion to this Christmas-themed story. Having said that, the book was still a joy to read and I’m so intrigued by the concept of Hyde Street. I really have no idea where this series is heading and that’s a good thing.

This is my favorite issue of Hyde Street so far. While the protagonists in previous issues were pretty much horrible human beings before meeting their fate on Hyde Street, Oscar Oddman, the Matinee Monster, is relatable from the start, which makes his inevitable demise even more tragic.

Considering I know almost nothing about this team, it was a fun read. Was it as exciting as the debut issue of a brand new team should be? No, but I think the book has potential. My greatest criticism, as usual with current Marvel titles, is the mediocre art.

I really enjoyed the first half of the issue. The story was much more interesting than #1 and Coleman‘s art has improved a lot. But then there‘s the second half… something changes and it takes all the suspense out of the story. Plus, the guest art is not very good, which makes this issue a very mixed bag.

Not just an origin story, but a tale about the cruelties of war and the human condition. Gary Frank’s art is perfect as usual. Loved it!

Trash. Nuff said.

No.

Yarsky’s artwork is fresh and quite appealing, but also a bit stiff, which unfortunately keeps the story from really flowing. Jerome is definitely an interesting protagonist, both visually and as a character. I’m not sure if I’ll be back for issue 2, but something about this book does intrigue me.

A decent Magik story. The family of magic practitioners introduced in this issue was the most interesting part for me. Just for the record: I hate Magik’s look, both the costume and the surfboard-sized sword. I hope the different outfits on upcoming covers mean that a costume change is in store for Ilyana.

Marvel generally hides badly drawn books behind a great cover, but in this case the opposite is true. I almost didn’t want to read this book because of its crap cover, but I saw some of the interior art, which is much better. In the end, the book couldn’t quite deliver what I expected from this first impression. The story is a bit too simple, some of the characters are not my cup of tea and even the art couldn’t hold its quality over the course of the whole book (I’m not sure what each of the two artists is doing, but I suspect I like one more than the other). I also noticed that this doesn’t feel like a first issue. The characters apparently know each other from Spider-Woman, but I haven’t heard of any of them and expected a proper origin story, but that’s not happening here. Anyway, if you’re looking for a fresh fun book, give New Champions a chance. There’s a lot of potential.

This book already has too many characters, and although the character interaction is somewhat fun and charming, this is probably not enough to keep me interested. The art has gotten worse from last issue, so I guess the artist I liked in the first issue was Ig Guara, not Ivan Fiorelli.

NYX is just as preachy as Exceptional X-Men, but where that book is dull and depressing, this one at least has some fun and excitement.

This whole book is ideological indoctrination. The art is decent, but completely wasted on this woke nonsense. Can we please get back to superheroing?

Unreadable garbage. I tried reading it, but the art doesn't let me.

I’m reading NYX mostly to spot the woke indoctrination, since that’s the only consistent aspect of this mess of a comic. This time the ideological nonsense is in the background, as two battles take the center stage, both of them not making much sense. Having Prodigy and Sync fight over the leadership of the group (what group?) seemed completely forced and made me realize that both men are pretty much the same throwaway character. Ms. Marvel (who shouldn’t even be in a mutant book) vs. her cousin makes even less sense. He doesn’t realize it’s her because she’s wearing a €%&£ mask? Come on… it’s 2025! In the end, both fights are resolved too quickly, and in Prodigy and Sync’s case, just as unnaturally as it started. I’m writing too much about this crappy book. It’s crap. Don’t buy it.

Decent book, but not very accessible to readers like me who haven’t followed Laura Kinney and Hellion over the years.

The setup of this issue is puzzling, to say the least. When we last saw Prof. X, all he wanted to do was help his daughter. Now suddenly he is after the last Krakoan seed, which makes the inclusion of NYX in this crossover feel forced and unnatural. I also wondered if I had missed an issue of X-Manhunt. Of course Kelly and Lanzing need to insert their usual moral lecturing into the plot. There's no question that Xavier is the most despicable mutant alive, and they tell you so in each and every scene. Unfortunately the art is quite good, so I can't give this issue the rating the story deserves. Writing: 2 Art: 8

One World under Trump… sorry, Doom. But seriously, aside from being an obvious and biased metaphor for the political situation in the US, I have seen worse books. It’s not Ryan North‘s fault that he has to work with the current lifeless and boring Avengers roster, but he makes the most of it. It’s funny though to see Storm relegated to a bystander, considering she just had dinner with Doom and also should have a lot more to say about the situation in her role as a former queen and regent of Arrako.

