Book Description

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present Classic Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... featuring classic Star Wars stories not seen in over twenty years! Originally printed by Marvel Comics, these stories have been recolored and are sure to please Star Wars fans both new and old. Volume 1 contains stories from the original Marvel run like the riveting classics"Eight for Aduba-3," "Star Search," and the smash hit of June 1978 "Doomworld!" ... Read more

Reviews (10)

20 stories all in one hugh book
This is a review of Star Wars - A Long time Ago... Doomworld, also referred to as volume I, which collects issues 1 through 20 of the Marvel comic series Star Wars. This is ISBN 1569717540 published June, 2002; made in China.

First the binding. Because Dark horse has had trouble with the TPB's bindings that are made in China, and because this is 369 pages, my copy has excellent binding. I actually read it without the comic falling apart in my hands!

With the exception of the binding problems, Dark horse has been producing comics that are visually awesome in terms of the inking and reproduction quality. You can still argue about the artwork and pencil work itself, because they use so many people and try different styles. There are those artists whose style I just don't care for. I say that to remind one that these are reproductions of comics that marvel created A LONG TIME AGO... Dark Horse has actually enhanced the original quality.

The quality of the pencil work varies here by story, but generally it was not bad. You'll have little trouble identifying who is who. Generally the artwork is a D to a C when compared to what DH produces today. However the inking is excellent. I recall no story where the color appeared to be washed out.

As for the stories themselves, I read these with my son, and he likes the ones with lots of action and vibrant drawings. You get both here, because with 20 different stories you do get variety.

This is a 2.5 star rounded up to 3 for the effort that DH put into improving the quality of this comics visual elements.

A Blast From the Past (When Comics weren't Just For Adults!)
I was 6 when Star Wars was first unleashed on the public, and I was lucky enough to have a Mom that supported her young son's comic-book reading habit; The biggest problem of any comic reader in those long-forgotten days was spotty newsstand distribution- It was almost impossible to collect EVERY issue of your favorite comic.....for almost 25 years I've been wondering how Luke and company managed to get off of that Water Planet in Star Wars #14....

THANK GOD FOR DARK HORSE! My wondering days are over! Doomworld collects issues 1-20 of Marvel's original Star Wars series in glorious full-color, on beautiful paper with great production values. The book opens with an incredibly faithful adaptation of the movie, then goes off into some surprising territory: Han and Chewie star in an outer-space "Magnificent Seven", where they team with a giant green Rabbit and an old man named "Don-Wan Kihotay" to face off against "Serji-X Arrogantus", a thinly disguised version of Mad Magazine cartoonist Sergio Aragones; Luke and the Droids crash on a Waterworld years before Kevin Costner made that awful movie; Han squares off against a "Gaily" attired pirate and his man-hating female crony; and everyone ends up in the deep-space Las Vegas for the big cliffhanger. The stories are a bit removed from what the films delivered, but I took a bit of umbrage at the back-cover copy which calls the Marvel stories "Kitschy"; Dark Horse has published a few duds themselves ("Union", anyone...?); At least these stories are entertaining!

As a kid, I hated the artists that worked on these stories. As an adult, I can appreciate the draftsmanship and storytelling ability that they brought to the series. Howard Chaykin, Carmine Infantino, Tom Palmer, Terry Austin, Herb Trimpe, Al Milgrom...They're all legends, and with good reason. (The only gaffe, artwise, is the pairing of Chaykin and Frank Springer in chapter seven. Springer's inks are atrocious!) The art looks better than ever, thanks to the vibrant colors and slick paper. And aside from Roy Thomas' propensity for making Han say (OVER and OVER again!) "WELL then there now!", the characters STAY in character. Lucasfilm may have decided that the stories are no longer canonical, but that doesn't mean they're not fun! And the price just can't be beat! Give Doomworld a try if you're looking for something a little bit different. WELL then there now!

Nostalgic and Corny
Before the days of Dark Horse there was: THIS STUFF. On the one hand, this is what we once had. On the other hand, some of it was really corny. Sometimes the art was pretty awful. Other times it was the story line. Yet, through it all it was a lot like a grade B movie in comic book form; fun to read though you could never take it too seriously.

Some of the ideas were pure corn. How about a giant carnivorous rabbit (Jaxxon). The Don Wan Kioti character was right out of "The Man of La Mancha." There are other examples, but these suffice to give you a rough idea.

In spite of all the corn, these things are fun to read. The stories take me back to the days of yore when comics really were oriented towards young boys rather than adults, and we ate these things up. Of course, these were what we had, and we had no comparison to the quality graphics in todays comics. Many people in the industry are loath to call them comics.

While the book is a bit pricey, on the other hand you do get 20 comics. The book is pretty thick and the reproductions are good. You have to be a hard-core Star Wars fan or nostalgic for original Star Wars comics to want these, but for either of those groups, enjoy!

Weak movie adaptation improves afterward
Howard Chaykin is one of my favorite, if not the favorite comic book artists/writers. That is why it is so disappointing to see his work in this compilation. It is incredulous that the man who produced the gorgeous, crisp, clean art of American Flagg was responsible for the sloppy, hurried art presented in his issues. After Carmine Infantino takes over though, the art improves markedly.

The first six issues are an adaptation of the movie, although it bears much more resemblance to the novelization as it includes such things as Luke seeing his friends on Tatooine, Luke being a part of Blue group rather than Red. The first cover features a red-headed Princess Leia and a green Darth Vader in a mistake of galactic proportions. Also editing errors are rife throughout the adaptation with weapons being called different names throughout and not often matching what they were called in the movie. I can only hope they rushed these out 1 a week the quality was so low.

After we get through the movie adaptation things improve, though for a while we get some really bad editing. Names spelled differently in different panels for one thing. Still though, despite the improvement in plotting there are still some laughably bad ideas such as Don-Wan Kihotay(also spelled Don-Wan Kioti) the Man of La Mancha Jedi ripoff.

There is continual improvement though and we eventually get to see some nice, plausible adventures of what may have happened to our heroes after the destruction of the Death Star. Chewbacca though never really looks much like Chewbacca.

Two stars for the beginning, and the continual improvement brings it up to three stars.

Good writing, goofy art. OK extrapolation from original.
Archie Goodwin's plots were great, but the art that accompanies these stories are sometimes painful to look at. The square-jawed, super-muscled look doesn't really match our on-screen versions of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. The idealized voluptiousness of Leia isn't exactly a dead ringer for Carrie Fisher, either. And if you're looking for Jabba the Hutt, this isn't the place to see him unless you remember him as a yellow, seal-faced humanoid.

