A solid adventure in the wider Marvel Universe.
355379
Overall I really enjoyed reading Infinity. I am a huge fan of the Marvel's galatic adventures, so any book containing Thanos, the Shi'ar, the Kree, and so forth is going to get my attention. Overall it was pretty well-paced, though I will say that it may be hard to understand parts without reading New Avengers 1-6. Seeing the Avengers in the wider universe is always fun, and Cap and Thor delivered pretty well. If you are into the cosmic Marvel stuff, you should get it.
1283068
This is definitely a collection for fans of the more morally suspect Marvel characters, as it focuses on them more heavily.  Anti-hero types are just fun to read, and it's great to see how some of them (notably those who don't interact much with each other) play off each other as well, since the more recognizable good guy types are not present.  Where else do the team ups of the Punisher with Doctor Strange, Moon Knight with Gamora and the Winter Soldier, and that of Emma Frost with Ant-Man (Scott Lang) and Black Panther happen?

What draws them together is a secret mission to investigate the murder of the Watcher: An alien with a giant head whose job is rather obvious.  He literally sees everything and is found by Thor with a bullet wound through his forehead and his eyes gouged out.  There is more to the story, as they find disturbing clues in another plane, in deep space, and deep underground.  All the while the lesser known villains of Midas, Exterminatrix, and Orb seem to be involved.  They naturally draw the attention of the other Avengers who also have to deal with the minions known as the Mindless Ones...who are no longer mindless.

Also, there are the "Original Sins" backstories which focus on lesser known areas of the Marvel Universe, mostly through quick one-shots. Most of them are inconsequential (save for one dealing with the Inhumans and other with Deathlok) but fun nonetheless.  The Young Avengers of Hulkling, Prodigy, and Noh-Varr are the only ones whose story appears throughout all five of those issues, but the book fortunately collects their story into one continuous narrative.  Behind that is a two-parter about the Secret Avengers, specifically Nick Fury Jr. and Coulson, in a quick story about dealing with a SHIELD secret recently let out.

The art of this book is amazing throughout most of it.  The Point One issue is noticeably lesser in quality, as is much of the Original Sins backup stories (especially featuring the Young Avengers characters) in the back.  However, there are a lot of beautiful panels throughout the main story.  The #0 issue is particularly beautiful throughout, though you should expect no less from Jim Cheung if you know his other work.  Other than that, the writing is also good as well.  Well paced, and definitely impacts where it needs to. It was also very comedic in places: "Steak Night" with Nick Fury, Captain America, Wolverine and Black Widow was hilarious to read, and any time with Doctor Strange and the Punisher was pure gold.

One thing I will say is that you need to be familiar with the characters to get the most out of it. These characters don't normally interact with each other, for example I'm pretty sure no one in the Gamora-Winter Soldier-Moon Knight team up knew each other before hand.  So, it was very entertaining to see them interact with one another in ways that made sense and were rarely seen, since they don't normally play off their own types that often. Familiarity would also help for those who aren't familiar with side characters like those in the "Original Sins" part in the back or the villains that show up.

It's worth picking up, especially since it has a huge impact on the Marvel Universe (at least for now).  It'll answer questions especially relating to Thor, Nick Fury, and the Winter Soldier, and towards Hulk, Iron Man, Daredevil, Angela, and Spiderman and Silk (kicking off Spider-verse in a way) if you read the tie ins not in this book.
4861959
When I first started collecting the Marvel Essential volumes last year, among my favorites was Iron Man Vol. 1.  I had known so little about the character (I caught one of his UPN shows once), but I found out enough in those first 34 issues of Tales of Suspense to learn that Stan Lee had succeeded again in creating a fantastic superhero who nonetheless possessed all of the problems and faults of any real-life human being.