A Phoenix solo book has the potential to push the envelope and go beyond even the most philosophical and esoteric stories Marvel has ever told. Unfortunately, Stephanie Phillips plays it pretty safe, spinning a tale that could also appear in the pages of Guardians of the Galaxy or a Starjammers limited series. The art by Alessandro Miracolo is just as average. It tells the story and makes for some cool special effects, but it’s also anatomically awful and not very flattering to the female form - which makes me appreciate Lucas Werneck on Storm much more. This is not what a Phoenix book should look like.

How did both the writing and the art get even worse?

I love Geiger, Hyde Street and Junkyard Joe, so I thought I’d probably love Redcoat too. Well… after reading this first issue, I’m a bit disappointed. The way Pure became immortal wasn’t the compelling origin story I expected, but seemed kind of trivial and rushed. And I’m not sold on the idea of kid Einstein as a sidekick. However, Redcoat is intriguing enough to continue reading. And Bryan Hitch’s art is pretty great.

I’m not hooked yet. And Einstein is an annoying sidekick.

For some reason I enjoyed this issue more than the previous two. Maybe it was that apple tree moment.

I don’t know why this even exists. It adds nothing to the classic story. Worse, both art and writing are not even close to Claremont and Lee, which makes this comic completely redundant.

This was a waste of time. Bad writing, even worse art.

This is probably the most amateurish art I have ever seen in a Marvel comic. I can’t believe this was approved by an editor.

This was probably the worst written, worst drawn comic book published by one of the big two I have ever read. Who hires these incompetent people?

Storm is my favorite superhero, but her solo series haven't been great for one reason or another. Unlike previous series, this one has already introduced some intriguing ideas. However, it suffers from the decompressed pin-up-y art and storytelling. Werneck is a great costume designer, but in my opinion, he's not a great comic book artist. Spending four pages on a costume change in issue 1 was frustrating already. This second issue has a lot of empty space and large panels, which makes it an unsatisfying five minute read.

I could have sworn there’s a new inker on this book, since the art looks so much smoother in this issue. Apparently that’s not the case, so I guess Werneck is getting better. There are some beautiful shots of Storm‘s face and a nearly perfect intimate scene. However, there are still some of the same problems: too many large panels, splash pages that should have been regular panels and even panels that are completely unnecessary. The result, once again, is an issue where not much is happening, because a lot of page space is wasted. Also, what’s the deal with the descriptive sound words? They don’t add anything dramatic to the story and look more like stand-in text that the letterer forgot to replace. Lastly, I’m not sure if getting rid of Storm‘s health problem so quickly was a great idea. Okay, apparently death still wants her, which sounds like an even bigger mystery unfolding, but still… a very weird turn that falls a bit flat. All in all, I like the intrigue and mystery Ayodele is building and Werneck is getting better with each issue. But: the meager content each issue is disappointing.

That escalated quickly. And a quick read it was indeed. While I am intrigued by Ayodele‘s ideas and the direction this book is going, I’m still not fond of the way he and artist Lucas Werneck are using the space of a standard comic book. The story seems secondary to far too many splash pages and large panels. Unlike many, I’m not a fan of Werneck‘s pin-up-y art, but I was starting to appreciate it more last issue. This time… not so much, despite a few beautiful shots of Ororo and Doom.

I haven’t been a fan of this series from the start, but I find myself more intrigued by Ayodele‘s story with each issue. Even Werneck‘s art is growing on me. This is also the first issue in which Werneck‘s oversized panels work for me. What felt like a waste of space in previous issues, makes much more sense when illustrating the raw spectacle of the cosmic powers of the Marvel universe.

