RustonLF's Profile

I did not get a chance to read all of the Secret Wars A-Force run yet, and it is important to note that just like Guardians of Knowhere this issue picks up where that series ended. Even without the knowledge of that series I enjoyed the set-up in this issue. The team that is forming seems interesting and the art is on point.

This issue brings on the action with some very fun interactions between the main characters. The art is great and the story moves along smoothly. I think this is one of the strong Avengers titles for me.

This installment had a good amount going on. We see where the series wants to go forward, as well as how the characters will interact. Some past moments for the characters are brought forward to tie the series in. The art is enjoyable and gives everyone a distinct look. It is written very well. This is one of the strong moments for the series.

The hardest part of this one for me is the price tag. The issue is a set-up for future books showing the first stages of the team getting to know each other told in two stories (veterans in Captain America and rookies in Nova and Mrs. Marvel). After reading Uncanny Avengers and All New Avengers I would say this is the Avengers that showed the most promise for me. Like so many of the other books I enjoy this book seems to be a slow burn that focuses on characters. If you are looking for action I would suggest not making this your Avengers reading.

We are moving closer and closer to a formed team. I have not read much when it comes to Nova yet so the villain I am not familiar with. He seems threatening while also somewhat generic at times. I am still enjoying him as a villain but I am hoping that he brings something more as the series goes along. The team interaction is fun but the focus seems to centered on Ms. Marvel and Nova. Those are two characters I love, but I am waiting for a reason for the others to be involved. I am guessing when the team has officially formed they will be given teacher roles, until then their roles are limited. So far I am loving this line-up and Waid's writing is still strong. The art is nothing that will leave you amazed but I thought it was solid work. This seems like a series that is going in a good direction.

This chapter closes the arc on how this line-up becomes the new Avengers and it does so in good way. Of all the Avengers line-ups I have read, I have to admit this one has been my favorite. The mentor relationship that exist between the characters is great. The action is heavy in this issue and the start of how characters see each other is beginning to show.

The Avengers are starting to be shown interacting as a team which is where I would like to see the book heading. I have not read Iron Man and I am a little behind on Thor but many off the other members solo stories seem to work well with this title so I am being entertained, which is all I ask.

For me this has been the strongest issue of the ANAD Avengers yet. Seeing the team be challenged by being torn apart is a thrilling direction for the story. I have been reading Nova which plays into the building friendships between Nova, Spider-man, and Mrs. Marvel and seeing that continue to build in a climatic way was very satisfying. Seeing Thor hit a moment of vulnerability seemed fitting. I am excited to see more.

The nostalgic cover by Alex Ross put a smile on my face with this one. There was not a whole lot in the climax to the story they were building to this one, but it is possible that fallout could be waiting for the next issue. I enjoyed the touching moment between Jane and Sam. All through the series the friendship between Sam (Nova) and Kamala has been building and that has been fun to see. The art has been all over with different artist constantly being shuffled but it has not been enough to distract me. I am still enjoying the series.

There is some action here, but not a whole lot. Deadpool gets a great moment (which you would think would be in Uncanny Avengers and not here) but not much for everyone else. This issue went by so fast with very little happening so I did not feel right giving it a higher score. The art is good. The dialog at times can be off, but pretty good. This is one of the better installments in the Standoff story at this point.

Mark Waid has been doing what he has always done best, continuing to build on stories that are built in the solo titles and showing the personal interactions of the team members. The new Wasp brings an interesting story. The art from Asrar mixes well with Waids style, giving it a bit of an old school feel. The continuing Vision story makes keeps me wanting to see more.

This story actually continues from the Nova solo titles so that had me a bit interested. This is the first time we've had this group of Avengers in space and it felt like a return to familiar territory. The introduction of their next villain also caught me. I am looking forward to seeing what will come next.

The issue may not be an epic tale in the making but it feels like a great story that shows the new Avengers acting like the teams before them. Pulling together to save the day, with an ending that will leave you waiting for the next chapter.

Loaded with action and the team dynamics that make Avengers a fun read. The art was a little distracting at times but not bad. ANAD Avengers is my favorite team book that Marvel is currently publishing.

This issue says that it is a tie-in to Civil War witch I would say it is not. While there is mention of the conflict the story is not something that relates to Ulysses or the disagreement between Captain Marvel and Ironman. We actually see Vision disturbed by having been taken over by Krang deciding to discover Krang's history so that he can stop him. Some of the moments that seem random are in fact from earlier stories (1980-2000), but can seem a bit convenient if not known. This issue also stands as a Vision only story. The team does not play a part which was a bit strange until seeing that each of the following issues focus on a specific character as well. Adam Kubert's art is pretty solid and makes and makes the story easy to follow. Overall this is pretty good, but nothing that will wow you.

Unlike the previous Vision focused issue, this one actually is a huge tie-in to Civil War. The new Wasp is being mentored by Janet when the conflict begins showing the new hero that being in this game is not easy. Much like the other tie-ins this issue shows the impact of being forced to pick a side when the other side are still your friends. I love seeing rookie heroes finding their way under the leadership of veteran heroes, which is something this title seemed to be about, so this one felt a little more fitting then the last Vision issue. Again Adam Kubert provides art who is not new to the game at this point. This for me stands as a good installment.

This tie-in is one of the most fun and interesting ones that I have seen. Thor seeks the guidance of Heimdall since he has insight into the future. The tale he uses as a lesson involves a tale of the original Avengers of the past. It may not be a heavy episode in Civil War II, but it is a good read. The two art styles and layouts were a fun idea as well.

I am not sure if it was the intention, but there was a very retro feel to this title. I would not have been surprised to see this as a team in an 80's cartoon. The team tries to keep the group fresh with new looks that seem very fitting, and adjustments to the character traits. Drax is now a pacifist with a zen feel while Starlord has become less the immature rogue to be a together leader with confidence. Groot is mysteriously (until the last pages) stuck in his miniature form. While Rocket and Gamora are less noticeable, they are changed from their time on Earth. The art and Grandmaster story gives the adventure a fantastic voyage style. I think the creative team is up to the challenge of making this a memorable run of the Guardians.

The swap between character centered issues and plot driven issues can be a little distracting, but it makes sense for introducing us to the characters more. This being one of the plot driven issues was more fun and had some great art. The reveal at the end had me at peak interest. Gerry Duggan is writing the characters to fit a little better with the movie counter parts so the characters are more exaggerated, but I am loving that. He mixes a good amount of humor and action. The art has a retro feel that mixes well with the tone the team is going for. This is a series that was not on my list at first, but has grown on me and I keep coming back too.

Every other issue the series takes time to focus on one of the teammates of the Guardians. In this issue we get background on Drax and why he has become a pacifist. The tail is pretty much what you would expect with Drax learning that violence is not always the answer and can sometimes make things worse. While the whole thing plays out in a way to familiar way, it does work for me. Drax is a man who only thinks in violence. He does not think up strategic ways to solve a situation or what is the best course of action. His answer is always to punch the problem away. Having learn such an obvious lesson does not seem out of place for someone in that mindset. Having him take that from one extreme to the other seems like the only answer he could possibly reach. If violence is bad I can never use violence seems like a logical conclusion for him when that gray moral area does not exist. The art is good, but after previous issues I had trouble really getting into it. This is an issue I was not sure was necessary, but I am sure needed to be done to get it out of the way. If the story of why Drax is the way he is now is something we could have guessed, did we need to tell it? Did it need an entire issue to explain? My feeling was no. This is a fine issue, but one you can skip if you do not feel you need the answer.

I absolutely loved the fact that Duggan and To are having a lot of fun with the power bands in this issue. For those that did not read it, this issue has Peter fighting the leader of the Raptors to get the antidote for a poison that Rocket has been given. Talonar, the leader has one power band and Peter has another that were found in the Guardians ship on a dead astronaut. They both struggle to have control since the bands are usually meant to work together. There is a great mix of humor and action. The art is one of my favorites in the Marvel books with some great details and attempts at some unique visuals. Many of the series have hinted at the fact that many people are gathering artifacts of power for some unknown looming threat. This issue brings Guardians into the mix with the power bands as well as Gamora and Drax's interest in the Soul Gem. I am also impressed with the way Duggan is able to stay true to the comic personalities while giving the book the feel of the Guardians movies. While I don't think it is necessary to do so, I am sure it makes some who only know the team from that media more comfortable with the read.

Within the pages of Thor Aaron has been hinting at Loki gathering power for some unknown reason. With Legacy we see that there is a gathering of the Infinity Gems and the strange Celestial. Doctor Strange has also been involved with the gathering of artifacts of power. There is also the coming of the Phoenix force in the pages of Jean Grey. Here the Collector and the Grandmaster connect all that with cryptic dialog hinting at a coming threat. The two agree to join forces in collecting items of power with the help of the Guardians. This is more of a connecting chapter with no action or major revelations. For me it did elevate some of the other series by revealing a hidden sub plot that has been building for some time. Again I loved the art throughout. If you are looking for a more cosmic tail similar to the work of Starlin, this is a perfect place to look.

I have been a big fan of the Hawkeye series, so I was excited to see where this book picked up. I am was a bit torn after reading this one however. While the idea of the Hawkeye's coming together after years apart is a pretty unique approach, the inclusion of the triplets and the arguments left me thinking this was ground already tread. It is only the first issue so there is promise for the series to really pick up. I just did not get pulled in like I was hoping to.

If you read Hawkeye before this run there was a story that had the two Hawkeyes fighting. This seems to be that same story cranked up a bit. The look into the future seems to be the gimmick that would hold this story together, however the you have the Hawkeye organization as a replacement for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the same old tale. I am sure this is meant to be the reverse of the look into his past that we saw before. What is missing is the student teacher relationship that ran through the title before. This title seems to have lost it's magic and I hope they get it back.

I have never been a huge fan of Daken. He seemed a product very much of his time, with the look, name, and powers. Much like Cable and Deadpool were also representative of their time. Also like them as their debut moves further into the past their dated feels start to become endearing. Daken is starting to get that same feeling for me. His inclusion here worked for me, especially the way he is used to lure in Laura very violently. Gabby's look and need for a code name is great and I am on board. The strange thing is for a milestone issue there is very little fanfare here. It is a great story but nothing grand. That is not a problem, just interesting to note. This also represents itself as a Legacy issue but does not really reintroduce anything to new readers. It is not enough to distract from the issue however. The art works well and I think Cabal is trying to do some fun things with perspective and framing at times. Character designs are very enjoyable. This is especially so with Daken, who as I said had a look I was not into originally. I will admit that I am a little behind in my reading of Wolverine. Since she is not being represented well in other areas of the Marvel universe I decided to pick up this issue to see if I should keep going with her in my pull list. I think this issue makes me say yes.

Like I had said last issue, I was never much of a Daken fan so I was not totally on board with this arc. While the marketing materials make it seem that Daken was in need of Laura to save him, the truth is more that Laura is trying to find him and why he was taken in the first place. Making this a little easier to accept. This issue has the two actually come together after he escapes his captors in a pretty great action scene. Most of the issue involves his escape and incarceration actually, so it was one of the gripes I had for this issue. Laura and Gabby are pretty limited in this chapter. The other is that the Orphans of X do not pose that much of a threat in my eyes yet. Sure they took out Daken and kept him prisoner. Cutting of his arm and displaying it takes guts. Without motivation and structure they seem more lucky and dumb than anything. I am sure as the arc progresses that will change, but I think introducing them and their goals earlier might have added tension. Tension has been traded for mystery since the Orphans decide not to pursue Daken at a certain point. We find out Laura is being watched. Laura's mother is here and as young as Laura herself with little idea why she was being kept. There is plenty to grab a hold of here with action and mystery even without that lingering threat. There are not a lot of surprises or answers here, but there is plenty of action. This story seems to be focused on the Wolverine family that exist in Marvel right now. Is that a clue to who the Orphans of X are?

This issue is used to catch a breath and get caught up on the plot that we were picking up to this point. The Orphan's of X (OoX) are exactly as they claim in their name, people that are effected by the killings of Logan (although why refer to him as X?). We also get a little more clarification on the return of Laura's mother. The reveal creating my most shocking moment with Daken's reaction to her. We also get an idea of what the plan of the OoX is. I am enjoying the dialog and the action of the story arc. I still have had trouble seeing the OoX as a truly frightening antagonist for the heroes. I think the biggest problem for the group is having no central figures that represent a threat. Instead we have the collection of guards used as obstacles upgraded to main threat. We get acts of violence and generic collections of faces usually reserved for background foes. While a bit of mystery and intrigue can be thrilling, being too ambiguous makes the threat seem less genuine. This is still a good Legacy start and if the ending leads to a satisfying conclusion I could see this working over all. It would probably work best as a second read through than the first as breaking up the chapters slows the pace a bit. Again fans of the one dimensional killing machine that was Daken will be saddened by the fact that Taylor is trying to give him a bit more character. If that was your Daken I would suggest skipping this arc as Taylor is obviously trying to carve Daken a place in Laura's world.

This series continues to not be afraid to have fun and use the characters in a fun way. It is hard to see where this takes place with the involved characters being used elsewhere in very different ways that almost seems conflicting. Even with that I still enjoyed the story. The art is not the strongest out there in Marvel titles, but fits the title well. Finally the villains get a bit of character and you start to understand them if only briefly.

With Daken popping up all over the place lately there is some inconsistency in how they want his character to move forward. With solicitations showing him joining X-Men: Blue in April and his willingness to work with family in this arc I would say they are trying to soften him a bit. With his appearances in Iceman and pretty much anywhere else I would say he is staying the villain who only has the motivation to kill. That inconsistency is the only thing that really drags the story down for me. All-New Wolverine continues to be a joy to read as this story comes to a close. Gabby (now Honey Badger) is a delightful comic relief. The Orphans of X, who I once felt underwhelmed by, gains more interesting traits. It does create some confusion however. We find out that they are more of a support group for victims of Wolverine's. This is a bit confusing since they have weapons and Hand connections. Most of the militant attitude and connections can be contributed to the leader who has a part in Laura's past so it is not that much of a hang up. The ending was a nice surprise that I felt completed the arc well. This still stands for me as one of Marvel's strongest titles.

For a one off issue between arcs this is pretty cool. This is mostly just an issue to provide humor and some cool action after the dark moments of the Orphan X story. There is little Laura to this issue, but that's okay. Instead we focus on Gabby calling on Deadpool to help her destroy a lab testing on animals. She calls on Deadpool assuming Laura would not approve. Jonathan is given a translator so we get some idea of how he feels about what is going on. We also get what I would not be mad to see as a mascot that Deadpool keeps around like Jonathan, a zombie sloth. Obviously it is an issue just meant to have fun and it does it well.

Just like the last issue, this chapter works as a one shot story. It does tie in to the previous Orphans of X story line, but only in its purpose. Laura teams with her first member of the Orphans to get revenge for the person responsible for the assassination that led to the Orphan becoming a member. Their father was a body guard for a political candidate that was a victim of X-23. This creates the tension that exist in the beginning of the issue. There is a strange mix of trying to be moody and dark while also being lighter and fun. It made me a little unsure the tone that Taylor was trying to get across. It is still an interesting and engaging issue. I began to enjoy the dynamic between our two main characters. I liked the action and pace. The art had nothing that stood out for me. No capturing moments, but it worked well. Considering this is meant to play as a one issue story I think it did a good job.

I was not looking forward to this issue because the Old Woman Laura idea seemed strange. If you can get past the idea that this is probably thought up as a gimmick, it is actually pretty cool. First it is nothing like the brooding Logan who denounced violence. Instead we just get a look at where the characters could possibly end up if Tom Taylor wrote Wolverine as long as Claremont wrote X-Men. Taylor has some fun playing with the future hinting at things that happened without explaining it all. His choice in President makes sense. As well as Chief of Staff. There are some fun futuristic designs. He even creates a controversial cliffhanger. Much like everything before it is a story that is just meant to be enjoyable. It is exactly that. The cover is not my favorite but the art within makes the character designs look much better and works well. This is a series I am going to be sad to see go.

The story ups the ante with some great guess stars and some great moments for the characters. The art does a great job throughout the issue. The one that that bugs me is the cover. What comic is it trying to sell?

If you have not read the first two installments in this arc you should. Starting here would not give it justice. This ends the tale with some fun cameos. There is great action and character from some of the more prominent women in the Marvel universe. The art does a good job of displaying action and character expression. It also involves Doctor Doom as the last villain standing which brought a smile to my face. Hopefully this story helps remind Marvel that Laura deserves to regain the mantle of Wolverine again.

The X titles seem to be off to a rough start and this one is not all that different. It is hard to see the team split apart with Jean now going to Extraordinary X-Men. Hopeless tries to fill that gap with the new Wolverine and Kid Apocalypse, but it at first makes for a combination that seems forced together. They now travel around road trip style I guess in a Doctor Who style bus with a full apartment inside and teleportation thanks to one of the mini Nightcrawlers. While some of the other X titles still follow that surviving in a world that fears and hates us theme that has been around since the 1960's, this title is trying to focus more on the members separating themselves from their older counter parts. This explains the inclusion of the two new members who also have a legacy that they are trying to change. The issue can be confusing as it seems to just pick up after the 8 months since Secret Wars with no context to help catch up. We are just expected to accept where the team is at now. Mark Bagely's art has always been a hit or miss for me since he did Ultimate Spider-man. He is a veteran at drawing teenage heroes at this point so his style does fit well with the title, but it is nothing that left me amazed. It might be a little early to tell but I am guessing this team will provide one of the stronger X teams once the series really gets going so I would say this is a title to watch.

There is a bit more to grab on to with the introduction of the frustration the team has living in the shadows of their older selves. There is a bit of fun being had by Hopeless when writing teenage heroes that I enjoyed. The action was not thrilling and the art does the job making this an average comic. The X-Men have had a long history of different line-ups and some strange things going on within the team. Thinking of that just makes this another era in the history of the X-Men. The upcoming Apocalypse story line will hopefully give this era a moment to remember.

The tale of the Ghost of Cyclops comes to an end with a somewhat satisfying conclusion. The issue I am having with this new title is that Hopeless seems to only be interested in telling one story at a time. At this time it is Cyclops. Kid Apocalypse is so far in the background there are times you forget he is part of the team. The action is okay, but seems something of an afterthought. While I don't think this title is completely forgettable, I do think it needs to get a bit stronger to not reach that point.

I am really unsure how I feel about this series. The premise behind characters that live in shadows seems like a great place to start, but it seems like Hopeless is unsure where he wants to go with it. In this issue we see the new Wolverine feels she needs to be the one taking the violence to live up to the indestructible reputation of her predecessor. The focus sits manly on Warren's discomfort seeing his girlfriend do so. An interesting enough idea but played out in a somewhat linear way. It would be nice to see the stories build in a way instead of getting condensed to a few issues like a TV sitcom.

Even though the idea that everything in this book seems to revolve around Blob just wanting to eat something, this was actually a more interesting issue for me from a title that seemed unsure where it wanted to go. It may just be that I am coming to know what to expect from Hopeless, but unlike some other titles that never seemed to get their rhythm, this one seems to be getting on track.

I thought the last issue was a great change of pace so I was excited to see where they went. Turns out Scott's near death was saved by a last minute interaction with Pickles. We now shift gears and have a moment where Beast doubts science. The problem other than ignoring the issue brought before is why is he doubting science now? There are so many ways to travel time in the Marvel Universe and it is not like they are trying hard to do so. I thought they had settled in to this life because of that. Now I am told they are desperate to get home and the fact that science can not do it he is going to extreme measures. Is it that extreme? He has fought along side Magik. I would think he would be somewhat accepting of magic at this point. I love Doctor Strange but his inclusion here seemed like an attempt to shoehorn a crossover before the movie comes out. Strange makes reference to his own series with the missing magic but it is a little hard to tell at what point this is. In the end I don't think everyone put a lot of effort into this issue.

As much as I have love the duo, they are losing me with this series. The characters are so similar that it becomes hard to really care about them individually. There is a bit of mystery as to what is going to happen and a bit to grasp on to there. The art sticks to Bagely's fun style so there is not much there to be upset about. It is the writing that doesn't seem to have a lot of heart in it. So it really does not make this book something you want to get excited about.

It may not be a must read but the exploration into Apocalypse and Evan's destiny is entertaining.

There are a lot of things to like about this continuation of the Annihilation premise. Rosenberg uses this introductory issue to show just how much of a threat the villain of the series will be. There is a lot of action and the story moves along at a pace that helps build tension. The issue opens with the aftermath of a devastating attack. Rosenberg starts us out trying to catch up to what is going on. Next, we join a battle in progress and see the villain force the main antagonist to run. Finally, the battle comes to us and we see the villains invade in a complete inversion of the opening. The art is done in a traditional Marvel house style. Although the book is not stylized and will not stand out, I found that I loved it. Blastaar is a character that is meant to be incredibly powerful and intimidating. I feel that is not captured by most artist. Blastaar's design is very simple and he often comes off as a generic bad guy. Ramirez's design for Blastaar makes him seem menacing and powerful. When the design is paired with Rosenberg's voice for the character it really worked. That leads me to one of the problems I have with this book. Despite what the cover may imply, the heroes shown on the cover are mostly not in this book. Aside from Nova the characters appear in a single panel foreshadowing their involvement. Even Nova is a supporting character that appears in the third act of this issue. I don't think the story suffered because of it. I love the tale that was told. I wished that the cover better reflected what I would have found in the book. I had no intention of buying it when I saw the solicitations. I happened to pick the book up in shop to glance at it and noticed this is actually a story about Blastaar and Annihilation working together. The egotistical duo is terrific together and makes an excellent pair. Having the villains as the main characters is very catchy. Playing into that might have helped sell the issue better for me. While the introduction of the threat was well done I not sure I am sold on the rest of the series. I probably will pick up the issue with Beta Ray Bill since he has always been a favorite. I do have a soft spot for Nova. I think that is another problem with the series first issue. Unless you have a connection to the characters involved this will not bring you closer. This is a very well done issue overall. It's worth picking up for the villain duo alone. I would recommend a try if you want to see a fun story outside of the usual Marvel venues.

Although this is the first issue in the series after the Secret Wars events the book seems to pick up right where the previous series left off. Scott and his gang of ex-cons are trying to build their security company. Scott is keeping a distance from his daughter to keep her safe. Much like before the interaction between the characters is fun. I laughed at the premise and that is all I ask of this series.

This is a chance to tie up some loose ends for Scott Lang from previous runs of the character and connecting this new title. A former teammate/romance from Scott's paste hires him for security leading to them having to bring up their nasty breakup. Meanwhile Scott's partners may have gone back to their old criminal ways. The art is one of my favorites from the Marvel titles, giving a look that represents a modernized golden age look. There was nothing that really jumped out at me in this issue, but it is still a good read.

Ant-Man and Cap bring a lot of fun and humor in their team-up. This continues you to be a strong series worth reading.

There is some great humor in the characters and in the dialog. This title has been doing a great job of showing ridiculous sides of being a hero. The ending left me looking forward to the next issue, so I would say keep up the good work.

All New All Different Avengers has been advertising the new Wasp with the 'Who is she?' tag and unless I am mistaken we are seeing the new Wasp in action here. This issue is not the best in the series, but I believe that this is a lead up to a more action packed issue. Many elements that were being set-up are being brought together for a conclusion to be made. The art is very fitting for the series. The writing is natural. It will be interesting to see where this leads.

One of the things that I love that Mark Waid does is relationships between characters. If you read All New All Different Avengers with Spider-Man (Miles), Nova (Sam), and Ms Marvel (Kamala) along with their solo series there was a building of friendship there. This came into play when they formed the Champions after disagreeing with the veteran heroes in the team. Bringing them together he is able to play with those divides and close friendships again. The two teams are forced to work together in order to stop a rogue meteor from crashing into the Earth. Kamala puts aside her anger at Sam taking charge of both teams for the greater good until after the danger has passed. Something that grows her position as leader of the Champions, seeing that the need meant not getting into a fight right then. Amadeus and Hercules are about displaying strength and power. Something I loved about them in their series. It is Waid's attention to characters that I love in his team book writing. The art I liked in this book more than the art within Steve Rogers: Captain America. It fit far better for me. The reintroduction of the Counter-Earth and the High Evolutionary seemed more exciting than the inclusion in the Uncanny Avengers series that was short lived before the current Unity Squad. I had not intended on picking up the issue and after I did I was pleasantly surprised. There is a classic Avengers feel to this story that I hope plays out well.

I want to give this issue all the points just for an opening seen that replicates Planet of the Apes which was so much fun. After a couple issues of setup and seeing the characters having to deal with the tension between the teams this issue dives into the main plot of the crossover. We learn about what exactly the High Evolutionary is up too and what is behind the mysteries. Again I loved the subtle character moments like Ms Marvel trying to make the Avengers hold back before charging in blindly. Something she had been critical of and part of why she had left the team. There is also the moment with Nova trying to remind everyone that Counter-Earth is nothing new to him and to use that knowledge. Mark Waid seems to really be enjoying the characters. I feel this to be a great example of showing why the new and old generations of the heroes have a right to exist. They are different characters that are growing in different ways when done right. This is one of the more successful Legacy starts for me.

There have been so many rumors around about what would happen in this series that a lot of this issue comes as no surprise. Even without all the shock that should come with the moments foreshadowed, it was still emotional and well written. This crossover is a look back at what the Avengers have been about and what their adventures have been like. With a shifting of cast the story would not be out of place among classic stories of the Avengers. That seems to be the point. Giving the next generation a chance to be part of those classic stories. This is another great chapter in a story that will become part of the history of the Avengers.

With most of the memorable stories in the Avengers past the thing that makes it feel epic is the threat that is introduced. In this case the writing and art team has done a great job. Most of the book focuses on the catastrophes all over the world as the planet Earth is moved from our solar system. This causes earthquakes, eruptions, and major storms as the Earth reacts. Avengers current and former go into action and try to save as many people as possible while trying to figure out what is going on. It is a thrilling moment with art and colors that sell the chaos well enough. There is a bit of a classic feel to art that is both fitting and lacking in detail that really would elevate what is happening. Still even with what it lacks the art is enjoyable. There are some issues with the book. The Earth lacks satellites after the move yet the Avengers are still able to communicate. It seems unlikely, but being the Marvel Universe they could be using an enhanced radio wave. This also applies to the Avengers Cards activating everywhere to call in current and reserve Avengers. I wondered if it even worked off world as Voyager appears. Voyager makes her full debut after being briefly seen in Legacy. The Scarlet Witch recognizes her stating she knew Voyager would return if she was ever needed. As many said elsewhere this seems a strange statement after the Avengers have been involved with the Korvac Saga, Infinity War, and numerous other world threatening skirmishes. It is a fun start though. The cover is one of the more impressive Lenticular covers Marvel has released. With the impressive cover and fun story I would say it is worth the large $5 price tag.

