When this story was originally released in four issues, way back in the `80s, it was called HAVOK/WOLVERINE: MELTDOWN. The fact that Wolverine shared billing with a third-tier character like Havok (even to the point of being named second in the title) shows that Wolvie, while a popular character at the time, had not reached his current "heavy hitter" status. Over the years, unfortunately, Wolverine has grown from a likeable underdog to perhaps the most overexposed character in comics. This is reflected in the fact that this story is now collected under the title WOLVERINE LEGENDS: MELTDOWN.

To be honest, this IS a story that equally showcases Havok and Wolverine, as they try to determine who is responsible for ruining their Mexican vacation. An assassination attempt separates the two X-Men, leading them around the world through a web of deception and danger, matching wits and power with the Russian villains Quark, Doctor Neutron, and General Meltdown. Walter and Louise Simonson construct a story that, while a bit heavy on the melodrama and cheesy dialogue, is nonetheless entertaining. They give us two heroes with very distinct personalities: Havok/Alex Summers, the cool customer, and Wolverine/Logan, the head-buster. Regardless, they are shown to be true buddies who care for one another. The real stars here are the artists, John J. Muth and Kent Williams, who couldn't have styles that are more different; however, their pairing works excellently, based upon a distribution of duties. Muth handles the segments with Havok, portraying Alex Summers as a sort of James Dean type rendered in soft watercolors, with jarring plasma energy added for occasional effect. Williams handles the segments with Wolverine, giving us a Logan that is, in my opinion, the all-time best representation of the character: short, stocky, rough, hairy, ugly, and altogether unappealing... the exact opposite of how Wolvie is depicted these days, and he was better for it. Picture Harvey Keitel with claws, and you'll have it.

The lesson is this: don't read this as just a Wolverine story. It is a Havok/Wolverine story, from a long-forgotten time at Marvel when a lesser character like Havok was treated with respect, and Wolverine was less than he is now, but actually something more. And most importantly, it's a story of friendship.

Armed with a new costume and having revealed his identity to the public, Spider-Man has even more big decisions coming in the Civil War. In this TPB, Spidey and his family are targeted as he finds himself in the middle of the superhero civil war between the factions of Captain America and Iron Man. What makes this Civil War tie-in important is that this fills a few holes from the main Civil War storyline, including Spidey's switching sides from Iron Man's pro-registration to Captain America's resistence. The only real downside however is that this TPB features a few plot holes itself that will get filled in by reading the main Civil War storyline, as well as a few preceding Spidey and even some Iron Man stories as well. That being said though, writer J. Michael Straczynski makes the most with his script, as well as getting to leave the reader hanging by teasing us with the possible death of someone close to Peter. Ron Garney's art leaves something to be desired as well in some panels, but he does a servicable job nonetheless. All in all, of all the countless Civil War tie-in books, the Amazing Spider-Man chapter is undoubtedly one of the best.

