Again, Fraction's pacing is really paying off. He's good at knowing when to put his foot on the pedal and when to build exposition. I could see this story playing out in a grand summer blockbuster, movie feel, but a good one (not those Michael Bay silly kind). It flows and has a tempo and cadence that you can almost hear and feel as you read from panel to panel. Read Full Review

The best stories make you wonder: how will this be resolved? I have no idea, but I'm dying to see what happens next. Read Full Review

I realize that events elicit some pretty strong negative reactions in people these days, but this is really quite good and deserves a look from even the staunchest event-hater. Read Full Review

Immonen, like George Prez, is able to cram a massive amount of story into a simple panel that takes up less than a quarter of a page, but it all looks so elegant and clean. Those tighter panels make the larger panels seem like splash pages by comparison and the splash pages, therefore, seem like panoramic posters. "Fear Itself" is a gorgeous book that features art that matches the story beat for beat. Oh, and it happens to be a pretty darn enjoyable event comic too. Read Full Review

Quirks and uncertainties notwithstanding, Fear Itself continues to show strong potential as a clean and unfettered but very epic event comic. Fraction will need to speed his conflict along in issue #3, however. By the end of Civil War #2, readers had already witnessed the unmasking of Spider-Man. What will Fear Itself offer that can capture that level of shock and imagination? Read Full Review

By the end of issue two, it seems like Fraction, Immonen and company have thrust us from the first act into the second. The third issue will surely deliver on all the superhero action the first two issues have been leading up to, but so far the setup has been compelling on its own. Read Full Review

Very underwhelming issue that felt incredibly short and ends abruptly. Aside from people getting hammers to join the Worthy, of which we learn very little about despite their being the focus of the issue, not much happens here and it still reads very quickly. Little action, plot or character driven story here either. Almost feels like filler two issues in. Read Full Review

Thus far, I'm underwelmed by this event, as the script lacks the gravitas and stakes that past crossovers had that made what happened within the pages seem that much more crucial and important. The put-upon nature of this crossover, as one that was manufactured for this summer because of the Thor and Captain America movie releases is not lost on me either, nor is it forgotten. The script isn't bad, but it most definitely isn't good, and thankfully the art is here to elevate this from being the middling, almost indifferent read that it would be based just on the script. Read Full Review

Very underwhelming issue that felt incredibly short and ends abruptly. Aside from people getting hammers to join the Worthy, of which we learn very little about despite their being the focus of the issue, not much happens here and it still reads very quickly. Little action, plot or character driven story here either. Almost feels like filler two issues in. Read Full Review

The lack of substance to the story combined with the paucity of plot progression and slow pace combine to create a rather unpalatable reading experience. The fact is that Fear Itself #2 is 100% pure fluff. Readers who prefer some actual plot progression and content will be disappointed with Fear Itself #2. Readers who crave some depth and substance to their comics will also be disappointed with Fear Itself #2. I see no reason at all why anyone should waste $4.00 of their hard earned money on this issue. At this point, Fear Itself lacks any content and is nothing more than a shallow cash grabbing move by Marvel. Read Full Review

It's clear that this is supposed to be a game-changer, and every attempt is made to pull us into something that should be a shattering experience, but the Marvel Universe hasn't even settled down from the last time we all danced this dance. The Heroic Age never really materialized, The Avengers are still moving into their new digs and working out their new lineups, Iron Man and the FF are both in the nascent stages of brand-new stuff... There hasn't been a "normal" in the Marvel Universe since before Planet Hulk, it seems. The first third of the issue is strong, but it goes downhill from there. Once again, I have to deal with the irony of working for Major Spoilers, as part of me quietly wonders if the hammer-wielders identities being shocking might have made up for what feels a bit rushed in the climax. All in all, this is a mostly positive, albeit somewhat familiar, experience, feeling a lot more like a first issue than the actual first issue did. Fear Itself #2 is a mixed bag with a Read Full Review

Odin's role in the story is an ongoing point of contention. I just don't buy into his short-sightedness and willingness to sacrifice an entire planet full o people, especially since we haven't seen what sort of threat the Serpent and its forces represent. But most frustrating is the fact that nothing really happens in this issue. The same scene keeps repeating, as we see heroes and villains alike transformed after touching enchanted hammers that have crashed to Earth from space. After the second instance, it stops being interesting, especially when one finds out later in the issue that some of the scenes that begin in this comic book will run their course in other titles I don't planning on purchasing. Since the story doesn't advance here, this comes off more as an exercise in marketing than storytelling. I don't mind big crossover event books as long as the story is good, and I'm still waiting for a story after two issues and eight bucks. Read Full Review