I wanted to hate this story when I found out they were doing weekly books. It is doing a good job of revealing enough information while still holding back for mystery. There is reason to distrust Voyager, and also see her as a new hero. The game that is hinted at between the Lethal Legion and the Black Order was intriguing. It left me interested in going forward. The art varied for me but was never bad. This feels like a great celebration of the Avengers Legacy.

With the first few issues of this arc being so focused and strong I might have been expecting a bit much of this issue. For me it had a feeling like we are stalling a bit. Very little is presented in answers. It felt more like it was glossing over what we already received. The art is still strong, but there was nothing that kept my glance longer than needed. There is a good amount of action that is presented well. I am still enjoying the crossover, but I am not convinced this is an installment you have to read.

We finally start getting answers on what the Avengers are a part of. This is probably one of my favorite issue so far. It does a good job of bringing in Secret Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, and it seems even Legacy. There is not as much action this issue. It is more exposition heavy, but it sets things up very well. I was back on board with the art as well. This is an crossover that I did not want to like, but it won me over.

After the last issue revealed so much for the No Surrender story this issue may seem like a bit of a let down. What we lack in story and reveals we get in action. The Avengers are torn on if they should take the fight to the opposing villains or regroup to better defend. Meanwhile Beast reunites with Wonder Man to try and help Jarvis only to find what they thought was the problem may not be. Again the art is top notch through most of the issue. There is a 'post credit' Logan scene that actually seems to tell us less than previous ones. At least this time he didn't seem to just miss someone. That could be because like many other Avengers he was frozen due to the game so never made it to the target. Overall the chapter is necessary, but not memorable.

I know nothing about Red Wolf other than he existed during Marvel's pre-superhero western days. I did not read Occupy Avengers or the short lived series. Seeing his interaction here with Hawkeye did make me regret that a bit and I may have to go back and read Occupy at least. That camaraderie gets me every time I see it with titles like Powerman and Iron Fist or Steve Rodgers and Sam Wilson. Again I think the weekly nature of this book is its strongest point. It helps keep that sense of constant chaos. It helps remind you that this is all happening within a very short amount of time for the characters. It also helps keep you interested in the outcome of what is a very action based story arc. I am loving the fact we are seeing purpose behind all Avengers. Both heavy hitters and more reserve members. I have not thought about Living Lightning since his West Coast Avengers days and now I am hoping to see more of him. I said before that this series has won me over, and that certainly has not changed.

Beast and Nadia are two characters that I never thought about working together, but this issue had a dynamic that I really enjoyed. The issue focuses mainly on Beast and the new Wasp as they try to save Jarvis from the parasite that they found in the previous issue Fantastic Voyage style. They use Pym Particles to shrink down and infect it from within Jarvis. It is a cool moment that shines on characters that have not yet had much to do within No Surrender. Again the series moves along creating questions just as it answers other. There is a good give and take the writers are doing to not make the tale frustrating. The art still looks good. The style does not clash with previous issues. This is a fun series worth reading for sure.

First you have to know you will be paying more for this issue because it is a little longer than the standard issues in this event. You basically get two issues here. A rundown on Hulk and why he is now being called immortal in one. A background on the real Voyager in the other. The Voyager piece was a pretty interesting twist that adds a lot to the future issue of the arc. The Hulk return felt more deserved and natural then the Logan return, but I am still unsure how excited I am about it. The preparation of the Avengers to take on the Hulk and the initial attack was thrilling. The art was not the best that I have seen in No Surrender but it was close enough. If you can get over the higher price tag would check it out.

I did not read a whole lot of the U.S. Avengers. Just a few issues here and there as well as some on Unlimited. It was a team that I liked. I just run out of money at some point and you don't make the cut. This issue actually had me regret that I did not read more on the General. He seems like the conservative militant patriot that you do not see a lot of in comics made sympathetic. I really got into the fight and hope to see more of him. Overall this issue really set the stakes for the Avengers presenting a lot of losses for them (at least temporarily). It adds to the chaotic nature of the series where the team, even with all its members, is just trying to keep its head above water. Also Wonder Man. I loved the actor hero substitution for Superman in the 90's. I still have a few of the books so seeing him again made me smile. Especially when he decides he wants to reason with Banner. This series is just a love letter to the Avengers past. It brings everyone forward again to show why they were Avengers in the first place and that is so much fun for me. The art has some great details and colors to it that are not to flashy. It gives it like I said before a classic feel. I must be the demographic they are reaching too at Marvel because I am loving this series.

This is probably my least favorite of the No Surrender issues so far, but is still an entertaining ride that is worth taking. It has some real positive points such as Wonder Man's attempts to get through to Banner and try to help without resorting to violence. There are some moments for more of the U.S. Avengers members to shine. The thing that brings this chapter down for me is that large focus on Hulk. Marvel seems to be setting up a future with an unstoppable Hulk that is consumed by rage over the inability to succumb to death. It creates a Hulk that enjoys the destruction that also has some of the intelligence of Banner. Since this seems to be the same story that is playing out with Cho as the Hulk it seems that Marvel could be setting up a villain for that Cho/Hulk. Or maybe he is just meant to be a villain in an upcoming event. Whatever the case may be it does not introduce a story that was appealing to me for the character. There is still some great art tying it all together with a classic style and new age techniques updating it. This is a good issue, just not as strong as others in the No Surrender story.

There is a break in the chaos here to explore what it is to be an Avenger. Banner is sulking about how he is not an Avenger because he is a cursed monster when Jarvis gives him some words of encouragement. He reminds him that it is not the fails and mistakes that made him an Avenger, but the ways he atones for it. This could be a hint at Voyager's future now that they have discovered she lied. If she could help save the world that could change the members minds on her. Many of the members were introduced as villains at one point after all. We also get Wonder Man talking to Living Lightning about how power is not what makes an Avenger before reminding him of Hawkeye's abilities. It is an interesting look back at the past of the Avengers and what makes up its members in an interesting way. There is not much here in terms of reveals and action, but again I think the weekly format makes that easier to tolerate. The art uses the page space well. There are no excessive panels to take up space. There are a few panels that are memorable. The cliffhanger hints at more action to come so the next issue should be interesting.

This issue is an interesting departure since it focuses so much on a single character. All the issues have had narration from a single or maybe a couple characters but still had various members stories. This issue seems to focus more on Quicksilver and those directly involved with him. It does create a bit of importance to what he is focused on. It is also worth it since it creates a changing moment for the story going forward. The Challenger was very menacing and impressive to me before as a man behind the scenes orchestrating destruction. Seeing him more hands on in this issue was a little bit of a let down for me, but not enough to ruin him. The art both in colors and lines makes Pietro (Quicksilver) look great all through this issue capturing his speed and movement. There are also fun moments to catch like Wonderman against Challenger and Namor. This series is still on track for me and doing a story that should be memorable.

With issues still to come, it is surprising that the game between the Challenger and Grandmaster comes to an end. I really enjoyed the fact that the fate of the world came down to a poker game between the Grandmaster and Living Lightning. It is a satisfying conclusion even if there is more to come. We get a view of heroes reacting across the world as things fall apart. Something used often to show the level of the threat and I enjoyed. The art looks pretty great throughout the issue. The panels are all very classic. Larraz does not play with the page layouts, but uses them well to tell the story. Colors look pretty great. Characters are colorful and pop against some dark and gloomy settings. I would recommend the issue.

The conflict has ended and this issue plants the seeds for where the many heroes will go going forward. This is done while also looking back on the past of the Avengers. It gives you the idea that there are many cool things in store for the title (or titles). I have to give the story credit on celebrating the Avengers by using their history. The art looks really good and does a nice job. Again it seems strange that there are more issues since this feels like the end. Since it has been going well so far I am curious to see what future issues are bringing.

The issue gets a little meta when the veteran members start commenting on how there should be new blood on the team, but here they are back again because they are needed. The self realization in the dialog does make it easier to accept that the team is devolving in a way. They even point out how the characters themselves have changed like Thor still being unworthy and without Mjolnir. So remember they are old characters in a new way. We also get a new member in Robbie Reyes who finally gets a home in a book that could suit the underrated character. Jennifer Walters appears to be still struggling with the rage of a Hulk inside her trying to get out. That could give her less of a veteran feel to her as she struggles with a new problem since she was last on the Avengers squad. We also finally get more of the prehistoric Avengers and that brings me joy. The art was a little jarring since it is not what I would have picked for the title. I am used to more classic looks on the title. McGuinness' lines have an exaggerated look that is great for showing more animated and extreme looks. It makes even slender characters like Black Panther seem at home in the WWE. So felt wrong at first. After seeing some of the Thor and Celestial looks it clicked for me though. The colors gave it so much energy that I started to like it more. This is a longer issue so of course you will pay more. I think it is worth it in the end. This is a good start to a new arc.

I love the battle between Hulk and Ghost Rider so much that I would say this issue is worth checking out. It was a battle I would never anticipated liking as much as I did. I was not as much on board for the narration in this issue. It is left as a mystery throughout the issue as to who is narrating until the end. For me it was more confusing than shocking given what we know from Doctor Strange and Legacy as far as intentions for the revealed narrator. The rest of the team try to fight back against the Final Host. I was less into that story my first read through, but after going back worked better. I am a little thrown off after having read No Surrender where Avengers priorities and strategy was so different. This is a different team so it makes sense, but the first read through I did not have that in mind. The art is still so exaggerated that it does not sit well for me as an Avengers book. It did work for me when seeing the Hulk and Ghost Rider fight though. It also works well when showcasing the Celestials. This is a strong book that I think you will enjoy if you have some interest in the characters.

This issue acts as a connecting story before the next arc begins. The Avengers have just saved the world from a Celestial threat and are now deciding on who will stay to be in the roster. A new chairman of the team is named. A new headquarters (an ancient Celestial equipped with Wakandian technology) is established for the group. There is no true conflict or emergency in the issue, but the issue is still entertaining. The concept of there being a rotating spot in the team roster should make for an interesting twist to the series. Each arc can introduce a new or returning member similar to what the Defenders did at their start. The constant change should keep things fresh. The art of the issue is also a change. Instead of the exaggerated and bold style of McGuinness, there is a softer and more traditional look. It looks pretty and makes the scope of the new headquarters stand out. If you did not read the previous arc this is a pretty good place to start the series. You get an idea of where the characters are at. You get a sense of what the team is like. There is an explanation in the issue of how the team will operate. If you have been reading the series this is a nice breather before the book moves on.

I have only picked up a few issues of Scarlet Spider here and there and usually enjoy what I read. I picked up this one because I am reading the Damnation limited series and was curious about the tie in. Like the Doctor Strange issues this one tries to explain what Ben is up to before his appearance in Damnation number one. It tried to explain why Scarlet Spider is dressed like Punisher cosplay in that issue, but with a story that is not as interesting. I imagine it has to be off putting for regular readers who got a quick explanation and then was thrown into the tie in. Knowing what was going on this still didn't really do anything for me. This is one you can skip.

The team behind Black Panther is doing an overall fun job with the character and stories. Coates does a great job of reaching back in Marvel history to expand on the Black Panther mythos. This is a title worth reading.

The story started here leaves you feeling disoriented and lost. Something that is not helped by the art. I enjoy Daniel Acuna's art but there is a lack of distinction to it that can be harder to interpret when you are unfamiliar with the characters and setting of the story. While this seems like it would be a bad thing it is actually what Coates was going for in this story. It works to reflect on the reader the feeling T'Challa has as he is enslaved in space with no memory of who is he or where he is from. We get a very different Black Panther story that is more of a space fantasy tale that is set up with an opening page that gives you a general idea of what is happening. The complete change in the books premise might be jarring for some, but I thought it does keep things from getting redundant. It is a very nice start that is worth checking out.

Bloodshot is in the land of the dead trying to save the life of his daughter by visiting Shadowman villain Baron Samedi. It is a disorienting and strange world that at the start of the book seemed a bit of a mess for me. By the end of the book however the story they were telling started coming together. Once you start to understand how this fits into the story it is a very satisfying moment. The art is mostly hazy and dull to capture the strange nature of the realm. Compare that to the brief look back to the origin of Rampage that had a more defined and crisp style. This is a strong series that is telling a very interesting story.

There is a break in the story so we can learn the partial origin of the Bloodhound through a dream that the Bloodhound is having. It is a story that takes us all the way back to World War I which I thought was pretty cool. The art has a realism that made the violent story all the more gruesome and impact-full. There were times I had trouble determining what the artist was trying to get across. The images are so picturesque that you do not get a sense of movement when it would have been beneficial. There is enough story introduced and enough held back to make you want to know more. I did find myself wishing the story would go on longer. Even if the art is subtle in its story telling this is still a great looking issue and worth picking up.

I enjoyed this book. There are many moments that reminded me of Steve Rodgers books from the past. Captain America has always been a book that was used to comment on the issues that are important to the nation at the time and it seems that the spirit of that is not lost in this run. I think that this is the first step in making Sam Wilson feel more like the new Captain America.

Gears shift in this installment a little to the divide between Steve and Sam's views. Steve and Sam find out the Sons of the Serpent are more trouble than originally thought and part of Sam's recent past comes back to bite him. The art continues to be strong and the story continues to establish the type of Captain America Sam Wilson wants to be. If you found the first issue interesting this will keep you going.

I was excited when I saw the cover because Cap-Wolf was insane. There was nothing here that makes this rank as an all time favorite or anything but it was a fun issue that kept me entertained.

Captain America continues with the nostalgia trip by including Diamondback and the Serpent Squad/Society while continuing Cap as Cap Wolf. The story brings classics back in a fun way. The art showed some great designs for the characters. This title is heading down a fun path.

The new Falcon while not actually shown fully in this issue is established, and seems to be worthy holder to the name. The Falcon origin was actually told before so this more so recaps what we knew before and shows how he came to be respected by the new Captain. We also learn what Diamondback has been doing since Steve Rodgers left for a new life. Where this issue truly shined for me was in showing the threat of Serpent Solutions (the corporation spawned from the Serpent Squad/Serpent Society). I think they are going to make a great villain for the new Captain.

This story arc was an obvious throwback which I did not mind at all. The constant monologues from Viper made me smile. The new Falcon, who is really shown in this title even though he was introduced in the last issue, seems to be a good addition to the cast. All of the characters seemed interesting enough to make me want to see them again in future issues. Best of all Cap-wolf is finally done.

There is less action to this issue. It seems like they were trying to answer some questions and help set-up the future of the three men that once acted as Captain America. The art is on point but it is nothing that will really draw you in. As far as the Standoff story, there was a lot of premise in heroes trying to keep a town of villains under control and this issue does not dive into that (the last issue is better for that). We see a lot of Baron Zemo becoming the big villain just in time for his cameo(?) in the Civil War film making you think they are using this for marketing.

We have been dealing with the fact that many people do agree with Sam as the new Captain America for a while now and it continues in this issue as Sam reflects on the loss of Rhodey and the parallels between his new position and Rhodey as Ironman. This issue is an emotional one that tries to show the cost of what Civil War will be. It works as a good tie-in, but the art does not have that same impact. It seems that we still do not know how Sam sides when it comes to the conflict that is building so it will be interesting to see where that leads.

Captain America comics have always reflected what was going on socially and politically at the time throughout its run. The difference between Sam and Steve being Steve taking an old fashioned view on the subjects. While Sam may not hold the old fashion view the spirit of the book is still very much the same. It seems Spencer reminds us how similar the path is by throwing in some nostalgia when he tells his stories. We see the continued problem of the aggressive Americops and nostalgia creep in again with one of the most violent men to carry the title Captain America, the (now) U.S. Agent. Also Sam hears both friends side of the building war as they try to gain his allegiance. Spencer does a good job of showing the struggle in making choices when you are a symbol of America. Acuna has a unique style that is catching. This is one of the titles is getting stronger for me as it goes along.

The Sam Wilson run of Captain America has been many places. The return of Cap-Wolf and the Serpent Squad were a fun light-hearted throwback. And now we are in a socially driven serious story line. We see Cap deal with the unwinnable choice made when you stand between oppressed people driven to a violent state and the aggressors that act out of fear and anger in violence. Spencer tries to show that when both sides become to strong in their stance and unwilling to step back there is no winning. The story shows a clear lead-in to the #givebackthesheild story that is coming with the return of John Walker the U.S. Agent (and former Captain America himself). There is a very distinct art style that I enjoy and really sets itself apart. The return of Rage could have been drawn out a little more. He seems like a quick cameo to start a fight. Except for Falcon the rest of Sam's supporting cast seems to be absent which is a bit of a shame. If you are looking for a more traditional Captain America story with a clear villain then I would look to the Steve Rodgers run of Captain America for now. This title is stating a clear social message where the lines are blurred.

For me personally I have been enjoying the Sam Wilson books far more then the Steve Rodgers books. This one seems to focus on Steve being the bad guy again. Even though he told Sam he wants him to continue carrying the shield, it seems he is getting Walker (U.S. Agent) to think otherwise. Hopefully this plays out in a way that makes sense because between the two books and Civil War it is all just not fitting together. There is a good amount of action in the book that was fun. The social parallels are still there. Overall this is a strong book just a little hard to accept.

This issue tries to plug some holes in the Steve is a villain now, but secret, plot that has been leaving some major questions behind. It is an interesting premise to have Sam's friends be his enemies. Tying current events in with the story seems to be working well. So Spencer may be on to something with his plan. I wonder how long he will be dragging this out though. It would be nice to see the two Captain's truly working together again.

This is a pretty quick fun read with no big stakes. You just learn a little more about D-Man and get to see some wrestling for charity. It does create a nice distraction from all the seriousness of Civil War II.

One thing I have been liking about the Sam Wilson title over the Steve Rodgers is that Spencer is able to have a little fun here and there. This is one of the fun books. Like the last issue focusing on D Man, this issue focuses on Misty as she takes control of the hotline while Sam is on vacation. Spencer did a good job of including a relevant issue with a comic book twist. Like many of the other issues in this series it brings back some characters from the 90s. Spencer is obviously a fan of the titles history and that is what makes this an interesting series.

I have to give Spencer a lot of credit for being unafraid to speak so heavily on social unrest. The rise in corrupt officers using unnecessary violence is mirrored in the series through the Americops who are hired to decrease crime in cities, but are profiling in their approach. Rage falls victim to this when he is beaten and arrested for robbing a pawn shop that he was helping to protect. Like many social issues you could say the Americops acting according to what they saw since the villains had already ran. What may also seem familiar is that the Americops consider Rage a threat and immediately use violence to subdue him even though he was basically knocked out. Spencer tries to give you a lot to think about in this crafted scenario. Spencer also brings in the issue of immigration with the new Falcon's status as a possible illegal citizen. I can see where this issue could be considered too much, or a great issue focusing on an important topic. At this point it should be obvious that Spencer is using Sam Wilson to dive into these topics so I would think this should come as no surprise. Traditionally Captain America was sociological in topics so it is keeping with the character. The art is fitting and has some strong moments and some weak moments. Overall it works. This should be the last issue focused on supporting characters so those that want to see more Sam Wilson should see him return next issue.

This really builds on the last issue in a great way. It is interesting to see Sam faced with a very different threat. He is faced with a choice on how to act with evidence against the Americops showing their excessive use of violence. His actions have even greater impact coming from a controversial Captain America. This is a great build to a simple story from the last issue. The art works well. This should lead to a great story arc.

I think it is great that Nick Spencer is not afraid to dive in deep when it comes to social issues. It is fitting for the character to focus on the divide happening right now and this issue does not hold back. So much so that this issue gets dark at the end implying a major problem stemming from this one event. While the guest artist is not as impacting for me it still works. The focus is more on the story and message being told. Rage is being held on trial for a crime that has been proven he did not commit. To prove a point he refuses any help outside of what your average citizen would get in his position. Showing the flaws in the system. A powerful story that is well done.

This issue seems to recap in narration and footage the message that was already established throughout the Rage arc for even the most naive readers. To further make Rage a martyr he is placed by the establishment into a super-villain prison and is beaten nearly to death. It further raises the tension, and I suppose shows how even though this is a highly publicized trial, the truth can be ignored. Spencer has a lot to say on society and he preaches it at Ayn Rand levels in this issue. This just left me thinking this is the chapter that is keeping you from the chapter you know is inevitably coming so is a chore to read. The art is still strong, but we are missing all of Cap's supporting cast. Which also makes this chapter a chore. While still well built this issue just lacks necessity. We could have found out in the next chapter without experiencing it that Rage was moved and beaten. We will see where the next moments take us.

At first the issue seems to be playing on a nostalgia factor with a cover replicating Captain America and Falcon 176, but there is a reason behind the homage. Steve Rodgers quit and became Nomad briefly after feeling he could not stand behind a corrupt country. Now Sam Wilson feels he too cannot wear the title after seeing the injustice that happened to Rage. The story both recaps events and gives us a look to the future with a narration through Sam's letter to Misty. While it may not be a shocking turn for the title it is clever parallel to Steve's story. It shows that the job is a harder burden then it looks and leaves you wondering how Sam will return to the symbol of America.

There area a few people out there that think of themselves as Captain America purist who believe that Captain America should always be Steve Rodgers from here to eternity. There are others that are fine seeing Marvel move forward and follow Sam Wilson as Captain America. I would think that this book is meant to please the purist who want to see their hero return to the role. It is puzzling then that the writers would decide to add a twist that makes no logical sense when you look at the history of the character. I am sure they will try and reel him back in at the end but this seems to just create a waste of time for those that have moved on and a source of anger for those that have not. I might stick with the series just to see what Spencer has written himself into since it does leave you wondering even though the issue it self is rather dull. We are given a recap to bring us up to speed on a character that they plan to uproot everything we know anyhow. Connections to the current political state was rather interesting and that should hook you if you decide to pick it up. As for art, nostalgic characters are thrown in with no updates to make them seem less ridiculous. An older Sharon Carter runs around in a body suit in all occasions. The art is okay but not given the thought and care it deserves. This seems like something they wanted done but put very little thought into execution.

I would not really call this a Civil War tie-in. This mainly focuses on a plot that is already loosing its shock value. The issue is dialog heavy with not a lot to say. Since there is not any action to supplement it you will be in for a chore to get through the issue. Reading Steve in other books really makes this Steve seem like a completely different character. I get that he is working as a spy in the other titles but it is hard to swallow. The supporting cast do not really have a lot of interesting qualities that make them much to hold on to either. For me personally I am ready to see this title move on.

It seems very likely that Steve's position as a Hydra agent will come to a climax with the Spider-man/Captain America vision in Civil War. In the mean-time we have a strange fragmented tale where Steve makes moves that do not make a lot of sense. He builds his own obstacles with no end goal in site. This is yet another moment of acting in one way with a twist that shows it was all a lie and he really wants the opposite. I am ready for CWII to shed some light on where this is heading.

After Secret Wars a friendly relationship has been growing between Sam, Kamala, and Miles and I have loved it. The three helped each other after becoming Avengers. Then helped each other during the new Civil War. Now we are seeing them move out on their own. Becoming adults and moving out from the wing of their mentors. Now along with other young heroes of Marvel we are going to see if they are ready for the responsibility as the next generation of Marvel heroes. Much like New Mutants and New Warriors before them. The writing seemed a little rushed. The art from Ramos is catching. Overall it is a pretty good start to an interesting team book.

I like the direction that this series is taking. I am back and forth on Ramos' art so it does not rate as high for me. The interactions of the heroes and the threats that they are facing are great.

I always liked the relationship between Kamala, Miles, and Sam so I was nervous when I saw they would be leaving the Avengers. This series has shown that it was a good move. This issue shows the team having to work together to escape an imprisonment from Atlantean soldiers. They also work out who will lead the group since there are multiple members who could fit the role. The characters remain consistent with their solo titles. Mark Waid has also done a great job with capturing the age of the characters with ideals, humor, and dialog. There is an optimism created with the team that is really refreshing. You could even feel a bit of nostalgia since the stories resemble the type of tales that would come from Teen Titan and New Mutant stories from the past. The art goes back and forth for me but the cartoon like style is fitting for the title so I usually go with it. I look forward to more of this title.

Like so many of the other issues in this series the Champions face another common headline in U.S. papers today, corrupt police acting on racism. A very heavy subject that at times seemed like Waid was in a hurry to get through. What could have easily been a drawn out two issue arc seemed to be jammed together to fit in a cameo from Gwenpool. Gwenpool shows up to cause trouble for all the members of the Champions in her efforts to help. The interactions with the members are fun and probably the best part of the issue, but while Gwenpool can be fun I have not yet read a story that sets her apart as a character. Here knowledge of our universe only made her want to follow wild theories instead what you would think would be logically in a comic book. That made me think of her more as a comic book character who believes she is from our world than actually from it. Overall it is a fun issue but I ready to move on to the next.

I have to hand it to Whitley for writing a story that feels very at home with the Champions. Again the story reflects an issue present in the U.S. today. The banter between the members is very fitting. The artist also do a great job with the characters as well. The only thing that brings this title down a little is the tie to Monsters Unleashed. The main focus of the tales seems to be the introduction of the Freelancer's as antagonist for the team. The monsters then become a reason for everyone to work together to stop a greater threat. At this point the title becomes like all the other tie-ins. Monster tries to destroy everything, citizens are evacuated, remaining heroes and villains try to stop monster. You can't complain much because it is to be expected in the Monsters Unleashed one shots. Overall this was one of the titles that tried to offer more in their special.

Seeing the team play paintball resembled the pages of X-Men where they would play baseball or other various games and that was fun. The Freelancers show themselves as more of a threat since the pages of the Monsters Unleashed tie-in. We now see them as entitled and lacking empathy as they play games with two homeless men then use them to help bring down the Champions. The issue is not memorable when it comes to the story, just another chapter. Sometimes that is needed though. The art is well done especially during the paintball fight. The best part of the issue is seeing the relationships grow between the team members.

For the ending alone I love this issue. As for the rest I love the way that Waid has been writing the relationship between Miles, Sam, and Kamala. Adding the rest has been a nice fit. The idea of the Champions having to defend themselves against being sellouts is such a fun and small scale problem compared to the epic levels that other titles are pushing right now. It is nice to have a title that takes time to run through small stories. It helps make the epic runs more memorable.