So what does it take to break up two of the greatest superteams of all time, make Iron Man and Captain America mortal enemies, and many other old friends pound each other into the ground in the Marvel Universe? How about reality television? After a young 3rd-tier superteam causes supervillain Nitro to explode (his power) and wipe out a school full of children while filming their "Cops"-style show, public opinion forces the passage of a bill in Congress. The bill is one that would force all superpowered beings to register with and work for the government. Naturally, this is a terribly unconstitutional move that eliminates the most American of all values, freedom, from every superbeings' life. Thus the Marvel Universe is split in two with Captain America siding against his own namesake and forming the Underground Avengers (featuring Dardevil, Luke Cage, and Spiderwoman among others) and Iron Man leading the pro-registration forces along with Mr. Fantastic in rounding up all of the heroes who resist, imprisoning them indefinitely. It's a great concept that brings to light many fascinating debates and ideas on the limitations of government among other things. The problems with the story are in the execution. Many of the great heroes with 40+ years of history and character development behind them do things that are way out of character and others, bizarrely, do nothing at all. As much effort as Marvel has expended in various side-issues trying to justify the actions of Tony Stark and Reed Richards, the fact remains that they behave more like megalomaniacal supervillains than the epitome of heroism that they've embodied for so long. That's not to say that there aren't consequences for both, what with the FF and Avengers essentially dissolved because of feuding members. The ever-sensible Ben Grimm even leaves the country. While Wolverine acts perfectly rationally (for him) in going after the real villain, Nitro, in his side-story (available in another TPB), the rest of the X-Men decide to remain neutral. This is particularly disturbing considering they have fought so vigorouisly against the Mutant Registration Act, which was essentially the same bill but much smaller in scope and with less teeth. I guess the writers knew that with so many heavy-hitters, a united mutant front would have tipped the scales too far in the favor of the rebels. Another big shocker involves a revamped version of the Thunderbolts, featuring many familiar but not-so-friendly faces, and let's just say that along the way sides are changed, long-standing relationships strained to the breaking point, and in the end, not everything will be as it was before. This is a cataclysmic comic event that certainly makes you want to tune back into the Marvel Universe if you've been tuned out for awhile like I have. This particular Trade Paper Back collects the essential events of the Civil War, but not necessarily the best. I'd highly recommend picking up the Civil War TPB's for Spiderman and the Fantastic Four because: a) they're highly entertaining and b) they offer a lot more perspectives on the events depicted in the main story. Also highly recommended are the Captain America and Iron Man TPB's since they are the two figureheads of their respective points of view. The ending, I think, is one that is unsatisfying in every possible way and really brings the story down. I know life ain't fair, but it just seemed like BS to me. Still, it's a journey worth taking if you're a comic fan who wants to see some of Marvel's finest go at it or if you're just intensely curious about how this huge event unfolds. There are plenty of great moments, it's just too bad that the story seems to dictate the characters' actions at times instead of the other way around.

When I first bought this volume, I only got it because the store was out of Fantastic Four comics. So you can understand that making a transition from Spider-Man to Fantastic Four to "The Avengers" was a big leap. I saw the cover and I said to myself; "Aw, what the heck. I see Iron Man, Hulk, I think that's Thor, and who are those midgets flying around on ants?" It makes me laugh now because I came so close to putting this back on the shelf.

"The Avengers" are actually an insanely good comic. It definitley ended up in my hands most of the time not only because of the artwork (Jack Kirby) but because of the friendship, loyalty, and the true origins of the Avengers and Captain America. In these pages lurk mystery, action, surprise, wise-crack jokes, and endings to issues that tie up in the next one. In other words, it keeps you reading until the end. However, I would advise you not to get too sucked into this current team of Ant-Man, Giant-Man, the Wasp, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and Captain America. In the second volume, the entire team changes with some leaving, some staying, and new recruits joining.
Overall, "The Avengers" have hit-home in this amazing volume. If you have the money and the time to read it, I strongly suggest purchasing this one.

When this story was originally released in four issues, way back in the `80s, it was called HAVOK/WOLVERINE: MELTDOWN. The fact that Wolverine shared billing with a third-tier character like Havok (even to the point of being named second in the title) shows that Wolvie, while a popular character at the time, had not reached his current "heavy hitter" status. Over the years, unfortunately, Wolverine has grown from a likeable underdog to perhaps the most overexposed character in comics. This is reflected in the fact that this story is now collected under the title WOLVERINE LEGENDS: MELTDOWN.

To be honest, this IS a story that equally showcases Havok and Wolverine, as they try to determine who is responsible for ruining their Mexican vacation. An assassination attempt separates the two X-Men, leading them around the world through a web of deception and danger, matching wits and power with the Russian villains Quark, Doctor Neutron, and General Meltdown. Walter and Louise Simonson construct a story that, while a bit heavy on the melodrama and cheesy dialogue, is nonetheless entertaining. They give us two heroes with very distinct personalities: Havok/Alex Summers, the cool customer, and Wolverine/Logan, the head-buster. Regardless, they are shown to be true buddies who care for one another. The real stars here are the artists, John J. Muth and Kent Williams, who couldn't have styles that are more different; however, their pairing works excellently, based upon a distribution of duties. Muth handles the segments with Havok, portraying Alex Summers as a sort of James Dean type rendered in soft watercolors, with jarring plasma energy added for occasional effect. Williams handles the segments with Wolverine, giving us a Logan that is, in my opinion, the all-time best representation of the character: short, stocky, rough, hairy, ugly, and altogether unappealing... the exact opposite of how Wolvie is depicted these days, and he was better for it. Picture Harvey Keitel with claws, and you'll have it.

