Review # 114: "Fantastic Four - Doomed" and "FF - Family Freakout"

The fate of Matt Fraction's dual run on "Fantastic Four" and "FF" turns out to be an interesting case study on creative team changes. Yanked from the title to write "Inhumanity," his plots are handed to new scripters. One switch works well. The other does not.

Review # 113: "Uncanny X-Men Vol. 1 - Revolution"

I was disappointed when Kieron Gillen's "Uncanny X-Men" got the axe. I felt that his version of the team - centered around Cyclops' new "mutant force" - was only just getting started. I was glad to learn that Brian Michael Bendis - in addition to writing to "All-New X-Men" - would be relaunching "Uncanny" with key proponents of Gillen's cast. Namely: Cyke, Magneto, Emma Frost and Magik.

Review # 112: "Infinity"

One of the great things about the first Avengers film is that there were only six of them: Cap, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Hulk, Thor and Black Widow. Throughout most if its history, the core roster of Marvel's premier superteam was kept small, rotating as needed.

Times have changed.

Review # 111: "Calvin and Hobbes - 'Weirdos from Another Planet!' and 'The Revenge of the Baby-Sat'"

It's unfair to call Bill Watterson's work on Calvin and Hobbes complacent in "Weirdos From Another Planet!" and "The Revenge of the Baby-Sat" because the quality of work is still very high. However, the strip is clearly in a holding pattern. The family goes camping... again; Rosalyn babysits Calvin... again; Calvin decides to be a tiger... again. Don't get me wrong: these stories are still funny, but a recurring premise only has so much mileage before it starts to go stale.