Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 3 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

IMAGE COMICS

APR130425 AGE OF BRONZE #33 [DIG] $3.50

MAY130545 BLACKACRE #8 (MR) [DIG] $2.99

APR130431 DARK SKULLKICKERS DARK #1 CVR A HUANG & ZUB [DIG] $3.50

APR130432 DARK SKULLKICKERS DARK #1 CVR B OH $3.50

APR130538 FIVE WEAPONS #5 [DIG] $3.50

MAY130557 INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE #4 [DIG] $2.99

MAY130485 MASKS & MOBSTERS HC VOL 01 (MR) [DIG] $19.99

MAY130560 MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #4 CVR A OEMING [DIG] $2.99

MAY130561 MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #4 CVR B SANTOS & FREE $2.99

MAY130401 SATELLITE SAM #1 (MR) [DIG] $3.50

MAY130571 SPAWN #233 [DIG] $2.99

MAY130574 TEN GRAND #3 (MR) [DIG] $2.99

APR130576 THIEF OF THIEVES #15 (MR) [DIG] $2.99

IMAGE COMICS/MCFARLANE TOYS

APR131808 TMP 2013 SF GIANTS CHAMPIONSHIP 3PK AF SET PI

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 19 2013

MARVEL COMICS

APR130666 A PLUS X #9 NOW $3.99

APR130589 AGE OF ULTRON #10 $3.99

APR130598 AVENGERS #14 INF $3.99

MAR130734 AVENGERS BY BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS TP VOL 04 AVX $19.99

APR130651 CABLE AND X-FORCE #10 NOW $3.99

APR130682 CAPTAIN MARVEL #13 $2.99

APR130629 FANTASTIC FOUR #9 NOW $2.99

MAR130736 INCREDIBLE HULK BY JASON AARON TP VOL 02 $24.99

APR130664 INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #9 NOW $3.99

MAR130743 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN TP VOL 11 FUTURE $19.99

JAN130774 MMW AVENGERS HC VOL 13 $69.99

APR130656 MORBIUS LIVING VAMPIRE #6 NOW $2.99

APR130627 NEW AVENGERS #7 NOW $3.99

APR130604 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #12 NOW $3.99

APR130635 THUNDERBOLTS #11 NOW $2.99

APR130675 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #24 $3.99

APR130678 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #26 $3.99

APR130596 UNCANNY AVENGERS #9 NOW $3.99

MAR130741 UNCANNY X-MEN COMPLETE COLL BY FRACTION TP VOL 03 $29.99

APR130703 WOLVERINE MAX #8 (MR) $3.99

APR130693 X-FACTOR #258 $2.99

APR130655 X-MEN LEGACY #12 NOW $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

MARVEL COMICS

JAN130786 AGE OF APOCALYPSE TP VOL 02 WEAPON OMEGA $16.99

FEB130480 AGE OF ULTRON #6 $3.99

FEB130599 ASTONISHING X-MEN #61 XT $3.99

JAN130757 AVENGERS PREM HC VOL 01 AVENGERS WORLD $24.99

JAN130773 AVENGERS VS X-MEN TP X-MEN LEGACY $29.99

FEB130551 CABLE AND X-FORCE #7 NOW2 $3.99

FEB130519 CAPTAIN AMERICA #6 NOW2 $3.99

FEB130566 CAPTAIN MARVEL #12 $2.99

FEB130579 DAREDEVIL #25 $2.99

FEB130577 DAREDEVIL END OF DAYS #7 $3.99

FEB130572 DARK AVENGERS #189 $2.99

JAN130688 IRON MAN #8 NOW2 $3.99

JAN130762 IRON MAN 2020 TP $34.99

FEB130510 NOVA #3 NOW2 $3.99

FEB130558 SAVAGE WOLVERINE #4 NOW $3.99

DEC120747 SCARLET SPIDER TP VOL 02 LONE STAR $19.99

FEB130537 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #8 NOW $3.99

FEB130532 THUNDERBOLTS #8 NOW2 $2.99

FEB130575 ULTIMATE COMICS WOLVERINE #3 $3.99

JAN130787 UNCANNY X-MEN COMPLETE COLL BY FRACTION TP VOL 02 $29.99

FEB130565 VENOM #34 $2.99

JAN130781 VENOM DEVILS PACK TP $16.99

FEB130486 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #27AU $3.99

FEB130602 WOLVERINE MAX #6 (MR) $3.99

FEB130592 X-FACTOR #254 $2.99

FEB130541 X-MEN LEGACY #9 NOW2 $2.99

JAN130760 X-MEN LEGACY TP VOL 01 PRODIGAL $15.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for March 27 2013

