Wednesday saw the release of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness’s Avengers: X-Sanction #1 (look for our review of the issue here). The book features the return of the X-Men’s Cable that was teased at this year’s San Diego Comic Con and is the first appearance of the character after his noble death during X-Men: Second Coming. As a fan of Cable, I have very mixed feelings about his resurrection, but with the recent announcement of next Summer’s blockbuster Avengers vs. X-Men series this series’ importance has seemingly increased. As a high profile book, Marvel has seen fit to ship seven different covers for the first issue ranging in price from its $3.99 cover price to over $200 from Midtown Comics’ online store.

More variants are planned for each issue of the series and we’ll have updates here they ship.

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Kieron Gillen and Carlos Pacheco’s introduction to the new volume of Uncanny X-Men is a solid first issue that gives a good idea of what to expect from the series: universe class threats, incredible displays of power and the X-Men striving to become Earth’s mightiest heroes. This comes along with their interpersonal struggles as Cyclops has assembled a team of former (and perhaps future) super-villains each powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with teams of heroes on their own if they chose. Much like last week’s Wolverine and the X-Men #1, there is some silliness, but here it is coupled with a lot more action and the reemergence of an old threat with some new tricks.

Spoilers for Uncanny X-Men Volume 2 #1 will follow.

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Last week, we spent some time talking about Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s Justice League #2. Regardless of what people think of DC Comics’ New 52 relaunch or this retelling of the first meeting of their greatest heroes, the book is gorgeous. Justice League #1 was a top seller and there’s no reason to think the second issue won’t be near the top of the list as well. It may even be the best selling title since Chris Claremont and Lee’s X-Men #1 from 1991, which made it even more surreal seeing them on the shelves together last Wednesday.

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Marvel’s X-Men: Regenesis began in full this week with the introduction of the new ongoing series Wolverine and the X-Men from writer Jason Aaron and artist Chris Bachalo. Aaron detailed the split within in the X-Men that serves as the foundation for this series over the Summer in the pages of X-Men: Schism and Bachalo is an artist whose work I actively seek out on the shelves. This is a fun book in every sense of the word, but the fun comes as a sharp contrast to everything the X-titles have focused on in recent years. I don’t need my X-Men to be serious all the time, but this book might push the limits of quirkiness for some readers.

Spoilers for the debut of Wolverine and the X-Men will follow.

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Marvel’s Fear Itself certainly didn’t run behind schedule, but it feels as though the event and series have been going on for far longer than seven months. An extraordinary number of tie-ins and mini-series likely added to this feeling along with the fact that DC Comics’ competing “Summer Blockbuster,” Flashpoint, ended in August ushering a completely new DC Universe that’s running strong into its second month. It was never suggested that Fear Itself would have that kind of impact on the Marvel Universe, and the landscape has shifted to some degree. Unfortunately, it’s difficult not to see the changes as retreads of earlier stories.

Spoilers for Fear Itself will follow.

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