Cataclysm: The Ultimates Last Stand #1 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Mark Bagley

I have been looking forward to this event starting properly for a while now, and last weeks Ultimate Comics: Cataclysm #0.1 issue got me even more excited. I will however be disappointed if this is the true end for the Ultimate Universe as although Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man has been the only good one as of late, it will be sad to see the Universe cease to exist.

Plot

As Galactus starts to destroy New York, S.H.I.E.L.D., Spider-Man (Miles Morales) and the Ultimates try to fight back, but these heroes have never fought anything like this before.

Review

This was a brilliant start for the event, as although it wasn't as spectacular as I hoped it would, it was still very exciting. Brian Michael Bendis did an amazing job of catering for all readers with this, as anyone who only read Age of Ultron get to see some continuation from the end of that, with the build-up of Galactus also being followed-up on, whilst also catering for new readers. I did however feel that the issue tried to be too exciting too fast, as although I love action in comics there wasn't a lot of natural set-up, as although there has been set-up prior to this, it still felt rather sudden. Bendis would however as usual create some good dialogue, and especially in the Spider-Man sequence, with plenty of drama as well.

The artwork on this issue was also amazing as although it wasn't the best work that I've seen from Mark Bagley, it is still some outstanding artwork. The detail in Bagley's art throughout was generally to a very high standard, as although there would be the odd imperfection, as well as some weird expressions it would overall be very consistent, with Galactus himself looking phenomenal. I also really enjoyed the layout of Bagley's artwork as it was very unique and dynamic, adding a lot of impact and suspense, especially when Galactus was about. I also loved how Bagley handled the action in this issue as well, and overall the only small quibble I had was the odd awkward facial expression.

This issue would start with Miles and his best friend Ganke talking about him seeing Galactus during the events that brought him to the Ultimate Universe. I really enjoyed this interaction as it allows anyone that didn't get the chance to read Hunger to feel like they can still easily start reading this series. I also enjoyed the interaction itself as a whole, and how even though Miles has seen a lot of crazy stuff, it is still questioned whether he's going crazy or not. I also felt that the sequence as a whole would also add a hint of humour to the issue, but overall it was mainly good for continuity reasons.

Not long after this Galactus would attack New York with Miles and Ganke being in the middle of it, so obviously Miles would try to do something as Spider-Man. Now Galactus' attack itself was very exciting, though there wasn't much depth or emotion to it, as although Galactus has always been a character that has let his actions speak for him, the lack of depth and emotion would lower the tone of the sequence slightly, with it relying too much on it's explosive and impactful nature. It was however interesting to see that Galactus isn't messing around and I look forward to seeing how his part in this story develops.

Now Spider-Man wouldn't be the only person to try and stop Galactus as S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Ultimates would also get involved, though the Ultimates would take a while getting there. Now it would be the reaction of S.H.I.E.L.D. director Monica Chang that would interest me the most, as it would show just how serious the situation is, as well as show the typical angry nature that S.H.I.E.L.D. has during a crisis. The thing I liked most about the Ultimates involvement however would be to see most of the Ultimate version of the Fantastic Four react to Galactus not knowing who he is, and I hope we eventually get to see Galactus' reaction to this version of the Fantastic Four.

Final Verdict

This was a very good start for the event, as although it felt like a little too much too quickly it would still have a lot of exciting moments, showing that this event will be far from dull. It will however need to slow down a touch if it wants to become a great story though, as the high pace is a little too much. I would however still highly recommend this issue and can't wait for the next.

Rating: 7/10

Guardians of the Galaxy #8 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Francesco Francavilla

Since it started Guardians of the Galaxy has been a very fun and enjoyable series, as although it has been slightly inconsistent at times it is usually very entertaining, and has turned me into a fan of it's characters. I have however of late been really looking forward to it's part in Infinity, especially considering Thanos has appeared in this series for different reasons as of late.

Plot

As Thanos' army is invading the Earth the Guardians of the Galaxy get a distress call from Abigail Brand.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, as although the star wasn't very new reader friendly, it would soon become a very exciting issue that was very entertaining. Brian Michael Bendis has been doing a fantastic job with this series, and he continues that here, as he managed to give some very interesting developments, whilst making it fit into the Infinity event in a very unique, but fitting way. The issue would also flow very smoothly, being brilliantly paced, also being very dramatic and suspenseful at times. The dialogue would also once again be outstanding, adding the perfect tone to the issue, and I especially enjoyed that Bendis addressed the "Blam! I just murdered you!" catchphrase of Rocker Raccoon.

I wasn't too sure what to make of the artwork in this issue, as although I usually really enjoy Francesco Francavilla's artwork, it didn't really fit this series. The detail throughout his artwork would also be a bit inconsistent, as although there would be some highly detailed sequences, there were some rough panels that were a bit jarring. I did however love the layout from Francavilla, and I loved the space sequences, feeling that they were very dynamic, having a lot of tone. I also loved the action sequences in this issue, as Francavilla would make them very exciting and explosive, with the layouts helping with the flow of the sequences.

This issue would start with Gamora and Star-Lord (Peter Quill) discussing Thanos' invasion of the Earth, and some deal that Peter and Drax the Destroyer made with Thanos. Now I have only been following the Guardians of the Galaxy since the start of this series so don't have a clue what they are discussing here. I did however enjoy the overall tone of the sequence as well as the intensity within it. It was also interesting to see the two once again disagreeing over what the team should do, and the way that this would continue throughout the first half of this issue was also very interesting, and I look forward to any development from this.

Near the start of this issue the Guardians of the Galaxy would get a message from Abigail Brand, asking the Guardians to save her. It was very interesting to see Abigail added to this issue, as due to the Peak being featured in the main Infinity event, it is nice to see the head of S.W.O.R.D. make an appearance in this issue, tying the series in even more with the event. This development would also add to the disagreement between Peter and Gamora and would overall turn out to be a brilliant catalyst for the issue.