For this issue Viv runs away because she was grounded and meets new character Red Locust (Fernanda). The character seems to be another smart, optimistic and bubbly young girl much like Wasp, Ms Marvel or Lunetta, but where she differs is in the interesting backstory behind her hero. Much like the Phantom it is a mantle that is passed down from generation to generation to the oldest son with a specific task in mind. Because Fernanda's mother died before having a son she enthusiastically takes the role. This is done to chagrin of the mysterious Locust Brotherhood. The interaction is simple and there is not a lot here but it gives you enough questions to make the character interesting. Since all Red Locust are named Fernando was her name changed after her mother died or was she given the name because she was first born? Who is in the Brotherhood and what do they do? We are even given a moment where she makes an unethical choice to cover a mistake made, so what are her morals? The art is very cheerful and explosive making the small amount of action catchy. While it would have been nice to focus on Viv a bit more as promised it is an interesting issue.

As a stand alone story this is a powerful tale. We are given a look at the limitations and humanity behind heroes. For those unaware, this issue takes place after the events of Secret Empire and SE: Uprising where Ms Marvel and Nova and Cyclops have been replaced with Wasp, Ironheart, Patriot, and Falcon. Steve Rodgers has sent a fleet of Hydra ships to destroy Las Vegas for harboring revolutionaries. Completely destroying the city and everyone within. The Champions are searching the ruined city for survivors. Everyone is dealing with grief and the juxtaposition of the powerful Hulk trying desperately to put out flames before failing and falling to his knees in defeat is amazing. Seeing another moment where Patriot has to stop after realizing he is unprepared for the carnage is a moment you do not see often. All of it done very well. There is a problem though. The issue is a direct continuation of the previously mentioned titles. It does not connect with the previous issue where a smaller team is searching for the missing Kamala Khan. That thread is left unresolved and picked up within the pages of Secret Warriors and Uprising giving us a confusing time jump. This issue as well creates a thread that will never be resolved. Both close important gaps but throw off the flow of the series. This is of course not anything new. Daredevil had a fight with demons in the subway to become part of Inferno from the pages of X-Men that derailed from the series temporarily. X-Men had confusing moments tied in to Bloodties. It has been happening since the late 80's and continued since, but still just as frustrating. It also means this important moment that showed the horror of Rodger's decision is lost within the pages of Champions when it should be a part of Secret Empire. It shows just how horrible the Hydra take over has become. It shows what a villain he is. So I am torn. This is a great issue that is well done, but completely out of place.

The thing that I loved about the trio who started the Champions before they started the team was the building friendship. Seeing them in the pages of the Avengers and solo books learn about each other and become close was a lot of fun. He gave the titles a New Mutants feel that helped the characters feel their age since the rest of the time they are saving the world. In a case like Nova and Ms Marvel it started as a dislike and built up to close friends. This issue brings in more of that dynamic. Cyclops, the time displaced younger Scott Summers, has struggled with not wanting to become the man he is destined to be. In the pages of All New X-Men he thought about leaving the X-Men because it meant following that path. He also is a man inside his own head. He is a tactical thinker and tries to make smart decisions. That is something that creates a lot of stress because you are always second guessing your actions. He also is aware and frightful of his powers capabilities. That doubt and fear is finally laid out for his new team of heroes in a creative and great way. After taking a large dose of energy from Psychoman, Scott loses control of his emotions. This makes him act like the drunk kid who is not used to drinking. He acts uninhibited, he confesses his feelings, he just lets loose. All while the team tries to stop Psychoman's attempted robberies. While Ms Marvel and Cyclops already had a bit of a heart to heart during the Inhuman's Versus X-Men mini series, I think this one solidifies their friendship in a more intimate way. While there was respect for one another before their is now an understanding. Mark Waid does an awful lot in a single issue and I was impressed. I am not always a Humberto Ramos fan, but he is good at drawing teens to look like teens. This was one of his stronger issues for me. His Psychoman was a winner. There is a lot of character a movement in each panel. A lot of energy from the art team. A welcome back after the Secret Empire detour.

We get a bit closer to answers in this issue after what was presented in Avengers (part 1) for Worlds Collide, but the main focus of this issue is in the teams working together. This plays in to the fact that parts of the teams are made up of a former Avengers team broken apart and now forced to work alongside one another with their new recruits. Mark Waid loves to work with character dynamics and the playground here is vast. The teams split up in groups of two or three to stop large buildings around the world from collapsing when tremors are being created by High Evolutionary technology. Hercules and Hulk do a show of strength and boasting while fighting a genetic creation of the High Evolutionary. It is a great back and forth of egos. One of my favorites is Wasp and Nova. After three beautiful panels of them flying at high speeds, Nova tries to start chatter with Wasp who immediately replies they don't need to talk to each other. It is a humorous moment, but it also shows that not everyone is going to have bonding friendships. Sometimes it is just to save lives and they might not have anything in common. While Humberto Ramos can sometimes be a bit animated for me, this was some of his better work. He does a great job in laying out pages to show tension, action, and at times emotion. Sometimes faces can be a little static. They can go from still to screaming with little in-between at times. This has been a surprising fun series that I would say is needed after heroes have been faced against each other so much lately. So Overall worth the read.

I have not been one to fight back on Marvel's launch into diversity. Most of the Legacy characters suit me fine. I was a little sad to see Viv replaced with a human self though. Seeing a teenager that had to deal with the fact that she was so unlike everyone else as a synthizoid was very compelling. It also created a nice Vision counter part for the Champions. It is hard to say if Viv becoming human is a permanent state since solicitations seem to imply otherwise, but if this is the new norm something could be made of the fact that Viv seemed less interested in becoming more human like her father. She always seemed curious about humans, sure, but never really wanting for the experience. She even turned off her emotions after the loss of her family. Forcing her into that creates a lot of issues. Such as lack of consent, trauma, and the learning of that change. Both options have paths to explore, so I can't be too sad. The rest of the issue works well as the team members make their way to the counter-Earth and learn the entirety of the High Evolutionary's plans. The fight between smartest heroes continues. While not all the characters get a chance to shine, the ones that do are done well. The highlight is the relationship of Viv and Vision. Vision has recently had to deal with the loss of his family and he shows it still effects him in his treatment of Viv. It is a touching moment in the continuing crossover. Waid has delivered a solid entry in the Avengers mythos. Ramos really seems to be coming into his own when it comes to art on the book. Some of that could be the help of excellent colors and inks. I was very satisfied.

The thriller aspect of the issue with the Viv sisters was enjoyable, even if it was a bit expected. The recruitment party would have been summed up in a single splash page in the past so seeing it carry on for so long felt like padding for the book. One of the things that is surprising me is how much I am enjoying Nadia's relationships grow in both Avengers and here. Her thinking of Vision as family is nice. The animated style of the art works really well for this team, but when you are trying to evoke horror it does not work as well. Champions has been a strong series so this is still worth the read.

So far the conflict that is being built for Civil War does seem to be an interesting one. At first the question of whether acting on the future to save lives seems like an easy answered one, but the problems that are presented does make it less clear after seeing casualties of acting on the knowledge. I was unsure if I bought into this sequel but after reading the issue I am intrigued. The art by Marquez is great and the dialog from Bendis reads naturally. I find myself interested in other characters roles in the conflict.

Tensions begin to build and Tony continues to act in whatever way he sees fit. Civil War II seems to be on the right track.

There are far less twist and turns that try to grab you at this point in the story. The conflict finally starts to take on physical actions and we begin to see what sides the heroes are taking. Most of this can be learned in the spin-off stories that have accompanied the event, so there will not be anything to shocking. This issue sets up a deciding factor that is to come. If you have been on board so far then you should find this one enjoyable.

Very emotional issue where Miles worst feels become realized in Ulysses vision. The act of Captain Rodgers leaves many rethinking their stance. The young heroes that know Miles well, and some of the current Avengers, begin to realize the visions may not be as accurate as they seemed. The young heroes decide to go off on their own. I think this really plays into the fear that Miles always had that he would become violent like his uncle and could easily go down the wrong path. The art does a powerful job of showing that emotion. Although we have already seen where this conflict leads mostly it is still an interesting tale.

This feels like an issue that is fishing for a new ongoing. Even if that is the case, it is done in an entertaining way. It captures a Johnny Cage era feel to Ghost Rider in a simple and fun story.

This was a pretty good starting point for a small crossover. It felt at times like we were hastily moving through the story, but still worked for me.

Sometimes you just need a fun and exciting title that you want to read just to enjoy. This is that type of title. Characters that are often forgotten are brought back in, and made stars. Humor mask the serious theme of the profession. If you can't get enough Deadpool this is a good place to look.

I have not been reading everything involved with the Inhuman V X-Men story so I am coming in as an outsider. I know what the conflict is but have no idea where this issue fits in that story. That said I still liked the issue. The one thing I would say is that lately the title focuses less on Deadpool and more on Negasonic Teenage Warhead. It is a team book so that is not so much a problem, but let's be honest, you are going to pick up this book to see Deadpool. I was very thrown off by Karnak loosing his monk look. Sometimes being pulled into an event works, other times it is a distraction from the title. We will have to see how this goes.

The series takes a wide detour with its involvement in the Inhumans and X-Men war. Most of the cast are pushed to the sidelines to bring Negasonic Teenage Warhead into the position of main antagonist. The story tries to tell a story as to how important the war is because things can get worst, but the story lacks any real stakes. It shows that the conclusion of the war is the best case scenario. We know this will not interfere or this would be part of the main story. The plot we are meant to buy into also seems to be less thought out. The reason that the X-Men are so desperately protecting Negasonic and the Inhumans are trying to kill her are questionable. Her powers seem to be capable of altering the past yet she cannot fix the current future. I am ready for the series to move on from its involvement since the art is still good and the writing has its strong points. Hopefully the next crossover in the 'Till Death Do Us...' story is better.

This one took a little while to get started for me. It seems that nobody is capable of dying because Death has gone missing. Since Thanos and Deadpool are in love with death they decide to find her and bring her back. It is a lighthearted tale like others have said and it does have some good humor to it. I am hoping that it really gets going in later installments.

The unique humor and crazy ideas continue in this issue. We get a bit of the "48 Hours" interaction between Thanos and Deadpool as two different personalities that do not mesh well trying to work together. While I am one of the people that has grown a little tired of seeing Deadpool squeezed into everything, I am enjoying what is trying to be accomplished. The story is a simple story that might not leave you in awe, but they do try to add enough out-of-know-where fun to keep you interested.

As the mystery of Death's disappearance is answered, we see Deadpool and Thanos gain the power of death to take on Death's kidnapper. As the story draws to a close we are diving into the action. The team of Deadpool and Thanos seems a way better team than what I would have thought first going in to the series and I enjoyed it's conclusion.

I could see myself really loving this comic in my teenage years. The action in it is impressive, but it lacks anything else. All machismo and lust for violence but very little mystery and plot. Deadpool is back as an assassin after falling out of favor having been Hydra Steve's personal killer. Now he is trying to kill Cable on orders from Stryfe which presents the only real question to the series. Why take orders from him? The rest is two guys killing each other. I found the humor lacking compared to past Deadpool series which could because of the focus of the title this time around. I think if you like Deadpool as a cold killer looking for jobs this is a return to that. For me however, it was not what I look for in a series. The art is fitting for the series with a more animated Eric Larsen feel to it. If you are looking for a Deadpool title with meaning I would save your money, but if you are looking for that violent killer you are in for a ride.

Much like the first Legacy issue, this issue is filled mostly with action. Deadpool goes on a killing spree with Cable's mechanical arm attached. If you just want to see Deadpool back to his murderous and destructive ways then you are in luck. There is very little character to Wade however so that is about all you get. He has been reduced to the one goal of getting to Cable and cuts his way through everyone to get there. There is a fun moment that calls back to the Walt Simonson Judge Dredd analog the Peace Keeper who is part of a time police force that has imprisoned Cable for being Stryfe. It is a fun return to a small moment in Thor history, so it helped me stomach an issue I struggled to find a reason to connect with. The art has a feeling of the 1990's extreme look where everything is exaggerated. The large muscles and gratuitous violence is brought front and center with solid colors to make it stand out. It worked for me when thinking of this as a return to the start for the characters. I am usually someone who wants his characters to continue to grow and change so it is not my taste, but I think there are some who will enjoy the series.

Deadpool becomes something of a supporting cast member in his own book as Cable and Stryfe try to continue their feud. That is too bad. While I appreciate the fact that Duggan is trying to create humor with as much insanity as he can create stacked on top of each other, there is nothing really clever or of substance here. It is the who has the bigger stick game escalating to a nuclear missile strike. The one thing that worked for me was the humor. Duggan has a bit of fun mocking his own story and characters that worked. The art is over the top with colors that are bright and stand out. This made sense for me at times but it lacks detail that could have enhanced some of the visuals. Combined this title definitely falls under the category of fun if that is what you are looking for. If you are looking for more there are better places to look. Duggan does a much better job in my opinion on Guardians where there is fun but also a bit more weight to the events. There are clear stakes that give the violence and abnormality purpose. Deadpool seems to be unclear on its purpose at that really drags it down for me. It is an easy and fun read so if you are not burnt out on Deadpool yet I would give it a chance.

I was having a lot of trouble getting into the story presented in this arc. After reading this issue I am starting to come around. It still has a feeling like Deadpool is a supporting player in his own book as Cable takes the lead. Some of Deadpool's humor feels a little forced. Those moments are far less distracting this time around. The time travel tale takes the book in a science fiction direction that felt a more risky story to tell for Deadpool. There are also moments of humor that help mask the forced moments. I was most surprised by the emotional moment as Cable reflects on his hopes and fears of his future. It may not be an issue I would call a must read, but the issue is strong enough to make me think it is a series worth hanging with.

After having trouble getting excited about the last story arc, this continuation has me right away. Deadpool confronts evil Steve Rodgers trying to get revenge for the events of Secret Empire. The moments of humor worked for me. The dramatic moments worked. The hard part for Duggan is writing evil Steve to have the same voice but with different intent. I am not sure that I am convinced it is achieved. Some of his mannerisms did work though and he is strong in his ideals. So I would say it mostly works. Overall it is a direction for the Deadpool series that has me on board.

Last issue with Deadpool confronting the evil Steve was a great moment so it leaves a pretty high bar moving forward. While this confrontation is not great, I would say Duggan did a pretty good job. There is some fun humor. There is also some heart as you see that Deadpool's old teammates have not given up on him yet. The fact that exposition sits in a constant fight is clever. The overall theme of redemption playing out in the Deadpool books is far more engaging then I would have thought. I was not convinced when this series started out (with Legacy) but with every issue they are making glad that I stuck with it.

Since this arc has been all about Deadpool running through his past encounters and setting things up going forward Madcap had to show up at some point. The issue quickly runs through and closes the holes so that the series can move on. There is little hear to really get into. Everything is done well enough as far as art and dialog, but the chapter is quickly forgettable. The one thing that will probably get you is the cliffhanger setting up what should be a good issue or two after this.

After leaving last issue with a bit of an emotional hook I was a little disappointed in how the issue felt anticlimactically solved with a simple MacGuffin. There was even the time taken to point out the flaw in Deadpool's actions which felt off. Still the end of the issue left me feeling emotional. It was nice to see Duggan call back to Uncanny X-Force history. Seeing Deadpool's next interaction should be interesting with the teaser we are given. So this did have its moments. While some character interpretations were not my favorite, it is a very nice looking issue. I also love the cover. This was not one of the most satisfying chapters for me, but it was not what I would consider bad either.

Deadpool finally takes out his frustrations on Steve Rodgers and pleading his case for acting the way he did during Secret Empire. It is not as impacting as his encounter with evil Steve, but is satisfying. He makes a pretty good argument that he is used as a morally grey member who does the jobs that others will not. He also held Steve in high regards for placing him on the Avengers so had no reason to question him. Wade also shows that he doesn't really care that people are treating him like a criminal, just that he wants to set a couple rights and needs Steve to make that happen. Duggan has been surprisingly emotional with Deadpool. It has me caring about the character way more than I was expecting. I really enjoyed the art within the issue and for the cover. It all has a very classic feel from the 80's era with the layouts and paneling that I liked. There was not a lot of wasted space just to decompress the book and get through it quicker. The team has also been doing a great job of delivering dialog while the panels show action. It gives you plenty to visit in the issue. This is a title that has been worth reading.

There is not as much emotional depth to this part of the story as Deadpool sends every hitman he can after himself. Instead we get a fun encounter with plenty of action and guest villains. The issue works well enough without anything controversial or too surprising. The stand out for me was the art of the issue. Portraying the action worked really well and worked great in this issue. It might not be clear where we are heading in issue three hundred since we know Wade will live through this, so there could be some surprises in store still.

Duggan has been surprisingly deep with Deadpool in the past two story arcs as Wade has conversations with friends and enemies that have been involved with his life recently. This time it is the Hawkeye's that Wade lets out his feelings too. With Steve Rodgers he brought up the fact that even though characters like Hawkeye, Black Widow, Wonderman, and Rogue can go from criminal to Avengers, Wade was never really trusted. He brings this up to Kate and Clint when mentioning how he tried to help the cause and waited for the call to join the secret alliance but that call never came. He is always kept at arms length and people assume the worst. It reflecting on past issues interesting to think that Wade is always treated like he is only good for one thing. It also sets up the fact that since he is treated like he is only good as a mercenary it would make sense to go back to that life. Duggan is tying up the story plot points well and bringing his tale to a close in a great way. The art in the issue took a step down when it comes to details. There is a little lack in expression at times. The art still shows action well though. Like before the dialog of the conversation happens during the action making it all a lot of fun. I think the series is ending very strong is worth checking out.

This becomes Duggan's goodbye to a character he has been writing a while similar to Brian michael Bendis' recent issue of Miles Morales Spider-Man. The difference being Spider-Man comes to an end with no announced plans except his inclusion in Champions. Deadpool will be coming back with Skotti Young with another number one (maybe a secondary legacy numbering like Avengers). Oddly Duggan leaves the next book with a larger sandbox to play in. One that I would say is a little too open. With the accompanying issues it made this goodbye feel better handled. There is a lot of reflection of the character that was developed over the years accompanied with action. There is a return to the mind museum in this issue which also provides a quick look back at the character. Duggan gives himself a cameo like Bendis did. This time referencing Morrison's Animal Man which did the same as inspiration. Duggan has the guts to make Wade kill him off. Nice touch. The opening with Deadpool covering himself with a bio-weapon when he tries to gain powers was a little to over the top with its juvenile humor for me, but there is some humor in it that I think will be enjoyed. I did like the cameos and how they were used to mock the characters in a way. It also mocked the idea of Marvel versus Deadpool that the title suggest. It was a bit of humor and fun before a second half that is filled with action and some more serious moments. The second half brings in Steve Rodgers as he tries to get Wade to come in after he fulfilled his promise to repair Preston. It seemed strange that Wade turned back on his promise with little explanation. He has a plan though. A plan that sets up the new Deadpool. It is a good farewell for the character. The story arc did not feel as decompressed as most Marvel stories are now in days so that is refreshing. The action showcased the character well. There are a lot of fun cameos. I did want to see Massacre and the Mercs for Money return. It is enjoyable though.

I think this is going to be one of new favorite series. Bachalo provides a more surreal art style which I think is where he is at his best. Aaron fills the story when many fun moments while providing a sense of tense moments to come. If you are new to Doctor Strange this acts as a great introduction to the character requiring no prior knowledge of the Sorcerer Supreme to get into the direction being taken. I would highly recommend this title for people that are new to the Marvel comic universe.

Continuing to introduce us to the supernatural world of Doctor Strange this issue leads readers into the doctor's Sanctum Sanctorum through the eyes of a visitor. Again Bachalo provides an art style reminiscent of Sam Keith on his Maxx series. Explosive monsters and grotesque details. Aaron continues to lead us in an introduction into the Doctor Strange character with promises of things to come. I am really enjoying the ride.

It is good to see Aaron having fun with the characters in something of a monster-of-the-week format, while still presenting a coming threat. We see a bit of Strange's limitations in this installment. Bachalo's art is still a perfect fit for the series. This still seems to be one of Marvel's stronger titles.

This issue acts more as a stepping stone to a battle that we are building to. Strange gathers the other magical heroes of the Marvel universe and readies for battle.

I am not a fan of the cover art on this one but the book itself still has me hooked. The story itself seems to still be running at a slow burn so part of me would like to see the story a little further along at this point. At this point it would also be good to know how and why the villains are so powerful against magic. That being said their motivations are clear and the establishment of magic coming at a cost has been interesting. This still stands as one of my favorite Marvel titles currently.

We finally see who the Imperator is and why is traveling dimensions to destroy magic. While it somewhat sympathizes the character it turns back around when they show his brutality. I thought it was an interesting insert in the series. The art does a great job of drawing you in.

Doctor Strange has become one of the most reliable books in Marvel in terms of art and unique story. With cameos from the magic community and clear stakes on the line the story has been thrilling. The surreal art of Bachalo is a perfect match for the insane world of magic. If you have not been reading Doctor Strange a being has been destroying magic in all dimensions and now he has reached ours. With the help of the other magical heroes of the Marvel universe Doctor Strange is gathering what is left of magic and hoping he can find a way to stop the science based being. Things may have gone to worse when a new friend of the doctors notices a secret hidden within the Sanctum Sanctorum has been released that Stephen may fear more. If that does not get you a little interested then you are a really hard sell.

Two story points begin to come together, the cost of magic and the last of magic being destroyed. There are subtle details in the art that add to the story in interesting ways. It feels as if now that magic is vanishing the surreal art becomes more grounded. The writing gets me with the supporting cast. I think Aaron tries to make them just as deep as Strange himself and it is appreciated. This series seems to have a great team behind it.

I loved this issue for the art alone. Doctor Strange and Chris Bachalo are a wonderful match. The conclusion to "Last Days of Magic" left me satisfied. The impact that Strange has had on the world and magic itself is shown. A villain that is sure to become a main stay in the future of Doctor Strange is born (perhaps two?). Lastly a supporting character is introduced.If you are new to the character of Doctor Strange then this run would be a great starting point.

Now that "Last Days of Magic" has ended the issue is used to show where Strange will be heading with a look to the past as well as a look at the present. The two points are represented with two different artist and styles which I thought was a terrific idea. The stories did a great job of showing the trouble that would be coming Strange's way and the parallels between when the Doctor began to learn magic and his being forced to learn new magic now that it has changed makes this still a great place to learn about strange if you are not familiar.

The last story arc that was done for Doctor Strange helped put limits on what he was capable of. It became one of my favorite titles. This issue starts a new chapter and I think it should be interesting. Now that they know Strange has limits to his power all his former enemies are returning to hit him while he is down. Bachalo's style is a perfect fit for the title I think. Aaron's writing has some fun humor and character. This is another great place to jump on board if you have not read the title yet.

I will be honest I never loved Nightmare. The Freddy Kruger of the Marvel universe never seemed like much of a threat. This issue had me won over though. Seeing Stephan in a confused state stuck in his dreams seemed more thrilling then I would have guessed. This was a good installment in the rogues gallery returning to strike Doctor Strange while he is down. I can't wait to see what the team brings about next.

I loved this issue since Aaron went ahead and went as crazy as he could. Strange has to fight Hell bacon is his own stomach. That is just having some fun with the character. The other great things about this is using villains that you don't see a whole lot of. I was never big on Pandemonium, but he was a bit more interesting in this. The Blood in the Aether story has been a great look back at the career of Doctor Strange and I am excited to see what directions it goes next.

I was impressed with this issue because it took a character that I thought ridiculous and made him a threat. This story arc just keeps getting more interesting.

As Doctor Strange's rogues gallery returns his biggest baddest threat finally strikes. What has made Doctor Strange so interesting in this run is that he cannot rely on a magic fix. Using magic requires so much more work so we see a man using his wits to get around that problem. Along with a lot of luck. A new threat is being built that seems like it will be interesting with the support cast getting some focus. We also get more views of Doctor Strange's past since the universe was rewritten after Secret Wars.

This one off story of Doctor Strange has him teaming up with Groom 'Destroyer of Worlds' and his son to take on a monster that is destroying New York. Since Strange is lacking in power he uses a trinket that transports the monster instead of defeating it. Strange sets out to stop the monster with the help of Groom's son in order to stop it for good. The tale could be more interesting with Strange using what he can to stop the monster who has a major advantage with a small amount of resources. His relationship with Groomer (I think he was called) could also be played out in an interesting way since both boast confidence with little action to back it up. That does not seem to be the case however. The presence of Groom and Groomer is a simple guest appearance with no real purpose. Strange's face off with the monster is action packed but there could be a real battle of ingenuity that is missed. The story is still entertaining and worth a look if not for the art alone. The art in the book is certainly done with care and fits in nicely with the world of Doctor Strange.

There are times where issues act as a lead up to the story you really want to hear. This issue seems to be one of those, both in art and writing. The art is not bad but lacks that surreal quality present in Bachalo's work or Rodriguez in Sorcerers Supreme. There was a bit of tension built with Mr. Misery in the last issue and this seems to just reestablish that threat. We are reintroduced to Misery's purpose and why he hates strange. We also are reminded of the disappearance of Wong when Strange returns to the Bar with No Name. The best part of the story is the surprise guest appearance of Man-Thing which I am sure is to raise hype for the new series, but was welcome all the same. This won't be a memorable issue but they won't all be.

Coming from the days where team-ups happened every few issues I really loved this issue. The way that Aaron uses Thor was a fun surprise as well, needing her more for her skills as Jane Foster than as the Mighty Thor. Strange's approach to stopping Misery was also fun. I am going to be sad to see this team leave the book in a couple issues. I hope that the new team can create some equally interesting strange tales (see what I did there?).

Aaron uses this chapter to show just how important the relationship between Strange and Wong truly is. With flashbacks to their meeting to Mister Misery threatening a future without. There are some great emotional moments here that has made Aaron one of my favorite writers in Marvel currently. Bachalo helps up the tension with some claustrophobic art as the climax nears. Misery represented in a all encompassing way. I will be sad to see the creative team go.

This is a very satisfying conclusion to the story being told in the run so far with Jason Aaron, Chris Bachalo, and Kevin Knowlan. The two artist work great together to represent two different worlds of the same tale with great success. The tale has all been to set up the future of Doctor Strange and what came come to us in the future in a great way by Aaron. The use of color and detail is done in a beautiful way. There is a lot of effort put into this title and it shows.

