Kyle Mc Comic Reviews

Look, I don't want to be be negative about this book because of all the new "All-New Marvel NOW!" titles Marvel have publishing this year this was definitely in my top 3 most anticipated. Hopefully these issues will be ironed out for future installments.

One of my criticisms regarding the first NOW! release of Uncanny Avengers were the pacing issues, thankfully All New X-Men doesn't suffer from that.

Stuart Immonen gives yet another beautiful display here with the Cyclops double optic blast ranked as a personal favourite. It's amazing how easily it seems that he is able to capture so many different moments within the same fight with different characters and none of them feel jarring in the slightest. I don't know how long he will be pencilling the series but the combination of artist and writer isdefiantlyone of the best things it has going for it.

Unfortunately the scriptdoesn'tgive this much justice as it mostly continues to not find any real redeeming qualities about for Alpha and as someone that has been holding out hope for so long it comes as a real disappointment, hopefully by the end of this mini-series itll make a return in the future less frustrating to go through.

Overall I love the art and think that Caselli did a great job as he usually does. The issue itself is an improvement on Part 4 and with Part 6 coming out in June as Ends of the Earth reaches its conclusion it'll still manage to have more of my attention and excitement that Avengers vs X-Men currently has.

The story concludes with the revelation of what Doc Ock was truly trying to do and to say that it was an anti-climax would be an understatement. It would be easy to say that this is Slott's weakest arc but considering the quality of the rest it is easy to forgive him.

The art is bad. The faces looks dumb and it makes matters worse whenever they are trying to show any sort of facial expressions because it just manages to make them look incredibly goofy.

With this one issue it makes The Hulk look like a threat to the X-Men and despite him possibly holding the only answer to stopping them the rest of the Avengers may not be so willing to co-operate. While I like the change of pace it wont surprise me that #29 will probably go back to the norm.

Aside from those opening pages it turns into another fight book where it's just get as many people on the same page at once and watch them brawl but to the credit of Simonson he does a good job. I have criticised Simonson in recent past because of some of the outright goofy expressions that he drew onto several characters, in particular The Protector. However as I read this issue I'm not going to lie it is starting to grow on me. Probably because he has cut out the goofy faces.

Whilst it has little to do with AvX it is clear with the last few pages that it is attempting to build towards to the end of Bendis' and the volume. Thankfully it managed to do a much better job of telling a different story and ignoring AvX than New Avengers did last week.

While there are two artists listed there is no indication of which artist drew what which is a shame because then I can't call out the artist that needs to sort his stuff out. Whichever drew the off world portions deserves credit. However the other which features Cap and the rest of the Avengers makes me scratch my head. For the most part it is just off putting. Whether it's facial expressions or boring fight sequences it doesn't hit the mark.

In the micro-verse Lord Gouzar has made sure that the Avengers know who he defeats Thor, Cap, Iron Man, Giant-Man and Janet. With the explanation as to what exactly happened to Janet during the Secret Invasion it explains as to why she hasnt managed to escape all this time is actually the weakest part of the whole issue because the story itself isnt anything to be praised or remembered.

Apart from the last couple of panels the art doesn't do anything overly special.

It's a blast from the past to Web of Spider-Man #72 with both Sable and Dr. Strange making an appearance and just like in the last week in ASM I still really don't care and it confirms the fact that Ends of the Earth was poor.

The art is beautiful with Terry Dodson able to get the vast skyline shots into perspective and is able to keep it consistent. When Carol uses her powers it manages to get better.

The shinning piece of the issue is yet again Dodson's art as he manages to keep it consistent throughout and despite some of the shots from the sky looking better I enjoyed the ones of Peter and Carol together towards the end.

In the #15.1 review I said that the size of Spider-Man felt jarring at times with the different sizes he looked throughout and while this time round it is wiped out completely. However while one problem has been swept under the rug a whole host of others pop out of the woodwork. For the most part it just puts a lot of bland with more bland. The backgrounds lack any sort of depth and excitement. With the exception Spidey, Beast and occasionally Rachael Summers the rest look phoned in by comparison.That being said, the stand out moment has to be when Spider-Man curb-stomps Wolverine.

Medinas art is again the weakest factor with more of the same problems that were raised in the previous outings. Its not a case of saying its terrible but more it just being there because we need to have the visual portion of a comic book. However dont let that detract from just how fun it is as a whole.

Seeing Marco Checchetto name attached is ALWAYS a good sign and as usual he brings another gorgeous book to the table.Sure there are small things that I could nitpick, like how emotions on Spider-Mans face are nonexistent but in the grand scheme of things does that really matter? No because on Electros return to Earth as hes shouting and the whimsical nature of Thor as hes blows Electro off as a threat to him makes up for it tenfold. Lets also not ignore that the use of Rachelle Rosenbergs colouring as Electro and Thor do battle tie the bow on a stellar package.

