It finally feels like the All-New Marvel Universe has begun. A whole bunch of new number 1’s I’ve been looking forward to release this week, along with a few more comics I’ve been waiting for. For me the main one is All-New Wolverine, but there’s also All-New, All Different Avengers, Ultimates and a couple long-delayed Secret Wars issues.
Before I begin though, let’s also remember that today is Remembrance day. My grandfather fought in the war as a sniper and although I never knew him (my dad barely knew him), today’s a good day to remember how many people gave their lives for their countries in the past, from all over the world. It’s my tradition to watch Saving Private Ryan every November 11, and that’s what I intend to do tonight.
And now, let’s talk about comics. I picked up All-New Wolverine 1, All-New, All different Avengers 1, The Ultimates 1, All-New Hawkeye 1, Web Warriors 1, Radioactive Spider-Gwen 2, Thors 4, Secret Wars 7, Starfire 6 and Batman 46. Here are my first impressions, and links to full reviews will be added when they’re posted.
All-New All Different Avengers 1 review
All-New Hawkeye 1 is great. This is a direct continuation of where Jeff Lemire and Ramon Perez’s last volume left off a couple months back, which makes the new #1 feel kind of pointless. That said, there’s a great balance of storytelling, character drama and action, and the two stories of the modern Hawkeyes and their future selves tie well together. Hawkeye fans should pick this up, and that goes for either Hawkeye.
Web Warriors 1 is fun. This sets up the premise of a multi-universe team of Spider-Men and Spider-Women fairly quick, with the team assisting one particular Spider-Man with a team of villains. The rest of this comic mostly focuses on introducing each character to new audiences, but in a way that doesn’t feel tedious to those of us who know about them. The ending teaser is pretty epic. If a team of Spider-People from different Universes sounds appealing, check it out. That said, it’s worth checking out the previous volume first since this issue doesn’t explain everything about what’s going on.
Radioactive Spider-Gwen 2 is good. It continues off where issue 1 ended, with Gwen facing off against her universe’s Captain America. After their fight, the comic shows us Captain America’s origin story, which is a decent twist on Steven Rogers’s origin, and then develops some of the Spider-Gwen sub-plots. Solving the mystery behind Peter Parker’s death feels like a good direction for this series. Spider-Gwen fans should enjoy this, and it’s at least worth a look if you’re curious about Gwen Stacey becoming Spider-Woman instead of Peter Parker becoming Spider-Man.
Thors 4 is great. It feels like we’ve been waiting for this comic for too long, but it ties directly into Secret Wars 7 by the end. This is yet another Secret Wars tie-in that’s important to the main event, and it’s also a good murder mystery. Jane Foster’s killer has been exposed, and his motivations make perfect sense for Battleworld. Whether you’re a Thor fan or a Female Thor fan, you should read this mini-series.
Starfire 6 is fun. This issue shows a bit of a darker side to Starfire’s personality, and that when she’s angered enough, she can get quite violent. Of course there’s a balance between her anger and her peaceful, empathetic side. This issue isn’t as amusing as most previous issues, but that’s because of the more serious story elements, and it’s still fun when it tries to be. If you’re interested in a somewhat comedic series about an alien superhero figuring out what life on Earth is like, give Starfire a chance.
Batman 46 is good. Bloom’s plans for Gotham City are still a mystery, but he’s upping his game by attacking Gotham’s rich at a public event, and then laying traps for Batman. The mystery behind his power is still intriguing, and Bruce’s amnesia story arc continues to take him in interesting directions. That said, with everything going on with Bloom’s actions in Gotham, how much longer can Bruce stay out of the fight? Some readers won’t like Jim Gordon as Batman, but for those who are interested, check this out.
healed1337 
Wolverine was good. Really fun stuff.
ANAD Avengers was really fun. I loved the Ms. Marvel/Nova backstory.
Ultimates was awesome. So fun. I love it.
Hawkeye was great. Great writing and art. Really interesting story and excellent characterization.
Web Warriors was OK. I liked the Lady Spider backstory. But man, Costa really doesn’t give a damn about Anya.
Spider-Gwen was pretty good. This Captain America is kinda neat.
Thors was cool, but it felt maybe a little anti-climactic.
Secret Wars was OK. Fun chaotic battle stuff, but too little character stuff.
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