Basement X

The other Johnathan Hickman book.

Unlike the Avengers book, which follows the core Avengers and a rotating cast, this one is the Illuminati book featuring Hank McCoy in the role of Xavier.

New Avengers #4

So, wonderfully, the main offensive weapon that this group had, aside from their minds, has been removed from the playing field and something big this way comes.

I've found this enjoyable, but I'm not entirely satisfied with it. Curiously though, all the books which don't satisfy the critical side of me, tend to make it to the top of my reading list - what does this say about me, I wonder...
Anyway, one of the driving things about a book like this is how these world powers mingle together. Namor is evidently going to be the prick that no one likes, and he's certainly that in this issue. The group have also vetoed the objections of one of their members, so that's a point of interest in future issues. The secretive side of this group, also a matter of interest for the future.

I believe you mean issue 4, as that was the newest issue of the series.

Corrected, thanks.

So I don't get it. They have all agreed that if it comes to that, they will destroyed the incursion Earth to save the 616 Earth. They fucking mindwiped Cap America cause he disagreed.
And yet, in here, Galactus is there trying to eat the incursion Earth which would solve the Illuminatis' problem so of course, what do they do? They fight him.
It makes no sense to me.

While I wasn't surprised they fought to save the Earth, now that you put it in that context that doesn't make much sense.

I can see two possible options. One being that they'll have changed their minds and regret what they've done now, possibly trying to think of something else. The other being that it was a momentary thing where it's ok in their minds to kill an Earth so long as they don't have to be on that Earth and actually see the people die. An "out of sight, out of mind" kind of thing. But once they were there, they couldn't handle the thought of it and fought Terrax trying to save the Earth because they felt guilty.

Or I'm completely wrong because Hickman always brings something in that I don't expect.

Yeah, I was a bit lost in this. I'm the bit in your second idea with the guys fighting Terrax and essentially realise that they can't sacrifice another planet for their own.

NEW AVENGERS #5

Writer: Hickman
Artist: Epting

It's quite well written. I like the concept of the book. I like the stakes and the secret nature of it. I'm just not into it. I'm finding this to be a recurring pattern with Hickman books. I just can't get into his stories.

This issue, is a bit exposition issue where the team unchain their captive a bit and quiz her about solutions. Bit of a boring issue really.

I'm going to finish the story, which hopefully is within the next two issues - but also strange given that 7 issues wouldn't make for a standard sized trade - and then drop the book.

All you Hickman fans. Tell me how you are finding the book?

While I'm enjoying the book, I feel it's moving too slow. It could be that I'm also reading Hickman's Avengers that is moving at twice the speed, making this one feel like it's crawling. I am enjoying the book and I think I'll stick with it.

The latest issue (#6) left me scratching my head. So they destroyed an empty planet that had no life whatsoever on it. By doing so, they saved the Earth. And yet, T'Challa feels like he has done terrible. From the way they all look and sound, they might as well have done something the size of the Holocaust.
I really don't understand the logic of the characters. That's the first time Hickman is letting me down.

I didn't mind the issue, but yeah, destroying an empty planet should have been a quicker decision than it was. I get that it's still the impact of building a device capable of destroying a planet and then actually using said device, but at least they truly did avoid destroying any life.

My biggest complaint with this book is the pace. Now, to be honest, this is moving at a regular comic book pace. However, with nearly every other Marvel book double shipping, moving stories along at twice the speed, it makes this book and a few others feel like they're crawling. Avengers & New Avengers shipped roughly the same time. And we've gotten 6 issues of NA and 13 of Avengers. That really makes this one feel like NOTHING is happening. Now I know it's not actually crawling, but Marvel's new schedule and production makes this book feel like it's very much behind all the others (and Uncanny X-Men is starting to feel the same way) to me. Is anyone else having this problem with this book, or any other shipping only once a month? Or is it just me?

It's just you. At least New Avengers has the same artist for every issue.