There is a new team that will taking over Doctor Strange in the next Legacy issue so I am not sure how much weight this issue holds. It feels and could very well be a simple one time tale of Strange and his apprentice Zelma. I had that in mind as I read the issue. This is less a chapter in a story but a short story. This makes sense as it is about Strange actually teaching Zelma. They are on the search again for artifacts of magic power around the world after magic has been drained from the Earth by the Empirikul. There is possession and trapped sorcerers involved as well as mystical artifacts. The art is very fitting for the issue and reminded me of more abstract art like Moon knight books or Heavy Metal stories. It is a fun short story that does Strange well.

The Sorcerer Supreme is no longer Stephen Strange, he has retired to become a doctor once again, just not a surgeon, and Loki is the new protector of the realm. We are placed into the story with the status quo already changed with what happened slowly being revealed. It makes things a bit interesting seeing a powerful being like Loki struggle to do the job and be loved after taking over. It also creates some mystery as to why Loki would want the position and why it was given to him. I am sure part of the why was explained in Legacy with Loki wanting the power to save the world, but we have yet to get details. Cates also tries to work from Aaron's run on the book by focusing some time on the cost of magic. Loki sees this as hindering and wants to change that. With his position as a master of lies it leaves the magic community uneasy. This also creates an obstacle for the new Sorcerer Supreme. The art and tone is fitting for the title. The struggle for me is if placing Stephen to the side for now will pay off in the end. What saves it for me somewhat is the inclusion of Zelma Stanton and familiar venues from the Aaron run. Cates is obviously working from what is established before. It gives me hope that this is a continuation of the story that will lead somewhere interesting. If you did not get into Strange during the earlier Jason Aaron run this might not have enough to change your mind. Unless you are big Loki fan.

There is so much going on within this story that it seems the team is really enjoying themselves on this title. There are call backs to previous stories from other titles that were a joy to see. Things like Skurge's enchanted machine guns and the end reveal when Stephen seeks out a weapon against a god. There are also some interesting moments that make you wonder if there is something deeper behind them. Loki kissing Zelma just as Stephen is standing by his old home spying on him for instance. It could be bad timing, but it could also be a deliberate move on Loki's part. There is also the questions behind Stephen's position as a vet and his friendship with a dog, that is most likely not a dog. Stephen even mentions how he should not be seen in his old neighborhood, making you wonder why that is. We also see how Zelma has been affected by this change in teacher and loosing her friend. An emotional moment where she really shows how this change is just as shocking for her as it is foe us. After a shaken run during the Secret Empire events it seems the title is back on track with some wonderful stories coming forward. The art is amazingly fitting for the title. It creates great atmosphere. The detail in the characters (including a dog) makes them look really good. The emotion in the body language and facial expression in the times of drama are very well done. Even smell details like having Loki shirtless as he kisses Zelma to heighten the misunderstanding was a smart choice. There is a lot of room to play around in the world of Stephen Strange and when done like this with crazy moments and character it becomes a nice read.

This is one of my favorite clever covers of the year. The chapter shows Stephen's plan begin to play out as he infiltrates Asgardia in search of the World Tree. There is some great art in both the flashbacks and the main story. While the style changes I think the colors work well to not be distracting. The mentioned flashback shows just how Stephen lost his place as the Sorcerer Supreme to Loki, so the question was not left lingering to long as often happens. There are a lot of fun character moments, but the favorite of mine has to be Wong. He of course left his life with the Sorcerer Supreme behind so acts a little perturbed to be drawn back in. This has become an interesting arc for Stephen Strange and worth reading.

This is such a great ending to the run. The art creates a perfect look and atmosphere. There is plenty of action and drama to it. This is an arc that I would recommend reading for sure.

I was a fan of the start of the Damnation story line. It had an 'Inferno' feel to it that I enjoyed. There is a premise that is very supernatural in nature that is fitting for the tie in titles (mostly, I'm looking at you Iron Fist). I saw a lot of people that accused the writers of trying to make their hero unlikable again in Strange when he decided to recklessly use magic to resurrect a whole city. I have not been a devoted reader of all Doctor Strange works. I am limited to mostly Defenders when he casually opened the Dark Dimension that led to the release of Black Knight and things of the like. The Strange Tales title with Cloak and Dagger where his arrogance often released something he later had to capture. Strange was always an arrogant self assured man when I read him who was very reactive instead of proactive. When these characters where created they were meant to have flaws and fail from time to time. It is what Stan Lee and company did to ensure Marvel stood out from other hero tales of the era. To me the idea that now that he has the power of creation from Yggdrasil he would use that power to do what he could. It also makes me assume he would be arrogant enough to try and cheat the devil (Mephisto) to win. It seems to fit the flaws created for the character. Most of the recent stories where about how Strange ignored the high cost of magic even. This seems to be in keeping with that. There is not much to this issue other than giving you an idea of what Strange is up to within the walls of the casino. He is betting his soul on the black jack with the hope Mephisto will leave if he wins. It is a fun enough issue with art that fits in very well with the main Damnation issue to keep you from getting a shock. There is a bit of difference in the costumes in both Mephisto and Strange if that type of thing bothers you.

This issue gives you a glimpse of what happened to Doctor Strange before the reveal at the end of Damnation number two. It actually leaves off in the exact same place running parallel to what we saw in most of that issue. It is done in a pretty clever way that gives you some insight into what might be happening with the Avengers as well. I had given the second issue of Damnation a smaller score because of some frustrations, but going back after reading this I think I would have lifted it a little more. That said there were some questions that made me think the team was just writing as they go and calling it complete. This could be *spoiler* territory, but Loki mentions his warning to Strange only to be revealed to be a lie. Seems confusing since he was not lying. Would Mephisto know that? This is a very fun story and I like a lot of what is being done. There are just so many little moments that take you out of the story that it can get distracting. I still enjoyed the art. It has a very old school Strange feel. It can lack a little detail here and there. Backgrounds often are very simplistic and dull. It really shines in the building of atmosphere though and that makes up for that simplicity. It is an enjoyable issue that works well as a tie in to the limited series.

Loose ends are tied up and we get the trail to the story ahead. The issue does a good job of summing up what was presented in the pages of the fourth Damnation issue. It is a little bit of a shame because it creates a better ending to the story then where we left off. This moment of Strange still trying to make sure Clea is safe felt like it should have been part of that ending. I said before I think the series would have been helped by being confined to the pages of Doctor Strange with brief crossovers in Iron Fist and Scarlet Spider. Reading this conclusion only makes me feel stronger in that observation. I love the art for this title. It is very fitting and looks beautiful. Unless you have been reading Damnation this issue will not give you much except for the final panel. I would only recommend it if you have been reading this far. Then as I said it is a great ending to the story.

There is some great art that really captures the mystical world. A psychedelic quality. That part I loved. The story is an interesting one that I have seen before but a good one. Ancient evil locked away to be worried about later. The collection of characters are not flushed out a whole lot and differ just yet, but I can see where it could get there. This is a promising title worth another look.

Rodriquez has a style that is perfect for Doctor Strange. The psychedelic, old school designs fit in with the story perfectly. The story caries a lot of action that does not get you board. We are also starting to get some character building, showing what is sacrificed in order to oppose the threat that Merlin has found. It is a very pleasing series, I am just not sure yet if there is story beyond stopping the villain that I want to read. It does seem worth another issue to make that choice.

I was not that sure I wanted to read this series when I first saw advertisements, but the art kept me interested at first. Then the characters had me wanting to see what was next. This has been a pretty solid series and I would encourage you to give it a try. This issue introduces us to another member in the Ghost Rider family. With the return of Robbie Reyes being a little dull you can get a much more interesting rider here. A sorcerer and a rider.

I am loving the approach of introducing each character in the team as the series progresses. The Conjuror seems like a character that could go on to do a lot in the Marvel future. She has great motivations and a distinct personality. Her style resembles that of the old serial novels. A swashbuckling adventurer with magic and knowledge. The art is an amazing fit for the characters. Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme is trying something different and should be one you are keeping an eye on.

The twist with Newton was great and the story behind him was well told. The adventure is written to feel like an older tale from earlier Strange days and that is a smart choice to differentiate itself form the other Strange title. The art is beautiful and has a classic style that I love.

The use of a choose your own adventure like structure to represent time travel was very catchy. I apparently selected the correct path the first time through so I had to reread the issue and choose wrong to get the whole experience, but I still enjoyed it. The character of each member really shines when you do choose the incorrect paths, and creates a very different path then that first read through reminding me of the Simonson Fantastic Four adventure through time. The art is still strong and gives this an older feel that I love. While we have not seen much, the build up of Sir Isaac Newton as a villain has made him seem menacing. This title has me hooked and I can't wait to see where it goes now that they have caught up to the present.

We get to discover who the Author is in this issue and where he comes from. There are some great cameo's in here from Howard the Duck and Luke Cage and Spider-Man with the Avengers. This has become one of my favorite titles right now and I am always looking forward to the next issue.

This is definitely a series that is not afraid to do things different and take some chances. It makes it one of the more interesting titles to follow and one that I think will be talked about after it is really discovered. In this issue the crew are trapped in the Authors book of spells and need to find an unusual way to escape. Doctor Strange shows why even without his magic being strong, he is still the Sorcerer Supreme. There is some absolutely fantastic art that uses the trippy nature of the title to its advantage. Some fun humor with guest star Howard the Duck. Also an interesting cliffhanger involving Wiccan.

We find out why Wiccan was left with the Mark of Sarrows that left him seeking the help of Merlin. There is also another fun look at Wiccan's timeline and the X-Men that are serving there. There is also an interesting last page reveal that had me looking forward to the next issue. The art was not as engaging as previous issues, but still worked. Some character designs are a better than others. Still one of the titles I look forward to most.

There is a little bit of a feeling that this story is being rushed, but for the most part comes across great. One of the things that I am thrown of by is the fact that the stakes for this adventure lie in a future that we are only vaguely familiar with. This leaves the impact a bit less than what I want. I do however love the various Sorcerer Supreme's. Introduced here is a future Stephan Strange who mentors Wiccan. There is a shining moment for the Mindful One. Kushala accepts here place in the Marvel Universe. There is also a glimpse of Newton's role as villain in the future. I miss the visuals of Rodriguez's art, but the team does a pretty good job. There are some highs and lows in the art. I think overall the art is still enjoyable. While there is some confusion in this story for me, it is one of my favorite overlooked titles at Marvel. This issue feels like a conclusion so that fact that the next issue is the conclusion will be an interesting surprise.

Everything is wrapped up in a good way in this last issue. There is a theme that shows that all the Sorcerer Supreme's are connected by similar experiences. An understanding of the price paid for carrying that burden. The issue does a great job of showing this, as well as showing that all the Supreme's share a similar worth by helping Yao in his quest to complete the trials that will lead to immortality. They all work to complete the trials in this way proving they are worthy of the title. Yao see's also why they are worthy to be taught. The issue is all presented horizontal which is nothing new to comics. Even Liefeld has done such an issue in the pages of X-Force. It does work in a great way when showing the numbers of Supreme's that come to the aid of Yao. It is also used in a great way to show the traverse of Yao's map. There is some fun artwork. While the psychedelic work is not as strong as Rodriguez when he was on the title, it still created some fun visuals. The facial expressions on Yao alone was enough to win me over. This made for a good end to a short run title.

I wanted to check this one out because it feels like a spiritual successor to the X-Men 'Inferno' event where Limbo demons invade Earth. I also remember the Midnight Sons being a pretty interesting moment in the 90's and saw that they would be returning in a different form. The start here is pretty promising. The team has fun with what is a pretty crazy premise which helps sell it. A lot of what has been going on in the Marvel universe gets brought in here to set up some interesting stakes for the remainder of the story arc. The art has a Seinkiewicz feel that is very fitting for the subject matter. With the characters that are promised to be involved this should be a great arc so is worth checking out.

I hate to pick on Nick Spencer because I have enjoyed some of his work like Astonishing Ant-Man and Sam Wilson: Captain America. This issue of Damnation seemed to be more Spencer influenced than Cates and it suffers. It feels like it is trying to be cute because it takes place in Vegas by making it an Ocean's Eleven style heist. Humor and all. It just falls flat. Seeing Wong bring the team together feels cheap. I would have rather seen the team slowly build to a new Midnight Sons. It also gave me a very frustrating moment when Wong says he has files on everyone's assignment. First we are told Man-Thing does not read. I don't know much about Man-Thing, but I did read the five part mini and he can read in that so we have inconsistency. Then Wong says their assignment is distract the Ghost Rider infected Avengers. That is it. Why did he take the time to write up files that just said that for everyone? The art in the first issue and the Doctor Strange tie-in worked well to create a very surreal landscape. The art in this issue was harder for me to get into. I don't think Szymon Kudranski is a bad artist, but I feel he was trying to create a style that is not his. The lines seemed too clean to ink it in that sketched look. The colors were all so bland with nothing that really stood out. I think the teams are trying to create a consistent feel and look but in this case it didn't feel right. I will say it had its moments though. Wong being a fan of Arsenal worked. The Ghost Rider infected heroes. I even enjoy the members of the team that has been built. I just hope they handle the rest of the series better.

The series ends on a pretty strong note. There a few threads left hanging that can lead to some interesting stories down the road. The members of the Midnight Sons were not given a hold lot to do, but it is nice to see that these characters that are that are possibly without a home have plans for the future. There is some enjoyment from this story even if it may not feel as tightly written as the recent No Surrender story line in the Avengers. The art for this last issue looks great and is a perfect fit for a story of this nature. The characters look great and the backgrounds have a ominous feel. I have said recently that the Infinity Countdown story might feel stronger if the story was a little smaller and stayed in the pages of Guardians of the Galaxy. The Damnation story was not a big event by any means, but still might have benefited from the same. It felt like the team was took what have been a good Strange story with a couple crossovers and tried to make it bigger by making it its own book. If this had been a Strange story the lack of Midnight Sons purpose (other than distraction) might not have been as glaring. The Iron Fist and Scarlet Spider crossovers could have come more naturally and would have just been fun stories that showed what they were up to during the resurrection of New Vegas and might have felt less forced. Still a fun read but I would only recommend it if the characters involved interest you.

There is a very Scott Campbell art vibe to the art in this that gives that reminder me of Danger Girl. It made me compare what I was reading throughout which highlighted how much of an influence it must have been. You have some of the same exaggerated looks and outfits to the characters. There is a bit of the same sisterhood among the main cast. That might not be a bad thing since the character of Domino could fit in well with that environment. Simone does a great job of making Domino both a strong soldier as well as playful and joking. That is something I think some writers forget when writing her. The idea that her powers work out in ways that both help and hinder her is also a cool approach that is not often explored. I picked this up just out of curiosity but was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Gail Simone brings a lot of heart to the Domino character. There is even a heart to heart chat between Neena and Wade that was lacking in Deadpool's self titled that recently saw him reflecting on his relationship with everyone. David Baldeon makes action look great. There is no confusion as to what is happening and Domino looks terrific doing it. It makes this a surprisingly catchy title. This issue continues to show how and why Domino lost her powers in the last issue. She has an interesting connection to the antagonist where he losses and gains his youthful vigor based on her luck or lack there of respectively. There are a lot of fun moments that I really enjoyed. Domino's powers making everybody win on a Casino yacht. A surprising cameo from Amadeus who Hulks out on said yacht. There is also some sexiness to the heroic characters male and female if that is your thing. Neena spends a good amount of time in her underwear with Spider-Man offering to get her clothes even. The issue even ends with another cliffhanger similar to the first issue that made me smile. If this was just a series that got created as a tie-in to the upcoming Deadpool appearance they are hiding it well with a bit of love for the character and the story they are telling. This is worth a read.

I might be scoring this book a little too high, but I am not sure. When I heard about Drax in his own series I did not think much of it. He never seemed like a character that I felt needed to be explored deeper. I had a low bar for this series so for it to be an engaging read for me gave it some credit. The story is pretty simple. When not roaming around with the Guardians, Drax continues his quest of killing Thanos and this series starts with the obstacles he encounters on that path. I am not sure how long the book will be able to travel on that premise but for now it is worth the time to explore.

There are a lot of things that worked for me in this start. There was some play with the layouts and art that was enjoyable. The colors were a bit bland but worked okay. The premise behind the story is one that should be enjoyable but of course requires some lead in. The problem is the lead in feels both rushed and a little uninteresting. The biggest exception to that for me was a young dying Nick Fury showing up in front of his older self. Characters have to be introduced since they are being pulled from all over but we get little personality in favor of exposition to explain the character. It is understandable that this would have to be done, but it is not handled in a creative or catchy way. It makes for a rough start to something that could be very interesting given what we do know. Hopefully future issues really start to get the ball rolling.

I really want to like this title but I am having a bit of trouble connecting with the characters. There are some interesting points to them. The usual optimistic and ambitious Kamala is a cynical and stubborn and even notes the change in herself. The character of Valkyrie is loud and boisterous resemble Hercules in a way. It is a departure from the version we recently saw in the Thor movie. It is not a problem that the difference exist, but it is confusing since they try throughout solicitations and the book itself to hint that it is the same. This is especially so in the fact that the look down to the outfit is meant to be exactly the same. I get the impression that the book is still finding its momentum so I think it could get better. This is a bit of a rocky start and with so many titles available I worry that Marvel will not give it the chance to get off the ground. Hopefully it picks up speed with the next issue.

There was a weirdness and a playfulness in Excalibur as they visited the multiverse that I see reflected in this book. It is something that I really like. The hippie Namor that they visit was great. Peggy Carter as Captain America fighting in World War II that I assume is because England took control of the U.S. during the Revolutionary War. It is never stated but that is the theory I am running with. The art from Javier Rodriguez and Alvaro Lopez makes that weirdness work. I still have trouble getting into this book though. Ahmed's dialog does not feel natural to me. I have a lot of trouble getting connected with his protagonist. The closest I can come is Kamala because I want to know why she is so broken. Ironlad's constant reminders of being a victim seem like they are meant to make him sympathetic. He feels more like an angst filled teen. Wolvies childishness is probably meant to be cute but just made me wonder what the purpose was for including him when he feels so out of place. It made me believe he was added for the absurdity with no real plan for him. The pacing and story is the saving grace, but not enough for me to recommend this to anyone. I would give this one a pass.

FoolKiller is an interesting mix of Punisher and Dexter. The superhero version of a guy compelled to kill people that are a problem to society is an interesting one. It is hard to say if this will continue to be catching since it so early on but there is promise here. The art had a fitting style. The writing is the stand out for this so far I think.

Bruce and Amadeus have interacted numerous times, so like Hawkeye and Nova this is a familiar interaction. It is still as welcome as ever. I enjoyed the art that they chose. There is also some nostalgia in seeing Hulk chased through the desert. The thing that makes me skeptical is that a confident and egotistical Hulk made Amadeus an different character worth following. Giving him the personality of Banner drags us back to the familiar stories that Banner already played out. I liked my new Hulk Totally Awesome so where does this leave me. Fans of a Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde story should be pleased however. There could still be something here, so we will see.

I thought this was overall a good issue. There is some great tie-in to Jean's solo series. There is an interesting look to where the character is going in the future. There is some wonderful art. The thing it lacked is purpose. A lot of that could be because at the time of its release the story is out of context. We have yet to finish Secret Empire. Legacy has not been released and we are only two issues in for Generations. So there is the big question 'why did this encounter happen?' between the two. There is also a bit of an issue with Jean. She seemed all Phoenix and no Jean. I am not sure if this was done purposely or just trying to capture the character at that time. Either way it seemed a little off. It is hard for me to say this is worth the price you pay for a larger issue. Once the larger picture unfolds I could think differently.

Of the three Generations titles I read so far this had the most emotional weight to the story. There is still plenty of action like you would expect when two Wolverines are facing the Hand. The unfortunate part is that the story feels a little rushed in order to fit both action and drama. Much like Banner and Cho this is a pairing that existed before so we are just seeing it in a new way and it is very satisfying. Logan's awe at Laura's abilities as well as Laura's joy at seeing Logan again are explored. This also includes a nice throwback to Logan's past. Again we are left with little answers as to why Laura is in this moment of Logan's past. Like the others at a certain point after interacting with the legacy character the new generational character fades out. After reading three issues of Generations you get the idea that the characters are perhaps learning something from or changing moments from the past, but you would not get any explanation of that after reading this single issue. This creates a problem where the story does not really feel self contained so I have to give it a lower score due to that. The art was terrific in my opinion. Both fun and creating atmosphere when needed. Character designs looked great even when trying to work with old costumes. This is an enjoyable read, just lacking something to make it great.

It is funny to see Jason Aaron have more fun in the X universe than any of the X writers right now. Here he uses Apocalypse during his ancient days in Egypt fighting Odinson (before Mjolnir) and Thor (Jane) along side the worshipping Viking raiders. The Odinson teaches Jane about the way the hammer can corrupt you into forgetting your connection to Humanity with the power of a god by his connection with those who worship him. This theme makes it one of the Generations titles that most connects with where the ongoing is at the moment and where I would assume it is going. Along with Jane wanting to keep the hammer to avoid death, you have Volstagg who has lost himself of late. There has also been the worship of the Shi'ar gods in comparison to those of Asgardia. There is also a small Legacy preview with the Phoenix and Odin from the promotional art with a surprising reveal. I love the art. Pencils and inks work well together and help tell the story well. Some of what I would like to see is more expression to really take it over the top. The Generations titles have been surprisingly good so far and this one is no exception.

Of all the Generations titles, this has to be one of the most crazy settings for the legacy interactions. Both Hawkeye's find themselves on an island where villains are trying to find the greatest marksman on Earth. Brought together they have a belt that when hit transports them back to where they came from. Being villains of course they decide to kill instead and Hawkeye tries to stop the bloodbath by getting to them all first. In comes a confused Kate who immediately recognizes Clint's old costume and realizes she is in the past. She joins him on his quest along with Clint's old mentor The Swordsman. I usually know the references to the past issues and this one I am unfamiliar with. If this is from an old arc I now have to find it. Coming back to this story, there is plenty of humor from Kate. It is hard to say how much the villains will impact future issues. Since this is two people that have interacted before the focus is on the lesson learned by Kate. The art is a toss up for me. It resembled a Silver Age look. If that is what they were going for then well done. It is hard to say if this issue will have any impact on the future so at a $5 price tag it may not be worth the cost unless you are looking for a fun adventure with duo. It is the most energetic of the generations titles though.

The clashing art styles is way to distracting. The story seems like it was built not as a road map, but for some shock value. The team did not seem to be working together, more as individuals. This becomes a letdown for one of the thoughtful characters in the Marvel lineup.

Many people had commented on the fact that Laura seeing Logan again did not affect her much emotionally. That seems nothing in comparison to Carol meeting Mar-vell again. She seemed indifferent, not grateful to see him again. The banter between the two did not work naturally. It often felt forced or paced wrong. This is something that is a major flaw of the comic as a whole. The pacing of the story and action was like they were in a rush. Trying to get you through before you asked to many questions. There is also the problem that the story did not seem to get across a message like previous Generations. I believe that Carol was meant to learn that diplomacy is sometimes needed over aggression. Something that would be helpful to learn after her involvement in the recent Civil War. However I would argue that the lesson is not what won the day. It seemed her aggressive attitude helped them escape their cell as well as spurring a rebellion. Since this series focuses on the next generation learning from their legacy this was a bit confusing. The art also did not work for me. Proportions seemed off in many instances. There was so little when it came to facial expression. While the parts may have worked individually, as a whole it they did not fit enough to bring this together. Not my least favorite in the Generations one-shots, but it is one that you can pass on.

Of all the Generations titles that have been released I think this one tries to have the most fun with the premise. Action is sacrificed a bit for humor and pacing, but in a good way. Something that many of the other titles could not pull off. There are fun cameo's and references to the time period I loved. The thing that struck me most is for once the next generation hero was in awe and excited to see their legacy hero again. In this case it is of course strange because Carol is very much alive, but the two are estranged at the moment. There is clear indication that Kamala remembered why Carol was her hero. Sparking a desire to get back that connection. It also tried hard to explain what the point of the issue was and dismissing what was not important. The theme of the story was very fitting for the themes of the characters. Woman trying to stand out as equals. The art was some of my favorite in the Generations series. The choice to make Kamala stand out among the art was a brilliant move that echoed her standing out in that time period. The character designs made it fit in perfectly with the look and feel of the Ms Marvel series. I think the thing that sets this issue apart is that it reflects the fact that all involved were invested in this issue. They tried to make something that mattered.

I am very torn on this issue of the Generations titles. While I loved the setting and the moment that Miles has been thrown into, I am not sure I liked the way it ended. Miles is thrown into the time when Peter lost to Doctor Octopus nearly dying while Aunt May was sick. It is an important time in the history of Spider-Man and a good time to insert Miles. He learns that while there are bad moments there are also good. We can't dwell on the bad, and should revel in the good. This works pretty well through most of the issue until Miles visits Peter at his home and the try to figure out together why Miles is there. Bendis tries to beat us over the head with themes. Since the two are friends as it is I expected them meeting for the first time to go off similar to before, but it seemed more forced. It was also strange for the story to end lingering on Peter as if he was learning something here as well. Since we know these moments do not actually happen, that felt strange. Overall it was a fun tale. The art was much like the Ms Marvels, a bit of a throw back to silver age looks. There is some humor and fun moments, but no team ups against a villain. Since right now Spider-Men II is giving us that I did not miss it much. For me this issue works, but is not a must have.

I would never have expected to describe an issue of Generations as resembling a Twilight Zone episode, but that is what I thought of this issue. Sam Wilson is sent back in time to before WWII when Steve is becoming Captain America. He enlist and fights in the war as the Falcon basically and encourages Steve to become the man he knows he can be. He then lives out a full life even seeing himself become Captain America from an outside perspective. He enters in all the major events of the century and the next as a civilian trying to make a difference. It is a strong message about Sam becoming his own man. Not having to worry about doing what Steve would do, just doing what is right. It is about being happy with who he is as a hero. Sam then returns like the other characters involved in legacy realizing that while he remembers the life, it never happened. There is no record. While I was sad to see that Sam would no longer be Captain America it does feel justified. They did an excellent job of explaining why he does not need to be Captain America going forward. I enjoyed the art and it was very fitting for the story. While this is more dramatic and less exciting than the other Generations titles I did enjoy it. It also told more about where the story was going (Generations as well) than any of the other one shots. If you are not bothered by a lot of exposition this is one to check out.

There was some snappy dialog provided. The concept of Guardians made from various Guardian eras seems like a good idea. If you cannot get enough of the Guardians crew (which seems unlikely with all that is provided) then this gives you another version of the team to explore.