MARVEL COMICS

JAN130709 A PLUS X #6 NOW $3.99

JAN130637 AGE OF ULTRON #3 $3.99

DEC120733 ALL NEW X-MEN PREM HC VOL 01 YESTERDAYS X-MEN NOW $24.99

JAN130745 ASTONISHING X-MEN #60 XT $3.99

JAN130785 ASTONISHING X-MEN TP VOL 11 WEAPONIZED $16.99

JAN130771 AVENGERS VS X-MEN TP $34.99

JAN130741 DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED #3 $2.99

JAN130788 DOOM 2099 COMPLETE COLLECTION BY WARREN ELLIS TP $39.99

JAN130640 FANTASTIC FOUR #5AU NOW $3.99

JAN130691 FF #5 NOW $2.99

JAN130751 FURY MAX #10 (MR) $3.99

JAN130748 GAMBIT #10 $2.99

JAN130642 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #1 NOW $3.99

JAN138150 HAWKEYE #1 5TH PTG AJA VAR $2.99

JAN130701 JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #650 NOW2 $2.99

AUG120686 KICK-ASS 2 TP (MR) $19.99

JAN130739 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #12 $2.99

JAN130782 MARVEL UNIVERSE VS AVENGERS TP $16.99

DEC120745 MIGHTY THOR BY MATT FRACTION TP VOL 03 $19.99

JAN130776 MMW GOLDEN AGE HUMAN TORCH TP VOL 01 $29.99

JAN130685 MORBIUS LIVING VAMPIRE #3 NOW $2.99

JAN130752 POWERS BUREAU #3 (MR) $3.95

JAN130717 SCARLET SPIDER #15 $2.99

DEC120749 SPIDER-MAN LIZARD TP NO TURNING BACK $16.99

JAN130641 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #6AU NOW $3.99

JAN130711 THUNDERBOLTS #7 NOW2 $2.99

JAN130727 ULTIMATE COMICS WOLVERINE #2 $3.99

DEC120620 UNCANNY AVENGERS #5 NOW2 $3.99

JAN130697 UNCANNY X-FORCE #3 NOW $3.99

JAN130750 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #27 $3.99

DEC120741 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN BY JASON AARON TP VOL 03 AVX $16.99

JAN130708 X-MEN LEGACY #8 NOW2 $2.99

JAN130670 YOUNG AVENGERS #3 NOW $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 20 2013

MARVEL COMICS

DEC120681 ALPHA BIG TIME #1 $2.99

DEC120632 AVENGERS #6 NOW2 $3.99

NOV120765 AVENGERS BY BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS PREM HC VOL 05 $29.99

NOV120791 AVENGERS VS THANOS TP $34.99

NOV120779 AVENGING SPIDER-MAN GOOD GREEN AND UGLY TP $16.99

DEC128103 CABLE AND X-FORCE #2 2ND PTG LARROCA VAR NOW $3.99

DEC128102 CABLE AND X-FORCE #3 2ND PTG LARROCA VAR NOW $3.99

DEC120660 CAPTAIN AMERICA #4 NOW $3.99

DEC120688 CAPTAIN MARVEL #10 $2.99

DEC120689 DAREDEVIL #23 $2.99

DEC120692 DARK AVENGERS #187 $2.99

DEC120675 DEADPOOL #5 NOW $2.99

DEC128105 FANTASTIC FOUR #2 2ND PTG BAGLEY VAR NOW $2.99

DEC128104 FANTASTIC FOUR #3 2ND PTG BAGLEY VAR NOW $2.99

DEC128235 HAWKEYE #7 2ND PTG AJA VAR $2.99

DEC120644 INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #4 NOW2 $3.99

DEC120703 MARVELS THOR ADAPTATION #2 $2.99

SEP120685 MMW ATLAS ERA JUNGLE ADVENTURE HC VOL 03 $74.99

DEC120654 MORBIUS LIVING VAMPIRE #2 NOW $2.99

DEC120602 NOVA #1 NOW $3.99

NOV120777 PUNISHER BY GREG RUCKA TP VOL 03 $16.99

DEC120672 SAVAGE WOLVERINE #2 NOW $3.99

DEC128234 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #2 2ND PTG STEGMAN VAR NOW $3.99