The lesson is this: don't read this as just a Wolverine story. It is a Havok/Wolverine story, from a long-forgotten time at Marvel when a lesser character like Havok was treated with respect, and Wolverine was less than he is now, but actually something more. And most importantly, it's a story of friendship.

Thor is Marvel's best superhero movie yet. It is even better than the first Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk films. It is also the most visually stunning of any Marvel film, with gorgeous fantasy settings, great costumes, and spectacular special effects.

In the same way as Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight worked just as well as a crime drama as a superhero movie, Thor works just as well as a standalone fantasy film. Even if I had not known that I was watching a comic book movie, I would have been just as happy with the story. In fact, I would say that you don't actually need to be familiar with the characters or the comic mythology to enjoy the film.

The story is set half in Asgard, the realm of the gods, and half in our world, Earth. Thor, the son of the king of Asgard, the wise Odin, is a proud and arrogant king-in-waiting. He makes a foolish mistake that brings his world to the brink of war and his father exiles him to our world as punishment, and maybe to teach him how to be a better man. On Earth, Thor makes some new friends and even begins to fall in love with a pretty scientist. Meanwhile, in Asgard, his brother Loki begins to put into motion a plot that may threaten Thor's home.

Two things about the film really stood out to me. The first is the absolutely beautiful settings and solid world-building in the movie. Asgard looks amazing, with settings such as the Rainbow Bridge, a crystal structure with colored lights running through it, spanning a sea that flows into a massive waterfall, cascading down into the open cosmos. Also, great costuming really makes the gods stand out, and adds to the film's epic feel. The second thing was the character of Loki, the film's antagonist. Watching the trailers, I expected a greasy, honorless villain (someone like Wormtongue from the Lord of the Rings). Instead I got the story of a hero, told in reverse. Loki's story mirrors his brother Thor's, but where Thor starts out as an arrogant royal brat and through his time on Earth comes to realize what it means to be a hero, Loki begins the story as a mischievous but honorable man, and over the course of the film turns into a really bad guy. As Thor rises, he falls. And when his final plan is revealed at the end of the film, it totally fits his personality and everything you know about him. In other superhero films, we're used to seeing the bad guy go on some kind of mindless rampage at the end of the film. We saw it in The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, the Spider Man movies, the Fantastic Four...but not here. Loki acts like a man with a purpose. Actually he has two purposes, both very personal to him. One is to do commit a terrible act of destruction, partly out of self-loathing and partly out of a twisted sense of honor toward his father. And the other is simply to beat his brother, proving himself Thor's equal. He is easily the deepest villain of any of the Marvel films so far.

The film is directed by Shakespearean actor Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart!), who handles the epic material perfectly. More than any Marvel film so far, this one focuses on the hero's journey. Even more than a comic book movie, this is a fantasy film about a hero. Expect father-son drama, palace intrigue in the realm of the gods, and an epic confrontation between two brothers who have been become very different people over the course of the story. There is also plenty of humor, with a few real laugh-out-loud moments. And there is a very sweet, almost cute romance woven into the story. It carries an innocent, young-love kind of feeling. It also takes the two characters, one a god more concerned with war and glory, the other a scientist more concerned with solving the mysteries of the universe, and brings them down to earth in their budding love for one another.

I would recommend Thor to any lover of fantasy films, as well as any fans of comic book movies such as Marvel's Avengers lineup. It is solid fantasy fun with a strong sense of the epic and the heroic. And when you see Thor finally wield his hammer and summon the lightning, you'll want to stand up and cheer.

I love this movie. I agree with several of the points made by other reviewers. One, there is a certain amount of suspending disbelief that one must do to enjoy it. Two, and absolutely on the mark, this is a character driven movie, not plot driven. Three, this isn't a movie to be deeply analyzed. It's an 80s movie with witty/sarcastic humor and a plot that works best if you like the main characters. 'War Games' is a better all around movie, but after repeated viewings, I like watching Christopher Collet more than Matthew Broderick (Plus, I can't stand looking at Ally Sheedy, IN ANYTHING!!!). To me, this is an afterschool special-type movie (remember those???). It's weird, but I always watch this movie as if I was 16 years old (which is about how old I was when it came out). I don't even have to try, it just happens. Though 'Real Genius' is funnier and 'War Games' plot and script better, 'The Mahattan Project' has its own special charms that make it worth buying the DVD and watching every few months (depending how many times you've already seen it, that is...)