There would also be plenty of action in this issue as the Guardians of the Galaxy went to save Abigail. As usual with Bendis the dialogue during this action sequence would also help to make it that bit more entertaining, as although it was exciting enough, the brilliant interaction between Peter and Rocket Raccoon would add a lot of humour to the sequence. The only small annoyance I had with the action was that it could have really been any alien threat that the Guardians were against, as the artwork wouldn't make much distinction, with the Guardians taking the whole of the spotlight, though that wasn't really a bad thing.

Final Verdict

This was an amazing issue, and although the start wasn't very new reader friendly the issue would soon become extremely entertaining and exciting. The art from Francavilla didn't however suit the series, as although there was some amazing moments, it was mostly rather jarring and awkward, having the wrong tone for the series. The issue would however also have some brilliant interactions and explosive action and overall I'd highly recommend this, though it's not necessary for anyone looking for Infinity tie-ins that are closer linked to the main event.

Rating: 8/10

Guardians of the Galaxy # 7 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Sara Pichelli & Valerio Schiti

Guardians of the Galaxy has to be one of Marvels more fun series', as although there have been a few poor issues in the series so far, it's usually very fun and extremely entertaining, with some brilliant character interactions. With the addition of Angela to the series and with Neil Gaiman as a consultant I expect the series to get even better.

Plot

With Angela captured the Guardians of the Galaxy try to find out why she's so interested with the Earth.

Review

This was a very good issue, as although it was much slower than the last issue, it was still very enjoyable. Brian Michael Bendis did a tremendous job of continuing the Guardians of the Galaxy's encounter with Angela. Bendis did however seem to struggle slightly when it came to overcoming the slowness of the issue, as although the tone added a lot of excitement to the issue, it was still a bit dull at times, and overall it didn't overcome the fact that nothing much really happened in this issue. Bendis would however once again do an amazing job with the dialogue in this issue, as although there were times were the humour was a little unnecessary, it would make the issue much more entertaining and enjoyable.

The artwork on this issue was however once again outstanding with Sara Pichelli and Valerio Schiti both doing an amazing job. The detail in this issue was as usual spectacular, and much like last issue the accompany artists work would fit nicely with Pichelli, with their styles being very similar. To be honest their style was that similar that if the credits hadn't said who was working on the issue I would have thought that it was only one artists. Anyway the layouts from both artists would also be outstanding, adding a lot of depth and tone to the issue, with the amazing character emotion also adding a lot of depth and drama to the issue, as well as a terrific atmosphere.

The majority of this issue would see the Guardians of the Galaxy questioning Angela about her interest in the Earth. Now although this would have some very slow moments the sequences as a whole was rather interesting, with some of the dialogue being very entertaining, showing the diversity of characteristics perfectly. The most interesting part of this however had to be the dialogue from Angela, as due to her being rather mysterious until now it was nice to see her have some dialogue interaction with other characters.

The part of the issue that I would enjoy the most would be when Angela started talking about her coming from Heven, and how Earth was a place that she had only heard in stories, much like Heven is for the Star-Lord (Peter Quill) and Iron Man (Tony Stark). I especially enjoyed how this would give us a glimpse into the world that Angela is from, as due to knowing very little about the character prior to her insertion into the Marvel Universe it was nice to see a bit of her background. On top of that the landscape of Heven was simply beautiful, in a much more unique way than other versions of heaven.

The Guardians would also be questioning in this issue whether or not to trust Angela. Now this was obviously a factor that was going to come into the series now that she's been captured, and the way Bendis handled this was brilliant. I especially enjoyed how this would add a bit of dysfunction to the team, as although nothing major we'd see some minor disagreements (though that is far from a new thing for the Guardians of the Galaxy). 

Final Verdict

This was a fantastic issue as although it wouldn't be quite as good as the last couple of issue it would still be a very good issue. It would also tell some of Angela's back story brilliantly, having some very interesting moments throughout the issue. The dialogue would also once again be amazing, though the lack of plot development didn't help the issue. I would however still recommend this issue, as it wasn't the worst the series has produced so far, being a very interesting read.

Rating: 7/10

Guardians of the Galaxy #6 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artists: Sara Pichelli & Olivier Coipel

I've fallen behind on my Guardians of the Galaxy reviews as of late, but I've finally gotten round to catching up on them. The series as a whole has been amazing as although it's not always been brilliant, having had the odd poor issue, it has always been fun and enjoyable to read.

Plot

As Star-Lord (Peter Quill) talks with Thanos the Guardians of the Galaxy continue their fight with Angela.

Review

This was an amazing issue and a brilliant continuation from the last issue. Brian Michael Bendis did a tremendous job of making this issue relatively new reader friendly whilst also continuing from the explosive events of the last issue. Bendis would also add a lot of excitement to this issue itself, as every sequence would be exciting to a certain extent, with the main fight being the most explosive of these. Besides that the issue would flow very smoothly also keeping the fun tone that I've enjoyed so much, with the dialogue once again being simply wonderful, with Iron Man (Tony Stark) and Rocker Raccoon adding a lot of humour.

The artwork in this issue would also be fantastic, with both Sara Pichelli and Olivier Coipel both doing an amazing job. The detail in this issue was simply outstanding, being very consistent throughout. What I loved most about the artwork however was the smooth transition between the two artists, as although I could easily tell the difference between both artists, the styles worked well next to each other, and although I prefer Coipel's art in general, it was nice that Pichelli's managed to stand out as the star of this issue. On top of that the layouts from both artists would also be spectacular adding a lot of tone and depth to the issue, with the two main encounters being very intense and exciting.

This issue would start with the Watcher being surprised about Angela's presence in the Marvel Universe. Now although the Watcher is sometimes used unnecessarily, it is always interesting to see him make an appearance, as it usually means that something interesting will happen. I especially enjoyed his appearance in this issue, and loved the reaction that he had to Angela, as it's not often that you see the Watcher shocked. I also felt that his presence in this issue helped to make it more new reader friendly for anyone that missed the previous issue.

This issue would also feature the continuation of Gamora's battle with Angela, with the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy getting involved as well. Now this was easily the best part of the issue, as although the start of the fight in the last issue was exciting, it would be even more so now that the other members of the Guardians of the Galaxy were involved. The sequence would also be made even more entertaining with the amazing dialogue, with Rocket Raccoon once again adding a lot of humour to the series, with Tony and Groot adding some humour themselves.

