David Wallace/Charles Webb Comic Reviews

It's dumb, but it's my kind of dumb, I suppose.

It's all very solid work from all involved (even if Diggle makes an inauspicious start with the character in his backup) and it's a fitting commemoration of the character after 500 issues.

A very good book which may have trouble justifying its existence once Dark Reign runs its course.

The only interesting and honest moments occur towards the end of the book with the long-in-development subplot about the Thing's marriage to his school teacher girlfriend. I've had trouble sticking with this particular storyline, only because I had the sneaking suspicion the Millar was going to do something underhanded or cynical with the relationship. I will say that this is another chapter in Ben Grimm's hard luck life, and if I didn't buy into its initial premise I definitely think there's real emotional honesty in its conclusion. Drawing on decades of Marvel's dead girlfriends and wives in a fairly gentle way, as well as with some nods to earlier plot points within this and earlier arcs from Millar's run, Ahearne actually gives the characters human reactions to their otherwise larger-than-life situations.

If you liked this review, be sure to check out more of the authors work at Monster In Your Veins