I thought this was a pretty good start to the new(ish) team. There is not much here easing you into the world of the GOTG. If you did not read the series before Secret Wars you will probably be a little lost. The change of Star-Lord from Peter Quill to Kitty Pryde worked well for me. Those that liked Peter will find he is still part of the series he is just stuck ruling Spartax. I have never been a huge fan of Thing but his inclusion did not distract me enough to take away from the issue. The focus still sits on the previous members. If you were a fan of the books you should continue to enjoy the series. Newcomers may not get as much from this first issue.

Issue #2 starts to bring the Guardians of Knowwhere series mystery in. We find out that the mysterious visitor at the end of the series was a Kree who survived the Nega-bomb and is looking for vengeance after seeing the Kree home world destroyed, like a Marvel version of Eric Bana. The art and writing still fit the series nicely.

I obviously cannot read everything that Marvel is releasing, but it seems there are not many titles, if any, that continue a story that was explored in Secret Wars. This one does. A Kree warrior looking for revenge in Guardians of Knowhere continues to seek revenge by destroying Spartax as Peter Quill is forced to watch. The Guardians struggle to stop her. The new team line-up is forced to find a way to work as a team. The work put in to make this one of Marvel's stronger titles shows.

Most of what I have read of the Civil War tie-ins have been from heroes that are siding with Ironman so it was interesting to see things from a different perspective. There is no real action to this issue, just the GOTG's lead in to the upcoming conflict. It also gave a bit of a preview on how the team can fracture when everybody starts learning everything that is going on. The art is fitting for the title. Overall this is a good installment.

The Guardians are taken from their usual team dynamics to become part of an all new Nova Corps for their first Legacy issue. It actually creates something of a great starting point to introduce the concepts and characters of the world even if it is a departure from the standard place of the team. They decide to work with the law instead of around it to help flush out spies among the ranks of the new Nova squads. Also changing up the book is the inclusion of Scott Lang as Ant-Man among the team members. He is escaping Earth after betraying the rebellion against Hydra. Like the other members he finds a home among exiles. Because he is new to the team I think there is a lot of time spent on how Scott fits with the team and what his position will be. It is fun too, that the villains they encounter have a link to the Ant-Man past. There are also subtle hints that this is the same old team as Rocket begins gathering information that can obviously be used to his advantage when stealing from the Nova Corps. The art does a great job of conveying action and character design. This is a pretty solid start to a new run on the Guardians.

The reuniting of Richard And Peter gave this a buddy cop feel that I thought was pretty great. It made me want to see Richard make his way into the Guardians films even more. Another fun and surprising relationship is Gamora and Scott Lang as teammates in the field. The interactions are delightful. The end reveal also had me saying out loud "What is going on with that?" as I am sure Duggan intended. While the All New Guardians of the Galaxy start felt stronger, the direction the title is taking is still exciting. The art does a great job of scale and direction. The action displayed nicely. Some of the character designs did not grab me particularly in the menace of the hoard attacking Scott and Gamora, but still worked. The only thing that I would like to see more of is cosmic environment. I also wonder if Duggan has no idea what to do with Groot at this point. Still this is a strong title that is progressing nicely.

The adventurer style stories that are coming from Duggan have been one of the more interesting Guardians runs in a while. It is going to interesting to see where he goes when the series ends at 150 and he goes into a broader focus. In the meantime this is a pretty great read.

It is hard not to take this issue in context. Duggan has said he was ending the Guardians so that he could focus on more characters for his Infinity Countdown story and you get the sense that he is trying to close up the plot points before that happens. This is the second to last issue before that moment so we get a quick close out on the Nova corruption that is done in a pretty fun way. The Flora Colossi invasion starts to tie up and starts to bring and end to Groot's regeneration problem. Even the Raptor's come into play by starting an attack on the Nova Corps. It is all done well, but the pacing does make it seem like they are in a hurry to get it all in. Exposition is placed over every moment. Every piece of art is meant to have forward momentum. There are some fun moments throughout. I especially loved seeing Rocket in a classic Nova uniform. Ant-Man fits well with the team and I hope that continues. I am also impressed how much body language and expression To can pull off. If you have been a fan of this take on the Guardians I am sure you will still enjoy this issue. If not this is just a quick road to the end and it will do very little for you. If you get a chance to pick up a trade of the full story I would highly recommend it.

There is a little bit of a pacing problem to this issue that I am sure is due to the fact that it was not always meant to be the finale to the series. Not every plot thread is tightened up, but there is certainly a good attempt. The end to the Raptor assault and the corruption of the Nova's comes to an end. The Groot mystery is explained if not completed. The biggest question still remains in the soul gem being a prison. This is left for the upcoming Infinity Countdown. Adam returns in what feels like a rush. The reveal of the hidden infinity gems to the enemies of the Guardians also felt as if it was quickly added. Even still there is some great looking art and some fun thrilling action. Ant-Man still feels like he is becoming a great part of the Guardians roster. It seems strange to end the series, since changing focus could be done. X-Men has done it multiple times (once when they only had two members in Jubilee and Wolverine) so you would think ending the Guardians seems unnecessary. Since this is the swan song of the team, looking at it as a send off falls a little flat. It does not end the title and their stories. It more shows where they will fall in the upcoming Infinity Countdown. For that reason I have to give this a tougher score.

This is a pretty fun anthology series. Somebody pointed out to me that Gwenpool has become the Marvel Harley Quinn, and reading this issue reminded me they could be right. She is a little crazy but still very charming. It makes me look at this issues in a cynical way. The story with Miles and Deadpool were both fun. All in all it is a pretty good holiday special.

I think this has been the biggest disappointment for me in the Secret Wars series. First I am sorry to Roland Boschi but I did not enjoy the art. It seemed sloppy and rushed to me. Nothing in the layout of the panels really jumped out at me. As far as the writing goes the dialog seemed fine, but everything about the story seemed disjointed. There must be a lot of great ideas that they want to get across in the book but they seem unsure how to get there. Nothing had me truley invested in this series. Part of my problem could be that I am not a huge follower of Nomad. I think if this is a character you have a lot of interest in then you may enjoy where this story is going more than I did.

Kate is a fun Hawkeye. The art and writing in this title is just as good as previous runs of Hawkeye. The problem is it seems whenever a female hero needs a reason to be a hero the creativity goes down. All of them become private investigators. There is even a joke about it in this very book. With Clint doing the Legends of Kung-Fu thing around the U.S. it feels like Kate was an afterthought. She deserves better.

The premise for this title I think is a great idea. A team of monsters to fight monsters seems like a pretty solid series. The starting point for this series did not get me that excited however. I guess the idea that they are trying to sell you on is that this is a team of individuals that are horrible working together and need to be whipped into shape to become a functioning team with comedic results. Like the "Mighty Ducks" of super heroes. I think the more comedic instead of horror aspect of this book is what threw me off. I expected this series to explore characters like Morbius and Mr. Hyde. The horror side of Marvel. There are some serious moments in Dugans struggle to accept his life as a LMD (life model decoy), and his competition as leader with Warwolf that seemed promising. Each character does not yet have a place in the series. I suppose that is the point. I am hoping that knowing what this series is trying to present itself as might make me enjoy myself with the issues to come. That is why I gave it a more optimistic score.

The supporting characters surrounding Jen seemed far more interesting than Hulk herself for me. My main problem is that the fear of losing control is still present in Amadeus Chow as the Totally Awesome Hulk, so there is nothing new to Jen's character. The art was still good and the other characters make this an interesting enough read to still keep an eye on though.

A lot of what made me like Cho as the Hulk was the control he had. I thought when they had him lose control to the Hulk it would just be Banner again, but they gave it an interesting twist. I am not sure how to feel about another World War Hulk, but it is not a bad start and that is just a name meant to sell books. Having members from his Champions team was a fun touch. It is not a a bad issue for a jumping on point if you are interested.

Most of this World War Hulk sequel seems to be in name only. It focused mainly on a struggle between Amadeus and Hulk as they battled for control. The secret of Hulk being in control is out and we finally get some conflict between a number of cameos and the Hulk persona. It gives a little more of the Hulk versus heroes feel you would expect. One of which being another epic fight between the Unworthy Thor and Hulk after they battled on Sakaar. This time the two unleash a bit more and the hits look brutal. It is done through what I thought was pretty good art in the book as a whole. There were some inconsistency in the character looks that was distracting at times. Some panels were a little confusing (who is the red and white dude on the ground after the satellite smash and where did he come from?). There is also some very simple backgrounds that was probably used as a shortcut similar to the Liefeld style. I think Juan Vlasco's inks lacked a bit of shadow and depth that would have made everything a bit stronger. Frank D' Anamata's colors did make everything a bit better by giving it an 80's aesthetic that reminded me of Hulk of that time period that made me like it a bit better. Between the cameos and the action this is a pretty good read and I would say the strongest issue of the arc so far.

A very satisfying conclusion comes at the end of a story arc that I did not expect myself liking. It leaves Cho in a very different place that will be cool to see in the pages of Champions.

Within the pages of Guardians of the Galaxy Duggan set up the fact that the elders of the universe were aware that something was wrong after the events of Secret Wars restarted the universe. They hinted that the gathering of the Infinity Gems was part of that disturbance. This created an interesting setup with the Gardner and the return of Adam Warlock, as well as many people gathering items of power. I was excited to see it continue in this issue. After having read the connection to the elders in Avengers this week I was very disappointed by this issue. The dialog seemed clumsy and the voices did not feel right for the characters. The premise of Adam being prepared for the future with the help of Kang is interesting enough, but they tie it into a time that we have seen used many times in the Marvel Universe. It made it feel cliched. It also was not enough to fill a higher priced issue. The plot could have easily been a side plot within the Guardians books. Allred is an artist that seems fitting for Warlock after his run on Silver Surfer, but it felt very restrained in this issue. There is very little here for anyone that is not dying to see more of Adam Warlock. Save your money for the actual event.

This issue feels like it was more a continuation of the All New GOTG series than a piece of the Infinity Story. It deals mostly with the team and the clash they had with the Gardner. What ties it in is the other Guardians side plot about the rogue team of Nova's and Drax protecting the power stone. I enjoyed the issue because it felt and even looked like a Guardians issue. It made me wonder if it works as its own Infinity Story though. Prime did try to connect readers but it did what felt like a poor job. I think if you are a Guardians fan this is a great issue to continue the story, if not this may be interesting enough for you but you will probably be a bit lost.

After a somewhat rocky start with Infinity Countdown: Prime, the story is back on track. We switch back and forth between Drax and the isolated Nova's fight to protect the Power Stone, and the rest of the Guardians as they help the Gardner so they can rejoin Drax. It is a fun action filled issue with some cool looking panels. Some of the shared art duties, especially in the Adam Warlock sections had some odd proportions and looked a little off. Most of the art still works well together though so did not create that much of a distraction. This is a enjoyable issue that shows promise for the story going forward.

Silver Surfer has been infected by Ultron and Adam Warlock is trying to stop the power cosmic from...? I am not that sure really. My guess is that with Silver Surfer as a lackey Hank Pym who is infected with Ultron will have an easier time infecting the universe. It is being implied that when all is said and done Hank Pym will be the main villain of the Infinity Wars that will be coming up. For me so far I have not been able to buy into the motivations and threat that presents. There is still time for that to change, but that lack of presence required for a cosmic level villain makes the start of this issue harder to get into. The art works, but after seeing some of the work done on previous issues it did not feel strong enough. Part of that could be that I did not like the look of the Ultron infected characters. Hank Pym literally looks like two characters just tossed together like that old ComboMan add. Silver Surfer looks like they tried to do the same but with less commitment. The second half of the book deals with the Guardians protecting the power stone with Nova and his brother who is now a Raptor. There are some pretty cool call backs to character histories. The story does start to get a little out there as cosmic tales often can. What is interesting is we start to see what Duggan meant when he said mastery of one stone can power another. The Guardians and friends have to mentally control the power stone in order to use it. If you look at the handy map at the front of the book we see the mind stone controls the power stone. It is a neat glimpse at what is coming our way and creates an interesting addition to the story. The art from the second half of the book pulled me in a little more than the first half. Colors are a little more muted, but when there is more color added they really shine. The major problem is that this is a pricier book. If you have not been on this ride so far this is not the place to jump in. I would go back to the first issue of the ser

This is marketed as a direct tie-in to the Infinity Countdown story, but is more of a story that has reference to the event. Officer Chris Powell has been operating as Darkhawk while on patrol and decides he wants to travel into space to bring down the Fraternity of Raptors who have powered suits like Powells. He looks to old friend Richard Rider who is operating as Nova and was a teammate in the New Warriors to provide a space ship so he can track them down. Rider informs him he cannot because he is busy with the whole Infinity Stone thing. He also asks that Chris leave Talanar to him because *spoiler* it is his brother Robbie behind the mask as shown in the Infinity event. Chris is attacked by one of the strangest 1990's cameos ever when bounty hunter Death's Head (a character that was big in Marvel UK) comes to collect him. It is such a call back to the era of Darkhawk that I was actually really into it. The story is so much fun that I am tempted to keep going with it. The art has a Japanese animation feel that made characters like Death's Head, Darkhawk, and Nova look great. I was a little less into the characters out of costume. The action does look good. I would recommend this one especially if Darkhawk is a character you remember.

If you are not someone that has not been reading the Inhumans series, picking up this title as a starting point would not be a good idea. While there is a small attempt to establish the world of the Inhumans it falls short of giving you a full picture. We do not get an idea why Inhumans are fighting among themselves. We see the royal family renounce their position as monarchs in favor of a democratic government with no establishment what the royal family is. There is also no clear picture as to why the royal family is leaving their position and why they are going, instead leaving it a mystery to be solved. It could be part of the vague comment about Maximus being sent to deep space. It could also be about the lack of Terrigen on Earth. The problem I found is that there is no reason to be invested in the mystery unless you are invested in the Inhumans. The art is acceptable, but nothing that felt impressive. Overall I think this one shot could be passed in favor of just starting with the new Inhumans titles.

There is a good start here. The art is really great. The story it starts to tell is pretty interesting. I felt bad that Riri's backstory was so tragic. It is great to see they tried to make the character more then just a gimmick using diversity.

I found this to be a better goodbye from Bendis then his final issue of Spider-Man. It recaps a lot of the character through the A.I. based on Tony's personality. We see Tony react to Doom as a version of Iron Man as well as Riri. There are a few plot holes that are completed in a satisfying, but not spectacular way. The art has vast differences throughout that is not really separated by chapters so can be a bit jolting. Most of it does look good. There were only a few times I got lost in what the art was trying to tell. The end reveal felt like is was trying to copy a move from Jason Aaron's run on Thor by revisiting the story in Generations. It was a grand spectacle for a final issue. It does not feel like a spectacle that I think most will regret missing if the cost of the issue gives you pause however. If you have been big into Iron Man recently some of the bonding moments and views of various armors and allies working together to fight Hydra makes for cool moments and you will enjoy. For the rest go ahead and wait to read it on unlimited.

If you are looking for something a little different from the Marvel lines this is a pretty good choice. I did not find much that got me hooked however. Karnak is a arrogant and condescending genius which does fall into a bit of a cliche lately. The art gave the book something of an old and dreamlike quality that I found to be fitting. The story moved at a pretty good pace to establish were this title was going. What confused me was Karnak's abilities. I get that he could find a weak point in a bullet, but can he move as fast as one? I do think this is a book worth checking out. It does seem to be trying to distance itself from the usual superhero story.

Rob Liefeld has said that the Major X storyline was one he came up with back in 1992 when he was working on the X-Force title. After I read this issue I felt that statement is obviously true. The art in this book felt as if Rob had dusted off some old pages and turned them in with some new dialog. To be fair many of the panels are lifted from Rob's own work in New Mutants volume one number 98. The panels show different perspectives and include different characters, but are very similar in artistic skill. The one thing Liefeld has always had in his art is high energy. This issue did keep that high energy with plenty of action. The art is not the main issue with the comic, however. The issue fell apart for me with the lack of story. We get some expositionary narration from Major X explaining (but not really showing) the mutant utopia he lives in. Major's world which he calls X-istence, is falling apart with little explanation. Major and his partner (who may be a relative to Beast) escapes to the main Marvel universe around the time X-Force is forming. A fight breaks out between the new arrivals and the X-Force because that is how superheroes great each other. The most confusing part for me was that Wolverine is there with absolutely no explanation. Wolverine has no connection to X-Force at this time. If this book takes place during New Mutants 98, Wolverine would still have no reason to be present. The story lacks engaging details only giving you enough plot to move the action forward. Hopefully a clear distinction on when this takes place and why is better explored in future issues. The issue gives you a couple twist to try and keep you coming back next issue. As a reader of the New Mutants/X-Force series when it was releasing I could see how this story would fit in that timeline and keep you interested. This story is so far removed at this point that it might not have that effect. It pains me to say it because I love the era this is trying to capture, but I would pass on this issue. Perhaps the collection will be worth it when all is said and done.

What R.L. Stine is trying to do with the character does not seem entirely clear to me yet. Most of the issue is used to recap the character and introduce you to who he is. Where I really got into the issue was how he chooses to write. Hints of his young horror roots shine through as he tries to establish Man-Things horror not just in the art but in the dialog as well. Describing smells and reactions to the sight of him. The inner narration is some of the best since Deadpool. The artist does a great job of giving the book a subtle Tales of Horror type look that is fitting. The end also carries an unrelated horror tale that, while simple, makes the feel of a horror magazine feel complete. This title was more thought out then it may seem because the team makes it look so easy. While I could see this working as an ongoing I believe that it is a limited series. That means there is a story that is being told, making this all the more interesting.

There is some fun writing here putting an interesting spin on the Man-Thing. Stine tries to take the killing machine that sought justice for the universe to a being that wants to be more. There is also some great art. For a title that is not making a big splash and carries large marketing this is a strong title that is worth reading.

There was an interesting set up with the Swamp going crazy and Man-Thing talking about needing to set things in order. Then we see the same thing from last issue where he finds that the Oldfather is missing and goes to look for him. Everything started to take a very strange turn from there that did not peak my curiosity the way they probably meant it to. The accompanying story was a bit weak as well. I enjoyed the first two books in the series so this was a real misstep. Hopefully it can get back on track.

I had trouble getting interested in the third issue in the series. The fourth issue tries to make up for that with some strange and interesting moments, but it feels like the limited series was stretched into more issues than needed. It always hurts the series when you feel as if they are just trying to squeeze more money from you and the third and fourth issue does feel like padding to get more money. The art is still strong and the anthology story in this issue was interesting. Stine's writing is still catchy even if parts go nowhere. Overall this series works but it should be more concise.

There is some great art in this title. R. L. Stine seems like a good fit, but the titles best ideas happened early. The title started so strong and then just ended in a generic way. There was more reliance on comedy than horror which hurt the tale. There was a fun little twist to the end to give it a twilight zone feel that worked well with the anthology nature of the book. The second story was not the best of the backup stories, but still good and an appreciated addition. Hopefully Stine continues to dabble in comics because there is promise there.

For anyone who missed the Marvel reveal I am going to throw a spoiler at you, Wolverine is alive. Anyone who was missing Logan even with the numerous replacements running around your three year wait is over. I thought his death was a great place to leave him, much like Captain Marvel (who would still appear from time to time) so I am not to focused on that. The point of interest in this book for me was the prehistory Avengers and the unusual Robbie Reyes (Ghost Rider) story that accompanies it. We only get a small moment with the team which was a shame. In that small moment though there was some interesting characters. An Agamotto that mentions a knowledge of the cosmos. Odin trying to control a wild Mjolnir. Also the personal favorite a caveman Ghost Rider demanding vengeance. What could a caveman riding a flaming Mastodon want vengeance for? I really wanted to know, but there is no answer. Then we get a confused Robbie Reyes going up against a New Universe classic Starbrand who is trying to stop him from finding the only villain fit for an Avengers team filled with ancient gods who has been buried beneath the Earth. There are some very clear paths to stories with very little answers in this issue. It feels a bit like an event start, but it is hard to say. Marvel did say we are getting a break from events. There is some great art as well as some that I felt unflattering. Particularly for Thor (Jane Foster). There is a very cheerful tone to the stories and I look forward to seeing where this goes. The price is a little steep so it might be hard to justify that cost. I felt for the size of the book it was worth it, but unless you are a big fan of the Thor or the Generations stories you might not get enough to feel the same.

I am a really big Kamala fan. Ever since she came on the scene I loved her optimism and energy. I picked up this issue for that reason alone. I was not excited about the flip book concept. I was a bit unsure about seeing Kamala team up with Peter again. The team-up in Amazing Spider-Man was fun but the two are so similar that it was a little forgettable. I had low expectations for the book going in. After having read it I was excited at the possibilities going forward for Ms. Marvel team-ups. What I thought was a gimmick in layout worked really well for the story being told. Ewing used the format to highlight the two characters mindsets going into the same conflict. The conversations foreshadowed the cliffhanger really hard, but in a way that I didn't mind at all. The story is a fun and old school tale. The issue might not go down as one of Spider-Man (Or Ms. Marvel's) most memorable moments, but it captures the fun that makes the characters so loveable. The art looks great and felt like it does both characters justice. If you are wanting a fun title to read I would definitely recommend this issue.

I am not a regular reader of Two-In-One. I actually picked it up because I read Kamala Khan in All New Wolverine and Spider-Man. Then I saw her in this issue and wondered how she ended up in so many books this week. While I did not get my answer I did get a surprise in this book. The story of a Galactus-Doom threat and an alternative world where Reed has given up had my interest. The version of S.H.I.E.L.D. in this world really had me. With Exiles coming up as multiverse jumpers it would be cool to see this world return...if it survives. What does that mean? You will have to read the issue to find out. See doesn't that sound like something you would want to pick up? That is probably while I will go back and read the full Fate of the Four story arc. You got me again Marvel!

I am not a regular reader of Lunella's adventures, so I am not one to really say how this issue compares to other issues in the series. The only other issues I have read are the first issue and the Ms. Marvel guest star. Compared to the Ms. Marvel guest star I was not as impressed. Ms. Marvel seemed to act as a mentor of sorts with a guiding hand. The relationship formed was really sweet. While I could see that happening here with Strange trying to show her that magic means that sometimes things do not work on logic, it did not seem to really hit in the same way. Still the issue was loads of fun. The tiny Devil Dinosaur was great and the large Lunella was better.

In an attempt to expand the rogues gallery of Moon Knight we are introduced to a new foe. Much like Moon Knight draws on the power of Khonshu, this new enemy mysteriously draws on the power of Amon Ra. The origin and threat of this new villain is explored throughout the majority of the issue. This creates the main problem I had with this Legacy release, Moon Knight and his personalities never appear. That seems like a strange place for a starting point. Still the tale being told sets up such a great story and threat that I barely noticed and would have to say it works. We do get a bit of discussion in narration on Marc and his connection to this new character to at least make him involved so he is not totally absent. This is all capped off with the art. The art is some of the strongest and most fitting in terms of tone and atmosphere that I have seen in the Marvel titles. The faces are expressive and there is enough detail to engage. This was a stand out issue for me with the Legacy relaunch.

Moon Knight takes on a new tone with a new story arc. Going a little less bleak and gritty this time in favor silly yet still horrifying atmosphere. It is a change up that was very grasping for me. The colors and lines still capture still captures the surreal nature of the book. There is a bit more exaggeration to the characters. Where the story leaves off also creates an interesting battle going forward. Moon Knight is a sleeper hit that continues to impress.

I have been enjoying this title so much. Kelly Thompson has a love for the characters that make the relationships feel natural. In this issue Rogue, Gambit and Deadpool learn the truth about the package that they have been fighting over with universal bounty hunters. There is less action in this chapter compared to the previous issues, but the humor and exposition make up for it. The art has been pretty strong throughout the series. The one thing that really drags the art down is the China doll style faces on everyone. There is a lack of facial expression to the characters and everyone has an almost unnatural beauty to their face. The problem is hardly a distraction compared to the terrific body language and settings. The colors make every panel stand out in a great way. This title is one of the strongest X-Men books on the shelf. I would give the series a chance and if you are a fan of the Rogue and Remy relationship it is a must.

I have really loved the direction this series has been taking and this issue was no exception for me. This of course is the final issue before the world 'ends' and the events of Secret Wars will begin. This issue does not have a whole lot of action, but instead focuses on Kamala's interaction with the important people in her life knowing the world will most likely end having been told so by Captain Marvel. My favorite part of Kamala Khan's journey is watching her as she learns what it means to be a hero. It is a reminder to the early days of Peter Parker's journey as Spider-man which is a lot of fun.

I think I remember reading that Ms. Marvel was going to come back not as a #1 but just as the next book in the series, which would make sense. While there is some narration to get you caught up, this leaves no clues as to what Ms. Marvel has really been up to previously. You step in with her getting you caught up on the 8 months since the world was going to end but did not. Ms. Marvel is now an Avenger and she is too busy to notice her old life is gone. She is just now starting to realize how much the world has changed wound her. So if you are a new reader to the series expect to be a little lost. The art is still fun and engaging. The writing is some of the most enjoyable for me that Marvel has to offer. I still think that this is a book worth getting into, just expect to want to read up on her past a little.

Where as the last issue showed Kamala struggling to notice her world was changing while she acted the hero, this issue begins to see Kamala try to get back into that world. There is a good amount of action with her fight against the mysterious corporation that is using her image and the reveal was fun.

It is a little early yet to know what direction this is going to take but it is a little sad to see the ever-optimistic Kamala starting to get overwhelmed. If done right this could be a good start to an interesting struggle for the character.

The direction seems to be getting a little clearer in this issue as to what Wilson is going for. Kamala is starting to witness consequence. This creates a interesting take on the juggling of responsibilities that you see in the younger heroes. Leon's Art is enjoyable and Wilson is an on-track writer that brings humor with a tremendous of amount of stress. I do find myself truly worried that Kamala has no choice but to give up being an Avenger which makes me think I am really being sucked in.

I honestly had no idea how they were going to resolve this story and while it seems like a cheap way out at first it taught a lesson that some problems are too big to handle on our own. The art and writing is still very fitting for the series and you get a small lead into the upcoming Civil War. This is one you should enjoy.

I know that this is a series but this issue seemed to end before the story hit a good breaking point. It was still fun, so I didn't think it needed a low score.

Not to say it is a bad thing, but this issue reminded me of the 80's special editions that teach you about something important with the characters you love. Something you would see Spider-Man in a lot. This of course was better written and carried some of the run with it, but still had that feel. There are some things to explore here. Mostly in the expanding world of Kamala with her in-laws and a building relationship with Mike. It is also interesting to see Kamala defeat a villain without having to use her powers, instead using her fame. It felt like a lesson learned that could be helpful as a member of the Champions.

