Marvel Comics is bringing the Ultimate Universe to an end with Cataclysm, a 6-issue miniseries bringing Galactus to Earth and finding allowing him to feast on the planet like a tasty appetizer! The devourer of worlds has tried to have Earth for a snack for many years and there’s something a little exciting at the thought of seeing him actually get to quell his hunger!

The miniseries comes from writers Joshua Hale Fialkov and Mico Suayan. It’s hard to believe that Brian Michael Bendis isn’t on this one, too!

Here below is the official synopsis for the series and particularly for Cataclysm #0.1 from the House of Ideas, as well as a preview of the issue.

Harbinger Wars #1
Written by Joshua Dysart
Story by Joshua Dysart & Duane Swierczynski
Art by Clayton Henry, Clayton Crain and Mico Suayan
Color art by Brian Reber
Letters by Dave Lanphear
Covers by Lewis LaRosa, Clayton Henry, Clayton Crain, and Patrick Zircher
Valiant Entertainment
Release Date: April 3, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Harbinger Wars #1 is the first effort in a line wide crossover from the newly returned Valiant Entertainment. Now, I haven’t been keeping up like I should have or wanted to with the rest of the Valiant line, but thankfully the whole team has done a great job not to let me get lost and make it an enjoyable read.

Joshua Dysart, the writer of this series, does a nice job in the first few pages in bringing you up to speed on who’s who and what’s what in the Valiant Universe. It’s never confusing or convoluted, and flows naturally with the kind of story telling that he’s using in this issue. That said, I’m not a huge fan of first issues of big crossover story lines because the author normally DOES spend a number of pages catching the audience up with what has come before. Again, that being said, this one is quick and painless and then hits the ground running. This issue certainly gets the ball rolling bringing several of the Valiant Universe characters together in what seems is a confrontation that’s been brewing for awhile. Very cool, nicely written issue.

Thor #610
Written by: Kieron Gillen
Art by: Doug Braithwaite
Colors by: Andy Troy, Doug Braithwaite, & Paul Mounts
Letters by: Joe Sabino
Cover by: Mico Suayan & Laura Martin
Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99
Release Date: May 26, 2010

Well Thor enthusiasts, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the wrap up of Siege in Thor #610 was very well done and Kieron Gillen is doing an awesome job keeping up with almost all aspects from issue #1 of J. Michael Straczynski’s run. The bad news is we had an art change and I for one don’t feel like Doug Braithwaite is fully grasping all the characters yet.

This Siege Epilogue did a great job of wrapping up all of the things covered in Siege. but I do wish there was a little more set up for the future of the book. There is some dialogue that foreshadows but it is in the slowest section of the book. My favorite parts are with Kelda and Valkyrie going to see Bill in his afterlife, Volstagg trying to make up for his mistake, and Thor being welcomed back just as Ragnarok needs to be defeated.

Thor #609
Written by: Kieron Gillen
Cover by: Mico Suayan
Art by: Billy Tan
Inks by: Mike Harris
Colors by: Scott Cohn
Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 28, 2010

Thor #609 continues the story arc of what is happening with all the Asgardians during Siege. We get a follow up to most of our stories and a hint of what is coming for all of Asgard. Mysteriously, there is no Thor in this issue at all but this isn’t surprising since he is still banished from Asgard. Kieron Gillen is doing a great job of juggling all of these storylines and I am extremely happy with this team even though I was very worried about the changeover back when it happened. I am happy to report that I am completely on board for everything that has happened and will happen in the Thor universe and that editorial has done a great job of letting the art transition and flow into Billy Tan‘s run.

Thor #608
Written by: Kieron Gillen
Cover by: Mico Suayan
Art by: Billy Tan
Inks by: Kirk Jarvinen
Colors by: Stan Goldberg
Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99
Release Date: March 24, 2010

Thor has really been at the forefront of the Marvel universe lately, which has definitely let it shine. This is great for me because I am a huge fanboy of good Thor stories. He is my favorite character in all of comics and lately his book has been my favorite monthly comic book. I continually put it to the top of my stack and I am extremely happy with what Kieron Gillen has been able to do with this exciting opportunity to bring Thor’s universe to the forefront.

With Siege raging on, and centering around Asgard, more people are paying attention to Thor than ever before. The last thing I would have thought to do with that opportunity is focus on a character as surprisingly interesting as Volstagg, but that is exactly what Gillen and the rest of the Siege writers have decided to do. I am extremely pleased with the result of this chain of events that very closely mirrors the events of Stamford (from Marvel’s Civil War event).