Just like #18 Checchettos art is great and I would argue even better. Because of the scenario that Spider-Man is put into it gives him the freedom to create some darker and more trippy imagery. The two pages of a gigantic octopus tearing up the street are just awesome.

Overall the art is solid and so is the story as it is going is ok but I hope that something more meaningful happens in the next issue to put it back up there with the other the other books out there at the moment.

At first I wasn't too fond of the redesign but Dexter Soy's artwork does a good job at complementing it. Even the inclusion of her new helmet doesn't look as goofy as I hadinitiallyfeared. The best thing that Soy has brought is that his art style is unique and the choice of the colour pallet makes it just beautiful. With the exception of Captain America looking slightly "Skrull-ish" on one occasion it is hard to really find fault.

It is easy to see what MARVEL see in DeConnick's writing that she is going to be penning Avengers Assemble from #9. She has already made me fall in love with supporting character Tracy Burke and somehow made me love Carol even more than I already did. Hopefully people can and will see the potential that this book has for the future because aside from it having some diversity, a complaint that a lot of people have not just with MARVEL but also DC the success of good books like this can help to make them more willing to take gambles in the future.

It's only #3 but already I'm getting bored of saying how beautiful the artwork is. It would be a better and more interesting read if I was able to find and analyse something that I didn't like but for the foreseeable future i don't really think that it is even possible to happen. As badass as it is to see the 2 page spread of the banshee squad uploading their clips without a doubt the stand out shots is the final page with Carol just floating in mid-air with the giant prowler in the background. Whoever scouted Soy is in need of some sort of award.

However despite that the story the backup is telling is interesting due the time travel aspect and how it could potentially change the future. There are many films, TV shows and comics that have tried to tackle time travel in the past (get it?) but it's safe to say that as long as it follows Doctor Who laws of time travel it stands within reason that DeConnick will be safe.

Usually when I write a review that is this short it's because it really wasn't any good so when I have one like this it feels wrong. Like I can't be bothered but that's not the case. The best parts of the issue can't be explained to the degree that'll give the issue justice but what are you going to do?

Emma Rios art style suits the flight scenes perfectly as she draws the characters thin allowing it all to flow together perfectly. I still maintain that I miss Soys take on the characters is still my favourite the choice to have Rios fill in the final issues of the arc is a strange choice to make, especially if it was just because they wanted to be able to ship two issues in the same month and because of Soys style that wouldnt be possible it makes it seem like two separate stories.

I was only really introduced to Tony Moore's art in the Circle of Four mini-seriers and unfortunately the same problems that I had back then rear their ugly heads. The strange mouth patterns that are present I find annoying. It's no Greg Land (thank God) but that's more of a backhanded compliment. Don't get me wrong I can see where he's going as he's doing them. It is better than seeing a load of the same expressions that don't really say much (again another dig at Greg Land, I am genuinely not trying to make the comparisons but they just keep popping up). The best part however is the giant mutant dinosaur destroying the city as well as when Deadpool comes bursting out.

If like me you really don't like Deadpool this take my at least make you interested in this side of the character.

With the cliff hanger at the end to what Deadpool's endgame is and next week being the final issue of this mini-series I hope that it doesn't completley flop and gives me another reason to care about Deadpool.

The worst thing is none of it will carry on into his normal ongoing series. Obviously he wont be the mass killer in the 616 but like I said when talking about #1 and #2 I was disturbed at what he was doing but reading the current series just makes me roll my eyes out of sheer disappointment.

Aja's art is wonderful and while it looks simplistic and I don't mean that in any disrespect but what's different in this case that most of the other books try there best to capture every little detail but here it goes and captures the emotions that are needed. Even the colouring is just plain but impactful.

As much as I have enjoyed the opening two issues I remain hesitant. I've said before that I'm not a fan of Matt Fraction's work and have been felt let down after the first couple of issues of Defenders and Invincible Iron Man so I can only hope that it doesn't end up that way in a couple of months time. In the meantime I will just hope that the book remains good and as long as that happens they will continue to get my money.

It's hard to imagine, like Daredevil why people aren't reading this book. Even if you don't care about Hawkeye that isn't a good enough excuse because even in the review of #1 I made that clear but that didn't stop me falling in love with this series so early on.

When it was announced that Aja wouldn't be penciling here the fans panicked but thankfully Pulido is able to pick up the slack. Thankfully is style too dissimilar to Aja's own but in the same respect it isn't able to make its own mark which does hurt the book.

Despite all this and it being my least favourite issue so far it is still a lot better than a lot of other comics that have come out in recent memory.