Despite the cosmetic differences though, the characters are decently expanded and given interesting things to do. Luke's adventures on a water planet 20 years before Attack of the Clones make us wonder why we didn't see Jango and Obi-Wan riding the serpents in their modern version. The blind, vengeful Baron Tagge provides an interesting side to the Jedi mythology as he seeks to destroy Darth Vader, the man who robbed him of his sight. And assorted background characters like The Starkiller Kid and Valance the Hunter bring some fresh perspective to the events of the galaxy. These were the first looks at Luke and friends from outside the eyes of Rebellion or Empire, decades before the "Tales from the..." anthologies were published. ... Read more

Book Description

It is the moment you've all been waiting for! Gambit returns to Ultimate X-Men! Because the fans demanded it, the Cajun thief is back! But what is he going to steal? And can the X-Men stop him? It's all about the Ragin' Cajun as the mysterious Gambit gives hints of where he's been, what he wants and why the X-Men will not be happy about it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Cape & Cowl
Don't you just love it when two great athletes team up?

Batman and Superman have been around for decades. Two of the main reasons people still read comics today, these two icons have appeared in -- literally -- thousands of stories ... facing threats to themselves ... challenging threats to world peace ... and making the world safe for the rest of us at the risk to their own personal safety.

However, PUBLIC ENEMIES -- under the guidance of Jeph Loeb -- takes the old and makes it new, bringing a remarkable freshness to characters who have seen some great days and, undoubtedly, have greater ones to come.

A huge meteor is hurtling across space, taunting the destruction of the planet Earth. No big deal, you say? Just send Superman into space to knock the rock off its trajectory? While it sounds like a good idea, you have to remember that the author of this work is Jeph Loeb, arguably one of the best minds working in comics today (and, for those of you in the know, he's also a consultant for the WB's hit SMALLVILLE): this meteor is a hunk from the planet Krypton ... making it Kryptonite ... and meaning that Superman is absolutely powerless against it! Its radiation threatens the survival of the entire planet, and only these two superminds and supertalents combined can find a way to save the day and put right all that has been thrown into chaos since Lex Luther was elected President of the United States.

What? Lex Luthor? President?

Clearly, PUBLIC ENEMIES is not necessarily a great 'jumping on' point for new readers. There may be some resulting confusion due to storylines hinted at that occured before this tome (Lex Luthor's election as President of the United States, Luthor's attempt to wrest control of Gotham City from billionaire Bruce Wayne, Commissioner James Gordon's retirement from the police force, etc.), but these hints serve moreso as nods to other great Batman and Superman stories for the newcomer to go and explore. Also, ENEMIES is replete -- one may argue too much so -- with guest appearances (Captain Atom, Major Force, Solomon Grundy, **drool** the lovely Power Girl, etc.) from the whole pantheon of DC villains and superheroes ... so many that that the final showdown between Luthor and Superman does feel a bit rushed to get this entire story told in what was originally six issues of the new Batman/Superman comic book, but that's a minor critique easily dismissed thanks to the strength of Loeb's work. The real magic of PUBLIC ENEMIES is that it should be considered on its own and of its own merits ... of which there are (thankfully) plenty.

Also, Ed McGuinness deserves a nod for delivering some stunning artwork to back up Loeb's epic storyline. The drawings are crisp and fluid, the coloring is dynamite and eye-popping, and the layout is exceptional.

ENEMIES is a friend worth finding.

Excellent Story, Beautiful Art
Jeph Lopeb has outdone himself on tackling arguably two of the most popular heroes in pop culture, the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. Now, many attempts at the team-ups between the two titans have been done, some with mediocre success and some with no success. Jeph Loeb's story is a far cry from any of the older World's Finest type stories that have featured the two heroes. It is very well plotted and is executed to near perfection.

The story starts off with a large chunk of kryptonite on a collision course with Earth. Luthor uses this to his advantage and puts a $1 billion bounty of Superman's spit-curl and even hires a meta-human team boasting the inclusion of Green Lanter, Powergirl, Captain Comet etc. And add to that the JSA also sends Hawkman and Captain Marvel after them and they get into a showdown. And if that wasn't bad enough, an older Superman (the Kingdom Come version) drops into the bat cave and beats the tar out of Superman and Batman. This is done in order to ensure that no one dies from the mistakes made here and now.

There are also sub-plots that include possible information as to the identity of the murderer of Bruce Wayne's parent (yeah I know...I thought Batman knew the killer, but this was apparently all debunked in the pre- and post-crisis stuff) brought forth by Superman.

Now, the amount of stuff touched on by Loeb in these first few issues just goes to show you that the man got a million ideas in his head. Hopefully they will come to fruition in the future issues.

And finally the art....I have not been a big-fan of Ed McGuinesses' work (dating back to his earlier work on various Superman series). They always looked too cartoony, in a bad catoony way. But this time his art was perfect. It was still cartoony but it was good cartoony (make whatever you want out of that).

If you like tight story-telling with a lot of action with a lot of substance (and who wouldn't want that?) this book is for you.

Almost Perfect--I Can't wait for the next one.
Another lame team-up between the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader, you say?

Not so! Public Enemies presents an original story of, you guessed it, saving the world from, you guessed it again, Lex Luthor. As unlikely as an original story on that material may seem, Jeph Loeb delivers here, giving interesting insights into the history and development of the relationship between these two brightest stars in the DC universe, while rolling in other characters, many seldom seen in recent years.

Ed McGuinness' art is wonderful, though don't expect the edgier look of Loeb and Jim Lee's "Hush." The two-page action spreads acattered throughout are great, and don't make you feel like the story is suffering so the artist can have more room to draw.

I especially liked how Loeb showed Batman's and Superman's thoughts about their situations and each other parallel on the page. I like how the ending was left open for another confrontation down the road, but my one complaint is a rather important gap in how Batman and Superman get from fighting Hawkman and Captain Marvel in Japan to busting into the White House. Superman explains it, but I would rather have seen it, personally (although I guess that would take away some of the surprise).

Another great book from Jeph Loeb, and cheers for Ed McGuiness.
BUY THIS BOOK. It will not disappoint.

