This was my pick.  I wasn’t expecting that to be the case.  I haven’t been as down on the New and Mighty SI stuff as others, but i figured between the last issue of secret invasion, the possibly final issue of morrison’s batman, criminal, etc, this one would be kinda forgettable.

But then i made it to that first Gaydos spread.  And suddenly bendis ballons were all over the place, and i realized that I was engrossed in a deeply affecting and effective story which  filled in much of the backstory of Luke and JJ’s relationship and that made the events of SI:8 all the more wrenching.  This was top notch writing and Gaydos at his best.  Not sure how I feel about Tan’s Jessica Jones, who loses so much of the humanity, the realness that Gaydos brought to the character and that was so central to his brilliant run on Alias, but since he doesn’t actually draw most of this issue, that’s small potatoes.  The specifics of the Cage plot were a little strange, but the climactic scene of the flashback was still pretty heartbreaking.  I was glad to see these characters foregrounded, glad Gaydos was available to draw the story. and i’m hoping there’s some more coherent narrative in this book regardless of whatever dark reign winds up having to say for itself.