I found this issue to be a frustrating read. Firstly, it suffers from the same decompressed storytelling as all the other issues before. Secondly, so much in the story doesn't make sense. Why does Storm explain to Xavier that she has to play by the book now, but then decides to fight her former teammates for him, who basically want the same thing? Then there's the uncalled-for mutilation of Maggott - completely inappropriate, considering that Cyclops wasn't even as seriously hurt as it first seemed the case. Murdering and mutilating seems en vogue in the mutant titles in recent years, and I really hate it. On the positive side, this is the first time I have seen Cyclops's team well drawn and not looking like cartoon characters. I still don't like most of them, but at least they look good here. Vecchio's artwort has its moments, but it doesn't save this mess of a story.

Although the editors and writers have done their homework on Ororo Munroe, the story they concoct is utterly stupid and trivial, not worthy of a special celebrating fifty years of Storm. It's not quite clear to me why we need four authors and artists (and why they call it an anthology), since this is just one story divided into four chapters. The script and dialogue vary widely in quality, ranging from good (Jennings) to horrible (Roche). The art is a mixed bag as well. Charles Stewart III's unusual and elegant style stands out in a positive way (although there are a few panels in which Ororo looks like a much older woman), and Edwin Galmon is pretty solid as well. However, Alitha Martinez and Karen S. Darboe provide some rough and amateurish art that I can only describe as an insult against the character and the reader. All in all, this issue was a fail in my opinion. If you want to read about Storm's awesomeness, read the old Claremont/Byrne run, the outback issues or the original Lifedeath 1 and 2.

A solid story, but I’m not a fan of this Manga-influenced art, especially not for Superman

What a confusing book. A time-hopping story such as this one needs clear, concise art. However, I found myself wondering several times what is even happening. Rom Lim has been around for a while and although I was never a huge fan, his artwork looked unrecognizable and amateurish here.

This was an enjoyable read, although I don’t exactly appreciate the woke education via an overlong coffee scene. Salvador Larroca has found a style that is probably easy to draw, but also nice to look at.

New Gods #1 grabs the reader's attention by juxtaposing the cosmic and esoteric with the mundane and down to earth - which is a very clever thing to do, especially when you want to draw in new readers like me. What caught my attention was not the writing though, but the beautiful art by Evan Cagle and colorist Francesco Segala. I haven't seen comic art on this level of perfection in quite a while. It's simply phenomenal. In a time when most superhero comics seem to be written and drawn by people who have no idea what they are doing, New Gods is giving me hope for the genre.

I won’t even try to pretend I know what’s going on in this issue. As a newcomer to the New Gods, I have no clue who all these characters, creatures and planets are, and we don’t get a lot of explanation. Without the more down-to-earth scenes, I’d be completely lost. However, the book is drawn so well that I don’t even mind that the story feels like some cryptic mythological text. I actually like how mysterious all of this is. Having said that, I didn’t really enjoy the guest art on the first couple of pages. Lonergan’s rough and sketchy style doesn’t complement Evan Cagle’s intricate and elegant art at all. Maybe it was meant to be a jarring combination, but I would have preferred Cagle to draw the whole book.

I’m not a fan of two artists on one issue, even if both artists are as excellent as Cagle and Federici.

The concept of Rocketfellers (horrible name by the way) reminds me of Mark Millar‘s Chrononauts, but the writing and art are not on the same level. I like the family though, and with a more capable artist, it could draw me in.

The charm of this potentially heartwarming Christmas tale gets overshadowed by a plot that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Plus, I still don’t get what others see in Manapul‘s art. Sure, it’s mostly readable, but also pretty rough and generic.

Like the last two issues, this one is a mixed bag. The concept and storytelling are somewhat charming, but then there’s the average art and all the little things that don’t make sense. This issue doesn’t even have a lot of story, it’s all setup and some slice of life.

I didn’t watch the Loki series and hate alternate timeline stories, but Pepe Larraz makes everything look great, so I gave this series a try. It’s a shame that Larraz is not drawing the book, but Pere Perez is almost as good. Unfortunately, the art is the only great thing about TVA. Katharyn Blair somehow managed to write a script that is completely devoid of any charm or spark. If a book makes me want to quit after two pages despite great art, the writing must be exceptionally bad. So how can I rate this? The art is a 9, but the writing is a 1. I could give an average of 5, but since the writing makes the issue an overall unpleasant experience, it has to be a 3.