The vulnerability of your identity online is explored in a very interesting way with the start of this new story. A villain that we do not yet know is only presented in a virtual world. While this is threatening there is also the possibility that a weak and frightened person hides behind that mask created by the anonymity that the online environment provides. Is it all a troll taking a joke to far or someone that is wanting to harm Kamala? I am excited to find out.

This is one of the first titles I have read that tried to tackle social media as a villain. It is a very interesting approach and has me hooked. The internal dialog of Kamala as she worried about her secrets getting out was a very powerful moment. It seems to also come in to play later when Kamala basically loses all logic and tries to strike out at whatever physically represents the threat. The art does a great job in these moments. I think this will be one of the story arcs that will become one of my favorites.

Some of my favorite art in Marvel is within these pages. Everything has a style that is recognizable and filled with great details. Having a villain like Doc.X that is abstract in nature is an interesting idea. It is a creative way to relate with problems that are relevant today. The characters behave in a way that makes me believe they could be teens dealing with extraordinary problems. It all is very well done.

A lot of interesting things came about in this small story arc, so I think it deserves some credit. The ending seemed a bit forced and not very thought out. Sure you have to apply some suspension of disbelief when reading comics, but it didn't make a whole lot of sense. Even if they were able to reprogram the virus, having Kamala punch it out of existence is a little strange. That said the real focus should be on Zoe's arc and how we should be treating others and that is where the story really shines anyway. The characters are always what make the stories in Ms Marvel great and this one is no different.

This is one of the cases where the cover lies to you. While it calls back to a previous cover where Bruno and Kamala revealed their true feelings for each other, the book covers nothing of the like. It involves Bruno's life in Wakanda after leaving New Jersey. There is no involvement of Kamala at all. It is possible that we could lead into Bruno rethinking his decision to leave, but that is unknown at the time. The story itself of Bruno trying to gain favor by helping a classmate is almost out of character, but worth it for the end reveals. It does what the title often does best and makes you rethink social norms. The art does a good job of complimenting the story. We also get to see a character that will likely continue to appear. This is a decent job overall, but not an issue that will likely make list.

I have to say that this has one of the most generic covers ever, at least when paired with the story inside. Ms Marvel goes up against a former team-mate when she was working for Captain Marvel during the second super hero Civil War who has come back now working for Hydra. This is one of the better ways to tie-in to the Secret Empire without actually being tied in so I have to give the writer major credit for that. The art is great and there are some good character designs here. This continues to be a favorite of mine in the Marvel titles that is still high when they are not at their best.

There is an obvious parallel in this arc with what has been happening in the states. It is a bit uncommon for Ms Marvel to reflect current social issues so strongly, but not unwelcome. Wilson has always made Jersey City an important part of the Kamala tales and here we see the city turn against her as they see her as a threat that invites trouble. A new mayor that uses her as a scapegoat keeps the people afraid of threats that do not yet exist. Meanwhile the new villains, Lockdown and Discord are trying to hurt the ones that Kamala feels for most. There is a nice little monologue from Kamala's brother about why terrorist are not representative of an entire culture and how they are made from extreme circumstances. This has been a strong series that continues to try and educate us on social issues while still being fun and that makes this a series I have appreciated.

The identity of Discord is finally reveled. This is an issue that is heavy on the action which is an interesting change of pace. There is still some heart to the issue though. The art is great and very fitting. I really enjoyed the depictions of action during the chase scenes and the Mosque battle. A great chapter in the series.

One of the strongest arcs for Kamala comes to a close when Discord and Ms Marvel discover each others true identities and Lockdown is turned against by her supporters. There are so many story moments that made this a such a great entry. Seeing Kamala reach her limitations actually had me concerned. Seeing her saved by an old friend was an amazing and unexpected moment. The themes that have been building in this arc on why good people fallowing bad ideals is somewhat shown through Becky (Lockdown). It is more so seen in Josh (Discord) who shows that he fights to belong and to protect his new tribe, but does not do so out of hate. It tries to explain that our enemies are not always evil. They are people whose beliefs create a toxic image of others. Also something common to the title is the people of the city becoming the hero by standing together. The city itself becoming another character in the story. There is some great art that tries hard to show emotion in every moment. There is a reason this is my favorite title in Marvel right now.

The premise behind this issue made me smile. The idea that a returning Red Dagger and Ms Marvel were helping a runaway train going twenty-five miles per hour is amusing to me. There was also some other humor that worked for me. Tying in the city to Kamala's story the city gets excited when a new hero arrives. She begins to believe that she is being forgotten. It is that Toy Story like theme of fearing you are being replaced by someone new. It sets up an interesting premise and expands on a character we only knew briefly with Red Dagger. There is also a fun old school cliffhanger to the issue. This does not look to be a major story arc that will touch on strong subjects so could be forgettable, but could be a fun small arc. The art was enjoyable and meshed well with previous art in the series. Overall a enjoyable but safe issue.

The conclusion to the Red Dagger, Ms Marvel runaway train story ends in a good way. The first encounter of Kamala and Red Dagger starts with Kamala on a journey of self discovery. This encounter ends with Kamala on another journey of self discovery. The first involved Kamala trying to find out who she wanted to be. This encounter ends with her searching for who Ms Marvel is going to be. It felt a little more undeserved than what you usually get from Wilson. Ms Marvel has been such a rising hero in all other books so throwing that in here felt like something she had already moved past. This is still only a small part of the chapter. The majority of the book focuses on Ms Marvel showing her skills when it comes to avoiding damage, coming up with plans quickly. All part of the leadership skills that gained her the leading position of the Champions. Red Dagger gets a bit more character than he has had before. His confidence and attitude is a little shaken now that he is out of his element. You get a bit more humanity out of him when he is unsure how to act. The art looks pretty great. Red Dagger's look is a little bland, but the work done on Kamala really stands out. The colors make the backgrounds look amazing. It makes the conversation of the majesty of the area really work. This is a very decent arc even if the consequences are low.

A new arc is presented in a really fun way. Seeing Kamala's friends attempt to be temporary Ms Marvel's is definitely the highlight. Red Dagger continues to be a welcome addition the strong supporting cast. There are some really beautiful visuals throughout the panels as well. Ms Marvel has a tendency to start strong and lose focus as it reaches the end. Hopefully this arc can break that trend.

It is a strange direction that this story is taking, but I am enjoying it. Kamala has been missing from the title as her supporting cast try to carry on for her. There is mystery both in why she is gone and few concerned, as well as how her former villain thought dead has returned. With such a strong cast of characters it is an interesting idea to make them the focus. It gives characters like Red Dagger who are still being built a time to grow. Characters like Mike and Zoe also get to show new sides. If you enjoy the exploits of Kamala you should find a lot to love in this issue as well.

For a comic that is absent of its main character this has been a rather interesting arc. Kamala has been missing and in her absence her friends have tried to carry on as Ms Marvel as best they can. When Zoe is kidnapped by the Inventor the remaining crew with the help of Red Dagger try to take the fight to the Inventor to get her back. Each supporting cast is given a chance to shine and show why we should love them. There is plenty of humor and action as the non-super heroes due their best to put up a fight. When they finally decide they are in over their heads the group decides to use Kamala's old communicator that to contact some major help. There is some great art to accompany a fun story. This is worth the look for sure.

With this putting an end to the Teenage Wasteland story I expected a little more action to The Inventor final conflict. It makes sense that Ms Marvel and Captain Marvel would be able to handle him so it is a minor gripe that could be overlooked. The thing that Wilson does well is emotion and the reuniting of Carol and Kamala for the first time after they disagreed on the predictive justice is handled very well. I am a little unsure how I felt about The Inventor's creations having a Power Ranger/Voltron moment at the end, but it seemed like a nod to something that Kamala would be a big fan of. It also made her return a bit more necessary since her embiggening power would be easier to fight it. The animated art for the series is nothing new. There are no moments that really stood out for me. Just a lot of work that was done well. It makes a pretty solid issue for a solid series.

This issue is more drama than action but I loved it. There are funny light moments. There are some heavy emotional moments. It was great to see Bruno back. Even the new girl seems interesting. The title may seem a little like it is built for teenage girls to enjoy, but I am loving it anyway. Something about the sitcom nature of the stories really works. Since it is narrated with Kamala's inner dialog I think you can pick up any issue without being too lost. It really is just a well made comic.

Nova has the feel of books that were being released in the late 80's and early 90's. Ryan focuses on a character as he tries to balance life and being a superhero. Simple themes of the book are established with future events presented in a cliffhanger. I am sure that most new readers have moved on to stories with higher stakes and more harder action, but I for one like the classic feel of this story.

This story plays off well from Nova's place in the All New All Different Avengers.

Nova is a series that seems to want to focus on the action more so then the dialog which I think is fine. Nova has the problem of having the same theme as Mrs. Marvel and Spider-man with the balance of life as an Avenger, family, and daily relationships becoming stress on a young hero. Since this is being done in so many places (Spider-Gwen also having this theme with being an outlaw thrown in) there needs to be something different about the title. I think its ties to action and that 90s feel is what tries to set t apart. There is an old school feel to this book that I find interesting. Cory Smith's art seems to capture that feel as well. If it was released on newsprint pages I would see it fitting right in. This is a great addition to the series.

Nova has been through some rough times. He found out his dad is not actually back. His mentor is the start of a new conflict and his friends are not always able to be there for him. This issue brings the issue to the front. I am guessing we are seeing how Nova will approach Civil War II and how it affects his stance. If you are a fan of the writing and art of the 80's era Marvel I think you would appreciate this series. It has a feel similar to the old Avengers solo titles that tied in with the main series. A bit of an overlooked title.

Marvel has made it clear that the youth members of the Avengers will be affected in the building conflict of Civil War in a large way. This is one of the side stories that really starts to show how. Nova more so then Ms. Marvel and Spider-man has been very unsure as to how he looks to the senior members and this means he is unsure whose side to take. There is also a cynical view of the senior members priorities. Add in a fun cameo and you have an interesting read.

Nova seems to me to be the fun action flick of the Marvel comics line. The story might be cliche and the art pretty standard, but it is fun and filled with exciting moments. It is a fun quick read that is worth the time.

The Nova series has been all about learning to be a hero. Sam has had many mentors like the Hulk, Ironman, and Captain America. He has also had plenty of doubts about the path of a hero. Both come together in a nice way in this issue when Sam meets a new mentor in Richard Rider. Talking to the former Nova, Sam tries to make the choice of staying the hero or going back to a basic life. The story is very touching, and still feels old school. Much like the art. There is also a look at the new direction the title will be taking.

I enjoy Peter Parker, but never enough to really collect his series. This series ended up in my pull list by mistake I guess so I gave it a shot. While my feelings for Peter have not really changed I do enjoy Chip Zdarsky's writing. There is humor and old school fun to the story. The art team does a good job of displaying action. This is a Peter Parker title that has won me over for now.

I am a big fan of Louise Simonson so I read all the Power Pack stories. I had hoped that this issue would pick up where all the characters left off because I had been a fan of the Powers kids. It does give you a little bit with the revelation of where Alex Powers has been hiding. This is just a recap issue that tells the story of the Powers and some of their more memorable tales. It is told in a creative way, having Katie tell it all in a story that she had written for a collage course. The story is all we get though. There is nothing here to really promise a future for the characters which is disappointing. As hard as it is for me to say, this is a fun issue, but pointless. Even for Power Pack fans this is an issue you can skip. If you are curious about the Power Pack I would suggest going back and reading their original introduction.

Prowler is a great character and there is some interesting starts here. The story did not end in a place that made me have to see what comes next so unless Prowler was a character that I really wanted to see more of then there might not be a reason to continue. The art did not grab me. The style is a newer look that did not have me completely sold. Where the issue is strong is in the character of the Prowler. His connection with the Jackal and his motivations. If you check it out the character might be enough to draw you in and keep with it.

There was a little confusion for me as to where this series takes place, but the story did have me interested. It shows that after secret wars Rocket and Groot are thought dead by the GOTG (including Ben Grimm), but the two are present for the Guardians series. Follow that with their place in Guardians of Infinity and it just left me a bit confused. It looks as if none of that will matter as we are in a new dimension where Rakoon is a criminal mastermind who encounters a graffiti Groot. It had me wanting to find out where this all leads. I absolutely loved the art. So I would say this series is worth keeping an eye on.

The story of Captain America becoming a villain and taking over is an interesting one to a point. The need for Marvel to sell books has turned an interesting concept and dragged it out a bit longer than I would have liked. This new installment does little to change my mind. While the opener with the duplicate Steve is there to create some hope, the rest seemed like fillers and twist thrown in to keep the tale going. Still the writing and art is engaging and makes it an issue worth reading. If you have not already jumped on board for the story then there is little here that will make you change your mind. If you are already in for the ride then settle in because this is going to take a while.

This issue finally shows what most have probably been expecting, the battle of the different inhabitants of Battleworld against each other, but not much else. I gave this one a lower score just because nothing is really answered in this issue. We just see the different sides go to war, which is fun and necessary, just not a whole lot of substance.

There are many things to love about this issue. A brawl between a giant Thing and Galactus is great. Adding Groot to the mix is better. Doom coming face to face with Thanos showed what this version of Doom can really do. The only thing bothering me is that now that we have the All New, All Different titles coming out it feels like this should have ended by now. It is hard to care what the outcome of the event will be when you are already seeing the aftermath. Context should probably not influence the enjoyment of the story but it is hard to ignore.

The ending was worth the wait. This was a very satisfying ending with a final battle between Reed and Victor for the fate of the Marvel Universe. It all created a great set-up for things to come as well. The art was strong throughout the series and it is no different here. Like others have said the part with Black Panther seems a little strange and out of place, but nothing to fuss over. If you are a fan of the original Fantastic Four this is must for you because it really acts as a close to the FF.

The first issue is mostly spent catching up those that did not know the character as well. It returns the character and establishes the main conflict. The Voodoo basis for the character and location make for an interesting world with a whole lot to explore. The art and character designs are what really had me interested in the title. I have not read a whole lot of Shadowman since his 90's debut but was able to sink into the story here quickly. It is a title worth checking out.

I had hoped when I picked up Power Pack that we would get an adventure that showed the team and how they were functioning now. It instead presented a recap on the characters so I expected about the same with this. To my surprise this actually featured an action filled tale about the character. It gave you an idea what the character was and what she was about through a story about Symkarian terrorist taking hostages in a 90's movie style. There is not much said about the fact that we last presumed Silver Sable was dead, except promotional material and the beginning excerpt explaining the faked death situation. That seems like a bit of a cheat, but it would not be the first time in comics. The art had a very 90's style as well that reflected the look of the Wild Pack books that came before. A fun little call back. That leads to the other thing given little explanation though is the relationship of the Wild Pack. They exist only as a voice over the radio. No introduction or explanation. It is a solid single issue to give you an idea of the Silver Sable character, but it is hard to say that it would generate enough excitement to create a series. It would also need a new jumping point. The series could just be considered a knock off of Black Widow leaving large shoes to fill as is. This is a fun read a nice pick up issue, but you will not be left out if you decide not to pick it up.

I am not usually one for extreme violence, but using it in opposition to the cartoon nature of the character is something the original run of Slapstick was missing when he debuted. The issue tries to focus on just how horrible being a cartoon in the real world could be. With Steve losing his inhibitions and speaking and acting however he pleases. The cameo from Spider-Man was a fun throwback as well. I believe Peter's comments about not remembering him was meant to reflect how much of a deep cut Slapstick really is. The art was done in a smart way to keep the invading cartoons separate. If the series takes the right path Slapstick could be one of the better titles to come out of the Mercs for Money.

Slapstick is one of the underrated characters out right now in my opinion. He is a character that has lost his humanity being stuck in an immortal form that separates him from intimacy and consequence. His actions are from a truly selfish man who has little empathy,except for his nephews. Being presented in a violent and darkly humorous way is a great idea. I hope to see plenty more.

Slapstick has become an interesting character. His loss of humanity has made his lose all empathy and fear. That attitude is well written into the behavior of the character as he fights ridiculous enemies. The use of social commentary to poke fun at concepts in favorite cartoons is also smart. I like what they are doing here.

The fun that the team is having with cartoons and Slapstick's unusual personality makes this a really enjoyable title. In this issue Slapstick gets help from the WAR D.O.G.S. who are purging runaway cartoons from dimension Ecch. The names of the team meant to resemble G.I. Joe characters made me chuckle. The inks and colors involved with this title are really smart. They create a distinct look between toon and real world that I love. This may not be a Marvel changing moment but this is a fun story worth reading.

There are some pretty good moments in the book. I also have to say that I applaud the team for having making a book about dick jokes and sophomore humor. I did laugh out laud when the queen and slapstick were fighting and he mentioned how her cleavage worked like his pants and the quip she used. The art was back and forth for me. Some sloppy, some really strong. I think this was a really strong effort to come from the Mercs for money spin-offs. Solid last issue. The one thing it didn't tackle is Slapstick being stuck living with his family. I am hoping we see Slapstick reappear in the Marvel universe.

I got a real kick out of the opening mission in this. The premise of an expendable solider working for S.H.E.I.L.D. could be interesting but did not completely win me over. The art does a pretty good job of helping to tell the story. This is a good title to keep an eye on but it could lose you fast so I would think it is a good one to read digitally.

I may be in the minority but I have really lost steam on this series. The original run was a fun idea when I read it but now I feel my interest slipping. Much like before Secret Wars the series moves at a slower pace. We have moved from the Vulture to the Lizard being our focus now with Frank Castle still investigating. I found nothing surprising about the issue. Also nothing that had me dying to see what comes next. The art is still pretty solid. I am hoping that this series captures my interest again with future installments.

I feel as if Spider-Gwen is trying to stall for time while it figures out story points that will keep things interesting. In this issue a alternate version of Captain America and Falcon help Spider-Girl track down the Lizard. There is a little action to the title but nothing here that promises an engaging story. Latour tries to make things interesting by continuing the Spider-Gwen is a criminal aspect that was beaten to death with Spider-Man in the 90's. Also like Spider-Man is Gwen getting no respect from fellow heroes and having to prove herself. If you are starting a whole new world that allows you to change up the characters then change it up. Do something different rather than follow the same stories and sprinkle some changes. While this comic is a quick and easy read, I can easily say this is a title you can skip.

For the first time since this series started up again I was interested in the characters and story that was developing. Finally it seemed there were obstacles Gwen is facing that seems to have weight.

The novelty of the differing universe has worn out and it seems that it is the only thing they have going for them on this series. They may written themselves into a corner early with the death of Peter and are now trying desperately to find a way out.

Miles as Spider-man is such a great character. His appearances in ANAD Avengers and Nova have been great so I have been waiting for this title. It does not disappoint, but it did leave me wondering. This seemed like such a strange place to start the story as if you are starting mid-run. The art is good and the story is interesting so it is worth a look. If you like the playful Spider-man of old then this is what you are looking for.

There is no action here and the promise of an interaction between Spider-man and Mrs. Marvel is not played out like you would think. I think this, like her inclusion in the Nova series, was to help build on their friendship. Even without what I was expecting this was a solid issue. If you have been reading Mrs. Marvel then you see that the two share a common bond with trying to shuffle their families, school, and life as an Avenger. This conflict is what sits at the center of this story. Pichelli's art is great, and Bendis has always been a writer that really draws you in. I think unlike some other titles the tone the two are going for are the same. This works as a great companion piece to the All New All Different Avengers. If you are having trouble getting into that series then reading this and Mrs. Marvel will help.

The trouble for Miles really builds in this issue. This is how you like to see Spider-man.

Sara Pichelli does some beautiful artwork and there is some excitement here. Mostly this issue seems to work as a lead in to something more. Seeing Miles interact with some familiar foes is a lot of fun. Overall this is a pretty solid read.

There is not really much here other then lead-up to Civil War and a showdown with Miles' mom. Everything is well done but there are moments were you just have to connect A to B and this feels like one of those moments. For me Tony came across as a little creepy trying to push his views on an impressionable youth, using his potion as authority figure. If you have been really engaged in the events of Civil War this shows a very interesting side story.

This issue is a strong tie-in to Civil War. Miles is unsure if he wants to take part in the coming conflict so he looks to a friend to help talk it out. There is some background action to this but it is mostly a read on how Miles is reacting to the situation. With great art and an engaging story Spider-man is still one of the best titles.

While this felt like a way to push Luke Cage and Jessica Jones into view, it was in a way that did not bother me. This issue ties in heavily with the latest issue of Civil War that was released (#5) and would answer some questions that you might have from missing story in that issue. A clear road is being paved towards the formation of the Champions and I feel it has been enjoyable.

I liked to see Miles friends concern for him and doing what they could to find him and keep him safe, but there is not a lot to this issue. It bridges some gaps between the story in Civil War which is good. It also gives you a little more background on the supporting characters. There is still some great looking art. So overall a pretty good issue, just one that might be forgotten easily.

If you have been reading stories of Miles for a while then the revelations in this issue will not be that shocking. It does sum up the fears he has as a hero. I also liked that Ms Marvel was involved because it helps build on why they felt Champions needed to be formed. This is a good tie-in to the divide that Civil War II has created. I am sure this issue will get lower reviews because it is coming out at the wrong time. At this point people have moved on from the CWII event. And people are sick of seeing Miles standing over a dead Steve. I would not agree though. The solo titles are meant to explore the characters further. This issue does exactly that. Exploring the impact this has had on him.

After seeing so much melancholy in the Spider-Man title lately it was good to see things shift to a lighter tone. Miles is more playful even though there are serious stakes with him searching for his missing father. There is only a brief interaction between Gwen and Miles, but we are given enough to sense a relationship worth exploring. The only thing we do not see is if there is one central villain for the crossover. There of course is still time since we do not know why Miles father has disappeared. There are some great colors and detail to the art. This should be one of the better crossovers.

The relationship between Gwen and Miles continues to build. After seeing a relationship build between Miles and his good friends Sam and Kamala from their days in the Avengers I expected the same type of relationship to develop in this crossover and for the first time I am seeing this build. Gwen begins to care for Miles in a way seeing his passion. Miles meanwhile begins to admire Gwen in her creativity and skill. We also see morals that they both share. I start to wonder is this a way to start introducing Gwen to the main universe in a more permanent way? Now that she has spent some time with Jessica (Spider Woman) and Miles it does seem possible.

This is my favorite part of the crossover so far. There is tension as Gwen and Miles jump through universes. It also creates a bit of fun seeing the different worlds. The relationship between the two does not seem forced. The art is beautiful. What a fun cover too.

There is a lot of emotional pull in this issue as Rio Morales, Miles's mother finally discovers what her husband and son have been keeping from her. We also get to see another touching moment between father and son as they speak about Miles's interest in Gwen. Miles is then given advice reminding us how little experience the young hero has in life. There is no action to the issue instead focusing on the drama that comes after the crossover event. The art by Kudranski, while not bad, left me wanting the return of Pichelli. With Secret Empire on the horizon this feels like a calm before the storm.

A lot of this issue is spent with how the new of Miles being Spider-Man has affected his mom, which is a good thing. There is a lot of character built for someone that should be an important part of Miles life as a hero. Seeing Black Cat return is great since her appearance in this series before did not reach its full potential.

There is something interesting in the fact that Miles is slipping further into emotions. This is especially true if you remember the vision of Miles killing Steve on the steps of the Capitol building. There is a good amount of action in the issue. What bothered me is it seemed to mirror the issues that come up in the last issue. I think seeing where this leads may put this chapter of the story in a different light, but until then it was just another case of Miles being taken over by his emotion. The art is of course still strong. It does a good job of representing the action as well as the slow moments. Still a consistent title.

I am enjoying the slow burn approach to the Miles Morales story. It is also good to see that Miles is only involved with events when it fits his character story. What really seems to sell it is the art, which has been great so far. This issue captures the action, emotion and danger very well. Miles seems to be the Spider-Man that all the girls have an interest in. This issue focuses again on Miles struggle with his anger and his mother's reaction to his role as Spider-Man. There is also a fun moment with supporting character Goldballs. It is all very well done.

Bendis seems to be going for a Spider-Man No More story for Miles in this small arc. Miles begins to miss his simple life before Spider-Man. Ganke talks to him about maybe being his own hero. With Generations creeping in this could be a way to set up the one shot that will happen between Peter and Miles. There are even hints in Spider-Man II (another team up between Peter and Miles that is currently running) that Peter is frustrated with Miles actions as Spider-Man. Whatever it is Marvel would like us to think that Miles time of sharing the name of Spider-Man is over. I liked Peter Parker, but Miles treads new ground that I would like to see explored. Taking time to have him maybe go through a name change or give up being a hero just seems like a waste. On top of that issue we are introduced to a handful of mystery all at once making them all background noise. When you introduce a mystery it is intriguing. When you have nothing but mystery it just becomes frustrating. Hopefully Bendis does not plan to drag all these out to long. The art is still pretty good. There were no moments that really stood out for me. Still good but I think the team has done better.

It has become a bit formulaic that Bendis shows us a glimpse of the present only to reverse to how we got there. Using that trope at this point is just frustrating. The fight scene with the street gang is very well done and made me forget all about it just as quickly. There is a reminder to Wolverine tales taking place in Asian countries that makes this an arc of interest for me. While not a memorable issue on it's own, it could be a memorable arc.

Lately Bendis has made me feel uncomfortable with the stories he has been telling in regards to Spider-Man. Miles seemed to admit in the Generations series that Peter is the true Spider-Man and he should remember that. In Spider-Men II there are hints that Peter is going to take the Spider-Man title away from him. While probably not the intention it felt like a white man controlling the young minority Miles and keeping him in his place. Now he has Miles drawing on inspiration of Jackie Chan to fight an Asian mob. That just seems a bit off to me and lowered my score of this issue. That said the action in this issue was great and by far the art showing it was the saving grace. The enemies introduced in the arc do seem interesting and could be promising if they return. That is important for Miles getting a rogues gallery of his own instead of sharing one with others. The strange twist did nothing for me personally, and just felt like at this point Bendis is just throwing things at the wall and hoping they stick. There is also the strange marketing behind this issue. All the marketing materials seem to speak about the many things going on with the people in Miles life. Him being "torn apart at the seams". The cover even reflects that. None of that comes into play in this issue. The issue is only about his fight in Japan. Is there a disconnect in what is happening with Spider-Man right now? That strangeness aside, the short arc was a fun small adventure. Next issue is supposed to be the Legacy numbering that introduces a new Sinister Six. I am hoping that things get back on track.