Besides the fight I was mostly looking forward to seeing the encounter between Peter and Thanos that was teased at the very end of the last issue. Now although this sequence was overshadowed slightly by the amazing fight that I just talked about, it would still be very exciting, having a very intense tone throughout. Bendis would also do a brilliant job with Thanos himself, as although he has been the focused heavily in the Infinity event, Bendis would do a good job of utilising him in this story as well, with the interaction flowing very smoothly, as well as being very interesting.

Final Verdict

This was a fantastic issue and a brilliant continuation from the explosive events of the last issue. It would also have a lot of excitement in it's own right, with some intense sequences and amazing encounters. The dialogue would also be outstanding adding a lot of drama and humour to the issue, keeping the fun tone that I love most about this series perfectly. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue as it was truly amazing.

Rating: 9/10

X-Men: Battle of the Atom #2 Review

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artists: Esad Ribic & Giuseppe Camuncoli

Although Battle of the Atom has lasted longer than it probably should have, having some slow moments along the way, it has overall been a very entertaining story. It does however all come down to this ending, as although it's been good so far, a bad ending could ruin the entire story.

Plot

The X-Men and the future Brotherhood go at it one last time, with S.H.I.E.L.D. inadvertently attacking the mutants as well. 

Review

This was a very good issue as a whole, but it had quite a few problems, with the ending being one of the main problems. Also unlike solicited the issue would actually be written by Jason Aaron who did a brilliant job of making the issue very exciting. He did however not didn't do a fantastic job of ending the story, as although a certain part of the outcome was already spoiled, the ending wouldn't give much clarity to the overall story, making it feel rather unnecessary. Aaron would however add a lot of suspense and drama to this issue as well, with there being some very interesting dialogues, though the poor ending still overshadows all this quite a bit.

The artwork on this issue would be the other big problem, as although there were some very talented artists with the main artwork being done by Esad Ribic and Giuseppe Camuncoli, and the epilogue artwork featuring more of Camuncoli's work, also featuring art from Chris Bachalo, Kris Anka and Stuart Immonen. The main problem with the art was that it was clearly very rushed, with it being poorly detailed. There would however be the odd phenomenal panel, and the layout overall was amazing, but the roughness of the art made it very hard to enjoy it, even with the beautiful colours from  Ive Svorcina, Andres Mossa and Guru Efx.

The issue would start straight from where Wolverine and the X-Men #37 left off with the X-Men being attacked by S.H.I.E.L.D. missiles, that were fired by the Brotherhood. Now this would be a very exciting sequence with the fight between all the X-Men and the future Brotherhood taking up most of the issue. During the fight there would be some amazing interactions, but the best would be between Wolverine, Cyclops and  the future Jean Grey.  On top of this the younger X-Men would also add some fun to the sequence with what certain members had to say about the events.

We'd also get to see some Sentinels in this issue, though what bothered the X-Men most about this was the fact that they were S.H.I.E.L.D. Sentinels. Now naturally this wouldn't make the X-Men happy, and naturally so. The addition itself was however rather hollow, as it would have been nice to have seen a bit more action involving the Sentinels, as their appearance seems to be mainly to set up the future events of Wolverine and the X-Men. Other than that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s involvement in this issue was overall very decent, as although they seemed mainly background characters, they added a different tone to the issue, and overall I look forward to seeing the aftermath of this sequence.

The main story would be followed by four epilogues, two written by Aaron, one written by Brian Wood and the last being written by Brian Michael Bendis. Now I won't go into any detail about these epilogues, but story wise they'd be the best part of the issue, and did a fantastic job of giving a little bit of closure for the characters, setting up the future of the X-Men brilliantly. The epilogue that interested me the most however had to be the final one by Bendis that would see Kitty Pryde air her feelings over the event in a very exciting fashion.

Final Verdict

This was an exciting issue, but due to a poor ending and very rushed artwork it was probably overall the poorest issue in the story, with it making the story feel irrelevant and unnecessary. There would however be some explosive moments, and some shocking developments with the epilogues doing a fantastic job of setting up the future of the X-Men titles, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to overcome the sudden and poor ending. Due to this I'd only recommend this issue to anyone who's been following the story so far, or anyone that loves explosive action, as otherwise it's only essential for the epilogues.

Rating: 6/10

Uncanny X-Men #13 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Chris Bachalo

Battle of the Atom has on a whole been a very exciting story so far, as although it has had a few issues that were slightly disappointing, on a whole it's been very entertaining, with some amazing moments.

Plot

As Cyclops' X-Men and a group of X-Men from the future prepare to take the fight to the renegade X-Men team from the future they are stopped in their tracks.

Review

Though slightly disappointing this was a good issue, and Brian Michael Bendis did a great job of developing the story. I did however feel that there was too much going on for one issue, with too many sub-plots that didn't get enough development time, and cutting some would have probably made the others better. Bendis did however do a brilliant job of adding a lot of excitement and tension to this issue, though the many sub-plots did slightly take away from this. There was however some very interesting interactions, and the the development near the end was very interesting, making the last two chapters of this story look even more exciting.

The artwork that Chris Bachalo has been producing on this series has been overall very good, as although I am not a fan of his work in general, it suits this series brilliantly. I did however once again dislike it, as bar the style continuing not to fit as well as the other artists do, it also didn't help with the storytelling, as the style would make the story feel even more muddled than it already did. I did however as usual like Bachalo's layouts, as although they were partly to blame for the muddled feel at times, they also managed to add a lot of depth and excitement throughout the rest of the issue. I also loved how Bachalo handled the action in this issue, as his art would make the sequences much more explosive and exciting.

There would be two main fights/encounters in this issue, with one being Cyclops' team against Xavier Jr. Although this wasn't my favourite out of the two encounters, it was still very exciting at times, having a lot of tension throughout, also having a brilliant atmosphere to it. It was also very clever at times, as although most of the encounter was very predictable, there were a couple of points that were very interesting, showing that Xavier Jr. isn't a pushover. At the same time this clever development took away the amount of excitement that would be added if Cyclops' team was given a proper chance of fighting back.