I finally got around to finishing Vol. 2 recently and I must agree with the blurb on the back as it was "armored action at it's best".  The book kicks off with ol' Shell-head's fateful final battle with the Black Knight (so I finally know what happened to BK in that flashback in Avengers Vol. 3), then it's on to a battle with his transformed best friend Happy Hogan as the Freak (would we name a comic character that now?), his first encounter with the Mandarin's pet colossus Ultimo, a memorable scrap with the Sub-Mariner (where the heck is Namor's Essential entry?), two more multi-issue epic brawls with his commie-counterpart Titanium Man (one is set across Washington, D.C., the other in 'Nam), a tense abduction by the Mysterious Melter, the grand return of the Unconquerable Unicorn (in a svelte new costume), and even a confrontation with an enraged Hulk (or is he?).  This volume also sees the welcome departure of Tony Stark's underachieving tragic love interest Pepper Potts (who was actually an average-looking woman in her first few issues until she just transmogrified into a ravishing beauty queen like all the other comics have) and the arrival of a more interesting and unique character in the form of Jasper Sitwell, nebbish secret agent and Stark's liason to SHIELD.  Since doomed romances were just par for the course in Marvel's Silver Age, Jasper gets a great one when he pursues the affections of affluent socialite Whitney Frost, only to discover that she's ... well, I won't spoil it for you.

These early Iron Man stories work and work well like so many early Marvel tales because of Lee and the rest of the bullpen's wise focus on pathos-inducing characters and plots that are well-grounded in the human experience.  Stark is a fine superhero figure because he used his own inherent talents to design a fantastically powerful battlesuit; he wasn't bitten by radioactive animals or pushed into a chemical soup.  Also, even though the world sees Stark as a wealthy and enviable bon vivant and playboy (and at Iron Man as being nigh invincible) they both live literally heartbeat to heartbeat with a secret debilitating injury, worried that the end could come at any time.

In short, bravo once again Marvel for releasing the absolutely wonderful Essential line and reintroducing so many classic Silver Age stories at a very low cost to all of us who weren't around the first time.  According to Amazon, volumes of Luke Cage, Dr. Strange, the Hulk, Tomb of Dracula, the Defenders, Thor, and soon-to-be cinema darlings the Fantastic Four are set for release this year.  They can't come soon enough for me.
4760234
Hey, that was pretty good! Ant-Man doesn't quite live up to Superior Foes (its spiritual ancestor) but a lot of the same humor is in tact, and the story is a decently executed affair. There's a lot of fun to be had here, and it's a good starting point for anyone looking to learn more about Scott Lang, considering the timing of the film especially. This is a great fit for Spencer, and I'm excited to see more of the character from him. The art is a little center of the road, but consistent in style and quality. This is a pretty easy recommendation for anyone who wants to get into the character. We're not soaring the heights of Superior Foes yet, but the potential is there.
3160830
Just as All-New X-Men is the sister title to Uncanny X-Men, New Avengers is the sister title to Jonathan Hickman's Avengers series. However, New Avengers is the much better title, in my opinion. It features The Illuminati (Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Black Bolt, Namor, Beast, Black Panther and Dr. Strange) as they deal with threats that the world can never know about. This time around, they are faced with an incursion from a parallel Earth. It begins when Black Panther defends his country from The Black Swan, a mysterious woman from an alternate Earth. During her imprisonment, she informs the group that these incursions will become more frequent, and that there's nothing they can do to stop the death of their home-world. It soon becomes a race against time to prove her wrong. It's really great to see The Illuminati in their own series. I was really fascinated by the group since their formation back during Brian Michael Bendis' Avengers run. Hickman is really great at ratcheting up the tension here, and providing a credible threat that the team may not be able to stop. It's interesting to see how far they will go to stop the world from being destroyed. Events in this series are also playing out in Hickman's Avengers title. However, you don't need to read that series to enjoy this one. Actually, this is the better of the two books. Plus, Steve Epting's pencils are top-notch!
1242648
When the powers of a God meets the swiftness of a mortal, you can get this tale. This is truly a great showing of the various team-ups between The Mighty Thor and the Amazing Spider-man.

Three are set in the past featuring writers from J.M. Demattis and Tom Defalco and artist of Herb Trimpe and Ron Frenz  respectively. Two are set in the modern days, as one of them is from the previous Marvel Adventures Spider-man series. Still, it is an enjoyable buy for fans of both heroes as it features them battling the likes of the Enchantress, Asgardian Trolls, and even the Valkryie of the Defenders fame.