The return of David Aja is quite possibly the single best thing about this issue. As great as I though Pulido's art was for those two issues it's clear why people gravitate to his work especially when it's with Fraction. Add that the panel layout which allows Aja to display different facial expressions as Fraction throws out the quips.

Then when you flip to the Kate story you're now looking at something more cartoony but not in a good way. Unfortunately for Kate she ends up being the biggest victim of this. With that being said splitting the book for two stories by two artists is a relief as too often is there two artists working on either page which then hurts the flow of the book. Thankfully the ever present Hollingsworth on colours makes sure that despite the artist changes it retains some form of consistency.

The comics that during the issue brought some beautiful full-page illustrations by Annie Wu. Aja handles the rest of the interiors and as you would expect they're beautiful. At least as far as the women go it goes for a more retro vibe and it goes over well. Also thanks to the Iron Fist confusion line I can't look at Clint without seeing Danny Rand.

What can I say? Its more of Ajas pencils and Hollingsworths colours so by now you should have an idea of how pretty the book is going to be. When Aja is given the freedom of no text and to do what he does best it has to be considered the highlights. The most telling aspect is that it doesnt focus as much on the comedy and instead makes the fight scenes more badass. Thats not to say that its now boring as Clints confusion as to whats going on is the source of the humour.

In spite of there being no Aja, Francesco Francavilla steps in and he is no slouch by any means. His work is unapologetically different from Ajas but given the context of the story at hand it suits it perfectly. As he helps to tell the origin of this contract killer it hits the level of darkness and violence to a tee. Top that off with the darker colour pallet and it perfectly captures its mood.

This is yet another issue of the series which are all taking place at the same time but from the perspective of the different people (and animals) involved. Most importantly this issue and the series remains a lot of fun and issues like this help to advance the medium.

I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Hit-Girl regardless if you've read either book.

Despite enjoying both issues so far there is one question that has yet to be addressed. Why does this book exist? Could it have just not been introduced? I haven't read Kick-Ass 2 yet but if Millar wanted this to be solely act as a bridge between the series then why not call it Kick-Ass 1.5? Unless this leads to a confrontation with Red Mist his inclusion is bizarre.

One of my complaints about the previous issue was Romita's art. Everybody basically looked the same and that was down to the constant thugs and grunts that were included. With less of that here there's more of a variety which is refreshing.

It does still bug me that this has come out after Kick-Ass 2 but with only one issue remaining it does manage to make me interested enough to pick up KA2 to find out what is going to happen next.

If you're reading Daredevil it is so obvious that Waid is applying the same style here and you wont for a second here me complain. People who thought Hulk was the true star of the Avengers like myself will hopefully use this as the gateway into what has typically been a serious title.

Call me a "tradionalist" but I don't like this armour that Bruce has created. Why does he need to wear armour? It's only a few pages before that he proclaims that the Hulk is "indestructible". While we're one the topic me no like the black armour. Even though I maintain that I don't like the fight scene for what it is Yu manages to switch up and show some good work improving on the first half which fails to capture any emotions as they just stand there and talk.

There are two sides to Leinil Yus work not only in this issue but the series itself. One the one hand when its just two people sitting there and talking it is overall pretty bland. However on the much more positive hand his action sequences where there are explosions and a lot of Hulk its great. Yu possibly draws the best Hulk that Ive ever seen. An extra positive is that hes not wearing that stupid armour that was present in #2.

We all know Yu draws some mean veins. He also arguably managed to craft the best looking Hulk ever but you can now add these monsters to his repertoire. Theres still the Banner scene where unfortunately it fails to deliver but when you have him unleash the carnage that is The Hulk it is an amazing sight to behold.

As a new #1 Midnight Tiger definitely does what its supposed to, it introduces the characters with a glimpse at the relationship between Gavin and his father and sets up theand teases our hero's first supervillain. Most of all you it manages to has me excited for #2 and the $0.99 pricetag makes it difficult to not recommend.

This is definitely an easy entry point for the character that doesn't require prior knowledge with exposition dialogue that never feels heavy-handed which is always the best kind that catches you up on what you need to know straight away.

My favourite part is as it is drawing to a close as it incorporates parts of Dan Slott's run on Amazing Spider-Man into the rest of the MARVEL universe as he is handled well. My only worry is that the same thing that made Ends of the Earth suffer will rear its head again here.

The art is questionable point and from the way I see it was overdone. While the issue is set within a prison it is understandable that they want to get across their feeling of helplessness by showing them in the dark but what the choice of what they darken out and how much makes it become overkill.

It's confusing as to when in the AvX timeline this is set but it can only be logically assumed to have happened before AvX #8.

