Uncanny Avengers #10 - At least there was some fighting in this issue. But we've already made the decision to drop this, and opening with Rogue's complaints about Captain America didn't help convince me otherwise. Nor did Wonder Man comparing himself to Gandhi. Or Thor hitting someone on the head while saying "I have a priority delivery for you... *grok!* Get up. You need to sign that you received it." I still hold out hope that this will all read better when it's read in a single sitting, so all this protracted mutant/non-mutant griping is resolved and everybody makes nicey nicey in a single day instead of over this interminable period of months and months.

Is this what we're doing with Wolverine's claws now? All that blood? I'm hoping this isn't a nod to what's going on in the Wolverine book where he's lost his powers. So i assume the idea is that because when Wolverine pops his claws it breaks the skin so there should be lots of blood. Funny how we never saw it before.

Uncanny X-Force #8 - What happened here? There was a story about the Demon Bear, and there were characters like Puck and Spiral, and there was art by Ron Garney. And now that's all just been... discarded in favor of this Psylocke/Fantomex story that keeps jumping around between the past and the present with no warning? I'm still not sure how Psylocke gets from being in prison with Cluster to sitting and having champagne with Weapon XIII. It's interruptions within interruptions. This whole series seems to have been designed with an overambitious structure in mind that the artist (at least) isn't capable of pulling off. I don't know if it's writing for the trade mentality or what but with stories already decompressed you can't just leave them dangling for months and months. Very strange.

X-Factor #259 - Cute resolution to the question of Longshot and Shatterstar's origins. I'll have to defer the analysis on whether it really fits. But this was more satisfying than the previous End Of installments.

Iron Man #13 - Grah! Greg Land is back! I thought we were safe at least until the end of the Secret Origin of Tony Stark storyline. Actually, though, since this is mostly a story with robots, Land's damage is limited to those shots of Iron Man with his faceplate pulled up. Beyond that, the fact that this story focused on Death's Head and didn't add any more revisions to Tony's parents made it more enjoyable.

Wolverine #7 - Man, Wolverine sinks into a depression right quick, huh? We know he hasn't been that long without his powers because he has his first drink here. But he's already become terrified of shaving, cars, etc.. I think it's an interesting thing to explore (and i appreciate the acknowledgement that it's been done before); it just happens super quick. I guess i shouldn't complain about a compressed story after some of my previous comments today. And anyway, Alan Davis is back next issue (for a new "arc"; same as the old arc). Paul Cornell writes a much better Thor than Rick Remender, that's for sure.

FF #9 - Honestly, this is a comic that should be delayed instead of having fill-in artists. Especially a pool party issue. But if you're going to have a fill-in artist, let him draw in his own style. A fill-in artist attempting to mimic Mike Allred, with colors by Laura Allred, and you're just begging for negative comparisons.

Young Avengers #8 - Great stuff. Innovative art. Nice character interactions. Hilarious scripting. Fun plot. In the interest of promoting the book, i'd screenshot Loki shouting "I hate you, inevitable horrible!" and the Demiurge, but i don't want to spoil anything for min.

I think the blood on the claws might be a nod to Wolverine losing his powers. Something similar happened in Uncanny X-Men 237 when Wipeout neutralized Wolverine's powers.

So Wolverine is about to fight an ApocalypseTech-enhanced Daken without his healing factor? You'd think the story would make bigger mention of that...

regardless of his healing factor, shouldn't there always be blood on his claws? he's still piercing his skin each time. it just heals right away. but it doesn't heal before the cut happens, so there should still be blood. just not continual bleeding.

is it my lack of Marvel knowledge or does it seem like since the Northstar wedding, everybody's having same sex encounters? Psylocke jumps right into bed with Cluster. Prodigy's kissing Hulkling. i figure everyone but me knew about Rictor and Shatterstar.

IM: cereally, i just completely ignore any face shots. i did enjoy Death's Head. i think Kieron Gillen let a bit of his British side slip out in one panel where Tony ends a question with "yeah", which i enjoyed but am banned from using in my own speech patterns. boo.

YA: i was terrified when the little plant things chanting "Demiurge" appeared. i couldn't believe they were just standing there going "awww, they're so cute" instead of screaming in terror and trying to kill as many of them as they could before the little plant things decided to eat them.