The Good

We're in the midst of a one-sided fight between the Avengers and the members of the X-Men possessing the Phoenix Force. With a bloody and beaten Spider-Man on the cover, I'm immediately reminded of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #270, where Spidey had to prevent Firelord, the former herald of Galactus, from destroying New York City. It was an absurd match up but it was Spider-Man's determination that didn't allow him to back down.

This issue opens seventeen hours from now with a blurry vision of Colossus telling the narrator to stay down. To make this scene even better, the letter boxes are filled with bloody splotches which adds to the vibe of the story and the impending doom.

It's not looking good for the Avengers. Even the X-Men are starting to (finally) realized that the Phoenix Force is affecting the remaining members of the Phoenix Five. Tony Stark has locked himself up for days, trying to come up with a solution. Spider-Man is trying to help get Hope ready for her inevitable showdown. More and more members are being captured by the Phoenix Five. We're seeing the power corrupting and it's clear that it's all going to explode very soon.

Adam Kubert's pencils capture each scene nicely. It's hard enjoying how great it all looks when it's all so bad for the heroes. The fight scene at the end was so painful to see in such detail. You'll find yourself slowly looking over each panel, taking in each blow and cringing at what might come next.

The Bad

There's still the feeling that this is going on too long. We know the fight against the Phoenix Force has to end soon. It almost feels like we're sitting waiting and watching everyone get beat up until the end does arrive. There are some developments here but, for the most part, despite some cool scenes, it feels like we're just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I found myself practically spending more time trying to get the Marvel AR app to work than I did actually reading. No success. The only result was a bunch of cursing.

The Verdict

The end is near. Based on the cover, it doesn't look good for Spider-Man. There are some changes happening with minor developments popping up but we're still for the inevitable conclusion. Are were simply getting burnt out on these big events? This has all the makings of a epic-type story but it feels too close to other recent comic book 'events.' Things are getting ugly as the Phoenix Force is showing its true colors and we'll have to see who will survive and how the Marvel Universe may possibly be changed. That will be the key to the success of this series, in my opinion. I want something big to happen with lasting repercussions rather than everything return to normal. Jason Aaron's script allows the dialogue to flow smoothly while Adam Kubert's art just looks so dang good. Three more issues to go.