Avengers vs. X-Men (Limited Signed Edition)
DC has their New 52, and Marvel has its NOW, an array of refurbished titles featuring its biggest characters. Precipitating that big event comes this big event, and for all the hoopla, Marvel has turned out its most engaging cataclysmic crossover since Civil War. The cosmic Phoenix Force is heading for Earth; the mutant X-Men believe it means a new lease on life for their dwindling species, while the planet-protecting Avengers thinks it’s just bad news. How do you solve this problem? By punching, kicking, slashing, and blasting each other in the face, of course. The assemblage of writers turns out a cohesive and interesting story featuring dire moral compromises and moments of heroism and desperation for several favorite characters, while a team of Marvel’s hottest artists showcase grimly determined faces and gleaming superhero visuals (John Romita Jr.’s Kirby-esque dynamism particularly stands out). The X-Men and, now more than ever, the Avengers are big crowd-pleasers, and with all the extras jam-packed into this edition (it includes the fight-centric VS. miniseries), you can’t go wrong. --Jesse Karp--This text refers to an alternateHardcoveredition.