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HotShot Pickleball @hspickleball is Live on @kickstarter

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Pick Your Pickle and Prepare for Puns: Pickleball's Board Game Just Launched. A fast, fun, irreverent board game that celebrates the joy of Pickleball. Fans of silly puns, pickles, and fast-paced games alike have a new game to add to their list of must-haves: HotShot Pickleball. This delightful card-drawing board game is quick to learn and gives a surprising amount of opportunity to lightly strategize as you race to the ball and attempt to hit it back over the net to your opponent. The debut release from indie studio Midnight Trading Co., HotShot Pickleball was made while game designer Robert Gelb was recovering from an Achilles injury sustained, ironically, by playing Pickleball. For those who haven’t heard of pickleball, it's the fastest-growing sport in the world, with over 32 million players last year. HotShot Pickleball is a lively, family-friendly game that combines the fun of the sport with a cast of quirky, pickle-themed characters like Stew Cumber, Kim Chee, and Corni...

Guest Reviews: @Marvel Uncanny Avengers #3, Young Avengers #1, & Punisher: War Zone #4

Uncanny Avengers #3 CoverYoung Avengers #1 CoverPunisher: War Zone #4 Cover

Here are today's "Guest Reviews" by John McCubbin from Imagination Centre. Included are Marvel's; Uncanny Avengers #3, Young Avengers #1, & Punisher: War Zone #4. I have also added my rating after each review. If you have any questions about my rating or want to discuss anything just leave me a comment.

See the Review Rating Overview page for more information on how I rate each comic.

Uncanny Avengers #3 - Skull & Bones


Red Skull is using his new powers to incite violence against mutants across the globe!

Scarlet Witch and Rogue make a terrible discovery that will haunt them forever!

The UNCANNY AVENGERS feel the full might of Red Skull's S-Men.

Preview



The Reich Eternal


I've recently decided to go back and review the issues in this series that I haven't reviewed, having re-read them, but my reviews will be written as if I've not read the issues that follow them.

This has been a very interesting series so far, and although it's not quite hit it's stride, it is still a very interesting story. The return of the Red Skull as well as the coming together of this team containing both Avengers and X-Men has been very interesting, and although the last issue was a little slow, I still have hope that this series will become amazing.

Plot

The Red Skull is using his new psychic abilities that he's taken from the dead Professor X to turn the humans against the mutants, and the Avengers Unity Squad are stuck in the middle.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and the series really seems to be picking up. The scheduling of this series hasn't helped this series, and although having re-read this, the first time I read it I'd forgotten a few things from the previous issue, which isn't good. Anyway, Rick Remender is continuing to give us a story that's not just interesting, and entertaining, but one that's worthy of the characters involved. As I said the last issue was a little slow, and although this one was also slightly slow at times, it felt much more exciting, and actually felt like a team book (even though Captain America, Thor, Wolverine, and Havok worked together last issue). I've also much preferred the way Remender's written this issue, and really loved how it had a narrative, as although it felt a bit weird at the start, it really helped the story, and made it feel more emotional, whilst also giving it more depth. I've also loved how Remender's made the story much more suspenseful now, as with Red Skull having the ability to control minds it really changes things, but I'll talk more about that later on in my review.

Read the rest of John McCubin's Review on Comic Vine

My Rating


Cover & Solicit - 4/5
Art, Colors & Inking - 4/5
Layout & Flow - 3/5
Story - 4/5
Verdict - 3.9


Young Avengers #1 - Style > Substance


Legacy isn't a dirty word... but it's an irrelevant one. It's not important what our parents did. It matters what WE do. Someone has to save the world. You're someone. Do the math. The critically acclaimed team of Gillen/McKelvie/Wilson (with added Norton Sauce) decide to reinvent the teen superhero comic for the 21st century, uniting Wiccan, Hulkling and Hawkeye with Loki, Marvel Boy and Ms. America. No pressure. Young Avengers is as NOW! as the air in your lungs, and twice as vital. It's the book that knows Hyperbole is the BEST! THING! EVER!

Preview



Finally the Young Avengers are Here


I've never really been a fan of Young Avengers having never really read them, but after hearing that Loki would be joining them, as well as Kieron Gillen writing I thought I'd give it a try, and have been looking forward to reading it.

Plot

This issue is split into separate stories that introduce the characters, which includes former Young Avengers Wiccan, Hulkling, and Kate Bishop, and the new additions of Noh-Varr, Miss America, and Loki.

Review

Although this issue wasn't quite as good as I expected it to be, it was still a very good issue, and an excellent start to the series, introducing the characters perfectly. I loved Gillen's work on Journey Into Mystery, which also featured Loki, so expected brilliant things from this series, but after seeing his terrible work on the new Iron Man series I was no longer sure how good this series would be. Although like I said earlier this issue wasn't perfect, I still think that this type of series suits Gillen's style of writing much more than Iron Man does. I loved that Gillen took the time to introduce all the characters as for people like me, who only know a little about them, it's a brilliant way to get fully introduced without jumping straight into a story. At the same time it's not quite Young Avengers yet, as not all of the characters are together yet, but I hope that happens next issue, as at the end of the day this needs to feel like a team series.

Read the rest of John McCubin's Review on Comic Vine

My Rating



Cover & Solicit - 3/5
Art, Colors & Inking - 3/5
Layout & Flow - 4/5
Story - 4/5

Verdict - 3.6


Punisher: War Zone #4


The Punisher tries to break Cole out of jail.

The Avengers stomp him. A lot.

Preview



Breakout


This has been a brilliant series, and has continued Greg Rucka's run on Punisher brilliantly. Although I personally hoped for something different in this series it has still been very good, and I will be upset to see Ruck leave Punisher.

Plot

This issue sees the Avengers expecting a break out attempt from Punisher during Rachel Alves trial.

Review

This was a very good issue, but it was slightly slow, and the worst of the mini-series so far. I was expecting a lot of action in the last two issues of this series, and to be honest this issue slightly disappointed with that. I wanted to love this issue as much as the others, but I couldn't quite. Ruck did however still do a very good job, and I've liked how he's used the Avengers throughout this series. I do however hope that he does a much better job on the final issue, as despite doing a good job this issue, I know that he can do a perfect job on the final issue, if he wants to.

Once again I liked Carmine Di Giandomenico art. I'd never really liked his art prior to this series, and although I'd still prefer Marco Checchetto doing the artwork, Di Giandomenico has been phenomenally brilliant. He draws all the characters amazingly, and although some are better than others, it's still great. I also think that he's laid out the art brilliantly, as it looks perfect, and wouldn't look as good any other way. I also have to give a lot of credit to Matt Hollingsworth, as his colours have been brilliant, and has really brought an amazing tone to the series, making it feel very dynamic.

Read the rest of John McCubin's Review on Comic Vine


My Rating


Cover & Solicit - 3/5
Art, Colors & Inking - 4/5
Layout & Flow - 5/5
Story - 4/5
Verdict - 4


Purchase Uncanny Avengers #3 (Variant)
Purchase Uncanny Avengers Prem HC Vol. 01 Red Shadow Now
Pre-Order Young Avengers TPB Vol. 1 Style Substance (Save 20%)
Purchase Punisher: War Zone #4
Purchase Punisher TPB Enter War Zone
John McCubbin is a blogger at http://imaginationcentre.blogspot.co.uk/ and a comic book reviewer at Comic Vine. The use of this review has been authorized by the original author.

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