DEC120664 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #4 NOW $3.99

DEC128106 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #4 2ND PTG RIBIC VAR NOW $3.99

DEC120648 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #5 NOW $3.99

DEC120684 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #21 $3.99

NOV120785 UNCANNY X-MEN COMPLETE COLL BY FRACTION TP VOL 01 $29.99

NOV120773 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN BY JASON AARON TP VOL 02 $16.99

NOV120757 WOLVERINE MAX #4 (MR) $3.99

DEC120715 X-FACTOR #252 $2.99

NOV120780 X-FACTOR TP VOL 18 BREAKING POINTS $16.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 9 2013

MARVEL COMICS

NOV120749 AGE OF APOCALYPSE #11 $2.99

OCT128312 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #699 2ND PTG RAMOS VAR $3.99

NOV120675 AVENGERS ARENA #3 NOW $2.99

NOV120673 CABLE AND X-FORCE #3 NOW $3.99

OCT120703 CAPTAIN AMERICA LAND OF FREE TP $19.99

OCT120706 CAPTAIN MARVEL TP DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL NEW PTG $19.99

OCT120695 CARNAGE MINIMUM CARNAGE TP $24.99

NOV120733 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER SHEEMIES TALE #1 (RES) $3.99

OCT128308 DEADPOOL #1 2ND PTG DARROW VAR NOW $2.99

OCT128309 DEADPOOL #2 2ND PTG DARROW VAR NOW $2.99

OCT120691 DEFENDERS BY MATT FRACTION TP VOL 02 $19.99

OCT120709 ESSENTIAL X-MEN TP VOL 11 $19.99

NOV120681 FANTASTIC FOUR #3 NOW $2.99

OCT120696 FANTASTIC FOUR BY JONATHAN HICKMAN TP VOL 05 $24.99

NOV120802 FEARLESS DEFENDERS POSTER NOW $8.99

OCT120667 FIRST X-MEN #5 $3.99

OCT120708 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY TP VOL 01 TOMORROWS AVENGERS $39.99

OCT128311 HAWKEYE #3 2ND PTG AJA VAR $2.99

NOV120742 MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS EARTHS HEROES #10 $2.99

NOV120719 MARVEL UNIVERSE VS AVENGERS #4 $3.99

AUG120695 MMW KA-ZAR HC VOL 01 $69.99

OCT120697 MU AVENGERS EARTHS HEROES DIGEST TP VOL 02 $9.99

SEP120689 NEW AVENGERS BREAKOUT PROSE NOVEL HC $24.99

NOV120801 NOVA POSTER NOW $8.99

OCT120678 POWERS PREM HC VOL 07 FOREVER (MR) $24.99

NOV120721 PUNISHER NIGHTMARE #2 $3.99

OCT120642 PUNISHER WAR ZONE #3 $2.99

NOV120799 SAVAGE WOLVERINE POSTER $8.99

NOV120709 SCARLET SPIDER #13 $2.99

NOV120714 SECRET AVENGERS #36 $3.99

NOV120803 SECRET AVENGERS POSTER NOW $8.99

JUN120707 SECRET SERVICE #5 (MR) $2.99

OCT120694 SPIDER-MAN ENDS OF EARTH TP $24.99

NOV120633 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1 NOW $3.99

NOV120698 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #4 NOW $3.99

NOV120696 THUNDERBOLTS #3 NOW $2.99

AUG120701 ULT COMICS SPIDER-MAN BY BENDIS PREM HC VOL 03 $24.99

NOV120713 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #21 $3.99

NOV120746 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #23 $3.99

OCT120702 WOLVERINE NOT DEAD YET TP NEW PTG $14.99

NOV120692 X-MEN LEGACY #4 NOW $2.99

NOV120800 YOUNG AVENGERS POSTER $8.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 28 2012