If you enjoy some good team-ups tales like I do and/or like both of these heroes like I do, then you may enjoy this digest.
4938176
Over the past several years, Marvel has dusted off its space bound races and heroes and put them into a couple of large events.  The first, Annihilation, was a reasonable sales success and featured an invasion of the universe led by Annihilus and his horde of followers from the negative zone.  This time around, we have the Phalanx, a hive mind created by a techno virus that is reminiscent of the Borg from Star Trek.  The Phalanx infects the population of a planet they wish to take over and in short order they have a whole new batch of converts.  In Book One, we saw the new Quasar, Moon Dragon, Nova, and a number of other would-be heroes, including Rocket Raccoon, step up to oppose the Phalanx despite the seemingly insurmountable odds.

In Book Two, the saga's conclusion, the story starts off with Nova #4-7 and it's a strong beginning.  Nova encounters the Phalanx and is forced to make a run for it, but not before he's infected with the virus.  The story has a real "out of the frying pan and into the fire" feel to it and the tension is amped up to a major degree as you wait to see how he can possibly survive what's happening.  The next segment is a miniseries featuring a character called The Wraith.  He was an ordinary Kree and the series shows how he has become the one being in the universe that the Phalanx fear and sets him up to play a large part in the Conquest story line.  Finally, there is the Conquest mini series itself, which is reprinted in its entirety and tells the main story of the clash with the Phalanx.

Because of the nature of this collection, it suffers from being more than a little disjointed.  You aren't reading one story, but three.  The connection is not seamless and another four issues of Nova's story are summarized in a page of text rather than reprinted due to space considerations.  Still, the overall quality is well above average and it's a treat to see characters like Ronan the Accuser get treated as more than a quick knockout for the Fantastic Four or Avengers for a change.  Other characters like Star Lord or Rocket Raccoon would never even see the light of day without a series like this and yet they prove very entertaining.

I won't give away much of the plot because I don't want to spoil this for new readers.  Suffice it to say that this is something of a space opera with lots of ups and downs.  Readers will ride a roller coaster as it looks like the heroes face certain defeat one moment, certain victory the next, and then back to doom again with the next plot twist.  There are plenty of laughs, but also some good action scenes and even a death or two.  Abnett and Lanning are the main architects and they've crafted an entertaining story that strikes the right balance between delivering the goods without ever taking itself too seriously.
4122553
A beautiful, self contained story that works apart from the rest of the marvel universe (which, if you didn't know, is somewhat unique--especially for a character like Thor). This volume contains one of the best arcs I've ever read, and I believe one of the most compelling original villains that marvel has to offer. Though Jason Aaron is writing about a conflict of gods, he has a way of making these characters incredibly human, and you will have a hard time finding one dimensional characters here. Heck, even my wife liked it :)
4634721
This is a less "fantastic" book than its predecessors, but I actually liked it a lot. Rather than world discoveries and retelling of ancient myths, this book makes Fel's world of somewhat catlike humans a more solid and detailed canvas. Most of the adventures seem to operate within already known rules, and focus on politics and small-scale (but still deadly) battles. This is a light-weight adventure, not calling for deep analysis or contemplation, although there are a couple of moments of insight into the human condition.

The novel ends in a middle of a conflict -- it's not exactly a cliffhanger, but it does seem like it needs a further book to close the action. On the whole, a pretty enjoyable adventure, reminding me of the Crosstime Engineer and Richard Blade series (in different ways).
3105778
While I enjoyed the first Iron Man movie, it wasn't enough to make me go and pick up the comics. A friend gave me a few issues after I read Extremis (I love Warren Ellis' work) I found Fraction's run to be a damn good story. Keep in mind though, I haven't been following Iron Man, nor really cared about him as a character in a long time. I used to watch the Marvel Cartoon Hour as a kid, and I enjoyed Stark as the sometimes leader of the Avengers during Busick's run back in the late 90s.

The biggest thing I liked about the first arc was that it didn't require you to know the in depth history of Tony Stark. While I had some inklings it gave you enough hints and flat out said/reminded you of the parts you did need to know. The other part is that it was it's own book. In a industry where the majority of the big name titles are involved in "Summer Crossover XII" and your favorite comics are interrupted to take part in the mindless crap that the majority of the crossovers are, this one did not directly get involved in those.

Instead we're treated to Stark dealing with not just another tech/gimmicky enemy, but someone who's created a new type of Iron Man based tech, and gone beyond the typical suit of armor. I found this very interesting, especially the way they explain all the little psuedo-scientific ways it breaks down and works. Another nice little benchmark in this comic is there is actual drama and tension and you feel for these characters. The idea of Tony dealing with his fears and seemingly actually weighing him down is great to read. Again, I'm new to Iron Man, so if someone has done it better than Fraction, good for them, but I'm just reviewing the book I did read.