The other fight would see the future Deadpool and Molly Hayes go up against Magik and the future version of her brother Colossus, with them both having Soul Swords. This was a much more entertaining sequence, and I really enjoyed seeing the sibling team-up, even if one of them is from the future. I also felt that this sequence was a lot more exciting, having a much better tone and atmosphere, with the dialogue also being much better. On top of that the fight felt much more organic, and spontaneous than the other, with some of the actions feeling very sudden and suspenseful.

Whilst all this is happening the future Jean Grey and Beast, along with Raze (who was revealed in X-Men #6 to be Wolverine's shape changing son from the future, who so far had been masquerading as a future version of Kitty Pryde) would get even closer to their goal of sending the younger X-Men back to their own timeline. Now I won't go into any detail as to what happens here, though anyone who followed the NYCC announcements can guess part of the development. The sequence was however very interesting and dramatic, and the developments were even more interesting, having me more excited for the final two chapters.

Final Verdict

Though not one of the better issues in the story so far, it was still exciting at times, and did a good job of developing the story as a whole. It did however have too much going on, and would have probably been better if some of the sub-plots were cut. There would also however be some very exciting moments, and the issue as a whole would have been much better if not for the amount going on. Due to all this I'd barely recommend it, and especially if you've been following the story so far, but otherwise wait for the trade.

Rating: 7/10

All-New X-Men #17 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen

I have been very excited about Battle of the Atom throughout the crossover so far, as although it has not had a great deal of progression over the first half, it showed plenty of promise at the end of the last instalment, renewing my excitement and having my hopes raised for the second half of this crossover.

Plot

Magik has taken the younger Beast and Iceman to the future to confront the real future X-Men. Also it is revealed the events that have caused the other future X-Men to come to the present.

Review

This was a brilliant issue and the series has finally returned to the high quality that it started with. Brian Michael Bendis managed to bring some life back to this crossover, as although it has been good throughout, it has been a little slow since part three, whereas now Bendis has turned it back into the exciting and entertaining crossover that it promised to be in the first two parts. The issue was also very dramatic, having some very mysterious moments that kept the story interesting. The dialogue throughout the issue was also very perfectly, being very dynamic and entertaining, having a brilliant tone throughout, and if it's this exciting for the rest of the crossover it could become something phenomenal.

The artwork on this issue was also fantastic, and Stuart Immonen did a fantastic job. The detail of his art was simply amazing, as although some minor imperfections, it was relatively consistent throughout. The layout of Immonen's artwork was also handled perfectly, being very dynamic and at times impactful, adding a lot of depth and drama to the issue. The character's facial expressions and emotions were also handled brilliantly, adding even more depth, as well as making the story more dramatic as well, also adding suspense at times. There would also be some rather extravagant sequences throughout this issue which Immonen handled fantastically, as they were extremely exciting and explosive.

This issue starts by showing the future, with Dazzler running to become the first mutant president. Now I won't go into much detail about this sequence as to avoid spoilers, but I will say that it was extremely dramatic, and eventually got really exciting. I also really enjoyed seeing this possible future, and how it would make the mysterious parts of this story a little more clearer. I do however question whether this is actually Dazzler, or if Mystique would keep impersonating her for a long period of time? I do hope that this is answered sometime as it would be slightly annoying otherwise.

Magik and the younger Beast and Iceman would confront the "real" future X-Men in this issue as well, and the things they said about the group that has returned to the present makes things very exciting. I'll start off by saying that it was interesting to see how the other X-Men had changed over the years, having much different looks. I especially liked the new look for Jubilee, with her still appearing to be a vampire, looking more like one than she does the now. Besides that I found it funny to see Colossus with a moustache, and the interaction he and Magik would have was extremely interesting.

What does this mean for the future of the crossover? Without going into any details about the major developments in this issue, it has really opened the storyline up, leaving a lot of different possibilities. It also has left a ton of new mysteries, with a lot of questions, like who's in the right, and what should actually happen. Put it this way I expect that the story will get even more exciting from now on, and I for one look forward to seeing it. I also look forward to seeing more from these real future X-Men in the future of the story, and how the other future X-Men react to the interaction they had with Magik.

Final Verdict

This was a fantastic issue that has gotten the crossover back to the level of quality that the first couple of issues showed. It also had some very exciting moments, as well as having plenty of mystery drama, suspense and emotion. There were also some brilliant interactions, and the future of the story looks very promising. Due to all this it's easy to recommend this issue and I can't wait for the next part.

Rating: 9/10

Marvel Teases "Trial" and "Judgement" as Part of All-New Marvel NOW!

Marvel are at it again with their teaser images, as with what they're calling the All-New Marvel NOW! about to kick off they've released two new projects that will be written by Brian Michael Bendis, one of which is teased as "Trial" and will feature artwork from Stuart Immonen, and the other which is teased as "Judgement" and having Sara Pichelli on artwork. Full details will however not be released until the New York Comic Con.

My Thoughts

The main question over these two teasers is whether they'll be brand new titles, or continuations of current series. Now the huge 1's behind each image would suggest that both are brand new series, yet at the same time given the fact that both Immonen and Pichelli work with Bendis on current series (All-New X-Men for Immonen, and Guardians of the Galaxy for Pichelli) it would also suggest that they may also be continuations. I personally believe that they will both be continuations, and have a pretty good idea on what "Trail" will be, believing that it will finally see the trial of Scott Summers in the All-New X-Men series. I also feel that "Judgement" could either be a continuation to Guardians of the Galaxy seeing the Galactic Council face the consequences of their recent actions in Infinity, or that Pichelli will be moving as permanent artist on Uncanny X-Men and that it'll be a counter story to "Trial", though the first one sounds more likely.

Thanks for taking the time to view this article and please leave any comments, as well as your thoughts on these teasers bellow.

Uncanny X-Men #12 Review

WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL SPOIL THE EVENTS OF BATTLE OF THE ATOM SO FAR!