MARVEL COMICS

SEP120569 A PLUS X #2 NOW $3.99

SEP120548 ALL NEW X-MEN #2 NOW $3.99

SEP120661 ASTONISHING X-MEN ANNUAL #1 $4.99

SEP120633 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BLACK WIDOW #639 $2.99

AUG120715 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY TP OLD WOUNDS $16.99

AUG120717 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND IRON MAN TP $14.99

AUG120725 DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE TP NO MORE HEROES $15.99

SEP120593 FF #1 NOW $2.99

AUG120704 FF BY JONATHAN HICKMAN PREM HC VOL 04 $24.99

SEP120656 GAMBIT #6 $2.99

SEP128135 HAWKEYE #1 3RD PTG AJA VAR $2.99

SEP128136 HAWKEYE #2 3RD PTG AJA VAR $2.99

SEP120653 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #8 $2.99

AUG120729 MIGHTY THOR BY MATT FRACTION TP VOL 02 $19.99

SEP120683 MMW GOLDEN AGE SUB MARINER TP VOL 01 $29.99

SEP120613 NEW AVENGERS #34 $4.99

SEP120616 SECRET AVENGERS #34 $3.99

SEP120718 SPIDER-MAN MUTANT AGENDA TP $15.99

SEP120560 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #2 NOW $3.99

SEP120628 ULTIMATE COMICS IRON MAN #2 $3.99

SEP120632 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #19 $3.99

SEP120538 UNCANNY AVENGERS #2 NOW $3.99

AUG120702 UNCANNY X-MEN BY KIERON GILLEN PREM HC VOL 04 AVX $24.99

SEP120710 UNTOLD TALES OF PUNISHER MAX TP (MR) $16.99

SEP120627 VENOM #27.1 $2.99

SEP120703 WINTER SOLDIER TP VOL 02 BROKEN ARROW $15.99

SEP120672 WOLVERINE MAX #2 (MR) $3.99

AUG120724 X-23 TP VOL 03 DONT LOOK BACK $15.99

SEP120714 X-FACTOR TP VOL 17 ROAD TO REDEMPTION $16.99

SEP120584 X-MEN LEGACY #2 NOW $2.99

SEP120658 X-TREME X-MEN #7 $2.99

Albert Avilla Reviews: Avengers Vs. X-Men Round 12

Avengers Vs. X-Men Round 12
Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Story: Jason Aaron, Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Jonathan Hickman
Script: Jason Aaron
Pencils: Adam Kubert
Inks: John Dell, Mark Morales, Adam Kubert

(Possible spoilers)
There is no title to this story; it's Round 12. This is the battle of the year. If you read one comic this year, then you need to get a better job, get better friends, or hang around the comic shop a little longer. This is definitely the best one that I've read this month. A great balance of action and drama; I'm more of an aficionado of the action. We get the good old fisticuffs that we enjoy along with the heroic saving of human lives. The heroes use every ounce of their intestinal fortitude to defeat a powerful enemy. Finally, the Scarlet Witch and Hope knock the Phoenix out of Cyclops.

Interspersed with this beautiful action, we get the drama. A warrior who has fought for the light since his days as an adolescent is seduced by the darkness into believing that destruction is the path to his most lofty goals. Fighting to stop him: the mutant messiah and the destroyer of the mutant race. We have the fall of a great hero and the rise of another. Hope Summers just wants what we all want – to be our best self. She takes the Phoenix force and saves the Earth and the mutant race. The road we have traveled; Cyclops is a prisoner and Wolverine is the headmaster of his own school. Cap decides to take up the mutant cause. This event will have repercussions that will be felt across the Marvel Universe. The House of Ideas is still alive and flexing its muscles.

The series has been a showcase for Marvel's artists, and this round continues to give us the best of Marvel. Kubert and the crew are fantastic. From the temples of K'un Lun to every corner of the globe we get a celebration for the eyes.

You guessed it I rate Round 12 Recommend It To A Friend.