The second arc does deal with the 'summer crisis crossover infinity' bit, but it does it in a smooth transitioned way. The character isn't simply thrown at aliens or other heroes in a mindless conflict. He's dealing with losing his mind, literally. There is a bit more of a focus on Pepper Potts and her being a heroine, and Maria Hill being a badass field agent fighting against an entire agency sent to capture her. The change in dynamic between the 3 people being heroes and comfortable to fugitives almost constantly on the run is a fun transition to watch and read as well.

Tony Stark still comes off as a smarmy know it all playboy who wants to do good for the world, even if the world doesn't want to be good. The cast of characters are a group you care about and want to know what happens next. It's a comic book hero so you know things are going to turn out alright (for the most part) but how you get to 'alright' is a damn good trip.
4672697
After comics that stumbled a bita very, very little bitin Volume 2, Ms. Marvel is back in a big way in Volume 3.  Volume 3 features another crossover, but one that works much better than the Wolverine crossover from Volume 2; another crossover, in which Ms. Marvel appears in an issue of S.H.I.E.L.D.; and the introduction of a love interest.  That last bit is the most welcomeit has always been Ms. Marvels life as a norm where the comic has really excelled.

The art in Volume 3 is by Miyazawa and Bondoc.  It isn't quite to the level of Alphonas art, but its much better than Wyatts art from a few of the Volume 2 issues, both on a technical level and in meshing with the existing Alphona art and Kamala Khans character.

The Loki crossover is as lame at first blush as the Wolverine crossover, but Wilson manages to have (a lot) more fun with it.  Hes not the first hipster-viking that has veered over into Jersey City, after all.  The S.H.I.E.L.D. crossover included is much more welcome, and features Kamala at her adorkable best.  Both storylines, it should be noted, on centered on the school.

Volume 3 also features a much greater role for the Inhumans.  I found it interesting and an intriguing thread going forward as someone whose never really been exposed to the Inhumans.  I look forward to learning more; Kamala is going to do her own thing but it looks like she won't be able to get away from the Inhumans.

But the big idea for Volume 3 is the introduction of a love interest.  He seems pretty perfect at firstsomeone her parents like, someone she likes, and SPOILER an Inhuman himself.  Alas, things go awry, as they tend to do in fiction.
725239
Entertaining. A must have for the Marvel Comics Fan.
346466
Just when you were thinking you might get a little bored and complacent with the Marvel universe, along comes this wildly goofy, stylistically autistic adventure that is Marvels most cosmic outing yet.
The prologue shows us young Peter Quill having to say goodbye to his dying mother; in his grief, he runs out into a field and is abducted into an alien spaceship. Cut to many years later, Quill (Chris Pratt) has become a galactic scavenger, an Indiana Jones whos traded his fedora for a virtual space helmet and his whip for a cosmic blaster. On a deserted planets ruins, he pilfers an orb, not knowing what a powerful relic he holds. Also seeking the orb is Ronan the Accuser, lead general of Thanos the Destroyer (who we last saw laughing at Earth in the end teaser of The Avengers). Thanos two daughters, the green-skinned warrior Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and the blue-skinned cyborg Nebula (both have daddy issues) are also after the orb for different reasons. With a bounty on his head, Quill seeks to unload the orb to a high-class dealer but is taken down by Gamora. Also bounty-hunting for the reward are Rocket Racoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and his companion, a living tree known as Groot, (voice of Vin Diesel). In a bumbling chase, they are all captured by the Nova Corp (the intergalactic police of the Marvel universe) and imprisoned. There, they get to know each other and are joined in escape by Drax the Destroyer (wrestler Dave Bautista), whose wife and daughter were killed by Ronan. Once they learn the true nature of the orb, their intentions turn from mercenary to noble, and they join forces to prevent the destruction of the galaxy.