Most of the Legacy issues tried to be a hidden number one starting the readers on a new path, this issue does little of that since most of the threads had already been laid. There is the start of the all new Sinister Six with a surprise reveal of the new villainous Iron Spider who bought their suit on the black market. The reveal does create what could be an interesting dynamic if done right. The same could be said of Bombshell (in this case the mom) being part of the Six. Goldballs returns to get back to the strong supporting cast. The art made everyone look good. The only issue I had was that Spider-Man did not really make an appearance and for a Legacy starting point that seems like an oversight.

There is a lot to like here. The art looks very sharp and has some really engaging layouts. There is some good but worded heavy dialog in the character interactions. The new Iron Spider seems interesting. There are some fun cameos including Armadillo who seems to be all over the place lately. There are also so many things to make this title a chore to read. It seems like we have an extremely slow burn to get to an interaction between the new Sinister Six and Spider-Man. This issue still teases the encounter but does not actually get there. There is also the lingering thread that Miles might not stay Spider-Man. Again he is trying to branch out and be his own hero. It seems like a plot point that is going nowhere at this point since his appearances in other titles hint nothing of the sort. The title feels like it is spinning its wheels and getting nowhere but hopefully we will start moving soon.

This issue contained a lot more of hat I was looking for in a return of the Sinister Six. There is a good fight between Spider-Man and Iron Spider. The two Bombshells also get in on the action. The team of the Six begin to start their plans for double crosses. Again Miles secret is revealed by Ganke. He seems to becoming a bit of a problem in that regard. If you have been reading Spider-Men II you may be left wondering where this is all leading before Bendis final issues. It does not feel like there will be a huge send off, more of a simple completion of a long arc. Time will tell.

For the most part I am enjoying the new Sinister Six and the story that is coming out of this. It is just taking way to long to tell. Bendis is a slow burn writer, but I think there was some trimming he could have done to these issues. It feels like the [spoiler] connection that was teased before and revisited in this issue was meant to be a bigger moment than what it felt like. It is interesting to seem him and makes me wonder what his connection to the now defunct S.H.I.E.L.D. is, but not as much as it is made out to be. All the double crossing within the Six was satisfying. Sandman standing up to the team is fitting. This may be a slow read but it is worth reading for a Spider-Man and Sinister Six story.

While still somewhat interesting story with the return of Aaron, the Sinister Six tale feels like it is running on fumes. The snappy banter between members is still there and there a few fun surprises to give you a smirk. Overall the tale has still gone nowhere with premise that has already been set many issues ago. The art when it comes to character looks great. Again we see double page spreads with no real purpose behind it. This includes the end cliffhanger where the majority of the panels are empty space which hurts the tension overall by not directing the focus properly. The books as a whole feels a little sloppy. There are some good moments and I am sure if you read this in a trade form then you will not be as bothered by the flaws making it a much more worth while read. As a single this issue could be a pass.

Starting off I would say this is a good issue to end the Sinister Six arc. I loved seeing Miles realize that his friends and family are more important than being Spider-Man. The problem is when rating this book I would look at context. This is the final issue for Bendis who has been with this character for a long time. This is his farewell to the character. It is also the last issue of the series as Marvel has not talked about the future for Miles outside of the Champions. That makes this book problematic. There are some plot holes that are tidied up. Barbara who was going to sell Miles' identity as Spider-Man changes her mind because she is so into Ganke. "Good for you Ganke". Miles' parents are getting along. The Six have been stopped. There are also threads left hanging however. Aaron comments that he can be better as Miles said. This could mean as a hero, or it could mean as a grander villain. We don't know. Bendis had been hinting at the fact that Miles might give up the Spider-Man name and become his own hero. That could still be true because the issue is never explored. We again get mention that Cable wants to talk to Miles about his future but that is also left open. We are even introduced to a new mystery as Miles is fighting a fatal infection of unknown origin that is never explained or given a finality. Again this is a heartfelt issue as many people including Peter Parker, Tony Stark and the Champions who play important roles in Miles career show their support for him. The plots left are something that would be great if we knew this series would continue on. The art looks great and probably had some of the least padding I have seen in this Spider-Man run. It just makes it too bad that it is a series ending issue.

The Monsters Unleashed one shots have not been making big waves, so I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It had a funny tale to it with some surprise guest to it. Its connection to the Monsters Unleashed event was actually minimal which might not be a bad thing. It was a well thought out tale that involved the event in a way that was fitting. Spider-Man and Deadpool's interactions made for great comedy. The bizarre tale made it engaging and the art was well done. The only reason I would not rate this highly is that it is a simple one off story with not much to be added to the series. Just a chance to have fun.

Cami Van Helsing seems like an interesting character that I hope continues through this crossover. The humor from the monsters and at Blade's expense was great. While I am still unsure of Shiklah's plan, I am enjoying this a fun small crossover.

Between this and the latest issue of Despicable Deadpool, I would pick this as the more interesting direction. Deadpool has been labeled a villain again after being the hit-man of an evil Steve Rodgers. Where Despicable Deadpool does not deal with the impact of Wade's fall, this series is diving in head first. There is also the interesting parallel in Peter losing Parker Industries recently. Since Wade is a criminal the team up is again reluctant. Peter is basically forced into helping Wade find someone who is impersonating Deadpool to sell black market goods. All this is done while showing how Wade has set himself up since the fall of Hydra on a stolen Hellicarrier. While there is more weird insanity in Deadpool's solo title, Thompson does a good job of introducing some of his own. There are also far more questions raised so that we can look forward to answers later on. Deadpool's new home, new crew, and motivations are all set up but not fully explored yet. While Bachalo and Townsend are not my favorite Deadpool interpretation artist, I do always enjoy their work and detail so it works. While both deadpool series have their merit I would say Spider-man/Deadpool comes out on top as a Legacy start for Deadpool.

Robbie Thompson uses Bachalo's psychedelic art style visuals to his advantage here with a rather unusual tale. Since Bachalo's art is perfect in that setting it makes the narrative better than I think it would with a more traditional art. The goal is obscure and outrageous, which it goes for fully. I was a bit undecided when reading it if that was a good thing. I have to say I had to go back and read it again to make my decision. Now that Deadpool is a "villain" again it would be hard to keep going with a team-up of this nature. By making a situation that benefits the two in different ways to solve, Thompson has found his in. Adding a more surreal element gives the strange situation a fish out of water scenario for Peter that gives us humor. It is a nice effort that I think works fairly well. The colors of this book really stood out. This is not the set team that will be working on the book going forward, but for now I think it is a great fit. After a re-read I was still on board. It is hard to say if this will continue to work going forward, but for now it is a fun ride.

I have not yet read Spider-Men. I came in to the title interested in the idea of another Miles in 616. I did not feel lost or like I was missing any information that helped me understand what was going on. The story and art made it feel like it could have been part of the ongoing Spider-Man in my mind. One of the things that does bother me is that Bendis seems to follow the same trends with his Spider-Man tales. He leads with something exciting happening then goes back to tell the story on how he got there. The same was done in the Spider-Gwen crossover making me think he probably tells his stories in that fashion when talking to people. I also wonder just how many love interest Bendis can find for Miles as another is added to the mix. While I expected that very little would be shown of the other Miles in the first issue (of 5 I believe) it was still disappointing to see so little of him. It would have been nice to have more of a cliffhanger than the fact that he has scars. Still Marvel has been doing a good job in their contained stories like Unworthy Thor so it could be worth seeing where this series leads.

There has already been a few time jumps in the story, but this issue we get another. I am pretty convinced that at this point it is to help us with a tremendous suspension of disbelief as we learn about the 616 Miles history. This is comics so sometimes logic has to be ignored, so I don't want to get to caught up on the twist they are introducing this issue. This entire issue does hinge on it though. There is no Spider-Men in this issue. It is simply a catch up on Miles (616) getting to where he is now. While the characters are interesting and the story well written, I found it a little out of character for one in particular. We also have to wait again to see the two Miles, or even Miles and Peter of 616, interact. The art is still catching, but the action did not flow in a way that matched the tension of the scenes. This did not throw me off my intentions to finish the series out though. We will see what happens next issue.

Star-Lord #1 really starts from the beginning, with his childhood after his mother is killed. From there we are given the story for how Peter ended up in space. While it was a joy to watch where Peter started out, the book didn't leave me amazed. If you are not a big fan of the character then you will not find anything here that sets this comic apart. It does provide a nice starting point so I am looking forward to the next issue so I can see where the story goes. The art is pretty solid and fits well with the tone. If you are a fan of Peter Quill then I would say this is worth the read.

I may be a little biased in my interest in these love able losers. I was born in Michigan and live in Wisconsin so the type of folks you would see become heroes seems right. The humor is a bit lighter then you would find in Deadpool and sits closer to Ant-man. You also do not see a lot of action yet since this is about "getting the band back together" after having been pulled apart. Seeing the return of Shriek I hope they have a tough road to overcome ahead. Also the state of Mr Invincible left me interested. The art was a good fit. Playful and detailed. If you wonder how a set of easy-going people from a slow moving state would handle being heroes then this is worth checking out.

I like where the book is going. I hope that the book gets the time to really pick up speed.

The GLA is showing that it has some interesting places to go. I like the way they are building the characters. There is some good humor here as well. It would be nice to see them in action a little more, but we are getting there. The art is very fitting for the theme of the book. This is one of the lesser known titles that has some great potential.

The art seemed a bit off in this issue for me. Both in colors and pencils. The story was far better for me. The team starts to fall apart and show some major flaws. Arguments, lack of leadership, and lack of discipline all come crashing down threatening the teams status. I like where this book is going.

As Bertha struggles with if she wants to be the before and after model of a weight loss pill she finds out the makers are actually wanting to use her DNA to make a body manipulation serum. Meanwhile Good Boy goes on the run. While the story of a low level team trying to stay together and get along when they are not exactly fond of each other has been great I think what is missing is that the team is never shown working together. At this point the team needs to give us a reason to see that they could make it in the end and that they are not destined to fall apart. Gorman took a slow burn approach that showed all the hardships the team was facing forgetting to add the reason why we wanted to see them succeed. A simple defeat of a mediocre enemy would have given us a glimpse of promise. It is too bad because there are some great characters and relationships in this book that I would love to see continue. Bertha and Mr. Immortal's disdain was a great hurdle for the team. There is a great moment in the issue where Good Boy tries to lift up Flatman, whose dreams of being a great hero and leader seem to be crashing down, by telling him that Mr. Immortal lost members of the team and she was still alive so he had that going for him. While I have not heard for sure I feel it may be too late for the title and it is too bad because this is one that I do enjoy. The art is enjoyable and it reads well. They are lovable losers.

It is good to finally see the GLA get a villain that they have to take down. The stalling ghost who gives Doorman trouble I loved. The near leaving of Good is the part that I find most interesting. She has not even been gone a full issue before she decided to come back, which makes me wonder why it was included. It could lead to something in the future. The art is a bit sloppier than the previous issues, but still works.

This is the issue I had been waiting for in the series. We see the team find a way to work together and prove that even though they are a team that struggles to work together they find a way. The quick cameo by Deadpool that shuts them down was funny but nonsense. The art is a little sloppy at points but works. It is sad to see the series go, but they went out in good way.

I am not a superfan of Lost Boys by any means. I remember seeing when I was young and thinking it was pretty cool. So I picked this up mostly out of curiosity not knowing if I would remember the characters enough to really get upset by changes. I am not sure if that helped me or hurt me. The first installment seems mostly focused on getting back into the characters. Mostly Gramps and Sam. Michael seemed to be taking a step down in life, but maybe I am remembering wrong. Without that love of the characters though, there is not much to hold on to. The end leaves you thinking something thrilling is about to come your way but you will have to sit through a slow explanation of how we get there before that happens. The art does a pretty good job especially in recreating that 80's venue. It will be interesting to see where they want to take this but if they play the rest as a nostalgia retread then I would say skip it and go back to watch the original.

To me the characters seem all wrong and the story does not have something really to grasp on to. Vampires are back and people are dying. It would be nice if they were trying to be a little more creative with it.

This issue seems like a bit of filler that uses a last minute twist to make you feel the issue was worth it. It breaks all the rules put forth in the movie making this feel as if it a nostalgia grab and not a thought out sequel.

I think I am riding a sinking ship down. There is nothing here that gets me excited to keep reading.

There are some small moments I enjoyed like Thor's interaction with the new Avengers, but it is the major moments that really got me with this story. The scene of dead elf's floating toward earth with a message of war and Odin's insanity set high stakes. Jane Foster talking about how she can't get proper treatment of her cancer due to her transformations to Thor creates an emotional moment. Like many other titles this one continues a story started in the previous run, so again there may be some confusion where this story starts. Even with that confusion however I believe there is enough here to enjoy the title. I would recommend giving Thor a read if you are looking for which books to read.

The title continues to go in the right direction. The villains of the series are introduced with an emphasis on Loki's place in the story. The art continues to be strong. This is one of the titles that I am glad to stick with.

The story starts out pretty great with an introduction of Quire by having him talking to the living island. Seeing Odinson return to fight with Thor is a great moment. We also get a great origin story for the Phoenix as a god of the Shi'ar that I loved. I am on board for wherever this story is talking us.

There is a lot to love in this issue. Jane shows us how strong she can be when she does not have the power of Mjolnir. She also finally comes clean to the Odinson. There is also a nice connection to some of the other books out there if you are reading them. There is plenty of action and emotional moments. The art can be distracting at times, but still looks good. This is a pleasing issue.

Back when Walt Simonson was writing Thor he used the gods of Asgard to tell some pretty great stories around Thor. Aaron has been doing much of the same with great success. The introduction of the war between the realms has created a political as well as action heavy conflict for all the characters involved. Seeing tragedy transform a character made for a satisfying origin for the new War Thor. Meanwhile the Odinson and Jane Foster talk about her deception and sickness. All heavy emotional moments. The art shared between the two teams is terrific. Also a shout out to Marvel who showed the new Thor with one eye and a grey beard to throw everyone of in promotional material. It might have been a straight up lie but it worked better than trying to mask James Hudson Jr. in X-Men: Blue.

The change in Volstagg has been a bit jarring for some, so this issue serves as a bit of an explanation. Corruption from power is a common thing in the Thor comics so we should have seen it coming. That same corruption theme is what is bringing Jane closer to death each time she becomes Thor. That need for power is also what drives the Odinson. There is a lot of fun themes that Aaron is playing with. I am really excited to see where this tale leads because it has been a great journey.

Ever since Aaron introduced the fact that Mjolnir has sentience he changed the way I have looked at the enchanted hammer. With that in mind it makes the hammer from the ultimate universe that Volstag now controls intriguing. There is an implication that the ultimate version of Mjolnir is filled with rage over a dead universe and that makes the direction of the title exciting. The ending also made me excited over the next issue. Over the last few issues Aaron has tried to focus our attention of the victims of the war that has gone on between the realms. Something that I hope leads to a great pay off. The art was filled with more good moments than bad. The colors I think made the art really stand out. There is less of a fantasy feel and more of a typical hero book, so that I missed. This is still one of my favorite series right now.

The corruption of Volstagg comes to an end in a way that I loved. It showed just how different a Thor Jane has become from The Odinson. A Thor that thinks of more than of just physicality to defeat an enemy. There is a pretty strong message about the nature of wars and those involved. I am sure that will bother some. For me that is what these stories are for. They shine a light on the issues and make you think. Sometimes you will not agree and that is okay. At least we are thinking about it. There is also the theme that has been constant in the series, the corruption that comes with power. In this case it is a rage that comes from the Ultimate Mjolnir that is now being called the War Hammer. Since it is still out there under the protection of The Odinson that should be interesting. The art has some wonderful moments. I especially loved the war through the nine realms and a view of each. The story as well as those in the Generations/Legacy books seems to be coming to a culmination that I am getting excited for. I want to see Jane Foster continue as a hero because like others have said, she deserves it, but if that does not happen I think it will be okay. If that does not happen it would be sad to see, but it was a great ride to get there. Jane and Thor have become such interesting characters with stories that resemble the Walt Simonson era that really tried to tell great tales of not just Thor but Asgardians.

For the milestone 700th issue of Thor we are treated to a celebration of the mythology through an anthology like telling of various Thor stories. What was most impressive for me is how these various tales seem to come together to connect the many tales that Aaron has been introducing through Thor: God of Thunder, The Unworthy Thor, and the two Jane Foster series. There are even connections to classic Thor tales through a Walt Simonson introductory page that fittingly represents Thor Odinson's ideal image of himself, and Throg the frog Thor who carries a fractured piece of Mjolnir. There are two main stories told throughout the book. One featuring the Odinson protecting Karnilla and the Nornkeep. With pencils by Dauterman the sequence looks great especially with Karnilla who has a magnificence similar to her appearance in Baldor the Brave. The second is a homage to the Hulk versus Thor battles with the exception being this is Jennifer and Jane in the roles. There is an obvious love of the history of Thor crafted into new tales that help move forward to the previously hinted path Aaron is following. There is so much connection to Thor's past issues that little moments have a lot of meaning. The hard thing about this issue is the price tag. This is a double sized issue so it will run you $6 which will be a bit much if you are not a huge Thor fan and find joy in those moments. This is worth it for the Thor fans, so give it a scan and see if it is worth the price for you.

I have been absolutely loving Aaron's run on Thor so it pains me that this one did not leave me more excited as I started the issue. The majority of the issue focuses on Volstagg as the War Thor fighting the Mangog as it makes its way to Asgard for judgment of the gods. The previous issue had left the impression that the War Thor had already been brought down so this was a bit of a surprise. After reading further into it I was more invested. It did have some moments that where worth it. We discover how Mangog is directed to Asgardia and exactly how Volstagg fell. My favorite moment would have to be the reuniting of Karnilla and Balder. It draws in the history of the book and signifies that the War of Realms has reached the land of the dead as well. Stakes continue to rise and the vast amount of characters available are utilized. The art of the issue certainly works. I found it fitting for the appearance of Malekith the Accursed and the scenes with Karnilla and Balder. It also had a lot of energy. I just wanted more beauty to juxtapose the violence. The details were lacking in favor of a more hectic pace. That stands as my only real criticism in a surprising chapter that I did not know was needed till I read it.

With everything going on this chapter is a change in pace. We see the aftermath of Mangog's attack on Volstagg (while he was the War Thor) and the worry that brings the gods of thunder. The brothers tyrannical rule and refusal to acknowledge the war comes to a head and the people of Asgardia begin to side behind a new leader. There is very little action or "Thor" to this chapter of the story. What we do have is pretty great, including an arm wrestling contest between Thor and Hercules for the help of the Greeks in the War of Realms. Odinson and Jane have a discussion about what the power of Thor is doing to her. Jane once again confronts Odin. It is an issue where a lot happens. A lot of things are touched, but when putting it down I at first thought little had. The art looks really great. This is especially so in Jane. The colors used to make her look sickly in comparison to the gods made a very clear message as to how much she is struggling and how bad she is doing. There is a very layered look to the layouts of the pages that made the pages busy and complex in a way that mirrored the politics they spoke of in those pages. I think what we have is a team that truly loves the source material and the story they are telling. It makes everything work in a great way.

There is something almost horror like, in the menacing threats that are contently giving chase this chapter. When paired with the art it is very unsettling in a great way. Asgardia is being pursued by the Mangog with its own horrific results. Jane meanwhile is chased by the cancer that will inevitably kill her after another transformation, as well as Mjolnir as it calls to her. A fantastic issue that I would recommend checking out. The "end credit" Logan scene has no real impact or significance, but if you are excited about his return I am sure it will tie in somehow.

What the art is able to portray in this series has been amazing. After thinking I have seen the best they can do each issue surprises me more. The story that has been told, not just here but since the Thor: God of Thunder run until now is really amazing. Exploring the religious aspects of Thor within the Marvel universe seems like a tricky subject. Aaron has taken his time to really explore what that means. There is a very clear path that shows what this will mean for the Odinson in the future. While I, like many others have said will hate to see Jane Foster as Thor go, she is going out in the best way possible. Again like I said before there is so much from Thor's past runs that Aaron is grabbing from that many might not even notice. I have not been this invested in Thor since Simonson was on the series.

The moment comes at last and I am hoping that it is not cheapened the way so many other Marvel deaths are. This would be a pretty fantastic way for a hero to go out and be remembered. I was pleasantly surprised by another death happening as well that made some sense based on what we see in solicitations, but did not think of. The biggest thing that made me read the issue a few times was the art. There are some interesting things being done with the colors that I loved. Certain moments drenched in red and inked heavily to make them a bit dark. Some moments given motion that is easy to interpret while others have a steady cam feel. They have a close framed view or motioned so that it is harder to make out. There are some lighter colors in moments where the Mangog does not have the upper hand with wide framing to make them easy to see. My favorite thing of course are the sound effects that are made part of the art in fun ways. I said before that I think this is a book that everyone in the team just enjoys being a part of and for me it shows.

It is hard to talk about this issue without getting pretty spoiler heavy. The one thing I can talk about that will not is what they do with the cover. If you did not notice it reflects the first issue of Thor (last series) but this time show the dying Foster surrounded by a heavenly light. On the back cover is the cover to that Thor first issue also bathed in the light fading away. I thought it such a cool idea to signal the end of the hero. This is just some of the great art that accompanies this issue. The inside pages are just as impressive and well done. Now comes the spoiler heavy talk that you might want to avoid. Jane stands at the gates of Valhalla. Odin stands before her finally admitting she is a warrior worthy to enter the gates for her heroism. It would make sense to see her enter the gates and no longer be burdened with the pain in her life. She could finally be happy and go out with the approval of Asgard. She decides to be defiant again however. She surprises Odin once again but refusing to move on. She believes that her time is not yet done. I am sure this will upset people as yet again another death is being undone as Thor and Odin use the remaining power of the Mother Storm to revive her. This resurrection feels for more deserving given than narrative than that of Logan. Her resurrection brings about the end of the Mother Storm and the power source of Mjolnir. It signals that much like Eric Masters she could become a similar Thor-like hero down the line. She also will serve as a reminder for us what the Odinson is striving towards to regain his worth. I will say it would have been great to see Jane enter the gates and put an end to her story, but I trust that this story has not yet ended.

This seems to be more of a set up for the path Thor will be taking over the next year with some exploration on the current state of Thor's world. It is split into two stories. One involving the Goddesses of Thunder finding a way to visit Jane Foster who is a hero of theirs. The second being about Malekith's efforts as an orchestrate of war. The first story gives the previously introduced Goddesses of Thunder a bit more personality as they jump through prior stories of Thor that deal in both the future and the past. It is a fun throw back similar to the six-hundredth issue of Thor that also shows that Jane Foster's time as a hero is not done. The second story extends the blood thirsty and vicious nature of Malekith. It re-explores the idea of corporate greed and corrupt leaders that was so prevalent in stories from the 80's and seems relevant now as well. The art had its moments (especially in the Malekith tale) that I really enjoyed. This is a costly issue with what seems to be content that is not necessary for Thor reading. Bonus content that helps expand the story is probably not worth it for most. I would say pick up this issue only if you want to see more of the War of Realms story unfold.

I am not a frequent reader of Totally Awesome Hulk which means I am still behind on the stories involving Cho. I picked up this arc because I do read Kamal Khan's stories and wanted to see how she does with her teammate from the Champions. This was a very fun and emotional issue that I believe will start a great arc. Not being as familiar with the other guest stars I am now more intrigued by each. Marvel has done their job delivering a good story and art to promote their other books.

I love the interaction between this collection of heroes working together. The threat that is presented to the heroes is also a great tension builder. Greg Pak presents a worth while story arc.

I like the new Wasp and I get what they are trying to do with the book, but I do not think it is the title for me. The playful cartoon art does set the tone. This title will be more about the personality of Nadia then the adventures that she will be experiencing. The writing is frantic and full of energy which again reflects the character they are introducing. There is not a lot building to a deep story that will keep you returning, more a lot built on the character to keep you returning. This is a title that is well done so it is worth checking out.

This was a bit of a slow start for a limited series. There are not a lot of surprises and revelations. This issue is mostly action and the foundation necessary to get the heroes together and the journey started. There is some pretty good pencils and inks to see here. The writing did a pretty good job of telling what they did. It looks like it could be a worth while series.

I loved seeing Beta Ray Bill back with the Odinson again. We are also getting a very different Thor from what we have got before. The broken Thor trying to regain his worth is an interesting arc to put him in. I do start to wonder how long will we be seeing the old and the new (in all the heroes) before the old goes away?

It is great to see the return of the Beta Ray Bill and Odinson team. The series has a feel similar to the days of Simonson. The introduction of the Ultimate Hammer to the 616 universe has been well handled. Seeing the introduction to why the Odinson is no longer worthy has all been an interesting mystery. The art has been beautiful. This a limited series that is worth reading.

I was a big fan of the looks into the Odinson's past to highlight the flaws in his thinking. We see how Odinson defined himself by holding the hammer even before he could. That thinking is the driving force in this limited series. It is a really great tale with some of my favorite art in a Marvel series coming from Coipel. I can't wait for the conclusion.

The Odinson finally escapes his self pity and Old Asgard is returned. While The Odinson has finally accepted his own fault in the loss of his worthiness he does not gain a hammer in the form of the Ultimate Mjolnir. Instead another Thor is soon to join us as we see a shadow retrieve the hammer. Seeing The Odinson refuse to test his worth because the hammer did not call to him was a powerful moment that reflected his acceptance of his place in the loss of his own hammer. Aaron has certainly created an interesting world around the Asgardian warriors that promises a great future. Thanos becomes entangled in their fate when his love of death creates a strong partnership with the queen of Hel. Beta Ray Bill has come back in to the scene helping to stop the Collector from stealing Old Asgard while Jane Foster fights the Shi'ar Empire and the Phoniex Force back in new Asgard. There is a lot to enjoy in this world and I would urge you to check it out.

West Coast Avengers manages to capture what I was hoping for with the Great Lakes Avengers series. I wanted a team that is capable but struggles due to the relationships between the characters. Thompson manages to provide a heart to heart moment between Kate and Clint, A love-hate relationship between Quentin and Gwen, and an infiltration all in one issue. That doesn't even take into account America's frustrations and the reality show element. This series managed to take a concept and team roster I was apprehensive about and make it one of my favorite fun titles to read. The art is very fitting and looks good. There are times where I questioned if the cells were really capturing what the story was trying to display, but that is just nitpicking. If you are looking for a fun series that just makes you smile, look no further. It is still early but so far this series is looking strong.