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Chris Bachalo

Battle of the Atom has been the crossover that I was looking forward to for a long time, and so far it hasn't disappointed, as although it's still to hit top gear, it has been extremely fun, and entertaining, and I'm always excited between each instalment.

Plot

The younger Cyclops and Jean Grey have reached Utopia where they try and gain the help of older Cylcops' X-Men.

Review

This was yet another great addition to the Battle of the Atom storyline, tough also the worst so far. Brian Michael Bendis did a great job of continuing from where X-Men #5 left off, but the issue itself didn't do a great lot to help the stories development. It did however still have some brilliant sequences, with yet again more amazing dialogue from Bendis, which added a lot of drama, and excitement. It did however also lag at times, trying to do too much set-up with nothing really paying off in this issue. Bendis did however leave the issue with a brilliant cliffhanger, and I really hope that this is followed-up properly in Wolverine and the X-Men #36, and that the series finally reaches a higher gear.

Although I've never been a huge fan of Chris Bachalo's artwork, I have been enjoying it on this series. I did however really dislike it on this issue, as a lot of the art reminded me of why I disliked it in the first place. For starters his artwork doesn't really go well with any of the previous artists in this story, and although I already knew this, seeing it made it more obvious. I also hated Bachalo's artwork on the future X-Men, and especially the future Beast and Deadpool. I did however once again love his layouts and colours, as the layout adds a lot of depth and tone to the issue, whilst his colours also added more tone and depth, being the best thing about his artwork.

This series has seen S.H.I.E.L.D. have a huge involvement in it, so it was no surprise that it would be the issue to introduce them to this storyline. Now to be honest I feel that it's a good thing to add S.H.I.EL.D., as it adds some diversity, giving a different possible path in the future stages of the story. At the same time I also liked how it was condensed in this issue to nothing more than set-up, as although I complained slightly about the issue having too much set-up, and not enough payoff, this is something that needs setting up whereas some of the other things could have lead into a payoff in the same issue.

The main focus of this issue would see Cyclops contemplating whether to help these younger X-Men, or to help the others in sending them back to their own time. To be honest I thought given the close call in X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 that it'd be a no-brainer, but the way Bendis handled this decision was brilliant, showing that it wasn't actually as easy as you'd initially assume. Besides this I also loved seeing the different opinions that the other X-Men members had, and how this would show how much friction this situation has caused.

Whilst this was happening the future X-Men, along with Wolverine's X-Men would continue searching for the two younger X-Men. The sequence itself was interesting, but I would have much preferred them to have been closer to actually doing something a little more productive, as although I don't want things rushed, their search has been a little slow. I did however enjoy the interaction between certain characters, as well as the fact that the present Kitty Pryde still wanted them to stay, seeing her older self as something she doesn't want to become.

Final Verdict

Although this is the worst issue of the crossover so far, it was still very interesting, setting up things brilliantly. At the same time it was just a little too much set-up, and although this will probably help the story as a whole in the long run, it hurt this one quite a bit. I would however still recommend it, as it shows that the story still has a lot to give, and I'm sure the next instalment will be outstanding.

Rating: 7/10

New Avengers: Revolution Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artists: Leinil Francis Yu & Alex Maleev

Over the last few months I've been going through as many series I can, reviewing them in the form of trade paperbacks. One of the series I've been reviewing is The New Avengers, with this being my seventh review on Brian Michael Bendis' Avengers run, and my sixth on the series itself.

Plot

Clint Barton goes looking for the Scarlet Witch, and the now fugitive New Avengers head to Japan to save Maya Lopez from Elektra, and The Hand.

Review

This was an amazing story, and a terrific follow-up to the Civil War event. Brian Michael Bendis did a fantastic job of showing the aftermath of Civil War, and although it wasn't a very conventional way of starting, it became a brilliant story, that was both interesting, and exciting. This story was however not perfect, as although I enjoyed that Bendis took a issue out to do a bit of development from House of M, I didn't like how it followed suddenly throwing you into this new team, not even showing how they formed. I did however love the tine of the story, and found it extremely interesting how Bendis decided to use a variety of different storytelling methods throughout, making it feel very unique. I also really enjoyed the dialogue, as Bendis always seems to know what the characters should be saying, with it being extremely suspenseful at times, as well as humours when needed.

The art on this book was simply outstanding, with both the main artist, Leinil Francis Yu, and Alex Maleev who only worked on one issue both doing phenomenal jobs. I'll quickly get Maleev out of the way by stating that this was some of the best art that I've ever seen from him, as although he's done brilliant work on the likes of Batman, Daredevil, and Moon Knight, this has to rank in amongst his best artwork ever. Yu also did amazing artwork, as although not quite as good as his one issue during Civil War, it was still very highly detailed, also being very exciting, and dynamic. I did however feel that there was a little too much happening at times, which caused slight imperfections, though not enough to ruin the artwork overall. I also really enjoyed both Yu's layout, as well as the way he handled the action sequences, with both being very exciting, and dynamic, and overall he's amongst the best Avengers artists I've ever seen.

The first story in this book would see Clint Barton visiting Doctor Strange, searching for the Scarlet Witch. Clint was presumed dead following the events of Avengers Disassembled, but was brought back to life during House of M, and is wanting answers from the Scarlet Witch who is responsible for all of this. I loved that Clint was back, as he's a brilliant character, and should be a part of the Avengers. The story itself was also very interesting, as without going into too much detail, it basically showed how much House of M changed.

Following the changes that Civil War would cause, this story would see a new set of heroes going under the New Avengers name. Now I already mentioned how I disliked the way the characters were suddenly added, but the characters themselves were a nice addition to the team, and much like some of the surprise choices from the original New Avengers line-up, this would have some very interesting characters joining, with Iron Fist, Doctor Strange, and a new Ronin joining the team. I also loved how this would change the dynamic of the series as well, as given the set of characters that now make up the New Avengers it would leave the door open for new and unique directions for them to go in.