Brilliant
Jeph Loeb is the best writer to tackle Superman OR Batman in many a year, and putting them together in one series has been a magnificent success. Buoyed by wonderful artwork by Ed McGuiness, in this volume President Lex Luthor cons the Earth into believing that Superman is responsible for a planet-killer sized asteroid of pure Kryptonite that is falling towards the planet. Superman and Batman, with their few loyal allies, have to avoid the heroes trying to capture them, bring down the corrupt Luthor, and save the world from the meteor.

The key to this book is contrast. Superman is bright and hopeful. Batman is dark and cynical. Somehow, together, they WORK. And they work BEAUTIFULLY. Read this book and find out why this crimefighting duo will always be the World's Finest. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The immense popularity of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series is due in largepart to the development of his characters. In The Doll's House, the second book of the Sandman magnum opus, Gaiman continues to build the foundation for the larger story, introducing us to more of the Dream King's family of the Endless.

The Sandman returns to his kingdom of the Dreaming after nearly a century of imprisonment, finding several things out of place; most importantly, an anomaly called a dream vortex has manifested itself in the form of a young girl who unknowingly threatens to rip apart the Dreaming. And there's the smaller matter of a few nightmares having escaped. Among them is Gaiman's creepiest creation: the Corinthian, a serial killer with a miniature set of teeth in each eye socket. Because later volumes concentrate so much on human relationships with Gaiman's signature fair for fantasy and mythology, it is sometimes easy to forget that the Sandman series started out as a horror comic. This book grabs you and doesn't let you forget that so easily. --Jim Pascoe ... Read more

Reviews (27)

The vortex, immortality and "cereal"
In the second Sandman collection, the reader starts to realize that Gaiman has some long range plans for this series. The tale of Rose Walker, the dream vortex who must be killed to save The Dreaming, is a complex one. The Doll House introduces the reader to many of the characters who would have a major effect on Gaiman's plans for the series. Particularly excellent is the tale of Hob Gadling, who becomes Dream's friend when he becomes the man "Death will not touch." Their meetings each century are little history lessons so well executed they make you wish for more. The "Cereal" convention, with special guest lecturer the Corinthian, is a scary look at the fascination with serial killers and the final twist involving Desire gives the reader some insight into the relationship of Dream with his siblings. This book really shows what a truly original creation The Sandman is.

The best arc of the decade's best series
THE DOLL'S HOUSE is the arc that Gaiman himself says is where he realised what he wanted to do with the characters and where he wanted to go with the SANDMAN story. This edition begins with two stories that both stand apart from the rest of the series, but that also both have significant influence on THE DOLL'S HOUSE storyline and beyond. The first, "The Sound of Her Wings" introduces Dream's big sister in a profound and moving tale about the value of spending a day with Death as she goes about her business sending people to their next life. The next tale introduces Nada, Dream's doomed mortal love, who will play a significant part in a later arc, SEASONS OF MISTS. Then, THE DOLL'S HOUSE begins, a tale involving escaped dreams and nightmares, a human vortex and her granmother who had spent the bulk of her life asleep (see the previous PRELUDES AND NOCTURNS), and Dream's quest to prevent the dissolution of his kingdom. What makes Gaiman's writing so unique is that not only does he reject the comic book obligatory of big fist-fights to SAVE THE WORLD (and all that), but that Dream is not even the central character in these stories. Instead, Rose Walker is. It is she, not Dream, who is threatened and who goes on the emotional roller-coaster and it is to find out what happens to her that the reader keeps reading. In fact, Dream - the "hero" of this title - at what point nearly kills her to save his kingdom! Magnificent writing, magical artistry, this story is an absolute must. Buy it. Buy several. It makes a great gift.

The Sandman develops
It's never too late for a good story, and the Sandman saga is very good. This collection moves that story forward, mostly in the person of Rose.

This book compiles a sequence of regular-sized comic books. The first story here stands by itself - a tribal tale of a place that could, some day, descend from our own time.

The rest of the book takes a very ordinary young woman and puts her in an extraordinary world. Taken part by part, it sounds fragmentary and disorganized: a nursing home, a bizarre convention, befriending a place, and facing mortal threat in an immortal world. The pieces all fit, though. They sustain a pace and a visual variety that makes this book hard to put down.

Best, however, is the glimpse of intrigue in the Sandmnan's world. We see a little of his own realm, and the plotting of his own minions. We also see his larger world, his sisters, and their covert push against the walls of his domain. This is just the second of a dozen or so collections - there is enough material here to drive that many volumes or more.

If you're new to comics, or just new to the Sandman, give this a try. If you already know the Sandman, you're in for one of the best books in the series.

How wrong you are...
I am having a hard time understanding the motives of people who claim that The Doll's House is too "rough around the edges", and "not as brilliant as later volumes". These people are not only wrong--they are completely misguided.

You want to know the truth? The Doll's house is probably the best volume of Sandman that there is.

I have read it four times. Yet there are moments in The Doll's House, where I find myself literally sweating from tension as my eyes follow the words on each page. When Dream finally catches up to the Corinthian, I still applaud. Whenever Barbie and Ken share the page, I still laugh, and then shudder as I think of their future. When I see the horrible things happening to Rose Walker's brother, I still have to look away, and when The two siblings are finally reunited, I still shed a tear. It's that good.

All of you people calling it "unfocused", and "flawed" have completely missed the boat, and need to do some serious swimming to catch up to the rest of us.

Doll's House introduces us to so many memorable characters, so many fascinating insights of humanity, and so much memorable dialogue, that it cannot be labeled as anything less than the pinnacle of the series. Whether it shares this spot with the likes of "Brief Lives" and "Season of Mists" can be debated, but no other episode of the Sandman series can capture every human emotion and channel it so perfectly.

Please do not start with this. Wade through Preludes and Nocturnes first, and consider this one your dessert.

Very confused
I don't understand why people consistantly refer to this title as the weakest entry in the Sandman series. I have read all ten volumes, and have to say that it is in fact one of the best. Of course, finding a bad Sandman book is like finding a bad Beatles album. It's really not about which one is the "worst", but which one is the least memorable; the one you are least likely to refer to over and over again and re-read just for the hell of it. And Preludes and Nocturnes is certainly one of the more memorable episodes.

Gaiman was new to his series, and he did not have very much direction. Preludes and Nocturnes leans towards classic horror, whereas other volumes, such as The Wake, and A Game of You, are closer to fantasy. So Preludes and Nocturnes is different then all the others. So what? There are so many classic moments that are contained within its pages, moments that stick in your mind and don't leave. Moments such as Dream's escape from his prison and the logic that followed, the introduction or Cain and Abel, John Constantine and his quest to find the pouch of sand, Dream's journey to Hell and his battle with Choronzon over the helm, the ENTIRE FRIGGIN CHAPTER OF 24 HOURS, and the final introduction of Death at the end--the sweet, good natured goth girl who just happens to be the same person we often see personified as a dark cloaked figure with a scythe. The list goes on and on and on.