Watch a team of redundant superhero copies walk from point A to point B. Oh, and they talk a lot, but there’s no suspense or momentum. The art is good though.

What the heck is happening? Marquez's art is great as usual, but I don't get this story at all. What am I missing here? How did the Hag become what she is now? Who are these creatures suddenly appearing to fight the X-Men? For a conclusion to the first story arc, this issue doesn't provide a lot of answers.

This issue was torture. While there is an attempt at actual storytelling, nothing really works. It’s particularly frustrating when Simone sets up an important character moment for Calico, but then makes her change her attitude completely out of the blue. Rogue credits Gambit’s people skills, but he did nothing to cause such a dramatic change from one panel to the next. Weird! There’s also a lot of hugging and cutesy victim mentality stuff that obviously caters to the younger woke generation of readers, but will most likely p*ss off older readers. I certainly have had enough of this title.

The story doesn’t progress as much as I hoped it would, as the issue retells some of the scenes from part 1 of this crossover, but also provides some insight into the dynamic between the two X-Men teams, their leaders in particular. The conversation between Rogue and Cyclops felt natural and was the highlight of this issue. The rest of the book was mildly entertaining. Marquez‘s art looked a bit rushed this time, but stil better than most modern comic art. I just wish he had drawn the whole book. Salazar‘s art is not bad, but reading an issue drawn by several people is always kind of frustrating.

Although the finale feels a bit anticlimactic, I enjoyed this issue quite a bit. For once I’m not completely mystified by Simone’s script, and the guest art looks pretty good - almost too pretty for all that dark stuff going on. In the end, this crossover served as setup for a bigger story, which makes complete sense from a dramaturgical point of view.

This issue we get another spotlight on the new recruits, and for the most part it feels like a classic New Mutants story with some unavoidable Gen Z BS on top. It would be a nice, entertaining transition issue, if it weren’t for the art. Bressan is yet another artist who would be a great fit for an alternative small press book, but who is just not on the professional level I expect from a Marvel title. He might be great at some point in the future and I wish him the best for his career, but currently he’s just not capable of conveying Gail Simone‘s well thought out script. Anyway, I can see the good intentions for this book and I’m starting to like the Outliers. I’m also willing to make a prediction: Calico will eventually turn out to not be a mutant, but her horse will. Which will make her some sort of trans mutant. Yes, I think that’s what they’re going for. I hope they don’t. Writing 8, art 2.

The amateurish art prevents the good moments in Simone‘s script (and there are a few) from shining.

There is a lot to like about this issue. While I found many issues in this run boring, this one grabbed my attention immediately and managed to hold it until the end. There are a few confusing scene transitions, but overall it felt like the good old days of the 80s and 90s X-Men. The art by Javier Garron is different, but gets the job done.

Why am I only discovering this series now? This was an excellent read. Although the concept of giant dead bodies floating in space and being dissected by spaceships is a bit ridiculous even for comics, it serves as an interesting catalyst for what's to come. The world building certainly feels bold and intriguing. The art is excellent for a sci fi book, but the blur and flare effects and extreme perspectives made it hard to understand what was going on at times. With clearer storytelling, this would be a 10 from me.

I really enjoyed this first issue. It has some great character moments, good dialogue and an intriguing story that makes me want to come back for more. Something about this series feels very nostalgic and charming, despite the fact that it’s an almost completely new team of West Coast Avengers. The biggest problem for me is the inconsistent art. It’s great in some places and quite horrible in others. Something tells me that with some more practice, Kim could become really good though.

Maybe I was blinded by nostalgia when I reviewed the first issue of this new West Coast Avengers book. This wasn’t fun.

The initial idea of a new WCA team intrigued me, but three issues in this has already become utter trash.

With some great, believable dialogue and strong characterization, especially for Firestar and Blue Bolt, plus a relatively well-drawn action scene, this issue fares a bit better than the last one. However, if the quality of the art doesn't improve soon, I don't think this will be a very long run.

