Sure, Avengers vs. X-Men technically launched last week, but this week saw the release of issue #1 -- the proper kick off to Marvel's big event. In addition, Marvel stepped up their digital presence with the launch of both the Marvel AR app and the impressive Marvel Infinite Comics, which takes full advantage of the infinite plane to deliver a new sort of reading experience. It's not motion comics, but it's not quite your average two-dimensional story, either. If you haven't yet, give it a look-see.

At DC, the first arc of Action Comics came to a close as Animal Man and Swamp Thing continued to be, well, awesome. Unfortunately, this week also marks the end for a few New 52 launch titles, including our beloved O.M.A.C. We'll miss you, Kevin Kho.

As always, we grade on a 20-point scale from 1-10, with a longer analysis for the most anticipated books of the week.

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Written by Grant Morrison | Art by Various

"Action Comics #8 delivers the finale to Grant Morrison's first story arc (never you mind that the second arc has already come and gone). Unfortunately, the same art problems that necessitated the hiatus in the first place are back again. Issue #8 is a collaboration between Rags Morales and three other artists. As is to be expected, the results are pretty choppy and uneven. Some of Morales' pages are nicely detailed and emotionally charged, but for the most part the pages are loose and visually disorganized. Brad Walker's contribution stands out in particular thanks to the overly heavy colors and bizarre facial expressions. Superman and several other characters look as though they inhaled too much Joker toxin." -Jesse

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Final Score:

7.0

Written by Jeff Lemire | Art by Travel Foreman & Steve Pugh

"A pack of Rot-ified animals have besieged the Bakers and you won't believe how they get out of it. This issue had at least three moments where I had to put it down and reread what just happened because it was so outrageous, unbelievable, and gross. Those are qualities that have endured throughout this title to keep it among DC's best, but one thing that could have been left behind is the somewhat inconsistent artwork." -Joshua

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Final Score:

8.5

Written by Judd Winick | Art by Dustin Nguyen

"Interestingly, while many of DC's New 52 have been embracing shorter story arcs, Judd Winick's Batwing has embraced the opposite approach. Winick's first major storyline is only just wrapping up in issue #8. Luckily, moving Batwing to Gotham temporarily doesn't read like a forced attempt to set up his role in the upcoming 'Night of the Owls,' but rather an organic conclusion to his conflict with Massacre." -Jesse

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Final Score:

8.5

Written by Tony Daniel | Art by Tony Daniel

"It only takes reading a few pages of Tony Daniel's Detective Comics dialog to realize that he's going for the hard-edged angle to Batman and his supporting cast. The problem is that the abundant two- and three-word speech bubbles tend to instill the dialog with a Schwarzeneggerian abruptness that sucks the gravity out of the scenes in which they appear. This problem is readily apparent in issue #8, serving to undermine further an already anemic story." -Poet

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Final Score:

5.0

Written by Bill Willingham | Art by Phil Jimenez

"I could have sworn this series was supposed to be about the different leading ladies in Fables. Yet Briar Rose feels like a secondary character to Ali Baba, who seems like he is just along for the ride while the chatty Panghammer takes center stage. Being the most prominent character in the book, one would expect Panghammer to be likeable. Instead, his long-windedness becomes grating and his jokes come off more annoying than humorous. Don't get me wrong, I love me some fabulous princesses, but this title does little to service Briar's character or develop her in any meaningful way." -Joshua

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Final Score:

6.0

Written by Ann Nocenti | Art by Harvey Tolibao

"Ann Nocenti and artist Harvey Tolibao return for the second issue of their take on the relaunched Green Arrow in issue #8. Just as the previous issue had, this book is centered on Ollie's tumultuous relationship with the triplets known collectively as The Skylarks. Sadly, the many levels of symbolism used to convey the theme of chaos are counterproductive to providing the title with forward momentum." -Poet

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Final Score:

5.0

Written by Dan Jurgens | Art by Aaron Lopresti

"Oh, wow. It's always disappointing when you happen to pick up a dud of a comic, but Justice League International #8 goes above and beyond in its effort to disappoint. Between the heavy-handed exposition, the dubious narrative logic, the lackluster artwork, and the half-hearted attempts at developing an emotional swell, this book fails in every way." -Poet

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Final Score:

3.0

Written by Dan Didio | Art by Keith Giffen

"This is the last issue of O.M.A.C., and I found myself having more emotions both as I read it and now as I'm reviewing it than I usually do. I'm sad not only because the story is somber and poignant but because a title that I've enjoyed is coming to an early end. I'm agitated because O.M.A.C. is meeting its end even though many readers have yet to pick up an issue and vastly inferior titles are selling so easily. I also have this strange feeling of vindication, though, because, although everything is jammed into a single issue, O.M.A.C. #8 has everything that made the series great." -Poet

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Final Score:

9.0

Written by Peter Milligan | Art by Andres Guinaldo & Jorge Jimenez

"Rankorr's inner thoughts are heard throughout this issue, giving the book a welcome and different tone than Atrocitus' rageful ramblings. Atrocitus and the central Red Lantern power battery have been poisoned, and the Corps members are put in a precarious spot as their power source begins to deplete. The execution of this premise is surprisingly engaging given that the reader has been given little reason to care about these Red Lanterns. Unfortunately, the tension of the plot struggles to stay high as all excitement is buried beneath a painful amount of exposition. With mouths overflowing with blood and sharp teeth, it is a wonder how these guys are able to talk so much." -Joshua

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Final Score:

5.0

Written by Marc Bernardin | Art by Scott McDaniel

"Oh, Static Shock, what you could have been. With its final issue, Static Shock continues to be readable, but not much else. It's probably fair to say that nobody was expecting a huge grand finale to a series that never really found its voice, so maybe it's not fair have our hopes up that this final issue would do something spectacular. Rest assured: nothing spectacular happens." -Benjamin

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Final Score:

5.5

Written by Paul Jenkins | Art by Ignacio Calero & Daniel Hor

"Stormwatch has really found it's grove in the past few issues. Gravity Miners? That's the kind of craziness that made the Ellis run on the series so great. Everything feels bigger than life; every moment feels like the world is going to end. It's over the top and a total blast." -Benjamin

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Final Score:

8.5

Written by Scott Snyder | Art by Yanick Paquette & Marco Rudy

"After a perfect 10-worthy issue #7, it was going to be hard for Scott Snyder and company to top themselves. While not another perfect 10, Swamp Thing #8 is no doubt another fantastic entry into this stellar series, offering readers their first real glimpse of the newly christened Swamp Thing as he attempts to save Abigail from the clutches of the Rot. Scott Snyder paces this issue to perfection, leaving Swamp Thing's full reveal to have maximum impact and the encroaching influence of the Rot to feel foreboding and ominous. When the two forces collide, the issue segues into a violent visual feast that offers some of the most disturbing imagery we've seen in this book yet." -Joey

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Final Score:

9.0