Of course the same could be said for any of the other volumes, but that is exactly my point. Preludes and Nocturnes is not better then Brief Lives, nor is it worse. It exists to advance the story to its eventual conclusion, and it does a great job. There are some flaws--but everyone will find something they don't like in each of the volumes. Don't listen to those people who say "if you read this one first, you'll get the wrong impression of Sandman". Bull. If you don't like this volume, then Sandman is not for you, end of subject.

The worst thing you can do is skip this volume in favor of another, later chapter, such as Season of Mists. Start at the beginning--Gaiman did, and his work turned out just fine in the end. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

In Love With Comics Again
The Ultimate Spider-Man series is the best thing that has happened to comics in a long time. I love what Bendis and the crew have done with my favorite web-slinger. I get done reading a few pages and just smile. The artwork in this series is pure and clean. I can't see any way to make it any better except to keep the issues coming. Gwen was always the one I wanted for Pete, even though MJ is the best. I hope this time around Gwen is here to stay.

ugh
I started loosing interst in the newer spider man books after this comic, i found a disturbance with the second one that was more artist than story but volume 3's story is cheezy but spider man is still the man, even if they try to change his persona and twist the story.

Spider-Man takes on Doctor Octopus and Kraven the Hunter
Just when I thought the game plan of the "Ultimate Spider-Man" with regards to the love life of his alter-ego Peter Parker was to go directly to Mary Jane Watson, passing Betty Bryant and Gwen Stacy, when scribe Brian Michael Bendis drops the later into the action. This version of Gwen is big on the mascara and perfectly willing to pull a switchblade on a bully, both of which are completely valid reasons for Peter to have his eyes pop out of his head when he looks at her. Not even her police Captain father can reign in this blonde tornado.

At this point in the comic book the stage is merely being set for the impending love triangle, but I have to tell you that what is happening here is clearly a take off on "Dawson's Creek." Seriously. Peter is Dawson, Mary Jane is Joey, and Gwen is Jen (No, Flash is not Pacey; Kong is closer to being Pacey than Flash, but Peter Parker does not have a friend, which means Harry is not Pacey either). This should prove to be interesting, especially given that Mary Jane already know's Peter's big secret. But at this point the main problem is that Aunt May has an over inflated opinion about her nephew's love life. Yes, things might actually be worse for our hero this time around.

The title of "Double Trouble" has to do with the fact that in this collection of "Ultimate Spider-Man" #14-21, Spider-Man has not one but two villains after him (I was going to say two super villains, but that would not be the case). The new and improved bad guys this time around are Doctor Octopus, who has come out of his coma to discover his tentacles are fused to his skin, and Kraven the Hunter, who is now a reality television star from Down Under. Clearly, the more you know about the original Spider-Man comics and his various foes the more you will enjoy Bendis's refinements and provocative changes. At the end of this collection Spider-Man enjoys his biggest moment in the sun since the spider bit him, which quickly follows with a particularly low moment for Peter. Even when we think we know the rules of the game, Bendis continues to surprise us.

"Double Trouble" is the third trade paperback collection of "Ultimate Spider-Man" comics, which re-imagines the webhead as a younger Peter Parker trying to learn the ropes of being a superhero. But for those who read the first couple hundred issues of the original "Amazing Spider-Man" this is a hyper retelling of the tale. Forget all the ... superheroes Spidey had to fight with; this time around the focus is on the best and the baddest. The biggest difference between these first 21 issues of "Ultimate Spider-Man" and the original comic is that a single issue is no longer a complete story; it takes eight issues for the conflict between Spidey and Doc Ock to develop and be resolved. Consequently, we have the rather paradoxical fact that things are happening much faster for Spider-Man in this retelling of the tale while taking longer to develop. I continue to be impressed by this brilliant "re-imagining," which is drawn by Mark Bagley with inks by Art Thibert and Erik Benson.

my favorite villan done right.
this is spideys best villans first apperance Doc Ock and it shows spideys but being handed to him and becoming infamous. But kraven fans beware he isnt at his best. it even has a sneak peek of sandman. and this is a must have

Breathing new life into Spiderman
I just can't believe how much I'm enjoying Ultimate Spiderman, and this collection is the best story arc yet.

Brian Michael Bendis flawlessly introduces two major villains from Spiderman's rogue gallery, Doc Octopus and Kraven the Hunter. There is such a quality to this work, such an attention to detail. Bendis is really building this series from the ground up, really breathing new life and fleshing out Peter Parker. And while Bendis respects the history of Spiderman, he by no means is hampered by it, and has no problem discarding details that make no sense.

Mark Bagley is definitely improving as this series progresses. I have been really quite impressed, it seems his storytelling is improving, and the action is very easy to follow. To me, Bagley has become a part of the book, an integral part of the experience.

This is a very intelligent Spider-title, and it only stands that it will get better and better, as has been the case so far. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

The book that ruined my favorite comic
This book (originally a 12-issue monthly limited series)is interesting in its effort to cram 60 years of D.C. Comics characters & history into one storyline. "Crisis" was an effort to 'streamline' the D.C. Universe by disposing of alternate Earths & unloved silly characters (like Krypto the Superdog). The story had some heat by killing off some major characters, but the worst thing about Crisis is it ruined the continuity of my favorite super-hero group. The Legion of Super-heroes was my favorite since childhood & I loved all the characters & follow the stories religiously. Then "Crisis" came along & destroyed much of established storylines. The Legion then shifted gears to a darker version with 'new' characters who we were now supposed to believe "had always been there due to the Crisis." After that failed attempt, they 're-booted' the whole Legion concept & started over from scratch. But they lost this long-time fan. I gave up on D.C. because they ruined the Legion & it's never been the same since. The Legion of Super-heroes had a long-term loyal following that was basically jettisoned after the crisis. Long Live the Original Legion!

Crisis On Infinite Earths
One of the most important maxi-series ever produced by a major comics publisher. The story is always gripping and touching, and this is Marv Wolfman at his finest. Even though there were so many characters and so much happening, Wolfman keeps it entertaining and exciting. George Perez produces some stunning artwork rendering so many hundreds of different characters and keeping the story flowing. This is Perez's crowning achievment of his career.