There are a lot of plot threads to follow here, but it is not essential to know all the fan-boy details to enjoy the sheer humor and manic energy on display. You don't need to know the history of Thanos, the intentions of the Collector, the questionable morals of Yondu the pirate, the importance of the infinity stones, or even who Cosmo the Space Dog is; all the plot details, including a reference to Quills real father, are mainly for the hardcore fan. For everyone else, this is the first Marvel film to be played largely for laughs, and there are many, mainly provided by Rocket and Groot and with a charmingly breezy and funny lead turn as Quill from Pratt, known for his role as the dense and childish Andy on NBCs Parks and Recreation. Pratt easily provides as much heart as hijinks, and carries around his moms legacy to him: a mix tape (still played on an old Walkman) of 70s hits that seem an odd but fitting soundtrack to all the sci-fi action. The effects and world designs are outstanding throughout. There are some very nifty gimmicks (Yondus deadly arrow that responds only to his whistle), and the gun-blazing, caustic, but technically crafty Rocket Racoon is sure to be a big hit. Groot even pulls off a Hulk-like winning moment that will have audiences screaming. You may be scratching your head over many plot points (why is Benicio del Toros Collector played like Liberace in Space? Does the powerful Nova Corp really not have a more secure prison system? Did Glenn Closes Nova Prime get her hair done in Oz?) but never mind; strap in for the summers best, most eye-catching diversion yet.

CLICHES: Well, lots; lost family-less misfits band together, the snarly little guy, the gentle giant; but there are more than enough curveballs to offset the clichs SURPRISES: Cosmo the Space Dog; really, no mention even of the earth-based hero Nova, a popular character in the Marvel world? DISTRACTIONS: really don't get Benecio del Toros bizarre take on the Collector; his scene was there for pure exposition or they are setting him up for something bigger in Avengers 2 YOU ALSO LIKEY: The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai (availble on Amazon Instant Video), and Firefly (Netflix)
301845
Exiles has recently become one of my favorite comic books, and this collection is a good one. In it, one major character finds their job complete and they get to go home. This opens the door for another character to join (a familiar face from another comic) and the dynamic of the team changes drastically. They face a world taken over by the Legacy Virus where Warlock from the New Mutants and Doug Ramsey combine into one being...and then evolve! The other heroes from this world are taken over (ala the Borg from Star Trek) and it's up to the Exiles to stop them.
Of the released sets so far, this one ranks well. It's not the best of the series, but anytime they lose a member it's hard. This time is no exception. Recommended.
3735285
The Ultimate Marvel universe isn't what it used to be (which Marvel has become more than aware of), but one of the few titles to stand out to me besides Warren Ellis' Ultimate Hulk VS Iron Man mini was Ultimate Iron Man.  Written by Ender's Game author Orson Scott Card, Ultimate Iron Man was a surprisingly good re-invention of Tony Stark's past, and the path laid out before him that lead him to becoming Iron Man.  Well, Orson Scott Card returns with Ultimate Iron Man II, which finds a growing conspiracy involving Tony's father Howard, as well asmany other elements that Card introduced the last time around.  Pasqual Ferry provides some solid artwork to boot as well, and his renderings are a nice touch.  The only real drawback to Ultimate Iron Man II is that it's too short, and over before you know it.  Not to mention that there's another installment just begging to be unleashed, of which there no doubt will be.  All in all though, Ultimate Iron Man II is a worthwhile trip, and if you enjoyed the first mini, you'll dig this too.
446442
This is probably the only contemporary X-Men cross-over I've read and it's certainly an entertaining and dramatic one, overflowing with action and featuring quite a few startling turns and character deaths (you can tell I don't read enough current comics otherwise I'd probably be completely cynical about what I understand is the current proliferation of this device). The internal continuity is unusually robust, with the action flowing well between the issues of the various titles collected here and the over-all storyline has a good narrative structure and cogency. The art is generally of a reasonable standard with stand-outs offered by Chris Bachalo and Humberto Ramos, with Scot Eaton also rising to the occasion (not so much Billy Tan or Marc Silvestri!). There's also a nice collection of variant covers and pin-ups bringing up the rear.
1255209
This is a pretty solid story line seeing the x-men chase after one of their own bent on revenge against the Shi-ar empire.  The pacing of the story and the art work are solid four star fare.  Not quite sure how much I like the loose ends at both the beginning and conclusion of this story -- point being there are at least two other series you need to read to get the full picture.  I have read neither X-men deadly genesis (the precursor to this story) or X-men Emperor Vulcan (the next installment after this story).  One might want to consider the quality of these two series before buying Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar empire because if those other series' are not up to snuff, you'd  want to consider investing your cash elsewhere.