The art is bland with it basically just being a bunch of faces with with open mouths and that's the main problem with this issue as a whole. It's just a fight book. There's no point in existing because it furthers the story in no way. Couldn't Cage just wait until the end of the fight v Cyclops to decide he was done? Did we really need to see Frost getting taken away? We sure didn't see that with the rest of the members of the Pheonix Five.

When he's listening to a message that his father recorded that could only be heard should the worst happen and it is the only real time throughout that Sam is sympathetic to because at the end of the day hes still a child and his father has gone missing and McGuinness draws him responding accordingly.Take that out and its just down to Sam being a miserable brat and if it wasnt for the Nova scenes with him flying really giving McGuiness isnt left with very much to work with.

Everything in space is awesome. You might say what makes it so good? All you have to do is put some white dots on a black background but that would make you a moron because its so much more than that. Gracias colours contribute heavily to that as Nova flies past the moon and hits mach warp defcon nine is just gorgeous.

Its amazing how great McGuinness makes the furious one eyed space tiger Titus look. It is a shame however how many close ups there are of Sam, not to say that theyre bad but he is at his best when its just him and everything that surrounds him like the vastness of space.

The comparisons to a young Peter Parker aren't going away anytime soon but at least its what people have come to love about him transferring over to Sam.

Unfortunately the art is not up to the quality of past issues which is not entirely Medina's fault. Some of the best parts of the series so far have been when Sam is allowed to use his powers and fly off into space but because of Wells' script he isn't able to show this aspect off. However the shortcomings that can be attributed to Medina are that his pencils lack any real textures which make the work come off as very flat and disappointing.

One of the reasons I was going to pick this up was in thanks to the crossover event The Omega Effect. Seeing artistMarco Checchetto work was beautiful and despite not having any interest in continuing to read Punisher afterwards I just hoped that he would eventually get work that I was interested in. Whilst for personal reasons he was unable to do it his replacement…'s work is still solid. For the most part it is good but there are some problems that have to mentioned. Generally I don't like when most artists draw Spider-Man, the way they show his movement just looks off to me and there are times where that happens here. Another instance was where the Avengers were present and we saw Thor, I can't put my finger on it but he just doesn't look right.

Up until now Frank has conceivably been able to handle his opponents but with arguably the most powerful Avenger on his tail it has escalated drastically and how Rucka handles his battle with Thor will potentially decide how the series is remembered for better or worse.

While the reasoning behind him not taking him out completely makes sense at the conclusion the feeling that they wasted a chunk of pages just to say that doesn't go away. However the combination of Di Giandomenico's pencils and Hollingsworth colours, particularly on Thor and his lightning is particularly impressive. Like I said in the review of #1 Thor again from the face still looks off for some reason but again I still can't put my finger exactly on it.

With the way that the issue concludes and with the next one its last it doesnt feel like the stakes are high enough against Frank. The only real interest is what happens to Cole-Alves after this because you have to believe that one way or another The Avengers are this time going to capture Frank. Whether that means why he is on the Thunderbolts remains to be seen.

The critisms that I have given are reflected in the score but the score itself is one of those rare occasions where it doesn't neccaserily reflect the quality of the book. Like I've said it's essentially a new #1 and there is enough of an intrest I have to give at least the first arc a go but whether it goes any further than that I don't know.

Even if you've never read a Red Sonja title or know who the characters is it is easy to recommend as a jumping on point. With that being said you should still check out the first six issues as they are very much worth it.

It's $2.99 making it the cheaper side of comics on MARVEL's side so the money is the issue and you're reading the main Avengers book which is $3.99 drop that and buy this.

Apart from that I enjoyed the issue to a degree but not to the point that I wouldn't say that it was really that great but the art is what made me decrease my score.

One thing I must say that whilst it is an improvement on some of the of the other issues the art maintains the streak of just being horrible and making any sort of facial expressions impossible to be taken seriously.

I hate covers, Beast & Captain Britain are on the cover and they don't appear once but Ant-Man is but he is nowhere to be seen. What's with the Ant-Man hate?

It's not just resting on that it is a pretty book but the writing in particular manages to stay strong and prominent with Taskmaster being the highlight. Whilst the gigantic roster of members to the Masters of Evil has been off putting and felt unnecessary worry no longer because there is indeed a payoff at the conclusion.

Apart from a couple of odd facial expressions Scalera's art is on point. I find it comical during the scenes featuring Black Widow how despite the mass amounts of cleavage that she has her breasts don't fall out despite fighting and hanging out a plane. Well if they didn't I guess it wouldn't be very PG.

With as much praise as I have given to the story of the arc I again cant ignore the work of Scalera. Considering the infection that The Abyss is spreading and the dark and dreary nature of the city full of criminals that inhabit it his dark style matches up well with the tone. That being said Black Widows cleavage is still ridiculous.

