I've got a problem in my supply chain, so i'm at least a week behind on reviews (and don't even ask about the last issue of Hulk Smash). But let's see what we've got.

Spider-Men #1 - Well scripted, decently drawn, insanely uneventful for $4. I will say that Marvel has shown surprising restraint to-date on not crossing over with the Ultimate universe. I wonder if this means we've reached end times for that universe. Surely by now its original remit - tell Marvel stories unburdened by continuity - is null and void, especially now that the "problem" of Spider-Man's marriage is "solved" in the original publication line. So i'm actually surprised that the crossover didn't go the other way: bring the Miles Morales character, who's had some good press and has potential, into the real Marvel Universe and fold the other one up.

X-Men Legacy - Wanyas was nice enough to uncancel this for me after reading my Hamletizing over the last issue. And i guess i'll say i'm glad. But if we're going to go into Frenzy's backstory, i expect to see some Apocalypse! I also thought it was funny that Frenzy's guide just happened to know a path to the militia's base that required Frenzy to constantly use her super-strength to smash rocks and trees, and scale sheer cliffs, so that the otherwise entirely talky issue would seem like it had some action. I'm also a little weirded out by the sneak preview of the Avengers vs. X-Men plot. Apparently now that the X-Men have the Phoenix power they're going to dress up like Science Ninja Team Gatchaman and pretend they're the Authority? Not a direction i was expecting.

Avengers Assemble - Seriously? It's really Thanos? Having Bendis write Thanos is like asking Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform Bach's Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor (they're sort of a straightforward if superficial rock band, and i enjoy them, but you don't want them doing anything heavy or complicated). I love how we're told that Thanos' name "translates to" Thanos. From what, Thanatos? On the other hand, Bagley can draw Thanos any time he likes. The good news is we now know who's going to be in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and min doesn't have to hurry up and read about Charlie-27 and Yondu.

Captain America #13 - Was i supposed to know who Jack Garrett was from last issue? If so, i kinda forgot, and there's absolutely no exposition nor anything in the supposed recap to tell me that he's the SHIELD agent that's been leaking info to Hydra. I had to look that up online. For a little while, i had actually thought they captured D-Man (whose civilian name is clearly Dennis Dunphy, duh). So aside from that, and nothing actually happening in this issue, this was fine.

Avengers #27 - I'd complain that Supremor was kinda dumb to tell Marvel Boy what his plans were for the Phoenix Force that they captured, but the truth is i really don't know anything about this Marvel Boy character. Despite having read the Morrison Marvel Boy series and despite Marvel Boy having been a character in Bendis' Avengers for like 3 years now. Bendis has thrown out everything about the character Morrison created and replaced it with... nothing! He's been a complete cipher. So now when we suddenly have an arc about him, and it's the fairly stock "someone betrays the team only to find out that their reason for doing so wasn't true", i'm just sort of ambivalent. Even though this story is focused on Marvel Boy, i don't think we're learning anything about him. I do like Simonson's art; i just wish there was a plot to go with it.

SM: i actually liked this issue despite my usual complaints about nothing happening in a book. i guess if nothing's happening but Spider-Man's being Spider-Man, it gets a pass from me. ofc, it would have to be that in a world where Peter Parker is actually loved, he ends up dead. there's no reality where Peter Parker doesn't get shafted in one way or another.

XML: first point - why isn't there more Science Ninja Team Gatchaman in my life? second point - as you know, i don't like the touchy feely crap, and i feel like that's what this issue was, so meh. and really? the Phoenix force went with the simplistic "let's take away their weapons and that will end war" plan for bringing a new era of utopia for mutant-kind?

AA: why did we rename the new Asgard "Asgardia"? fnord12 first blamed Bendis for just changing random shit again. but then it turned out it was a real thing. i still blame Bendis just for being involved. Asgardia. that sounds so lame. i don't know who that blond guy is heading up the Guardians of the Galaxy, so there's still a chance i need to hurry up and read something. bring back Peter Quill. and where the fuck is Groot? did i not sit thru issue after agonizing issue of Rocket Racoon and Groot? shouldn't that get me Groot in a GotG story? i deserve a Groot in the GotG story.

CA: looks like Brubaker read my comment from the last Cap issue and has made D-Man pathetic and sad again. gee, thanks.

Avengers: unlike fnord12, i did not like Simonson's art at all in this issue. over the top facial expressions. Thor looked awful. what animal is Beast supposed to be now? used to be a tiger. Simonson's got him looking like a Planet of the Apes native. i don't approve.