I never read a Wonder Woman issue before, so I was hoping for this issue to be a great jumping on point, but this wasn’t it. The story definitely feels ambitious, but I understood literally nothing about what’s going on or who the characters are. Apparently WW’s lover died and it’s told in a way that is maybe very artistic, but not very welcoming to new readers. The art in this book is simply amazing, but it didn’t help making me care for the character.

This is the best of the current X-books in my opinion. It's not great, but at least I don't hate it.

Another good issue, but at some point I need to see a stable team. Too many random deaths won’t exactly help getting readers to care about these characters. The conflict is resolved a little too easily, but at least we get to see Polaris wield her awesome powers.

X-Factor #6 shows why this is the most unpredictable and original series in the From the Ashes era. It seems that Mark Russell has been building the tension in the last five issues, and the dramatic ramifications of Havok, Polaris and Frezy‘s decisions are making me very excited for the future of this incarnation of the team. My only mild criticism with this book is the art, which is just good enough, but not spectacular.

With To's art and this line-up - Betsy, Rachel and Forge are all-time favorites of mine - X-Force has the potential to be a great book. However, it's very light on story, up to the point where I'm not sure if there's a story at all. Overall, it's just not very exciting. However, the death scene in this issue was handled quite well.

This issue's spotlight on Forge's psyche works quite well. Using Storm and Mystique as "angel and devil on his shoulder" is kind of genius. Forge is a character that has been portrayed as a two-dimensional a-hole for many years, but Thorne shows him as a hollow man not in touch with his different parts. He needs to externalize his inner voices as the two most important women in his life, which is quite sad when you think about it. Contrasting Forge with Sage was another great move in this issue. Now those were the pros. The cons: No To art. Still no idea who Tank is. La Diabla is not a very interesting villain and looks ridiculous. Overall an entertaining issue. The writing has improved from last issue. Unfortunately the art dropped in quality. I hope Thorne breathes some new life into Forge. He hasn't stepped out of his role as Storm's ex-lover in all these years, but this issue gives me hope that he could become an interesting character in his own right.

Finally! An issue addressing Rachel’s complex history and psyche. I’m still not sure if I like her and Betsy as a couple, but Geoffrey Thorne making an effort to explore these favorite characters and throwing in a few nostalgic tidbits from their past - the Excalibur lighthouse and Australian outback - gives me some hope for the future of both. I also appreciate an author finally doing something with Forge‘s magical powers (not sure if I’m doing injustice to the last X-Force authors, since I didn’t read the title during the Krakoan era.) La Diabla is becoming a more interesting villain despite her ridiculous costume. Unfortunately regular artist Marcus To is still absent from the book, but Jim Towe is doing a good job filling in.

Both the writing and art are sub par. The art especially is just atrocious to look at. No. Just no.

Considering I hate most things about this book - the team roster, the writing and especially the art - this was probably the "best" issue so far. Stegman's cartoony art works quite well in some of the action scenes. As usual, it fails completely where emotion is needed. The scene where Calico decides not to take the easy way out is genuinely great though. However, it doesn't save this comic. X-Men #8 is far from what I consider a good comic. Cyclops captures it perfectly: "I was never fun".

This is a five minute read and nothing in it stands out. The Stegman art is bad as usual. Guest artist Federico Vincentini made the first half of the book look slightly better. Still a bad book. I want my five minutes back.

If you like the Marvel style of the mid 90s, this book is for you. For me this is a far cry from the great X-Men stories of the past - a new low point in the publishing history of the X-books. It’s mind-boggling to me how anyone can say that this art is great or even solid. The writing isn’t much better either and I hate the fact that Cyclops is basically admitting that the X-Men are terrorists now.

Corsair gets to Earth to warn the X-Men of some danger from outer space for the nth time, but at least the resulting weirdness makes this the most fun issue of X-Men so far. Anyway, that just means that this wasn't a complete disaster as basically any issue before it.

I never thought this series could get even worse, but apparently it could. From the story, to the dialogue, to the art, this was abysmal.