The other big change that Civil War would cause is the first time in Bendis' run that there would be two Avengers teams, as with the New Avengers now technically being fugitives, a government group called the Mighty Avengers would also be active, and at one point in this story both teams clash. The fight was amazing, and I loved how it continued the fight of morales without being a complete continuation of the Civil War. I also felt that there was some brilliant dialogue during the interaction, as although there wasn't a proper fight there was still a lot of tension, and excitement during these sequences.

There would however be some action in this story, as the New Avengers would take on none other than the Hand, who at the time were being run by Elektra. Now the Hand always brings excitement to a story, especially when they've got such a great leader like Elektra. The fight itself however was simply phenomenal, and everything you'd hope it'd be, and more. It also had great dialogue as well, with some very witty comments by certain characters. I was however not a huge fan of the jumping back and forward between this, and the confrontation with the Mighty Avengers, as although it keeps suspense, it also is slightly frustrating, though not enough to spoil the story.

Final Verdict

A superb continuation from Civil War, introducing some new members to the team. The story itself had some amazing development points, also having tons of suspense, and drama throughout. It was however not quite perfect, with a few minor details letting it down slightly. Nonetheless I'd still highly recommend this story, and especially to anyone who enjoyed Civil War, as it's a fantastic continuation, showing that the war isn't quite over (even though it technically was).

Rating: 8/10

The next Avengers book I'll be reviewing will be Mighty Avengers: The Ultron Initiative.

All-New X-Men #16 Review

WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL SPOIL THE EVENTS OF X-MEN: BATTLE OF THE ATOM #1!

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Stuart Immonen

We aren't just lucky enough for Battle of the Atom to have started, but we get two parts in one week, as following X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 this is the second part in the storyline that I personally have been looking forward to for quite a while.

Plot

Following Cyclops' near death experience a team of future X-Men come back to warn the X-Men of the consequences should the younger X-Men stay.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and although not quite on par with the first part, it was still extremely enjoyable, and very interesting. Brian Michael Bendis is certainly on a role, as given his last issue of Uncanny X-Men was slightly mediocre I was hoping that it wouldn't flow into Battle of the Atom, which it hasn't, with Bendis bouncing back brilliantly. The dialogue in this issue was simply amazing, and with the issue being mostly all talk, with little action it needed to be. Besides that Bendis managed to add a lot of atmosphere to the issue, with there being some light humour, and excitement as well. I was however not overly happy with him repeating parts, but that wasn't a huge deal, and was probably needed.

Stuart Immonen did a fantastic job of the art on this issue, as although it's not the best work that I've ever seen from him it was still amazing. The detail was however slightly inconsistent, as although most of the issue was very highly detailed, there were a few imperfections throughout, and especially near the start of the issue. His layouts were however as usual perfect, adding a lot of depth to the issue, as well as helping the story to flow smoother. I also felt that Immonen's art was very dynamic, helping create a brilliant atmosphere for the issue. I also loved how Immonen handled the characters emotions, as with the lack of action it was really needed, and Immonen didn't disappoint.

This issue followed roughly on from the opening issue, with Cyclops' X-Men back at the New Charles Xavier School for Mutants. This sequence would show how much the events that occurred in the last part have affected Triage, as he's pretty messed up over the events, and how he managed to bring the younger Cyclops (and hence the older Cylcops as well) back from the dead. This conversation was very interesting, and it showed the reality of the situation, as well as bringing home the fact that the X-Men seem to shrug off time travel incidents due to how frequent they happen.

The first part of Battle of the Atom would introduce a X-Men team that has came from the future to make sure that the younger X-Men get send back into the past. Now this was something that was already established to happen, and although their entrance in the last part was amazing, I found their appearance in this issue to be much more interesting. The team line up was amazing, and I especially loved seeing the changes that the years have caused to Deadpool, and Beast, though I do question why Deadpool is a member given the fact that he's not a mutant. I also found the other members interesting, and loved the reactions the X-Men had to these future X-Men, especially both the younger, and current Iceman's reactions.

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD!

During this issue the younger Jean Grey, and Cyclops would make a drastic decision and leave the group, with Jean fearing that sending her back in time is virtually a death sentence. As I said earlier the repeating of events didn't appeal to me, but they allowed this development to go in a very unique, and interesting manor. I also loved the interaction between Jean, and Cyclops during this, though I did slightly question why Cyclops didn't need persuaded. I do however feel that this is the perfect way to allow this story more time, and look forward to seeing how things will progress in X-Men #5

Final Verdict

This was a great continuation to the Battle of the Atom story, as although not quite as good, it was still very exciting, and interesting, having some shocking developments, as well as a brilliant ending. It also had some outstanding dialogue, as well as some amazing humour, making me want the next part to come out even sooner. Due to all this it's extremely easy to recommend this issue, but naturally you'll need to read X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 first.

Rating: 9/10

X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Frank Cho & Stuart Immnonen

Finally Battle of the Atom is here, and we are lucky enough to have both part one, and two out in the same week, with All-New X-Men #16 being the second part. I for one have been looking forward to this for a long time, and am glad that it's finally here.

Plot

After finding a powerful new mutant on Cerebro, Kitty Pryde takes the younger X-Men to help recruit her.

Review

This was a fantastic issue, and a phenomenal start to this event. Brian Michael Bendis did a brilliant job of kick starting this event, showing just why most X-Men events are good. The way he made this fun, yet exciting, and dramatic was brilliant, which was truly amazing. The action in this issue was also outstanding, being very explosive, and exciting, adding a lot of energy to the issue. I also loved how due to this it quickly got into the classic X-Men tone, by putting the characters in a dangerous situation that they utilise to have fun. I also loved the dialogue in this issue, as it was very dynamic, and entertaining, adding to the tone of the issue.

The art in this issue was also amazing, as although there was the odd imperfection here, and there, it was overall brilliant, and Frank Cho did a fantastic job. The detail for the most part was outstanding, standing out beautifully, being very vibrant. I also loved the layout from Cho, as it was very dynamic, also adding to the tone and atmosphere of the issue. The action, and emotion in this issue was also perfectly handled by Cho, with the action being very exciting, and entertaining, and the emotion adding to the drama, and depth of the issue. This issue would also have some art help by Stuart Immonen, and although I usually love his art, I don't feel it helped this issue, as his style is much different to Cho's.

