AVENGERS #5Written by Jason AaronArt by Ed McGuinness
McGuinness delivers some jaw-droppingart of a dying celestial in the issues opening sequence, while Aaron reveals all the mystery surrounding their past. Avengers #5 kicks everything into high gear as Loki reveals the rest of his plan to Captain America and the Avengers begin their counterattack. The issue ends on the precipice of battle, and holy #$%@, Jason Aaron’s inclusion of Ghost Rider looks brilliant as we see him on a scale never before imagined.
Rating: 8 out of 10
THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL #1Written by Margaret StohlArt by Carlos Pacheco
The Life of Captain Marvel is a family story of Carol Danvers returning to her roots in small-town America. Those searching for an action-packed comic should look elsewhere. Margaret Stohl writes Carol’s family thoughtfully and fleshes out her early family life. Everything is well crafted and intimate, both in art and story, but it feels a little too mundane to be a superhero title. The story ends with a bit of an extraterrestrial twist, but other than that it reads like a Lifetime movie.
Rating: 7 out of 10
THE IMMORTAL HULK #3Written by Al EwingArt by Joe Bennett
Al Ewing proves his versatility as a writer with The Immortal Hulk #3. This issue is written from a multi-point perspective that might be a little confusing at the beginning, but don’t worry, that’s intentional. The Immortal Hulk is a horror of the week kind of comic, and I’m loving every minute of it. This series breaks the mold of traditional comic storytelling, and in doing so has become one of my favorite titles of the summer. If you’re not reading The Immortal Hulk, you should be!
Rating: 8 out of 10
CABLE #159Written by Lonnie Nadler & Zac ThompsonArt by German Peralta
This is the last solicited issue of Cable. I’ve never read a single issue of the run and I feel like I’ve stumbled onto a masterpiece. In Cable #159, Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson have expanded on Cable’s origin story. We explore the oppressing nature of Lord Apocalypse’s reign 2,000 years into the future. There’s a lot of action, childhood trauma, and self-discovery. The ending of the story is touching and brilliantly executed. It’s sad to see the title ending after an issue this good. Needless to say, I’ll be reading some back issues.
Rating: 10 out of 10
TONY STARK: IRON MAN #2Written by Dan SlottArt by Valerio Schiti
Sabotage, action, and silicon valley corporate culture are the major themes for Tony Stark: Iron Man. There’s a lot of dialogue, but it’s all entertaining to read and helps the story rather than hinder it. We get to see more and more what it’s like to work for Tony Stark and Slott amps up the action too. The series continues to be happy-go-lucky, but there’s a twist at the end that hints at a much darker reality on the horizon.
Rating: 8 out of 10
THOR #3Written by Jason AaronArt by Mike Del Mundo
Marvel should've never given this Thor run new numbering. It doesn’t read like a #3 issue at all. Almost half the dialogue in the book refers back to the previous runs of Thor. This makes it very confusing and hard to follow. I was skeptical of the busy nature of Del Mundo’s art in Issue #1 and Issue #2, but in Issue #3 it improves dramatically. The art is much cleaner and has some spectacular panels. If you’re new to Jason Aaron’s Thor, I can’t recommend this as a jumping on point. It feels like picking up a book halfway into the series.
Rating: 5 out of 10Marvel Pick of the Week: Cable #159