As I said in the last issue it is obvious which characters Remender is favouring but with the exception of Beast (who you would be forgiven for forgetting he's a member of the team since he's never bloody there yet they like to just leave throwaway lines to remind you that he is supposed to be there) everyone gets a fair time to shine.

As someone that has a tendency to gush over Scaleras work allow me this time to tell you that its as amazing as usual. The two page spread of Hawkeye & Captain Britain against the undead Avengers is the standout shot and Scaleras more gothic horror style is most at home during the 666 sequences.

Unfortunately there is only the first third of the book featuring Earth 666 which is a shame because those sequences have been the best part of Scaleras work. His Father at times has its problems, this is down to some dodgy facial expressions that dont make it clear at times as to whether his mouth is even open or not. That being said the rest of it is still to a high standard with his two page spreads and the attack on Avengers tower.

Every issue another gushing session. Whenever theres a two page spread its always awesome but at the risk of spoiling anything youll just have to see it for yourself. Its a shame that there will only be one more of issue of him on this title because throughout his time here even though there have been problems with the story it has been consistently great.

Finally managing to get caught up over the past couple of days with the series has not only been awesome but upsetting. This marks the last issue of not only Remender and Scaleras runs on the title but the end of the volume. While itwould'vebenefitedfrom some extra pages its conclusion and the overall arc doesnt disappoint.

It's nice to see Sara Pichelli return to teaming with Bendis and as much as I enjoy her artwork I don't know whether I prefer her's to Marquez's and really is that a bad thing? They're both very good artists and whichever one it is that is drawing Spider-Man will bring it each time.

Stray #1 demonstrates that if the book can continue to handle its use of flashback and present day storytellingwe're in for afun and interesting ride.

It's great to see Ryan Stegman return to the Spider-Man universe after recently tackling his "brother" Kaine in Scarlet Spider. I particularly love that he has now made Peter while at work dress as the stereotypical evil genius. Joking aside including Stegman to creative was a great idea as whenever you look at it you can't help but feel like he is meant to draw Spider-Man in some capacity.

I'm sure the comparisons to Humberto Ramos will come up again and while I can agree that there are similarities is that really a bad thing? Both are great artists in their own right. Thankfully Stegman brings in the best aspect of the entire issue with ease.

For the third issue in a row the same issue comes up regarding Peters eventual return and the longer it does so the more and more it feels like Marvel and/or Slott are losing their nerve in how long they can keep it before he is going to find a way back.

With even more excessive use of Peters ghost in almost every scene Slott is really starting to grate on me because Im starting to like Otto but its not allowing room to breath with him always being there. As far as the cliffhanger is concerned long time Slott fans will be used to his frequency for teasing villains in upcoming issues but with its placement in the middle of this story it feels like a poor choice.

Depending on which side youre on you either hated or loved the ending of #1. It showed that for whatever reason Peter had the ability to stop Otto from hitting the final blow on Boomerang, but in this case its either he forgot that he could do it or he has mysteriously lost the power that he probably shouldnt have had to start with.

Look, if youve read any of my Captain Marvel reviews when the series launched you know how I feel about Dexter Soys art so whether you like it or not prepare for more gushing. In Captain Marvel #1 he briefly drew Spider-Man so the thought of him doing it again got my brain going crazy and he doesnt disappoint here. He manages to capture the destruction that has fallen upon Manhattan. The use of colours whether in dreary backgrounds or in explosive action hits the mark effortlessly. The only downside is that I don't know how long I'll have to wait until I next see his art again.

Even though Ghost Peter isnt totally gone from the issue its best moment is at the conclusion as he reacts to what Otto has done now. The returning Humberto Ramos is another reason why this works so well and throughout the fight itself manages to make it look as brutal as possible.

This all leads to what the promos have said that after his change in attitude that the Avengers were about to bring him down for his actions. This is some great work as Ramos shows The Avengers gearing up to take him down. Thats not to take away anything from the rest of the issue as the fight with Cardiac is great in its own right. The pencils and Delgados colouring of the electricity during are a particular highlight.

It can get weird reading this series, sometimes it feels like Otto's spell as Spider-Man is coming to an end but there are moments like when he does his best to save a child's life which make me want him to be around for a lot longer. By far the strongest reason to come back is in the final page which looks to correct issues raised in past reviews.

The fight ends as the mind wipe finishes leaving Peter on the losing side and forgetting his own name and what appears to be Otto smiling saying that he is now free. If it was anybody else I would just assume something more straight forward but this is Slott were talking about who has already done something similar with #5 ending it as it wasnt completely clear that Otto had killed Massacre. So well have to wait until at least the next issue for some form of clarity.

For the most part this is a definite step-down from the previous one but thats not entirely its fault because that was the conclusion of a serious incident.