This maxi-series attempts to scale down the DC Multiverse down to a single comics universe. Many characters met their end, including some major ones, some characters were changed, and some characters originated from this series. This was a pivotal series in DC continuity setting the stage for reboots of all of the major characters, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Justice League. This version is beautifully restored looking better than its original comics release. This is graphic novel is most highly recommended and belongs on your comics bookshelf.

Depends, A LOT, on what you are looking for....
First things first - if you are looking for comics with real literary merit, you can find them but not here. This is not "The Dark Knight Returns", or "Watchmen". In fact, it's sort of the ulitmate expression of the way comics were before those works - full of overly earnest guys and gals with stupid titles and silly costumes, doing their level best to save the universe.

And if you are a comic reader of today without much interest in how the books got to where they are now, move along - this is a complicated story, and not really that great on its own, self-contained merits.

But, if you have a real love of the DC Universe, both where it was in the past and where it is today, this book is pretty much essential, since it chages so much about the fundamentals of that universe. Not necessarily for the better - it seems to me that DC traded a multiverse concept that looked complicated, but was logical if you understood it, for a single universe that seemed simpler, but only got more confusing the closer you looked. Those issues, though, are somewhat beyond the scope of the book.

At its heart, this book is something of an ode to the rich history of the DC Universe, full of characters with decades of history, many of them long forgotten. Sure, a lot of them get destroyed in the processs, but I think it's done with an appreciation for all that was.

In the long run, this story is a bit of a mess, but it's an important mess, and quite a good looking one. There are better books you can get in the genre, and you should get those first. But if you are interested in comics history, you really ought to read this one eventually.

Lot's the drawings and no story....
So why did DC do this story? According to Marv Wolfman, it was an effort to make the books easier for readers to follow. Destroy all the various DC universes and just create one where all the characters live. Great idea right? Nope. From day one, this series was plauged with trying to cramp too many stories into one book and wrap up as many unfinished stories as they could. It gave me a headage just trying to keep up with the 12 different sub-plots going on each book. There were several characters like Supergirl who died in action....and many of the surviving characters had their names, origins, and powers either altered, changed, or compltedly revamped. In the end, only about five of the DC heroes emereged with their origins and their characters more or less intact; Superman,Batman,Wonder-Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash. I guess you could say they were the only real survivors, the rest of the DC heroes were all new characters from the inside/out and they really were and still are bad ideas that make for poor reading.

Middle age man comics' crisis!
I missed this when it originally came out in 1985. I did not have the patience to look for copies of this long winded series as specialty comics store were not yet in vogue then. Only now did I have the opportunity to read this tale that changed the DC Universe. After reading a third of the book, I lost interest as it does not have the pizazz that I expected it to have. Perhaps now, the tale appears mundane as visual elements excellently drawn by George Perez, are now so common in the cinemas. What the artists visialized then could now be easily translated to the screen with more verb. Hence, the profligacy of comic based movies. That aside, the attempt to consolidate the universe into one resulted in an aftermath that heroes and villains familiar to us then, now appear (to those who lived the golden and silver age of comics) unfamiliar. This is why I no longer have the addictive tendency to open a Superman or a Batman comics now. The tension, the expectancy, and the longing for the next issue to come out, a feeling I relished then, has long since dissipated; the consequence of COIE. Marvel is no better. But at least their movies, based on the original premise of their silver age characters, are definitley a visual and storytelling pleasure to experience. I hope DC does the same with their rejuvinated BATMAN Begins. Anyone for COIE in cinema? ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

An American graphic novel first! The complete 1300-page epic adventure from start to finish in one deluxe trade paperback. Three modern cartoon cousins get lost in a pre-technological valley, speanding a year there making new friends and out-running dangerous enemies. Their many adventures include crossing the local people in The Great Cow Race, and meeting a giant mountain lion called RockJaw: Master of the Eastern Border. They learn about sacrifice and hardship in The Ghost Circles and finally discover their own true natures in the climatic journey to The Crown of Horns. ... Read more

Book Description

Hellboy is one of the most celebrated comics series in recent years. The ultimate artists' artist and a great storyteller whose work is in turns haunting, hilarious, and spellbinding, Mike Mignola has won numerous awards in the comics industry and beyond. When strangeness threatens to engulf the world, a strange man will come to save it. Sent to investigate a mystery with supernatural overtones, Hellboy discovers the secrets of his own origins, and his link to the Nazi occultists who promised Hitler a final solution in the form of a demonic avatar. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

GREAT concept and AMAZING art, not so great dialogue
I am not very familiar with Byrne so I don't know if this is typical for him but he writes a little too mundain and run-of-the-mill for such a fantastic story with great art like Hellboy. His dialogue and monologue for the villain in this book are horrible. It is completely boring and skippable. In fact that's the worst part, it is ENTIRELY skippable. This is even worse because at points there's PAGES of it. This villain just drones ON AND ON about a bunch of ..., and you can literally skip those whole sections and not lose ANYTHING. The stuff is just barely relevant and Byrne does nothing to it to make it interesting or write it with any originality. One could argue that Hellboy is a very "pulp" comic and that as such, the sort of writing and dialogue can be expected to be of a certain (read DULL AND TRITE) nature. But it's too much to be asked of the reader to settle on the writing when the story and art are so compelling.

Recap: Hellboy = original, Byrne's dialogue for it = horribly plain and done.

Well done
Okay, I just read picked this up because the movie was coming out, and I'm one of those people who does that (as probably are many of you reading these reviews). But I found myself thoroughly enjoying Mike Mignola's HELLBOY.

This first HELLBOY book is a little on the short side, and at times, Mignola probably gives too much attention to the mythology rather than the characters, but all in all it's a fun read.

It's not my favorite comic I've read (definitely not in the Alan Moore category) but it's fun and well worth your time.

The artwork is definitely top notch. Even if the story were no good (but it is good) it would be worth getting to look at.

Now that the movie's out (which was also very entertaining and worthy of your time) I'm sure I'll keep reading the rest of the series.

Happy reading!

Hell on earth with a snappy attitude
In 1944, a team of specialized German Nazis gathered together with a powerful sorcerer on a strange mission to raise seven demons, while at the same time a group of rangers led by Sgt. George Whitman gather in an old church in East Bromwich, England with a team of paranormals, determined to discover what it is the Nazis are up to.