This story would start with Kitty getting a message informing her about a powerful, and potentially dangerous new mutant, taking the younger X-Men to try and recruit her. I found this to be an interesting way of starting the crossover event, as with both sets of X-Men trying to recruit as many of the new mutants as possible it's the best scenario to bring the two teams together. The new mutant herself was also interesting, as although her personality wasn't that interesting, her actions were, and I loved how for a change it was someone who isn't necessarily good getting powers, as so far all the other new mutants have been good people.

This issue would also feature Sentinels, with the younger X-Men, and Kitty having their hands full against them. Now I have been extremely happy about the Sentinels returning to the comics, as although they pop up every now and then, it's always nice when they do, as it reminds me of how I was first introduced to the X-Men through the 90's Animated series. The way that the Sentinels were introduced in this issue was simply outstanding, as although they have been making appearances lately, this was still very dramatic, and I loved how it appeared that they had the edge over the X-Men. I also loved Cho's art during this sequence as it was simply phenomenal.

Kitty and the younger X-Men weren't the only X-Men to feature in this issue as Cyclops' X-Men would make an appearance, lending a hand to the other team. Now I don't have much of a problem with both teams banding together on a common problem, and to be honest I kind off expected it to happen. I was however slightly disappointed as to how it was handled, as it was just too friendly in my opinion. Fair enough Wolverine wasn't there, and Kitty is a much calmer person, but I still expected a little bit of animosity between them, which we didn't get. I did however enjoy seeing the two teams work together besides that, and look forward to seeing what directions they'll go in as the story continues.

Final Verdict

A terrific start to what I hope will be a brilliant event. As is expected from a X-Men event, this issue had plenty of excitement, and drama, as well as being very fun, and entertaining. There was also some mystery as well, having a great atmosphere, and brilliant action. Due to all this I'd easily recommend this issue, and am going straight onto All-New X-Men #16 next.

Rating: 9/10

Uncanny X-Men #11 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Frazer Irving & Kris Anka

This has been a very good series up till now, as although it's not been outstanding, it has been very enjoyable to read. I am however more focused on the upcoming Battle of the Atom crossover, and look forward to seeing the involvement this series will have.

Plot

Cyclops' X-Men take on a Blockbuster Sentinel in a brutal fight that could spell the end of these X-Men.

Review

This was a good issue, but nothing special, being slightly mediocre. Brian Michael Bendis did a decent job with this issue, but it felt a bit rushed, making way for the upcoming Battle of the Atom storyline, being nothing more than a filler, and an early set-up for future events. It was however still interesting, and I really enjoyed the mystery in this issue. There was also some brilliant monologue from Cyclops in this issue, and that with the dramatic dialogue was a nice addition, helping to give tone, and depth to the issue. I also loved how Bendis handled the characters reactions in this issue, as with all the action there needed to be this kind of emotional response.

I wasn't too sure on the art in this issue, as although I love Frazer Irving's art, with his art on this series being very good so far, there are times when I question whether his style suits this series, as although it suited the Magik centred story, also suiting last issue, I wasn't entirely sure if it suited this one. I did however like the detail in Irving's art, as although the faces looked slightly awkward at times, with Emma Frost's diamond form still not looking right, it was overall very good, and I loved the emotion from Cyclops. This issue would however also have artist in Kris Anka working on it, producing art during the S.H.I.E.L.D./Madripoor sequences. Anka's art was also good, but not as good as Irving's.

This issue would see a Blockbuster Sentinel go against Cyclops' X-Men in a phenomenal battle. Now as fights go this is a very good one, and if it wasn't for the suddenness of this battle, as well as the lack of meaning it would have been even better. As it was however this was still an outstanding fight, and I loved seeing the X-Men function as a team during this. I also loved seeing the younger X-Men come out of their shells a bit more, and look forward to seeing the developments of this, and hope that they make up for the quickness of this set-up fight.

This issue would also have a lot of monologue from Cyclops, with that being the main form of storytelling in this issue. This isn't the first time that Bendis has used this style of storytelling in this series, as just a few issues ago Magik would do the same. Much like then I enjoyed this, as although it wasn't expected either times, it's a very unique, and interesting way of telling the story. I did however much prefer it this time round, as I felt that last time round it took away slightly from the story, adding an anticlimactic tone to the issue, with other things helping to pick up the overall quality of that issue. This time however it added a lot of emotion, and showed what was going on in Cyclops' head, which I loved.

S.H.I.E.L.D. would also once again feature in this issue, still having an interest in the X-Men. Overall I found this sequence to be mostly unnecessary, as there was only one thing that made it interesting, and that was the clarification that Mystique is still pretending to be Dazzler. It would also appear due to this, and the actions of Mystique during this issue that she still has a plan up her sleeve, and I question whether this is something that will pay off in Battle of the Atom or after (I personally think it will pay of in Battle of the Atom due to her involvement in All-New X-Men as well).

Final Verdict

This wasn't a terrible issue, but it is probably the worst in the series so far. It had some interesting monologue, with plenty of emotion, action, and some mystery. It was however overall a bit mediocre, being more of a filler/set-up issue, also having too quick a pace. I would however probably still recommend the issue, as it was a good read, and has a lot of interesting mysteries to it.

Rating: 6/10

Uncanny X-Men #10 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Frazer Irving

This has been a very interesting, and entertaining series, and although it hasn't always been brilliant, it has been good. I also have been enjoying the build-up to Battle of the Atom, and as we get even closer I'm getting more, and more excited.

Plot

Cyclops, and his X-Men go about training the younger members whilst Magneto heads off to meet Maria Hill.

Review

This was a very interesting, and entertaining issue, being very good. Brian Michael Bendis did a great job of adding suspense, and drama, as well as excitement to this issue, and it had a lot of tone to it. I did however feel that it was a little too quickly paced, as it didn't take that long to finish. Now that isn't usually a problem for me, as if it's a good, and exciting story I don't usually mind how quickly I read it, but for some it will, and at $3.99 some people may even feel slightly cheated. The dialogue for this issue was also amazing, being very natural, and entertaining. I also loved the character development, and was happy that we are finally getting more, as due to the constant flow off events, there hasn't been much time for this.