I feel like I am more of a fan of Gages than I originally thought because while I havent read anything outside of his work on Spider-Man when he takes over briefly its a really fun read.

This arc so far has been some of the best work by Camuncoli that I've witnessed and not too far from the reason behind it's quality during the Massacre issues in that he excels when the story is a little darker and Antonio Fabela's colouring wraps it all up in a nice little bow.

As far as the art is concerned Camuncolli is able to produce some great pencils within just about every panel with some of the earlier ones worthy of some recognition, especially when Spider-Man and the Spider-Slayer begin their fight to the death. Although there is more than one inker present it doesn't suffer from the issue of a noticeable lack of consistency which has plagued many a book over the years. With all the being said colourist Antonio Fabela gives some great final touches to the artwork with the selection being in keeping with the environment.

While he does have his critics due to his exaggerated style give credit where it's due as Humberto Ramos and with all the craziness that is happening he is best equipped to handle it. Almost every panel is brimming with multiple characters and doesn't result in lazy backgrounds as they also carry the parts of the building falling to pieces as well as The Hand uniforms being torn to shreds.

Back to the positives, and it leaves us looking at the art of Humberto Ramos. While it wasn't as explosive as the previous issue that's not to say it wasn't some great material.

Stegman makes 2099 look like what everybody in the 80s and 90s thought that the future would look like, complete with the hoverbikes and freakishly large buildings with motorways also freakishly high up.

When looked at on their own Humberto Ramos produces some beautiful panels however the problem is when viewed the way they should it feels disjointed.

Gage and Slott have created a fast paced and action heavy issue that artist Humberto Ramos converts to some great pages. While the big monstrous Venom look can be divisive he still makes it clear with things like the webshooters still being visible, all be it covered up but its also the smaller details that can go under appreciated such as when he's free of the symbiote his posture is just "so Otto". While seeing multiple colourists can cause problems the transition in between is seamless which is much to the issue's benefit. With the end being in sight for this story plot points that have been juggled about are really starting to come to ramp up as Goblin Nation is almost here.

David Lopez presents some great truly beautiful pages early in the issue as Spider-Man is making his way through the various heroes however when it begins to reach its climax which all the action and explosions happening in the background which are due to some pencil and inking choices not matching up together. However when it's good it's really good which Owens and Rosenberg's inks and colours are a testament to, especially on Spider-Man's new costume which is starting to grow on me quickly.

Sure our new hero only being around for two pages will come as a disappointment for many, myself included but the issue is still worth the price of admission. For those unaware its worth knowing that both Thors will be around in this series so while it'll feature the fall of Thor Odison, it'll see the rise of the new Thor. Most importantly though Thor #1 succeeds as a good jumping on point for new readers and I for onewill definitely be sticking around to see where this one goes.

The art is awesome and when I say that I am talking about the cover because the interior is just plain horrible. My first experience with Dillon was in the 50th anniversary tribute in Avenging Spider-Man and he managed to ruin what was actually a pretty sweet story by the inability to convey any emotions. All the characters look the same. However if they managed to at least not look completely bland I could potentially find some way to excuse it. Is it possible that the quality of the story itself isn't as bad as I think it is? Sure but if I have to look at something that I don't like throughout then it will always leave a sour taste in my mouth regardless.

David Marquez's art is spot on yet again making it a great partnership.

I have been a huge fan of the series up till this point and hope that with Miles being a part of the Divided We Fall event I can only hope that we finally see further development at least when it comes to his fighting style when he meets up with the icon that is Captain America. For what it is this was a good issue however the issues with the series slow it down.

Whereas Ultimates alluded to the grander scope this only gives an off-handed comment and if it weren't for Cap you could easily forget that it was a part of Divided We Fall which disproves the claim that you could only read one of the books to know what is going on.

One thing I absolutely HAVE to point out is how this and that last issue has pretty much nothing to do with Divided We Fall. Yeah, Cap mentions that the country is screwed up at the moment but it never goes further than that. If it didn't bother to have the banner on the side you wouldn't be able to tell either way. Even the end whilst teasing that he will potentially have more involvement from Captain America doesn't directly set up how Divided We Fall will conclude with Miles' being a part of it whatsoever.

I know a lot is being said about Sara Pichelli's work as of late in Spider-Men and there's no denying how gorgeous it is but people are really sleeping on how good Marquez's is in comparison. Miles' face as he and Ganke are trying out catchphrases are priceless.

When I first picked up this month's issue it was met with disappointment because Dave Marquez's name was missing. One of the strengths that this series has is the artists, they've stayed on the book long enough to leave an impression and that's through the high quality of their work. While at this point I'm not 100% sure to whether this is only a temporary change or a permanent one I'll just have to wait and see. However for the most part Larraz manages to make me look past that and enjoy his take on the characters. For the most part it does look a lot similar to Marquez's work without looking like a cheap imitation.