The Sorcerer, wearing some odd apparatus on his arms, powered by an electrical generator, casts a spell from a rocky hilltop resembling Stonehenge. A bolt of lightening-type power issues from the rod he holds in his hand, and strikes the church where the rangers are gathered along with their special forces. When the smoke and debris clear, a small being is hunched down on the floors, looking as though he were part demon and part little boy. It is Trevor Bruttenholm who names him: Hellboy.

Skipping many years into the future, Hellboy comes to visit Trevor, now an old man. Trevor, who had been like a father to Hellboy all these years, tells Hellboy of the failed "Cavendish Expedition" he has just recently returned from, way up in the Artic Mountains. He and the Cavendish "Boys" had found some ruins high up in the frozen cliffs, older than old, and inside beneath a mammoth carved pillar is a statue of a sitting man so perfect it seemed to be alive.

But Trevor has no further memory of what happened, though the Cavendish brothers did not return with him. During Trevor's narration of the expedition, Hellboy notices that Trevor's house is infested with frogs. When Hellboy mentions the frogs, Trevor freaks out and backs away from the frogs, out onto his balcony, from where he is suddenly and unceremoniously tossed back into the room at Hellboy's feet; quite dead. His body seems to be covered in odd marks that were not there mere seconds ago.

Hellboy brings in his friends to help him investigate the death of Trevor; Elizabeth Sherman and Dr. Abraham Sapien. Liz has highly advanced pyrotechnic abilities, and Abe...well, Abe is a really cool fish-man. Beginning their investigation at the old Cavendish mansion, which is slowing sinking back into the lake it was built over, the three friends are quickly separated and all hell breaks loose; pun intended. The nameless Sorcerer who originally summoned Hellboy is back to claim what he believes is his, but by now we know that Hellboy can't be forced to do anything he doesn't want to do.

This first Hellboy book reveals Hellboy's origin, and shows us the loyalty between him and his friends, and the lengths they will go to for each other. This was actually a very difficult review for me to write because I liked it so much, it is hard to describe in a non-gushing way just how much I enjoyed this book. The storyline is very intense and fast-paced, even for a graphic novel; the illustrations are superb, the cells formed and drawn just right, so that the eye follows the flow of Mignola's inspired tale of this devilishly good guy without staggering or stopping to search for the correct sequence.

I have only recently become immersed in the world of graphic novels, and Hellboy is the absolute crème de la crème of the lot. A brand new type of hero; ultra powerful, intelligent, witty humor and saucy quips, demonic appearance, and as icing on the cake, from Hell itself.

As a bonus, there are some added chapters at the back of the book that illustrate the evolution of Hellboy as he was created and drawn to life, plus some enjoyable Hellboy artwork to examine and appreciate.

Hellboy is a perfect graphic novel, and I am greedily looking forward to pouring over the rest of the series. Not to mention I'm dying to go see the movie now. Enjoy!!

Not Your Average Comic.
Hellboy is one of the most original and interesting characters created in the visual magic of comic books. Mike Mignola is simply a genius to create such a complex and unique protagonist that so easily returns for new episodes again and again (without becoming formulaic or falling for any of the usual clichés that many comic characters do). Here, in SEED OF DESTRUCTION, Hellboy's first adventure, the audience not only has some light shed upon his origins - this is also a great starting place for any Hellboy newbie (it was for me!).

Hellboy, as a character, is simply delightful. He's a big red devil (literally), with his horns sawed down to two lumps on his forehead. He has a giant stone hand (yes, it's stone, yet it moves like it's flesh) on his right arm, and more than often uses it to give the final blow to end a fight. He also carries a really big, really cool-looking revolver (with a rosary hanging on it), but surprisingly, he doesn't use it all that often. Hellboy struts around in a simply bada** way that is easily appealing to many "tough-guy" fans, and yet is often as goofy and sarcastic as a teenager. He has his own fears, and is definitely not unstoppable (he gets hurt - a lot). Oh, and his favorite curse phrase: "Ah, crap." Here he is, the spawn of evil forces (Satan?), absolutely tough and bada**, but he gets just as distressed and apprehensive as any person can. That's part of why he's so cool; he isn't 100% perfect, but he's likeable and tough enough to be considered a hero.

Now, for a little bit about his origins...

Hellboy's Origin:
On the night of December 23, 1944, the Nazi regime hired the work of a sort of mystic/sorcerer, named Rasputin, in order to summon up the forces of hell (in the abandoned ruins of an ancient castle in England). They titled this operation "Ragna-Rok" (after the Norse myth of the end of the world).

Meanwhile, that same night, a group of American scientists (protected by a U.S. army and led by a certain Professor Trevor Bruttenholm - pronounced "Broom") were conducting paranormal research amidst another set of ancient ruins, over in Scotland. A medium there started feeling strange and powerful forces at work, and realized something was going on.

Back in England, the Ragna-Rok experiment built up. Rasputin spoke ancient, archaic words, summoning ancient and cosmic forces onto earth. Suddenly, in the Scottish ruins, there was a terrific explosion, and amidst the fire and debris crouched a form...a small, red being with little horns and a tail, and a giant stone hand. The soldiers protecting the scientists were almost quick to kill the thing...but Bruttenholm stopped them, for this little creature almost looked like a boy...one guess as to what they called him.

And now for a little bit about this particular episode.

SEED OF DESTRUCTION:
Fast forward to 1994. Hellboy is fifty years old, and has been a member of the government organization, the B.P.R.D. (the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense), for quite some time. Professor Bruttenholm is troubled about something, and Hellboy is curious to find out what. Bruttenholm reminisces about a recent arctic expedition that he had been a part of earlier that year, and how they had run into some giant temple or shrine. Inside that shrine, they discovered a giant, immaculately carved statue of something straight out of H.P. Lovecraft...and crouching before it was a statue of a man that looked "almost...alive." Then Hellboy noticed that there were frogs hopping around inside the room, and Bruttenholm panicked and ran out the door, yelling for a very confused Hellboy to run for his dear life - and a heartbeat later, the Professor's dead, scarred body gets thrown back in through the doorway, and the adventure begins.

I've been reading the Hellboy/B.P.R.D series for almost a year now, after hearing about Guillermo del Toro's plans on directing a movie based on them. I finished reading the last official trade paperback collection of straight-out, Mike Mignola-penned Hellboy/B.P.R.D. comics about a week prior to the movie's release, and was more than excited to see it. However, I was a bit disappointed by the movie's straying from the original plots and characterizations in the comics (not to mention very anticlimactic battle/fight scenes), and so I will say it right now, plain and simple, THE COMICS ARE BETTER. You want to know how much better? Read this comic and find out.

