This title has introduced a number of exceptional characters both mutant and regular Joe. Most notably Absolon, “Mr. M”, (a character of unbelievable power who doesn’t seem to mind it when someone puts a few .44 mm slugs in the back of his cranium); Lara, an illusionist of extreme proportions; Ismael Ortega, "Izzy," the officer working with Bishop; and most interestingly an artist named “Nemesio” who is like Madam Cleo, except that he actually has visions of the future, is a man, is not from California with a pretend Jamaican accent, and has no 900-number (at least not yet.)

Also, there is an incredibly creepy character, “Winston Hobbs,” about whom I cannot decide what is most creepy. Is it his disgusting form and disgusting living conditions, or his incredible sloth-like malevolent patience? Whatever he is, he is the scariest cross between a grub-worm and a mole-man that I have ever seen, and I think he means to wreak some repulsive Grub-Mole havoc on the light-deprived citizens of the Big Apple – Hey, take a big swelly bite, fella.

As for the art, at first glance the artwork in District X is a bit overbearing. Expertly done, but overbearing. In fact, I think the reason it is overbearing is that it is too expertly done, too detailed, too human. This, I believe, lends even more layers to a book already replete with varied moral/social dimensions. The pencils by Lan Medina and inks by Alejandro “Boy” Sicat are so realistic, so raw that they influence the reader’s emotions possibly as much as the writing. And I must say that for once, a book comes equipped with substantial art which never distracts from the story: You will not find yourself pausing, to say, Holy crap! How did he draw that? as you might find yourself doing while reading many of today’s popular comics. That is, unless you are supposed to pause, i.e. issue #7, page #4.

District X #8 is a continuation of the story arc, entitled "Underground" which was begun in issue #7. In it the relationships of Bishop and Izzy, and Izzy and his mutant wife are put to the test; the status of “Mr. M” is resolved (sorta); and surface dwellers get a beating from dirty tunnel-dwelling mutants - power-outage style! (OUCH!) That’ll teach ‘em to treat dirty tunnel-dwelling mutants like dirty tunnel-dwelling mutants.

Listen. If you read only one Marvel U book this year, it has got to be this one. It is the best thing I have read in a long time, and by far the best cop/crime book out there. “Sam and Twitch” got nothin’ on Bishop and Izzy, (mostly because the "Sam and Twitch" stuff belongs to Image, and therefore is more of an idea than an actual, physical comic book which ships regularly). Read it! If you don’t, Grub-Mole will eat you.

Side Note: Nemesio is a really cool character (though he doesn’t look cool) and will be awesome to follow, provided he is not killed – a thing that would be hard to do since he could see it coming, paint it, and then run away while mocking the would-be murderer who can only stare blank-faced at an oil-and-canvas depicting the bloody-intentioned, but easily avoided act.