Albert Avilla Reviews: Avengers Vs. X-Men Round 11

Avengers Vs. X-Men Round 11 (Avengers vs. X-Men #11)
Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis with Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman, Matt Fraction
Pencils: Olivier Coipel
Inks: Mark Morales
Colors: Laura DePuy
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Covers: Jim Cheung, Sara Pichelli, Justin Ponsor

It's not issue 11. It's round 11, because a real Marvel throw-down is about to start. If you're going to have about a million characters in a story, then you better deliver the action. This was accomplished big time. Xavier was cool hands in his pockets while holy hell was being unleashed around him. This was an intervention on the cosmic level, and Cyclops wasn't having any of it. The moral compass of the mutant race has become a power mad tyrant willing to do whatever it takes to remake the world in his own image. He's saving the mutant race if he has to kill every one of them to do it. Does he remember that Jean sacrificed herself to stop the Phoenix Force? He basks in the power that he has fought to prevent. He's doing a great job of getting mutants and humans to work together. Olay, I'm going off on a tangent. This has been the best round in the match so far.

Just the art in this round was worth the $3.99. Majestic is the word that comes to mind. The landscapes add to the immensity of the story. The pages are not large enough to contain the action; you can feel the power exploding from the pages. My copy is nowhere near mint, because I've thumbed through it so many times enjoying the art.

I rate this round Recommend It to a Friend.

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for September 26 2012

MARVEL COMICS

JUL120557 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #694 $3.99

JUN120738 ANITA BLAKE VH TP CIRCUS OF DAMNED BOOK 03 SCOUNDREL (MR) $16.99

JUL120609 ASTONISHING X-MEN #54 $3.99

JUL120667 BLACK PANTHER MAN WITHOUT FEAR TP FEAR ITSELF $16.99

JUL120573 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BLACK WIDOW #637 $2.99

JUL128093 CAPTAIN MARVEL #2 2ND PTG MCGUINNESS VAR $2.99

JUL120585 CAPTAIN MARVEL #4 $2.99

JUL120654 DAREDEVIL BY BRUBAKER AND LARK ULT COLL TP BOOK 03 $34.99

JUL120604 DEADPOOL #61 $2.99

JUL120668 FEAR ITSELF TP UNCANNY X-MEN $16.99

JUL120590 FF #22 $2.99

JUL120622 FURY MAX #6 (MR) $3.99

JUL120608 GAMBIT #3 $2.99

JUL120625 HIT-GIRL #3 (MR) $2.99

JUL120577 INCREDIBLE HULK #14 $3.99

JUL120579 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #525 $3.99

JUL120584 JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #644 BURNS $2.99

JUL120596 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #6 $2.99

JUL120636 MARVEL ZOMBIES DESTROY HC $24.99

JUL120640 MIGHTY THOR BY MATT FRACTION PREM HC VOL 03 $24.99

JUL120632 MMW INVINCIBLE IRON MAN TP VOL 02 $24.99

JUL120592 PUNISHER #16 $2.99

JUL120548 SECRET AVENGERS #31 $3.99

JUL120593 SPACE PUNISHER #3 $3.99

JUL120641 SPIDER-MAN LIZARD PREM HC NO TURNING BACK $19.99

JUL120624 TAKIO #3 $3.95

JUL120569 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #16 UWS $3.99

JUN120730 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN BY NICK SPENCER TP VOL 01 $15.99

JUL120575 WINTER SOLDIER #11 $2.99

JUL120619 WOLVERINE #313 $3.99

JUL120547 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #17 $3.99

JUL120645 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN BY JASON AARON PREM HC VOL 03 AVX $19.99

JUL120618 X-MEN #36 $3.99

JUL120613 X-MEN LEGACY #274 $2.99

JUL120650 X-MEN WAR MACHINES TP $14.99

JUL120610 X-TREME X-MEN #4 $2.99

I Reads You Review: HAWKEYE #1

"Hawkeye: Year One?"
HAWKEYE #1
MARVEL COMICS

WRITER: Matt Fraction
ARTIST: David Aja
COLORS: Matt Hollingsworth
LETTERS: Chris Eliopoulos
COVER: David Aja with Matt Hollingsworth; variant cover by Adi Granov; Pasqual Ferry with Matt Hollingsworth
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S.

Hawkeye is a Marvel Comics superhero character and the Marvel Universe’s most prominent archer, marksman, and sharpshooter. Created by Stan Lee and Don Heck, Hawkeye, whose civilian identity is Clint Barton, first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 (September 1964 cover date). He first appeared as a member of the Avengers in Avengers #16 (May 1965 issue).

