Reviews: Strong Second Issues from Princess Leia and Silk

A few weeks ago I reviewed the first issues of Darth Vader and Spider-Gwen. Both were really strong debuts, leaving me excited for what was to come, and both have since released second issues that were, well, not as good. That's not to say they were bad – certainly there were superb moments in both – but it felt like both series hit a lull in their second parts. Everything that was great about Darth Vader was present in issue two, but it felt like a detour rather than the continuation of the story set in motion in the first issue. The same can be said about Spider-Gwen. That book seems like its still trying to decide what it's about. It hasn't found a distinct trajectory to carry it forward, or, at least, it hasn't gotten to it yet.

Again, neither of these were bad books, and in the case of Spider-Gwen, Letour and company have a whole alternate universe to set up, so I can understand if it's taking their story a little longer to get moving. It was just interesting to see that two books whose intro issues I really enjoyed seemed to lag on their second outings.

This week sees two more second issues from titles I really enjoyed upon their respective releases, Princess Leia and Silk. Unlike the titles mentioned above, though, these books managed to avoid the second issue slump.

Read more after the jump.

Review: Spider-Gwen #1 – The Spider-Character We Didn't Realize We Needed

It's one of those ideas that, once you hear it, you're forced to wonder, Why the hell hadn't anyone done this before? An alternate reality take on the Spider-Man story in which it's Gwen Stacy – the first, great, and ultimately tragic love of Peter Parker's life – who gets bit by the fateful spider. Brilliant. Add to that a simple, but stunning, character design and Marvel had a sure-fire hit on its hands.

Now, Spider-Gwen #1, spinning out the ultra-popular Spider-Verse story, has arrived, giving readers a further look into the world of Gwen Stacy, Spider-Woman.

Read more, with one minor, but marked, spoiler after the jump.

Review: Uncanny X-Men #31 – How Scott Summers (Potentially) Gets His Groove Back

Uncanny X-Men hit the shelves today, and if you follow Brian Michael Bendis on Tumblr (as you should), you know there’s a jaw-dropping ending to this issue. I won’t spoil it here, or after the jump, but suffice it to say it marks a serious turning point for the book.

Read more about it, spoiler-free, after the jump.

Review: Darth Vader #1 is a pitch perfect start to Marvel's new Star Wars on-going.

Today Marvel has released the first issue of their second Star Wars title, an ongoing Darth Vader series written by Kieron Gillen (Young Avengers) and Salvador Larroca (Invincible Iron Man). This is far from the first time the Dark Lord of the Sith has appeared in a comic, nor is it the first time he's appeared in his very own series. Dark Horse had been publishing stories featuring the character for over 20 years until Disney, which now owns both Lucasfilm and Marvel, made the decision last year to move the rights to their own comic book publisher.

It should be noted that this is not Marvel's first time publishing stories featuring Vader, either. It was Marvel who first acquired the rights to publish Star Wars titles in the 70s, and published all kinds of wild stories set in the Star Wars universe. What makes Marvel's new collection of Star Wars titles so intriguing is that Lucasfilm as stated that all stories published by Marvel will be considered canon. That's a pretty big deal. It's not something that Dark Horse could ever boast.

So, how does Marvel's first Darth Vader comic hold up? Find out after the jump.