Frazer Irving returned to do the art for this issue having previously done the artwork on issues 5-7 of this series. I was had mixed feelings over Irving's art earlier in the series, as although it was amazing, it had a few awkward imperfections, also feeling that his art only suited the series due to the type of story suiting his style. He has however proved me wrong with this issue, as I actually prefer this lighter tone to his art, as having seen only dark magical stories featuring his art I wasn't sure whether he could do lighter tone. There was however still the odd awkward facial expression, but overall his art was outstanding, and his inks, and colours helped to make it phenomenal.

This issue would see Cyclops put the younger X-Men through training, with Tempus being trained by Magik. I found this to be a very fun, and entertaining sequence, and also liked to see the characters get a bit of time to be more normal, as due to jumping from adventure, to adventure they haven't had much chance to relax, and be the school that they're supposed to be. I also enjoyed seeing Triage use her powers, as well as learning new things about them, and I hope that we get to see some training sequences like this sometime again in this series.

Whilst this was happening Magneto would take the Blackbird, and head to Portland, OR, where he would meet with Maria Hill. After everything that has happened recently in this series I was surprised that there'd still be a connection between Hill, and Magneto, and although this issue would answer this concern, I still questioned it prior. The interaction itself was however very interesting, and although it wasn't entirely necessary, it did show where S.H.I.E.L.D., and more importantly Maria Hill stood on the subject of Cyclops, and his X-Men.

WARNING: THIS PARAGRAPH WILL SPOIL UNCANNY X-MEN #9!

Another thing that I questioned about this sequence was Dazzler being with Hill, and I questioned whether this was in fact Dazzler, or Mystique in disguise, as after the ending of issue 9 it would appear that Mystique is using Dazzler's post as special mutant liason to her own benefit. This is probably the case, as they wouldn't have had that ending for nothing, and following Mystique's time in All-New X-Men it is apparent that she has plans against the X-Men, both Cyclops', and Wolverine's, and it should be interesting to see how this develops, especially with Battle of the Atom being even closer.

Final Verdict

This was an amazing issue, being one of the better issues that this series has produced. It had some fun, and exciting moments, with brilliant drama, and suspense, as well as great dialogue. It was however very fast paced, not taking long to finish, which questions whether it's worth $3.99. I would however still recommend this issue, as besides that it was very fun, and should appeal to both new readers, and old.

Rating: 8/10

All-New X-Men #15 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Lafuente

This has been a series that I've been enjoying since it started, and although it's not always been consistent, it's always been fun. I have also been even more excited about the X-Men series in general after the announcement of Battle of the Atom, which I'm seriously looking forward to.

Plot

As the young Iceman, and Cyclops head out for a while, the young Jean Grey spends time with Beast, learning more about how he feels about her.

Review

This was not one of the better issues in this series, but it was still a brilliant issue, being a fun stand alone issue prior to the start of Battle of the Atom. Brian Michael Bendis did a great job of developing these characters, and I loved seeing them just relaxing, and having fun, as with Battle of the Atom just round the corner they won't have much time for that. I also loved the slightly controversy that Bendis added to this story, as although it's not proper controversy, it's bound to have mixed responses, and although I'm somewhat in the middle, I look forward to seeing where it goes, and if it will affect the Battle of the Atom crossover.

I wasn't too sure whether I liked the art in this issue or not, as it was much different than either Stuart Immonen, or David Marquez' art. I did however overall enjoy the art, feeling that David Lafuente's cartoon like style suited the fun tone of this issue. The detail in Lafuente's art was however amazing, and he did a great job wit the the characters, as although I wasn't a fan of how he drew Wolverine, he drew the younger characters perfectly, and especially Iceman who he already had experience drawing during his time on Ultimate Comics Spider-Man. Lafuente also did a great job with the characters emotions, making it easy to tell what the characters are feeling. I also loved the vibrant colours from Jim Campbell.

This issue would see what I assume was the first meeting between the young Jean Grey, and Rachel Grey. This slightly confused me, as Rachel has appeared in Wolverine and the X-Men over the last year or more, and the young X-Men have been mentioned during that, so I would have thought that they'd have already met, unless this takes place before then. I was however not entirely sure if I liked the encounter, as although the awkward approach was an interesting direction to take it in, I would have much rather seen a more shocking encounter. It did however suit Lafuente's art more this way though.

During this issue the young Iceman, and Cyclops decide to leave the school, deciding to go and have some fun, meeting a few girls whilst at it. I personally loved this sequence, as it showed a time when Iceman, and Cyclops were best of friends, and it was nice to see that again. I also loved the humour in this sequence, as it was the perfect fun adventure for these two characters, allowing them to relax, whilst still getting time for a spot of action. Bendis also showed both characters personalities well during this sequence, with Iceman being very cool, and confident, and Cyclops being timid, and serious.

The cover, and solicits for this issue advertised a possible romance between Beast, and Jean in this issue. Now I've already said how I had mixed feelings on the subject, but I felt I'd go into a little more detail, though I'll try and avoid spoilers. Basically whilst spending time with the older Beast, Jean learns through her telepathy that he has/had feelings for her. Now I found it nice that Beast remembered his time with Jean, but at the same time it felt kind of sudden, as I wouldn't have thought that he'd be having these kind of thoughts this late in the series, as it would have made more sense earlier in the series. I also loved the interaction between Jean, and the young Beast, as it was very dramatic, and emotional, and although it felt slightly awkward at times, it was enjoyable, and I look forward to seeing how this is developed.

Final Verdict

Not one of the best issues, but far from one of the worst. This was a fun stand alone issue showing the young X-Men having fun, as well as Jean learning Beast's feelings, making for a really fun, entertaining read. I'd probably recommend this issue, as it was very fun, and well worth reading, as well as a great jumping on point. I would however recommend waiting till the start of Battle of the Atom if you're short on cash though.

Rating: 8/10