Marvel’s The Avengers movie is a shocking worldwide box office success. With the appearance in the film of a spiffy-looking Hawkeye, it was a no-brainer that Marvel Comics would try out the character in his own new comic book series. Hawkeye (2012) is written by Matt Fraction, drawn by David Aja, and colored by Matt Hollingsworth.

Hawkeye #1 opens in New York City and finds Hawkeye/Clint Barton having some serious health issues. After healing, Clint returns to his apartment in Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy), where he finds the real trouble. His Russian landlord is bringing pressure on Clint and the other tenants. When Clint tries to save the day and to make a deal with these Russian heavies, things get bad – for our Avenger and a cute dog.

If Hawkeye #1 seems familiar, it’s the highly-stylized riff on Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli’s Batman: Year One that plucked your memory. Hawkeye even comes across as being similar to Bullseye from Miller’s famous run on Marvel’s Daredevil comic book series in the early 1980s. That aside, this first issue of Hawkeye is more a Clint Barton story than a Hawkeye comic book, and that’s fine. I like how Fraction depicts Barton as a sort of laconic everyman who only turns on the extra-powers when he has to do so. Here, he does it just to balance the scales for the little guys and gals. Notice, I said, extra-powers, in this story, Clint doesn’t come across as a superhero.

As for Aja’s art, which is a scratchy imitation of Mazzuchelli on Batman: Year One, it’s nice, but not great. The storytelling is good; by drawing so many small panels, Aja creates a pace and rhythm that serves this story quite well. The only problem is that Fraction’s script is non-linear, jumping back and forth as if Fraction were trying to write a Quentin Tarantino movie. Thus, just as Aja’s graphical storytelling is moving briskly on a particular sequence, it moves to another set piece, which is jarring, especially when the previous sequence was going so well.

Still, I like this enough to read future issues. It’s both different and entertaining enough to warrant more attention.

B+

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 27 2012

MARVEL COMICS

APR120620 AMAZING FANTASY 15 SPIDER-MAN $3.99

APR120615 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #688 $3.99

APR120623 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND IRON MAN #633 $2.99

APR120720 DEFENDERS BY MATT FRACTION TP VOL 01 $19.99

APR120659 DOROTHY AND WIZARD IN OZ #8 (OF 8) $3.99

APR120644 FF #19 $2.99

APR120706 FF BY JONATHAN HICKMAN PREM HC $19.99

FEB128208 HIT-GIRL #1 (OF 5) (MR) (PP #1017) $2.99

APR120641 INCREDIBLE HULK #10 $3.99

APR120658 JOHN CARTER GODS OF MARS #4 (OF 5) $2.99

APR120660 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #3 $2.99

APR120657 MARVEL ZOMBIES DESTROY #4 (OF 5) $3.99

APR120633 MIGHTY THOR #16 $3.99

APR120692 MMW UNCANNY X-MEN TP VOL 05 $24.99

APR120693 MMW UNCANNY X-MEN TP VOL 05 DM VAR ED 40 $24.99

APR120724 MYSTERY MEN TP $14.99

APR120732 NICK FURY CLASSIC TP VOL 01 AGENT OF SHIELD $34.99

APR120728 PUNISHER OFFICIAL INDEX TO MARVEL UNIVERSE GN TP $24.99

APR120715 SPELLBINDERS SIGNS AND WONDERS TP $16.99

APR128250 SPIDER-MAN DEATH OF STACYS TP (PP #1026) $19.99

APR120606 SPIDER-MEN #2 (OF 5) $3.99

APR120601 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #12 $3.99

JAN120716 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 DM BAGLEY VAR ED $99.99

APR120591 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #12 AVX $3.99

APR120726 WOLVERINE BEST THERE IS BROKEN QUARANTINE TP $19.99

APR120677 X-MEN #31 $3.99

APR120587 X-MEN LEGACY #269 AVX $2.99

APR120700 X-MEN LEGACY BACK TO SCHOOL PREM HC $19.99

APR120722 X-MEN SCHISM TP $19.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 23 2012

MARVEL COMICS

MAR120573 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #686 ENDS $3.99

FEB120672 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN YOUNG READERS TP VOL 01 BEHIND MASK $6.99