Pepe Larrez again steps in as a replacement for Marquez's art and there are hit and misses. During the explosive action scenes the book is stunning but when Spider-Man is there doing any sort of acrobatic moves it can look jarring. Especially since Miles has a tendency throughout of shifting size. At times he looks the size that he should but then at others he looks like a grown man. It's not really unless he's stood next to Spider-Woman that the proportion is correct.

Next issue brings the return of Venom and Miles' first real super-villian that he will have to come up against and I can't wait. Hopefully Bendis wont just let the work on Jefferson drop again.

All of this pales into comparison compared to the return of Sara Pichelli on art. As of late I have critised the series for flipping between artists issuetoissue and for continuity sake would have been happy enough to just continue having Marquez penciling. However it's hardly anything to complain about when the person that does replace him is the wonderful Sara Pichelli who managed to give me my biggest heartache in 2011′s Spider-Men miniseries. However that being said JJJ looks a little off at times as if he had one too many doughnuts but that is only a minor thing to bring up which doesn't really constitute an actual complaint.

Venom is spends most of the fight dropping teasers because whether it's down to sheer ignorance ornaivety Miles hasn't seemed to question how exactly he got his powers. He's aware that it's not toodissimilarto how Peter got his butapartfrom that it's clear Venom knows a lot more than he's prepared to divulge.

Sara Pichelli continues to pump out some fine pages and while this is not some of her strongest work I cant help but be in love with how she draws Miles as a whole. One of things that makes it usually excel is the detail and ability to convey various emotions theres only really a sense visually that Miles and his mother are actually taking this situation seriously.

This is Pichelli's last issue. I've said numerous times that she is my favourite Miles artist and the last couple of pages are the epitome of this. With all that has happened to him over the past day it hits the right note of the shock, realisation and anger. Then there's Venom as his tentacles wave around in all directions and you see the scarier side of the pendulum.

Take this opportunity to enjoy some of the best character work that Marvel has to offer.

David Marquez has set a high standard to impress with such great work in the past, now that he is able to play around with Cloak and Daggers' powers it maintains the streak. Cloak's ghostly powers in particular are well done as he takes up panels.

What can I say about Marquez's art that I haven't said in every other review I have given of this series? It's damn near perfection each time because it's not always about the action scenes but some great facial work. If the last thing that I saw was his version of Gwen Stacy before going blind then I think I may just be able to live with that.

This could potentially be the final issue of Ultimate Comics Spider-Man as over the next few months the entire Ultimate line goes into the event Cataclysm and with rumours being rampant that it could be the end of the Ultimate line completely which would either see the death of Miles and co. or being brought to the 616. While personally don't believe either of these things happening IF it did the final page pretty much wraps up a huge and prominent theme in Miles' tenure as the wall crawler.

Despite hating all of the Ultimate covers because they look like dumb CGI Billy Tan's interior art is fine expect for a couple of things. Now, I don't know whether it's because they want to make them different to the 616 but what the hell is going on with Iron Man's and to be more specific Captain America's costumes? Both the helmet and chest plate for Iron Man look stupid but compared to Cap's it is a work of art. Why on the cover is he just hearing the standard Captain America helmet but in the book itself he is wussing out and is wearing an actual helmet to which he went to B&Q and got some paint so that he could have an A on it? Amour may make sense but in the context of this it just looks goofy.

Going into this event I was one of those people that wasn't reading The Ultimates and coming off this event I don't think I'll be continuing. Aside from the flaws that I have mentioned with the story there is no overarching hook to it, I just simply don't care. I've heard people at my LCS say that Ultimates is the closest to the movies but if it is I'd rather just stick to the movies because this isn't doing it for me.

There are times that artist Phil Noto draws some disgusting panels featuring disembowelment which did gross me out

I had stopped reading X-Force a while ago for budget reasons but while there are a several references to what happened before Humphries limits it not going into detail about what exactly happens and instead using Garney's art as a dangling thread. In doing so it doesn't feel like you're obligated to read what previous issues to catch up.

Like I said with #1 the standout factor has to be the colour work by Marte Gracia, Israel Gonzalez and Wil Quintana. Whether its the use of purple involving Psylocke or orange during the explosions everything works to their best.

This is a very action focused series but at the same I wouldnt give it the label fight book and the negative connotations that come with that especially since the art as whole comes across beautifully whether its the way Garney draws a roaring Bishop to the great colours that have been the most standout aspect of the series to this point. Whether its the decision to go grey in the panels except for small sections of purple is great. Even when towards the conclusion where they swap it around and the majority of the two page spread is red it works in the same way.

Lan Medina does a great job with the art with some great web-slinging shots from great heights and in the front of explosions. However he does the best job on Jack's victim.