Cool book.
I'm not very big on comics, but this was a good book. In 1940 something, Raputin( evil wizard guy), tried to open the gates to hell. But only this little baby demon came out. The demon was adopeted by some guy and was tought to be a follower of Jesus and an F.B.I agent. But the evil wizard is now back and is trying to get Hellboy to aid him on having Satan take over the world during the apocoleps. He kills his step father with this evil demon that can turn into a frog. Hellboy fights the demon and the wizard in the book alot. This is a cool book. Fans of sci-fi sould buy this book. It's more sci-fi demonic that geeky super hero comic bookish. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Picking up the thread where her debut memoir-in-comics concluded, Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return details Marjane Satrapi's experiences as a young Iranian woman cast abroad by political turmoil in her native country. Older, if not exactly wiser, Marjane reconciles her upbringing in war-shattered Tehran with new surroundings and friends in Austria. Whether living in the company of nuns or as the sole female in a house of eight gay men, she creates a niche for herself with friends and acquaintances who feel equally uneasy with their place in the world.

After a series of unfortunate choices and events leave her literally living in the street for three months, Marjane decides to return to her native Iran. Here, she is reunited with her family, whose liberalism and emphasis on Marjane's personal worth exert as strong an influence as the eye-popping wonders of Europe. Having grown accustomed to recreational drugs, partying, and dating, Marjane now dons a veil and adjusts to a society officially divided by gender and guided by fundamentalism. Emboldened by the example of her feisty grandmother, she tests the bounds of the morality enforced on the streets and in the classrooms. With a new appreciation for the political and spiritual struggles of her fellow Iranians, she comes to understand that "one person leaving her house while asking herself, 'is my veil in place?' no longer asks herself 'where is my freedom of speech?'"

Satrapi's starkly monochromatic drawing style and the keenly observed facial expressions of her characters provide the ideal graphic environment from which to appeal to our sympathies. Bereft of fine detail, this graphic novel guides the reader's attention instead toward a narrative rich with empathy. Don't be fooled by the glowering self-portrait of the author on the back flap; it’s nearly impossible to read Persepolis 2 without feeling warmth toward Marjane Satrapi. --Ryan Boudinot ... Read more

Book Description

Dark Horse delivers another fantastic collection of rare classics from a comics legend! Russ Manning, famous for his spectacular work on the Tarzan newspaper strips of the late sixties, brought fans his "Tarzan of the future" in Magnus, Robot Fighter. While his work on the original comic series lasted only twenty-one issues, Manning's creation has survived generations, influencing countless science-fiction artists and writers to this day. Fans of Alex Raymond, Mac Raboy, or Wally Wood should not miss this beautifully bound hardcover, the second Magnus archival collection and the latest addition to Dark Horse's line of science-fiction classics. ... Read more

Book Description

Follow the adventure of IT as he discovers a door out of his monotonous life beating kittens and into an exciting new world where all sorts of new things can be (and generally are) beaten.This FULL-COLOR6 x 5" storybook tale of discoveryis written and with layouts by Mr. Chancre Scolex (sometimes known as Jhonen Vasquez) and vividly painted by his friend Mr. Crab Scrambly (Brad Canby to some). ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Content not packaging
Don't expect something huge and splashy. It's the idea and story that counts. Besides, it's made by Jhonen, and if you're a fan you'll NEED this.

Gee, am I reviewing the book itself or the story inside it?
Once there was a girl named Heather, who loved to read hilarious, slightly sadistic, satirical-type things like Catch-22 and such. One day, during her usual frolic through the proverbial book-leaden pastures of Amazon.com, she happened upon a deliciously insightful little curiosity entitled "Everything Can Be Beaten," by Scolex and Scrambly. Intrigued, she clicked on the link and read the sparkling reviews by many a satisfied customer. "It must be fantabulous!" she concluded, and bought it. Eight long days later, a little brown package arrived. Ecstatic, Heather ripped open the box and pulled out a small, thin pamphlet that looked like it came in a happy meal. Her heart sank. This was no happy meal pamphlet-it was the book!

Needless to say, Heather was gravely disappointed. She was expecting a small paperback book, as the Amazonian product description puts it. Though it was surely made of paper, it was flimsy and hardly what one would call a proper book. "What type of binding?" one might ask... WHAT binding? It's stapled together!

As far as what was printed inside the book (which is really what counts), Heather was not disappointed at all. In fact, it nearly made her forget how sad the book's outside made her feel. However, she did ask me to mention that every single "e" in the book is printed backwards, which makes it very difficult to read. This taste of dyslexia, although a possibly valuable life experience, is hardly an enjoyable one.

Other than the book's disappointing construction and impossible font, Heather found no fault with it. "Read it!" she says, "But don't expect a high-quality library edition with a sewn binding and easily manageable text." Consider yourself aptly warned.

"Everything" can be Fun!
I have been a big fan of Jhonen Vasquez's for a long time now. When I found out he had something new, I had to get it.

EVERYTHING CAN BE BEATEN follows the story of IT, a being who's sole purpose in life is to beat kittens. Until one day, when he notices a door in his 'beating' room that leads to... he doesn't know! So, he goes through it to find a cutesy, color-filled, squishy world of joy and happiness! Soon, however, he is saddened by the realization that he is useless in this world. Then, in a fit of despair and anger he discovers that everything CAN be beaten! And beat he does! He beats everything he can find, decimating everything! Then, he sits and waits for a million years or so. Then he does it again!

It's morbid fun with just a hint of philosophy. Not so much so that you think "Hey, this is just trying to teach me a lesson! BLAH! GET AWAY FROM ME!". It's more like "oooh! This is fun! I like it! AND it's educational!" Won't the parent's love that?!

I give it two mallets up!

Perfect!
Just what we were expecting from "Chancre Scolex". Great painted illustrations by "Crab Scrambly." If you are a fan of Vasquez, you WILL enjoy this. Keep on hammering those kittens.