MAR120623 ASTONISHING X-MEN #50 $3.99

MAR128142 AVENGERS #25 2ND PTG ACUNA VAR AVX (PP #1020) $3.99

MAR120646 AVENGERS MANY FACES OF HENRY PYM TP $19.99

MAR120584 CAPTAIN AMERICA #12 $3.99

MAR120586 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND HAWKEYE #631 $2.99

MAR120660 DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE PREM HC NO MORE HEROES $19.99

MAR120628 DEADPOOL #55 $2.99

MAR120685 DEADPOOL MAX TP INVOLUNTARY ARMAGEDDON $19.99

MAR120580 DOROTHY AND WIZARD IN OZ #7 (OF 8) $3.99

MAR120597 FANTASTIC FOUR #606 $2.99

MAR120593 HULK #52 $2.99

MAR120553 HULK SMASH AVENGERS #4 (OF 5) $2.99

MAR120604 JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #638 EXILED $2.99

MAR120669 MARVEL UNIVERSE SPIDER-MAN AMAZING FANTASY DIGEST TP $9.99

MAR120611 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #2 $2.99

MAR120600 MARVEL ZOMBIES DESTROY #2 (OF 5) $3.99

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MAR120665 MIGHTY THOR BY MATT FRACTION PREM HC VOL 02 $24.99

MAR120679 MIGHTY THOR BY MATT FRACTION TP VOL 01 $19.99

MAR120641 MMW AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 07 $24.99

MAR120642 MMW AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 07 DM VAR ED 44 $24.99

DEC110710 MMW ATLAS ERA JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY HC VOL 04 $64.99

DEC110711 MMW ATLAS ERA JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY HC VOL 04 DM VAR ED 180 $64.99

MAR120543 SECRET AVENGERS #27 AVX $3.99

MAR120690 STRIKEFORCE MORITURI TP VOL 03 $34.99

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MAR120564 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #12 $3.99

MAR120666 UNCANNY X-FORCE OTHERWORLD PREM HC $24.99

MAR120680 UNCANNY X-FORCE TP VOL 03 DARK ANGEL SAGA BOOK 01 $19.99

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I Reads You Review: AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1

"Come back to the Five-and-Dime, Secret Wars, Secret Wars"
AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1
MARVEL COMICS

STORY: Jason Aaron, Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman, and Matt Fraction
SCRIPT: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: John Romita, Jr.
INKS: Scott Hanna
COLORS: Laura Martin
LETTERS: Chris Eliopoulos
COVERS: Jim Cheung and Justin Ponsor
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.

Rated: T+

Marvel Comics’ latest big, event series is Avengers vs. X-Men. This planned 12-issue miniseries pits the Avengers and the X-Men against each other over the return of The Phoenix and its likely host, the Mutant Messiah, Hope Summers.

As Avengers vs. X-Men #1 begins, The Phoenix force makes itself known. Meanwhile, the Avengers deal with a crisis over New York City that threatens both civilians and landmarks. This crisis, however, is merely a harbinger of things to come concerning The Phoenix, a threat that both the Avengers and the White House take seriously. What they decide to do about it leads straight to the X-Men. When Captain America approaches Cyclops, will the mutant leader want to hear what the Avenger has to say?

I found the prologue to this event, Avengers vs. X-Men #0, to be surprisingly blasé. Avengers vs. X-Men #1 is a bit more exciting, mainly because its focus is conflict, whereas #0 offered character vignettes (and not very interesting ones, at that). From the destruction depicted early in this issue to the New York City disaster scene to the designation of the X-Men as a nexus point, this first issue clearly presages a superhero “pay-per-view” wrestling match.

One thing that certainly surprises me is how simply told this comic book is. None of that sophisticated, faux-Mamet drama here: this is Secret Wars-like in its punch-to-settle-differences ethos. Even John Romita, Jr.’s pencil art is retro-cool, lacking photo-realism and exaggerated detail in the figure drawing (especially on the musculature).

There is no telling where this narrative will go when new writers and artists take over in the later issues, but for now, I find this straight-forward superhero battle to be quaint, but fun to read. I won’t lie and say that it is great, but Avengers vs. X-Men #1 is nice.

B