There are some very interesting elements in this book. The ties to continuity I enjoyed. Ties like Stryfe's belief that he is the true Nathan Summers which would come up in X-Cutioner's Song. Another good tie was Ahab and his hounds escaping after the Extermination series. The early version of Stryfe's mutant terrorist has some interesting characters and interactions as well. Zero is given more to do than just be a mode of transportation. The new characters create some potential for future foes of Kid Cable. What didn't always hit for me in this issue was the attempt to build Stryfe's self-doubt and inexperience as a leader. This issue focuses on Styfe and his attempt to find Nathan Dayspring (Kid Cable). Stryfe's motivation seems to be nothing more than wanting Kid Cable gone so there is no confusion over who is the clone. Stryfe does comment about how he will be proving himself to Apocalypse in his actions, but it's not really clear how. Stryfe and his team of terrorist travel to the past and promise mutants a paradise if they follow them. The paradise never comes and the mutants are trained to be soldiers instead. The issue also explains the connection between Stryfe and the Transian government. The issue is a way of tying all the pieces together from previous issues and let us in on what is happening. Issues that are there to explain the story so far are hardly ever exciting. This issue is really no different from those. It's a necessary filler to give us the pieces we need, but not a memorable issue. I thought the art was enjoyable. The designs make everyone look good including a prototype Stryfe armor. Unless you are invested in the X-Force to this point you won't find anything of interest in this issue.

Two one shot Primes were released to establish where the Inhumans and X-Men will be going now that Inhumans Versus X-Men has ended. This one feels like the smarter of the two in my opinion. In order to establish the world we are entering we see Kitty Pryde returning to the X-Men after being in space for some time. Through Kitty, we are introduced to the different teams that will be formed and where they are coming from. We discover why the X mansion was in Limbo and where it will be now. While not all titles are explored and characters established, it does a decent job of explaining the world you will experience if you are unfamiliar with the characters. The art can be a little sloppy at times, still it does build some anticipation for the X books. While both Prime books do a good job as connective tissue between the old, new, and continuing titles, this one shot helps introduce new readers. I would imagine that grabbing new readers would be the main purpose.

I am going to be big on this title since it contains a team that I have always loved. In the pages of X-Factor and X-men. I enjoy how they try to separate the characters from their older counterparts. My favorite being in Beast being a man of sorcery instead of science. Where I feel they lack is Warren. He has very little to do and stands as a pretty dull character that is just there to clean up messes. The final page reveal that Magneto is leading the X-Men seemed strange since that has been shown in all the promotional material, but makes for an interesting path for the title. The art looks great in both stories. The dialog and pace works well. This is a title with a lot of promise and I am looking forward to more.

Overall this is a pretty good issue. The jumps in the timeline for this issue threw off the pace for me. They also tried to set up the obstacles for every character in this single issue (except Warren who again gets very little to do). It still sparked some interest. The art was one of the best I have seen in the debut issues lately. Like X-Men: Gold I think this title is off to a good start.

This issue raised a few questions for me that would take a good amount of work to answer. I think if you are not overthinking this issue and if it truly works it a story that you will enjoy. The format for X-Men: Blue seems to be a issue by issue monster of the day format that is fun in ways, but can leave you with little to grab hold of. The team has tried to supplement this with the distrust among the group. While this title is not going to be making headlines, it is an enjoyable read.

This is a pretty solid issue. A mystery of why Wolverine from the Ultimate universe is alive and well in ours is presented. This could be the start of something pretty great.

Seeing the team with with James Hudson Jr. was very satisfying. I hope that he becomes a more permanent part of the team since he adds a little something to the mix. This is still a pretty consistent issue. It lost a little for me since again we have a team that is being controlled in order to attack the X-Men just like what would happen to the Gold team with the new Brotherhood. After both involved a new form of Sentinel attacking. It adds to the already existing comparisons between the two and makes you realize that Blue has been handling the stories better. The two X teams really need to find a way to differentiate themselves.

I am not sure if this was a filler title used to help the team get caught up, but this was a rare weak moment in this X title. There is some thrown in exposition to explain some of what we already knew. A night on the town bonding moment that did not have enough chemistry to make it convincing. The art seemed a bit rushed and not very thought out. In all it felt like a piece that would have been cut if the story ran too long.

A far better chapter in the story of the young X-Men than the last issue, however the involvement in Secret Empire left it with huge gaps that needed to be filled which was not done with very smooth transition. There may be a bit of confusion if you are not reading all pieces of the Secret Empire event, hurting the issue. The art worked very well depicting the action of the story. There are some thrilling moments and interesting characters involved. The end of the issue was disturbing for me, but I was curious to see where it would lead. I do think Blue is back on track since last issue.

As creepy as it is that Emma is fixated on young Scott, I am really interested in where they are going. The back and forth on Magneto's motives seems fitting but fails to keep my interest. The character interactions however are top notch. For this issue I enjoyed the art. While this series has some missteps it is still one of the best of the X titles I think.

The art in this issue was not for me. There are a few good panels but for the most part the colors and characters seemed a little simplistic and rushed. There were some unnatural looking poses and faces. There is something there that could become great with practice. The story itself is far better, but still not a favorite of mine. Xorn is being controlled which seemed wrong, but we are led to believe it is due to a shard of the cosmic cube that is helping that happen. Polaris and Havok's reunite on opposite sides of the conflict and the interaction should have been a harder hitting emotional moment than what it felt like. Still it had some good dialog between the two. The best part of the whole plot is Emma trying to turn young Scott into the version of Cyclops that she loved. She does so by controlling his mind. Jean goes into the mental mindscape to talk Emma out of it. That hatred between Emma and Jean continues. An interesting thing about this is that Emma does not think of the young Jean and Scott and separate people from the ones of this timeline. She hated Jean and continues to hate her younger self even though she has had limited interactions with her. She treats Scott like the man she knew even though young Scott does not want to be him. That inability to let go of her mind set is what fueled Inhumans Vs. X-Men. Emma doing this out of love for Scott makes her a very interesting character and it is too bad that she is not part of an book. This is still one of the most consistent X titles out there, so worth sticking with even with the minor faults.

I have been enjoying the change that has this Beast focus on faith in magic instead of science. Beast was always a character with an obsession with being the one to find the answers using what he had available. He took being the one with answers personally and science failed him in trying to find a way home. A shift from one faith to another seems fitting since he was introduced to another option young in his career as an X-Men. The other interesting thing is Hanks change to a 'beastly' demon. X-Factor with the original five often had themes around Jean's inescapable fate. The theme seems to have been placed on Beast instead. There is also a return of the Goblin Queen who is a more engaging villain than some others that have returned lately. Scott and Jean still explore their feelings for each other. Introduced again is the tired love triangle of Wolverine, Cyclops and Jean. This time Jim Hudson Jr. plays the role of the bad boy in the group. While it is a tired nostalgia grab that I could live without, it is played more as a possible introduction so let's hope it goes nowhere. I have a feeling that Warren is someone that everyone is unsure what to do with. Without brooding he is just a rich kid that hangs around. The colors and pencils gave the book a very Mark Bagley feel that I enjoyed. This has been a pretty consistent title with only a few missteps.

Some of the most character I have seen out of the time displaced Angel in a while comes at us in this issue. There is some strong character development in Jean and Scott in terms of their relationship now. Bunn tries hard to build tension with the team being split throughout Madripoor. While I am not yet sold on the Hex Men yet, there is some interesting things building in the plot. The art does a good job at time with natural looks to the characters. There is some struggles at time, but nothing to concerning. The issue of course focuses on Hank's turn into a new form of Beast. There is also the return of the Goblin Queen who is part of a strange plan. I would say it is worth the look.

First I have to say I did not like this art. While Beast looked as if he was given some care, most of the characters felt lacking. It tried its hardest to be Bagley, but felt off. As for the story the Goblin Queens motivations are questionable. The Hex Men never really got a chance to show themselves except for Bloodstorm. Bloodstorm is a vampiric Ororo Munroe from another dimension who was promised a cure from the Goblin Queen. While it is interesting that Blue seems to be gathering X-Men from other worlds it would be nice for something to be done with them. Since there is a crossover coming, there is a possibility that the time will be coming. Until then this a lackluster issue. There is a brief moment hinting at a Ms. Sinister moment that is coming that I felt had interest. It also featured the most character from Warren I have seen in a long time. This is an issue that you can pass on. I am sure there will be better later no when the bread crumbs we are being given leads somewhere.

There is some really great art in this issue like the fun of seeing the team members in old costumes. I was not all that excited about the crossover with X-Men: Gold, but I did think this issue had a bit of fun to it so it changed my mind. There is some slight action that is enjoyable and fun moments. The classic moment where others in the Marvel universe react to what is happening like you would see in past X crossovers for instance. The story does not move forward all that quickly though. The majority of the book is showing what the teams are up to and how they have been split up. With as many double page spreads as we get it feels that there is an attempt to pad the crossover a bit. I am also going to throw some spoilers in here after this point, Bloodstorm is maybe killed. I say maybe because it seems unlikely a harpoon could kill a vampire, but we are led to believe that is what happens. If this is true it seems cheap to introduce a character and kill them off before they are given a chance to grow. It is also pointless because there has not been time to become emotionally invested in the character. There is also the emergence of Longshot. While I love the character and am glad to see him back, the return is a bit confusing. He recently showed up in promotional material for Cable so it makes you wonder where this falls. He is also the equivalent of a YouTube personality which I have to say I love of terms of his place in the Mojoverse. Stealing ratings with subscribers seems fitting but how would he get there? The meta storytelling in Mojo's games was also a fun moment for me. In all I think this a better throwback to the X-Men's past than anything Gold has been attempting so far.

Mojo is a character who gives you the freedom to be meta within a usually straight book. That freedom is tricky because going too far can be distracting and take you out of the story you are telling. That freedom has been abused in these last couple of issues in particular and makes so much reference to past stories of the X-Men that it is a reminder of how sub-par this crossover is. It is more focused on hitting nostalgia buttons than producing an interesting path forward in plot. The references are even being made by characters who have no reason to use them and feels out of place. It also feels like the story wrote itself into a corner and erased the stakes with a wave of the hand. One thing I did enjoy is the art. The call backs to past costumes (good and bad) looked pretty great. The character designs of Mojo made him disgusting and off-putting in a way that was similar to the feel Art Adams provided when introducing him. Longshot felt both out of character, but somewhat logical to where he should be in a more modern age. It makes for an okay installment but leaves little excitement for where the series is going.

After a pretty good start I started to lose interest in this crossover. I did not have a lot of expectations for the closing chapters and I think that helped me. This final chapter is used to open up what the time displaced X-Men have been up to since leaving Kitty and the school to the other team. Those moments of Rachel and Kitty's reactions to the students being led by Magneto was satisfying. Viewing the various members of the different teams working together as X-Men and the interactions resembled the Claremont era X-Men I remembered more than any of the nostalgia grabs they have been going for to this point. The story still had its flaws without a doubt. The stakes were very low. No one had big moments. Except for the reveal of Magneto being alive and his working with the misfit X-Men (including BloodStorm and Not-Wolverine Jimmy Hudson Jr.) there is little taking the books forward. Still, there was some fun and it was good to see Mojo more menacing. The somewhat twist at the end made me wonder if they really have a plan going forward, or if it was an attempt to leave a door open just in case. I am inclined to believe the latter. The thing that impressed me most was the art. While the character designs and expression where terrific, I think the colors really made them excel. Mojo's sickly colors made him look disgusting. The not so thrilling designs of Cyclops and Jean actually stood out. It is a pretty solid issue in a middle of the road story arc.

The time displaced X-Men seem like a hit at this point. It is highly unlikely that they will ever leave the prime universe for good. This makes me think that having the timeline collapse due to their presence is just a way to have an excuse for the X-men to jump through time Quantum Leap style in a story playing on the Excalibur story arc "Cross-time Caper". Unlike the original story it seems the X-Men are actually jumping through time instead of just dimensions like Excalibur. They start with a trip to the 2099 universe where they meet the X-Men of that time. It starts as a fun enough story that promises some great possibilities. It seems unlikely that it will truly effect the future of the team, but sometimes that is acceptable if the journey is fun enough. There are some more lasting moments to the issue. Cyclops and Bloodstorm have a bonding moment where they realize they have many things in common. Professor Xavier seems to be in the mind of Magneto. Whether as a result of the X-Men breaking time or because Xavier has recently resurfaced in Astonishing X-Men remains to be seen. The art of the issue did little for me. Some panels worked well, bust most felt to rushed and sloppy for me to really get into. The issue does a good job of setting up an interesting path forward, but lacks anything that stands out. It is an issue that you do not have to feel bad about missing, but will probably enjoy if you pick it up.

This may be a sequel to the original Cross-Time Caper in spirit only, but I am enjoying what is being done. Bunn just seems to be having fun playing with time. In this we see the return of the X-Men of 2099. Their future has been altered by the original five (or so they are told) themselves who have taken over Alchemax and have put the world in a desperate state separated by two classes. Having read the original X 2099 when they were released I would say this is the best I have ever seen them. Silva does some great layouts and captures some good body language and faces. The colors make everything really stand out. At the end I noticed that Bloodstorm was no longer in the panels. It could be an over site by Silva, but it could also be intended as another alteration in time. The last page reveal also promises a bit of fun. It may be hard to trust that this will have line shattering changes, but much like the Excalibur run off Cross-Time Caper it is a lot of fun. This is especially true if you reading the titles that feature the heroes in them as well (looking at you Jean Grey). The thing to get you engaged in the book is seeing where they will pop up next and who they will encounter.

For a story that looks like it is just another nostalgia grab like the Mojoverse crossover turned out to be, this has been a fun and interesting story. Again the X-Men find that their past selves have been altering the X teams throughout time. This time they learn that the Generation X seem to be all that is left of the Xavier school in this time. Learning what they can from Banshee and Emma Frost, they then travel on. This time jumping to where they once came from. Silva does some great character designs and the colors make it feel like it the book could have been lifted from the Gen X title. This has been a surprisingly consistent arc. It will be interesting to see where the series ends up with everything that is going on in the X universe.

The time displaced X-Men finally make it back to their time and find out what is really going no with the X-Men who have taken their place. I am not sure if it was meant to be a twist but the culprits seemed pretty obvious. This is a time related story after all. It does find a way to throw in a surprise when the team decides to take on an unlikely ally. The dialog in that exchange was a lot of fun. I absolutely love Silva and Benedetto's art. This has been an enjoyable arc.

There have been a number of crossovers where teams have encountered the alien symbiotic species that make up Venom. This one fallows the same pattern as most of those others. While it is always cool to see what favorite characters will look like when infected. Venom is unleashed and creates gruesome moments as expected. If you are a big fan of Venom then I am sure this will be a good enough series to keep you reading. If you are not as into Venom then, like me, you might not be as interested. The tone of the comic does have a 90's crossover feel which is a bit fun. The art does a good job. It has a familiar Bagley, or Sal Buscema feel to the art that is fitting for Venom. It is also fun to have an X team in space again. This could be a fun arc if not an arc that will leave a lasting impact.

I think this arc is just the result of a team discussing what they think would be cool to do with a X-Men and Symbiotes and putting it down on paper with very little thought behind it. Sometimes it works with some interesting ideas and other times it feels like fan fiction created by an amateur. It makes for a story for me does not work. Which is sad because it has some potential. One thing that I could get into was the art. I do think the Poisons could seem more menacing and less like a Power Ranger mixed with Venom, but the details in the alien worlds/ships along with the look of the X-Men and Venom are satisfying. The action works well and is easy to read. If you are a big fan of Venom you will probably get a kick out of this fun story. If not you might feel less enthused about what is provided.

We get a look at what the remaining members of the blue team are up to while the original five are in space with this issue. If you are wondering that leaves us with Magneto, Jimmy Hudson jr. (The Not-Wolverine), Bloodstorm (vampire Storm), and Polaris. This lineup seems to have very little in common and very little chemistry. The feel as if they are a group of people brought together to do a job. They are not uncivil to one another, but I don't think they are playing board games after a mission either. That is not necessarily a bad thing, it just felt strange to me for an X-Men comic. It felt like something you would have in X-Factor or maybe even X-Force where the teams are more of a formed group with a task. This chapter is not a lot of action. We get a lot of exposition to set up the coming conflict. The panels have some great looking images with some classic feel. There are also panels that are expanded just to fill space with little detail or contain uninspiring layouts. This just becomes a very middle of the road installment. The only part that really sticks out is the cliffhanger for Polaris.

I have a feeling that it is around this issue that word might have gone out that X-Men: Blue was coming to a close. We are hurriedly racing to conclude the loose plot points that have been introduced so far. Malice is introduced and taken away in the next issue. The Mothervine story comes front and center. It makes for a not bad chapter, but not a great one either.

There is certain classic X-Men feel with the mothervine threat that is at the center of this story arc. The characters involved make it feel like it is going for nostalgia, but more recent than the nineties era that we have been seeing here and in other X books recently. The thing that I could not get into was the motivations for the various characters both heroes and villains. Some are better excepted than others but I still found it hard to picture the teams coming together as they do. Another annoyance is every writing and artist teams need to make Sentinels their own by changing them. The miniature version seemed impractical and there simply to be different. There is still some fun to be had. Magneto is given a moment to shine. The new blue team is given a chance to interact briefly. The art tries to do some interesting things. The lines had some unusual proportions and shots at times. The colors could have done more with the use of shadows. It still did a pretty good job and did well to portray what was happening. The backup original X-Men story seemed a bit like an afterthought. The art did not always have the best shots and felt a little off. The team did not have the emotion of just losing a teammate on their faces. Scott's anger of Hank was not there. The colors felt a bit flat. It did set up an interesting thread to keep an eye on though. Hopefully you do not pick this up as your first issue in the series because there is no editorial notes to give you context as everything introduced. This is an okay issue but nothing that is going to excite you if you are not already reading the series.

There is a bit of cheesy dialog that drags this issue down for me. Even with that misstep I was very pleased with this issue. I had some low expectations since I was not excited by the new Blue team. After seeing how their powers were used and what roles the characters played I think they were used purposely which changed my mind. I also had very little interest in the Mothervine threat. It might not make sense that such a huge threat to the population would rest on the shoulders of a team on the run, but it is an enjoyable read. The conflict within the villainous team-up creates a story thread worth exploring. The art s very strong. There is not a ton of details to explore, but what is there looks great and tells the story well. It might not be the strongest X title, but it does continue to surprise me so it is worth checking out.

The new team in action looks really good even in their matching outfits. Those outfits seem like something that would be more X-Factor then X-Men, but it is not unheard of among the X-Men so no big deal. Even having two Wolverine's is worked out by making one of them carry a sword. Daken becomes more of a nineties era X-Force fill in minus the pouches. They come in to fight for Magneto while the original five are still trapped in space. They are going up against a team of unlikely alliances that worked for me since they are constantly bickering and threatening each other. It made the odd team of villains seem like they are together only for the cause which makes sense. The cliffhanger with Magneto's choice on how to fight back grabbed my attention and had me ready to see where this was going more than any other moment in the story. This is a much stranger story than I anticipated so I would recommend the read.

There are some promising relationships that show in the writing, but this debut hardly makes a lasting impression. Time is spent trying to regain nostalgia instead of a hook that will leave you wanting to see where the team goes next. One of the major flaws that always bothered me is how humans can love so many heroes in the Marvel universe and still hate mutants simply for being mutants even though they hardly have physical differences (with the exception of characters like Nightcrawler). This trope is relied upon when a mother scolds her child and tells her to stay away from the mutants who just saved their lives. Hating them simply for being mutants. It makes little sense, but I suppose is part of the X-Men stories. Putting all that aside it is still a promising title.

I am a big fan of the Claremount era X-Men stories and it is obvious that the team is trying to follow that same style. Logan shows that he can still be the same Wolverine even if he is a little slower. I enjoy Kitty as a leader to the team. The new Evil Mutants brings an interesting mystery to the story. The team has delivered a fun adventure.

I absolutely loved Kitty Pryde in this issue so I would give it high ranks for that alone. Seeing her threaten a villain showed how different she could be from Professor X. There are some tense moments and fun little twist to the villains that would fit right in with the old team. I think this is a great starting arc for the X-Men.

This is a title that is definitely going for nostalgia when they craft stories, but they do it well. Gambit was the hottest character around in the 90's but his character and nature made him hard to make part of a team. This does a good job of including him by having him back to his thieving ways and calling his old teammates when he gets in over his head. Like X-Men: Blue did previously the Sentinels are back, but this time we get an evolved version that does not stray far. There is some pretty good art, my favorite being Gambits new look. While this may not be a title made for the main stream, if you liked the 80-90's stories of the X-Men you should like this title.

There is nothing to this issue that I would think would make it a must have issue. It has a decent story. The art works, but there is nothing memorable about it. The story revolves around a new Sentinel threat that is built of nano-tech. This gives it some new abilities and an artificial intelligence smarter than previous versions. The end threat that is set up created a pretty exciting moment. You could say that since Guggenheim is trying to create a series similar to old days of the X-Men he is succeeding.

X-Men: Blue and Gold seem to be on similar paths. Both have had a new form of Sentinel introduced to them. Both have had a group of former friends brainwashed into being villains. It makes it impossible to not compare the two teams. Which is to bad because when compared the gold team seems to fall short. No member is getting strong developments, except maybe Kitty if you compare her to her time as an X-Men, but she was a strong co-leader of the Guardians. The villains are just a means to progress the story with nothing of interest about them. The one thing I think gold does excel at is action. So with nothing to separate gold from blue the title just feels like weak. The writing is strong it just needs some ideas that take the team in a new direction. The various artist have done a decent job making the title look good. The tools are there, let's hope that the title gets some inspiration to give us something different.

The one thing that is pretty consistent in Gold is the art. Again the art does a pretty great job of heightening the impacting moments. While some of violence is not as meaningful when you don't follow the characters, they are still shocking moments. Nightcrawler is also victim of a scene he is all to familiar with which brings in some nostalgia. There is almost no tie-in to the Secret Empire event except that the X-Men of this book are trapped beneath the dark dimension around New York and are trying to figure out what is going on. There is a great building of dread in the issue that looks to be leading somewhere interesting.

After the last issue was such a great thriller piece, I was a little let down by this issue. The interesting mystery behind the new X-Cutioner seemed to be phased out into a typical crazy man. There is still a grieving father here, but not one who is still rational. There is a bit of a mystery still in how a villain like him can get his hands on the tech he has, but it was glossed over so quickly it did not have impact. There is a brief moment about responsibility that has been played out in many titles at this point. It works but has less emotional impact at this point. Kitty still shines in her character development as a leader, but others get less care in favor of action. While this is said to be a Secret Empire tie-in, there is very little here to add to the event. The one thing that is consistent in the title is the action. The art really pulls those moments together. While what is here is very solid and good work, there is nothing in this setting it high above to make this a must read. You will be satisfied reading this, but don't expect to be blown away.

Things slow down a bit in this issue to focus on the relationships in the Gold Team. Kurt and Rachel go on their first date, while Peter and Kitty talk about rekindling their relationship. All played out while Kitty goes to a hearing about segregating mutants. It is an interesting enough issue for something that is setting up future issues. The art works, but is a little weak compared to some of Marvel's other work. This is not an issue that is going to make you change your mind if you were not into the book.

Omega Red's introduction was a story arc that I loved, so I was excited to see him return. Drawn by Chris Bachalo, Andy Kubert, or Jim Lee he looked menacing. Even with his unusual look it worked. Here he did not have that same feel. It could be colors that made him pop a little much for a killer. I was also put off by the fact he did not constrict his victims. He instead impales them which seemed unnecessary. I did like the look that was given to Illyana. There is a more biker leathers look that is fitting for running around in cold temperatures. I also appreciated that they made mention of the fact she should be younger than what she is. Otherwise we get the introduction of a long lost uncle that we did not know about until now. Kitty falling back into a relationship that she already played out. This title has moments that are interesting padded with what feels like rebooted stories. I am hoping it can do a bit more. Since this arc just started there is still time.

There are moments I acknowledge the artist tried to do some parallels and make the art interesting, but overall I did not care for it. Facial expressions did not seem to fit the situation. The action was weak. Character designs seemed rushed. The story itself seemed like something that was forced together to make a deadline. If you did not care for Omega Red before this will do nothing to help you. He boast about being more powerful without ever showing, or explaining how. The defeat of the villains feels unearned. Colossus also gets over his ailments for no real reason. This is one you can definitely pass on.

In the first issue of Gold we are introduced to a demon looking member of the new Brotherhood of Mutants. Later placed in captivity, his story slowly unfolds. He is an alien. He was under Mesmero's control. Now we get the story of why he is on Earth. Just as has been done with numerous characters he was exiled because he was a mutant. He grew up a wild man that then re-entered civilization like an otherworldly Tarzan. Eventually he is exiled again to Earth for unexplained reasons. I found the story cliche, but still kept me reading. Where his story lost me was the inclusion of a rebellion that used Nazi (like) imagery. It was just one too many used tropes. Especially after Secret Empire. I was also unclear if he was just trying to get home or now wants to take over Earth. Earth in this case is just a prison planet where he was exiled so that seems unlikely. Since we are not told however, it is still possible that this is his new plan. This had little payoff for me making it a wast of time. The story tries to make him a sympathetic and menacing villain, but he comes off as redundant. I will give the writing credit for trying to present Mojo more like he was in the Longshot solo series. He is deadly and over the top. Where this issue did shine for me was the art. The pencils did a lot with tired character designs. The colors are a good balance of bright and washed out that did not lean to heavy between cartoon or gritty. It felt like a good fit for an X title.

For anyone that loved the Alan Davis Excalibur, this is a nice reunion issue. You get a good look at where everyone is now with a few mentions of what the team was like in the past. It also had a very satisfying ending that fit in well with the tone of the old Excalibur. The art might not have been Alan Davis, but it did a good job. For anyone looking for an X-Men: Gold story you get a small tale that reflects fans of the X-Men in a Storm obsessed girl looking to meet her while she is in New York. It is short and inconsequential so probably not worth it for the price of the book. I would leave this one to the Excalibur fans as that makes up the majority of the issue.

I was not convinced on this team, but I picked it up because I enjoy the characters involved. After reading it I was convinced that this might be the X book feeling that many have been looking for. It takes a lot of what X-Men has tried to do over the years and bring it into a modern world. This is done in both plot and pacing. It is a strong start with some good surprises but it is still too early to tell if they can keep up the momentum. The art is very strong and does not try to be to flashy. Just great lines and colors. Although it is a more costly book I would say it is worth it. Especially if you are a long time X-Men fan.

Of all the X titles I think this series is understanding what made the titles work. The character interactions are enjoyable and the story is building nicely. I had my doubts but this Marvel may have finally got the formula right.