It's True, You Know.
Wonderous and Beautiful. Feed the angry monkey in your mind. Taught me so very much about the world. ... Read more

Book Description

Dream-team creators Joss Whedon (TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John Cassaday (Planetary, Captain America) present the explosive, all-new flagship X-Men series - marking a return to classic greatness and the beginning of a brand-new era for the X-Men! Cyclops and Emma Frost re-form the X-Men with the express purpose of "astonishing" the world. But when breaking news regarding the mutant gene unexpectedly hits the airwaves, will it derail their new plans before they even get started? As demand for the "mutant cure" reaches near-riot levels, the X-Men go head-to-head with the enigmatic Ord, with an unexpected ally - and some unexpected adversaries - tipping the scales! Collects Astonishing X-Men #1-6. ... Read more

Book Description

General Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker find themselves in command of a regiment of Clone Troopers on the muddy battlefields of the rain world of Jabiim. With their supply lines stretched thin and reinforcements unable to land due to the perpetual storms, the Jedi and their army have become easy targets for the rebel Alto Stratus and his elite Nimbus warriors. The situation goes from bad to worse when General Kenobi is listed missing in action, and Anakin is teamed with a group of other masterless young Jedi on a doomed mission to hold the last line in the Republic's defense! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Brutal war story
This trade paperback collects issues of Star Wars: Republic #54-59.

Republic #54-58 is the four-part "Battle of Jabiim" arc by Haden Blackman (writer) and Brian Ching (artist). This is a dark, drenched, brutal storyline about a Republic/Separatist battlefield on the planet Jabiim. Anakin is the main character, and fans of the darker side of SW will surely appreciate this. A version of the AT-AT makes its first appearance here. The drawings of the vehicles and ships are done in awesome detail.

Republic #59 is one-issue story written by John Ostrander and drawn by Jan Duursema. Again Anakin is the main character, and it focuses on his interaction with an older Republic character, A'Sharad Hett, who is a Tusken Raider. Certainly the events of Attack of the Clones lead to an interesting confrontation.

Another very good Clone Wars TPB by Dark Horse. ... Read more

Book Description

Now unto us is born...the magician! The Master of the Mystic Arts' earliest adventures continue as Strange stands as mankind's last, best hope against the dark otherworldly forces that conspire to steal the life of the conscious world - including Nightmare, Dormammu, Lord Nekron, and the Sons of the Satannish! Featuring the origin of Dr. Strange... and Strange and Clea's first kiss! Plus: Strange takes on a new, masked costume! Guest-starring the Avengers! Collects Doctor Strange #169-178, 180-183, Avengers #61, Sub-Mariner #22, Marvel Feature #1, Incredible Hulk #126, and Marvel Premiere #3-10, 12-14. ... Read more

Book Description

The Ultimates vs. the Ultimate X-Men: the battle begins. When the X-Men do the worst thing they could to humanity, the government orders Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the rest of the Ultimates to bring them down. A small but lethal army, the Ultimates were created to face these and other newly rising threats to mankind. But the X-Men's founder, Professor X, hasn't been training his students for nothing -- and the youngs mutants just might take out the Ultimates first. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

This is more of a delaying action that a full out war
You would think that a showdown between the Ultimate X-Men and the Ultimates (the Nuevo Avengers) would offer an epic battle, but instead "Ultimate War" is pretty much a holding action. This trade paperback which is Volume 5 in the "Ultimate X-Men" series collects the four issue mini-series, which follows up on the conclusion of Volume 4 "Hellfire & Brimstone" where Magneto remembers himself and prepares to put humanity in its proper place. In the wake of the revelation that the Mutant Master of Magnetism was not killed and that Charles Xavier had lied about Magneto's true fate, the X-Men join the Brotherhood of Mutants on the government's hit list and the Ultimates are sent to bring them down.

Of course the lineups of the two groups is substantially different from the first time they fought in "The Avengers" #53, with Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the Black Widow added on one side and Wolverine, Storm, and Colossus on the other. More importantly, it takes the Ultimates until issue #4 to track down the X-Men, although the Ultimates do get to tangle with Magneto when Daddy Dearest comes looking for Pietro and Wanda (I do hope that Magneto really is their father this time around because that would be a pretty good change from the first time through the Marvel Universe). Writer Mark Millar and artist Chris Bachalo reduce the "war" to a series of one-on-one battles: Iron Man vs. Colossus, Thor vs. Storm, Captain America vs. Wolverine, and the Wasp vs. Professor X. The problem is that they all take place in one issue, which means we only get a couple of pages for each confrontation. To quote Xander: "Big overture, little show."

The biggest problem with "Ultimate War" is that the mini-series is hamstrung from the beginning: not much can actually happen because the big showdown with Magneto has to be with the X-Men. The end effect is not a complete reset to where we started, but its is close all things considered. There are also some implications for down the road, such as when Captain America recalls Wolverine as Corporal James Howlett of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion (of all of the new and improved Marvel Superheroes in this Ultimate book the one I like the most is Cap; the living legend is now much more of a pragmatist than an idealist, which makes perfect sense for somebody who fought Hitler and the Nazis during World War II). Consequently, it is not like you can skip this without being at something of a disadvantage when the story continues in "The Ultimate X-Men," which is precisely the point of such mini-series.

Ultimate War
Here we have two new Marvel creations meeting and fighting: The Ultimate X-Men and the Ultimates. The art is back up to par in this book. The story still as strong as the previous books. Even this far along they've kept it fresh.

Marvels Ultimates
I don't buy comics anymore I buy manga and graphic novels and stopped collecting comics a couple of years ago as the prices increased while the quality decreased. The Ultimate line from Marvel has been outstanding. This review doesn't apply to this individual trade per se but Marvel Comics as a whole under Joe Quesada. I thought I was done with comics but Quesada brought me back if only for the trades.

Ultimate filler....
I found the matchups also X-biased and without the huge dramatic impact of the Ultimates series -- Colossus tossing Thor around after Thor and Hulk go toe to toe? Wolverine shredding Stark's armor and taking out Iron Man in seconds? Isn't Iron Man the guy who captured the Rhino in U-Spidey without working up a sweat? C'mon. The revisionist stuff is great, and works in Ultimates, U-X and U-Spidey, but Ultimate War is only filler between the two super teams' Ultimate books. Poor use of continuity and very little action payoff.

Good But what About Captain Vs. Wolverine
This was a great comic X-Men vs. Ultimates first of all my two favorite characters Colossus and Wolverine were awesome. Colossus beat up iron for a little and then beat up Thor. And wolverine just killed every one in his path. The only thing i really wanted to see was Capn America vs. Wolverine. INsted all the action ends with Capn america playing a mind trick on wolverine then shooting him with a machine gun. Where is the hand to hand combat even though the better fighter is wolverine that would be great stuff ending is awful though ... Read more