The surprise reveal at the end managed to draw no sort of emotional reaction compared to other books this week. The most I was able to muster was a shoulder shrug.

With one final issue of the story to go which just so happens to Remender's last on the book expect to have the rest of his loose ends tied up as it draws to a close.

If you haven't been reading the series I highly recommend that you try and pick up the TPBs you won't be disappointed. If you just want more Remender Venom he is as a part of the Secret Avengers roster.

Shilas' art comes as just reactionary. In one panel you'll see Flash shooting and then in the panel below it you'll then see whatever it is that Flash was firing at.

Whilst the writing is definite improvement and pushes the story further forward that can not unfortunately be said about the art. Don't get me wrong it is by no means horrible, I have seen worse *cough* Liefeld *cough* but it isn't as good as previous artists have handled the character. For example one of my favourite aspects of the art throughout its run is whenever Flash loses control of the symbiote and it goes from the military suit to a more classic Venom. Granted in this situation there is a slight difference afterall since he is being possessed by a demon but the addition of horns makes him look stupid. Hellboy he is not. The wings also don't do him any favours. Since it's not as action focused as the last issue the problem of just being reactionary art isn't an issue and for that I am grateful and apart from the gripes I've made it is solid.

Minimum Carnage is up next and I've said before that I don't like Carnage but I can only hope that it comes along a lot better than the last time Flash fought a symbiote in Savage Six against Toxin which in the end made his journey to unknowingly claim the symbiote earlier in the year seem like a waste. However the return of Declan Shalvey to art is something to look forward to.

There are times when the art is hit and miss but is good and consistent enough to where it can be enjoyed regardless.

It shows a little bit of a flashback into how Widow was trained to become the person that she is today. Whilst I preferred #6 it still kept the storyline going in the direction that keeps the story interesting for the future.

The anger of Bucky as he tries to track down Widow is done expertly as he is getting more and more aggressive as he comes back from a dead-end. Lark does a great job depicting that. For whatever reason I love the panel of the note that Bucky was left written in bloody with the knife in the tree more than I probably should.

Lark's artwork has been perfectly matched to capture the frustration and relief that Bucky suffers which adds to its enjoyment.

Guices art is a good comparison to the art found in other books this week like New Avengers #30 where in that case it was just a bunch of faces with open mouths this shows actual facial expressions which adds to the emersion of the story. A special mention has to be made to the colourist Bettie Breitweiser because the choice of colours made the book even more impactful. This can be said to a larger degree during the flashback scenes at the front and back of the issue.

Whoever authorised Hawkeyes glasses needs to be punished because they look absolutely ridiculous. Its not like Clint has never worn standard purple sunglasses before or anything but these are just awful. Aside from that gripe the combination of the layouts with the team of Guice and Breitweisers pencils and colours is undoubtedly the standout factor of the book.

The extremely quick fight scene over two pages between Wolverine and Bucky is yet another example of great work of Guice and Breitweiser as a storm is happening in the background. Add that to the reveal of Daredevil and as he demonstrates his athleticism.

If you bought the awesomeBryan Lee O'Malley variant cover, which is awesome by the way you open it up to some beautiful work byJamieMcKelvie & Matthew Wilson. Noh-Varr dancing has to be a personal favourite without a doubt.When you roll all the things that it accomplishes, as not only a new #1 but as a comic book in general it makes the wait for #2 seem that much further away.

There is literally no faults to be found here, instead of just relying on their laurels theres the much appreciated stroke of imagination. When Wiccan and Hulkling get thrown into their new rooms to be rescued by Loki and just how creepily beautiful it is when Teddy obliterates his fake mothers head and as it reforms keeps her creepy smile is wonderfully brought together.

The only real criticism of the series is its pacing. It's 3 issues in and not only have the team not officially formed. We've only seen Kate and Marvel Boy fighting off the Skrulls briefly in #1 but the references that have been made to Kate serve as a reminder not to forget that she exists and will be arriving sooner of later.

The combination of McKelvie, Norton and Wilson continues its hot streak. What makes this series so wonderfully unique is its presentation. It acts as another instance of a more creative layout of the panels during the brawl at MJ's helps the action flow.

With the first arc over hopefully that'll be the end of the pacing issues that have been plaguing the series so far.However even with those problems it still manages to still be an incredibly fun book with the promise of getting even better.

Over the past year, learning more and more about what different parts go into making a single comic has given me a new appreciation over the roles that each person plays, particularly in the art department. So when there's an artist that handles pencils, inks and colours there's a level of respect earned and when it's done as well as Kate Brown does here the appreciation increases tenfold. The series has demonstrated under McKelvie some great panel layouts and there are some similarly great layouts, one in particular where Speed is using his powers to finish his work.