ALL-NEW GHOST RIDER / SILVER SURFER #1 [Reviews]: Sunday Surf ‘n Turf.

• NEW AVENGERS #16.NOW – Described as an All-New Marvel NOW #1 issue for new fans to hop aboard Jonathan Hickman’s globes-trotting parallel universe Illuminati-ride, N.A. #16 had your favorite Marvel Apostle even more lost than usual. Like Hickman’s Avengers, this is an awful jumping-on point for new readers. It’s like jumping into Lost mid-season three, and expecting to fully grasp whats going on with the polar bears. Not possible. Hell, I’ve been lost for the past 6 months. Between Incursions, Mapmakers, Black Priests, and Ivory Kings — not to mention multi-dimensional travel and worlds… You catch my drift. All was not lost with the art however, as this ish also marks the entry of the very talented Rags Morales (Action Comics). For his first issue at the House of Stan, the former DCU stalwart gets to take a spin with a multi-dimensional version of the Squadron Supreme. That alone may be worth the price of admission. 2.5/5.

• SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #30/AMAZING X-MEN #5 – I decided to combine both of these comic reviews due to two things. One, they both reintroduce fallen heroes that the Marvel Universe has been missing for some time. Two, neither of these issues were worth mentioning if it wasn’t for rushed returns at the final panel. R.I.P. Spider-Ock. If you haven’t picked up or have been stuck in a web under a rock for the past couple months, the Amazing Spider-Man is coming back. Superior Spider-Man #30 is his return. One would assume that since Doctor Octo-Spidey was anointed with almost 50+ issues of combined comic money, Marvel would do more to send a proper send-off. Otherwise, Goblin Nation has been an outstanding final arc to the Webbed Octopus’ story. And, sure, this “Superior’ version may not have been my favorite of the bunch (and there are a ton of them coming soon)…

• (Cont.) …but there’s no doubt even the most fickle of Amazing diehards began to appreciate this different, albeit dangerously daring take. Hey — nothing could go worse than One More Day. Think of the new possibilities: Thanks to Otto, Parker finally earns the respect of being the genius that he is, with Dr. Parker’s new diploma and a highly revered Parker Industries — if anything is left standing after the Goblin’s takedown, that is… This takes us to another comeback. In the pages of Amazing X-Men #5 the furry demon’s eventual return was all but delivered in issue one with a name like “The Quest for Nightcrawler.” Here we are five issues later, a full pirate’s tale, and the swashbuckling mutant priest is brought back. Jason Aaron (Wolverine & The X-Men) and Ed McGuinness (Hulk) deliver a spectacularly beautiful book, but by the closing of the last page you are left wanting more. SS #30 = 4/5, AX #5 = 3.5/5.

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